T-Mobile Offers Free Wi-Fi To PSP Players
T-Mobile is offering complimentary Wi-Fi service for six months to Sony PlayStation Portable owners who upgrade to the latest PSP firmware.
People with version 3.30 in the handheld gaming device can choose the “use wireless hotspot” option and follow the instructions to get connected.
T-Mobile hotspots are commonly found in Starbucks, Borders Books and Music stores, hotels, airports and other locations.
The complimentary service includes complete Internet access, including surfing, downloading games and other media, as well as playing video games online. T-Mobile has more than 7,000 Wi-Fi access points across the United States.
Following the first six months of service, PSP owners will have the option of purchasing a subscription at a special rate that wasn’t disclosed. PSP owners have until March 28, 2008, to take advantage of the promotion.
Sony Computer Entertainment America said in a statement the T-Mobile partnership makes it more convenient for PSP owners to access online multiplayer games.
For T-Mobile, the deal lets it tap into a large pool of potentially new customers.
“Ratchet and Clank: Size Matters” is the first title to support the new online access by embedding a button in the software to connect to T-Mobile. Additional titles are scheduled for release this year.
Other features in the firmware upgrade include support for full-resolution video, 720 by 480 pixels.
In addition, thumbnail files for video and RSS content can now be displayed.
PSP firmware can be downloaded wirelessly over a Wi-Fi connection, or downloaded to a PC and then transferred to the PSP over a USB cable.
The market around portable game players is big business globally. DFC Intelligence estimates worldwide revenue from Nintendo and Sony systems would exceed $10 billion this year.
A great deal will depend on the focus Sony Computer Entertainment decides to put on promoting the PSP platform over the next few years.
Source: DFC Intelligence Press Release
The market is being led by the Nintendo DS, which was the hottest selling system last year, according the researcher.
Deals like T-Mobile are important for helping Sony establish a solid position in the market against its rival.
ICANN Again Vetoes ..XXX Domain
ICANN once again rejected a .xxx domain for adult content by a 9 to 5 board member vote that reflected the board’s widely differing positions on the proposal.
There was no general consensus on the plan that had religious groups and even the adult content industry divided.
The Friday vote, held in Lisbon Portugal, was the third by ICANN on the measure and made no forward progress on resolving the issue.
“This decision was the result of very careful scrutiny and consideration of all the arguments. That consideration has led a majority of the board to believe that the proposal should be rejected.
- Dr. Vint Cerf, ICANN chairman”
The measure was favored by some in the adult content business but not all and by some family support organizations that felt a .xxx domain could help regulate the industry.
Others complained that an adult domain could appear to be an endorsement of the business.
Some ICANN directors worried that a separate domain for sex sites would require it to get involved in policing content.
ICM Registry which first proposed the domain seven years ago, railed against the decision and said it would likely file a lawsuit against ICANN, according to published reports.
Dr. Vint Cerf, who is an executive at Google, said differences of opinion over the proposed domain appear to be growing in the adult content community.
My concern here is that over time, the two years that we’ve considered this, there has been a growing disagreement within the adult content community as to the advisability of this proposal.
- Dr. Vint Cerf
Board member Rita Rodin summed up the feelings of some other board members when she said an .xxx domain could be an “enforcement headache” for ICANN. She added that the decision was a difficult one for the board.
To find out more, check out the transcript of the Board meeting.
China Eyes Military Uses Of Cyberspace
China’s development of modern modes of warfare including military uses of outer space and cyberspace have yielded impressive gains that require U.S. vigilance, experts told a congressional panel Thursday.
The officials and security analysts told the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission that China’s military modernization also raises alarms because the communist government in Beijing remains secretive about its intentions.
China’s test-firing of a ballistic missile that pulverized one of its own satellites about 537 miles above Earth was not a surprise because it was Beijing’s third attempt, General James Cartwright, commander of the U.S. Strategic Command, said.
But he told the commission the much-criticized January 11, 2007 anti-satellite test was “impressive how quickly they got the capability” and “should be a wake up call to others” about the systems China is pursuing in outer space.
They have fielded a wide range of jamming and anti-satellite capabilities.
In cyber warfare, China also had a well-organized program and a long-term view, not a short-term view, in this activity and it will pay off.
Other nations are doing likewise, but I do not believe any have demonstrated the scale or the financial commitment to move in the direction that China has demonstrated.
- General James Cartwright
Quoted from hearing in Washington a day after China called for a treaty to stop the spread of weapons in outer space.
William Schneider of the Hudson Institute, a conservative Washington think tank, told the panel that China was “acquiring asymmetric capabilities that reflect a studied assessment of U.S. civil and military vulnerabilities.”
These new capabilities complement China’s rapid build-up of conventional armaments such as missiles, warships and aircraft, he said.
“The scope, though not yet the scale of these investments, is consistent with global aspirations, but by most assessments, is excessive in relation to China’s regional security needs,” said Schneider in remarks similar to Pentagon complaints.
“China has not responded to requests for greater transparency, leaving China’s defense modernization open to many alternative interpretations,” he added.
Andrew Erickson of the China Maritime Studies Institute at the U.S. Naval War College told the commission China’s military build-up remained largely focused on Taiwan, the self-governing island over which Beijing claims sovereignty and has vowed to attack should Taipei declare independence.
“There is little evidence to show that the Chinese navy is developing the capabilities necessary to extend its ability to project power much beyond China’s claimed territorial waters,” Erickson said.
A Totally Sweet Cell Phone
Researchers at Saint Louis University believe they have tapped into a sweet method for powering small mobile devices, such as iPods, cell phones and PDA’s.
The scientists discovered that sugar coveted by hot beverage drinkers and candy-chomping kids alike can be used as a new battery fuel-cell option.
Their tests have shown these sweet batteries run almost three to four times longer on a single charge than their everyday lithium ion counterparts.
University chemistry professor Shelley Minteer has tested her batteries using flat sodas, sweetened drink mixes and tree sap but the best results so far came from using ordinary table sugar dissolved in water.
If the test results continue to provide positive feedback, Minteer and her colleagues suspect we could see sugar-based batteries in the market within the next five years.
Whether the devices will develop diabetes or require regular dental visits remains to be seen.
The Bourne Ultimatum Trailer
This summer is leading up to a huge set of trilogy conclusions, one of which is The Bourne Ultimatum.
I’ve been following this action series closely, with the first two films delivering strongly so far.
I anticipate this third one is only going to top everything the first two started, with Jason Bourne finally coming home and confronting his “creators”.
Here’s the official movie trailer:
“The Bourne Ultimatum,” which follows “The Bourne Identity” and “The Bourne Supremacy” opens nationwide on August 3, 2007, so make sure you hit the theaters and catch this movie.
I’ll be there on opening day. w00t!
Symantec Secures Mobile Devices
Symantec launched a new version of its mobile-security software this week that adds the same data-leak-prevention capabilities found in its desktop products.
The vendor also introduced several other information-security functions for smartphones and PDAs, including a mobile VPN solution, that are more commonly found in security products for laptops.
To protect corporate data, Symantec Mobile Security Suite 5.0 encrypts data on the device and memory cards, and records all file activity in a log.
System administrators can check this log to see if any sensitive data files have been breached.
Symantec’s software also guards data by erasing information after a number of unsuccessful login attempts. Administrators can use the software to disable wireless features, such as Wi-Fi and data synching.
The software also provides antivirus, firewall, anti-SMS spam, network-access-control and tamper-protection features.
Symantec also said the security suite will help businesses better secure portable data and also ease corporate compliance with both internal corporate-governance requirements and external regulations.
According to Symantec, the mobile security suite and its Mobile VPN solution will ship in May 2007.