Posted Jan 31st 2008 3:37PM by Steven Kim
Filed under: Digital Cameras
While it’s always great to see your consumer point-and-shoots get a decent spec bump or two, Sony’s not really offering too many breakthrough new features in the latest refresh to its T, S, and H series Cyber-shots. Still, it was nice to check out the updated DSC-H3, DSC-S700, and DSC-T200 at Sony’s PMA booth in the form of the DSC-H10, DSC-S750 / S780, and DSC-T300, respectively. Ranging from $150 to $400, and from 7.2 to 10.1 megapixels, the four cameras in this gallery seem like they’d be a fine upgrade to folks already hooked on their MemorySticks.

Gallery: Hands-on with Sony’s new T, S, and H series Cyber-shots

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Posted Jan 31st 2008 3:03PM by Paul Miller
Filed under: Storage
Been looking for the perfect card reader to complement that ExpressCard-less MacBook Air of yours? Well here’s exactly what you aren’t looking for, the ImageRouter from Delkin. This thing is built for professional photographers who need to dump pictures in a hurry, and one of these $149 monstrosities can read up to four CompactFlash cards simultaneously over a USB 2.0 connection. But wait, there’s more! You can plug up to three ImageRouters into each other for a total of 12 CompactFlash cards in UDMA transfer mode all at the same time, perfect for all those 25 megapixel shots you’ve been snapping, or that RAID array you’ve been meaning to build. Delkin’s shipping this thing in March, and it also comes in a $249 version with some bundled BackupandBurn software.

[Via SlashGear]

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Some people might think that graffiti is nothing but vandalism, but others see it as a unique form of art. Heck, I suppose anyone can do art, but the question remains - can you make it aesthetically pleasing? With the Glow Graffiti, even the worse graffiti artists can gain some street cred thanks to the soft glow that somehow will be able to melt even the most hardened art critic’s heart. There is no word on pricing or availability as at press time for the Glow Graffiti can.

Product Page via Nerd Approved

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Posted Jan 31st 2008 12:53PM by Donald Melanson
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets Those intrigued by the idea of interlocking light blocks but disappointed by the subtlety of some of the current options available may want to take note of Remake Design’s latest creation, which takes the idea to excessive new heights. As you can see, they’ve churned out a series of blocks to let you relive your past Pac-Man adventures on a grand scale, including blocks of dots, ghosts, and Pac-Man himself — no power-ups though, it seems. No word on a price just yet, but given that the firm’s standard set of four solid-colored lights costs $300, you’ll likely have to part with a sizable stash of quarters if you want to add this particular retro touch to your living room

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Some experts think that in near future we will go back to using simple devices. Even now there is a growing tendency to produce less functional, but very original things. This happens because there are people who don’t pay much attention to the amount of functions that a device has and the only criterion while buying something is design of the gadget. Cell phones are not an exception.

The given gadget is just of that kind. It’s absolutely different from all the things that you’ve seen before. Its novelty consists in the fact that there are no buttons at all. Instead of them it has holes. So to “push” a button you just need to stick your finger into the hole. This concept has a small display where dialing/calling numbers, time and date are indicated. It also has a phone book in order to simplify number dialing. In case you want to change any configurations you need to insert your finger into the “menu” hole. As you realize it’s very thin. Actually there is no information about its battery, but according to the small number of functions it’s possible to conclude that such a cell phone will be able to work for quite long on one charge.

Thus, those people who are bored with all the camera phones and smartphones can choose this gadget in case they want to use something simple and unusual. Moreover, it will be probably sold at quite a reasonable price. Yet, some may say that its lack of functions will force them to throw it away just in some days.

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Posted Jan 31st 2008 2:24PM by Marc Weber Tobias
Filed under: Features, Household
What we may have is “a failure to communicate!” In previous Lockdown articles we have examined the vulnerabilities of mechanical locks and how easily most of them can be compromised. Even some popular high security locks can be easily bypassed — if you thought that installing a deadbolt would provide all the protection you may need, think again.

But if your locks will not adequately protect you, then what will? How about a portable alarm system that is affordably priced, a cinch to install, and virtually immune to the most common cause of false alarms (keypad entry errors), maybe something like the LaserShield. Still, the question arises: if a determined burglar can easily bypass this wireless system with some simple and abundant technology, is that too much of a risk to your home security?

The LaserShield system
LaserShield has developed a keypad-free consumer-level alarm system that allows a homeowner to install and make it operational in about five minutes with no tools, no skill, and little hassle. The systems are being sold through national distribution Circuit City and other outlets to a potential market that is estimated at forty million residents.

LaserShield’s target buyers are low to middle income homeowners or renters who live in apartments, houses or locations where electronic protection is desired at a very affordable price and with absolutely no installation issues, and, preferably, without the need for professional installers. According to LaserShield, their customers want to protect their TVs, home audio systems, jewelry (and presumably other valuables) against attacks by the casual or opportunistic thief. Many buyers cannot afford a professionally-installed alarm system, nor does it make sense to invest in a wired system that cannot be removed when the renter moves residences. The company has even included the Spanish speaking segment of its market by programming voice prompts in both Spanish and English — smart!

The LaserShield alarm system was designed as a cost-effective solution for a certain class of homeowners to provide additional basic security. When I interviewed Clint O’Connor, the chief architect of this product, we talked about who would use LaserShield and where and what was really required in such a system. I agree with the premise that a very high percentage of burglaries are committed by criminals with little to no sophistication. In such cases the primary function of an alarm system, any alarm system, is to detect an intrusion at the earliest possible moment and warn the burglar that if he sticks around he is likely to get caught because the police are coming.

As the design of this product took form, the company adopted a philosophy that it was not concerned with the more “sophisticated” attacks like the one we’ll demonstrate here. The result was an alarm system that offers some very clever and sophisticated options, but may be subject to some very simple bypass techniques. So the question becomes one of security. What is sufficient for the intended LaserShield user? Will casual thieves avoid a house with a security sign in the front yard that advertises an alarm system? Or will such a sign be an invitation if they understand how a particular system can be circumvented?

Sure, the product will certainly do, in limited fashion, what a professionally-installed monitoring system accomplishes: detect the presence of an intruder, warn both the intruder and occupants, and send an immediate message to a central station alarm center so the police can be dispatched. But as it turns out, the motion sensor can be demonstrably bypassed by keying a transmitter — in this case, a Motorola walkie talkie — while walking through a space that is protected by a LaserShield system.

The prison boss in Cool Hand Luke said it best: “What we [may] have here is a failure to communicate.” If a burglar walks into your house with an inexpensive two-way radio that is set to the LaserShield frequency, there will definitely be a failure of communications between the motion sensors and master alarm unit. If that occurs then nobody will be notified of an alarm condition and you will be at risk. The video demonstration of this hack is here. Note: the sensor in the background with its red light indicating that it is tripped, but the report is never received by the Master Alarm Unit while the walkie talkie is keyed.

My real problem is the trade-offs between convenience and security which had to be made by the engineers at LaserShield in order to offer this kind of a product. A simplistic system offers fewer options for which you pay less. A totally wireless system such as this one allows real ease of installation and placement of trips. The user voice prompts are clear and concise and warn of a variety of fault conditions, making it easy to arm and disarm with confidence. The system can literally be installed in five minutes without difficulty but there is a price to be paid for this convenience, and that is security. In my view it is not designed nor should be used for business applications.

So the bottom line is this: if you need a basic alarm system that is well made, inexpensive, easy to implement and will do a good job of detecting entry into your residence then the LaserShield will perform as advertised and will definitely provide the basic electronic security to the LaserShield target market. However, you must also be willing to accept the inherent risks of this type of system as described in our detailed report and accompanying videos. (See below.) If you think that you are a potential target of criminals and they might have the capability to acquire a UHF walkie-talkie to facilitate a burglary then the LaserShield is probably not for you.

Most common thieves just want to break in, steal what they can and leave. If they know there is an alarm or hear a siren they will probably retreat quickly. That is the purpose of any alarm system. In that regard, LaserShield may have broken new ground in providing a very user-friendly and reliable system. As to the jamming vulnerability, everyone needs to know about the possibility — but at the end of the day a thief may also cut phone lines with the same effect.

Supplemental research
We further analyzed their hardware and software and produced a very detailed report as to our findings which can be found at in.security.org, together with a comprehensive video showing how the system works and how it can be defeated. (See also: video interview with Tony Dohrmann, CEO of LaserShield.) We asked one of their competitors (one of the largest alarm component manufacturers in the industry) if they too would analyze the LaserShield system in terms of hardware and functionality. They agreed and reported to us that this system was quite good, much to their surprise.

If you are contemplating the purchase of a burglar alarm system for your house, apartment, condo, dorm room, trailer, RV, boat or even a second house then you may want to invest the time to read the detailed report. Such a purchase should not be considered as trivial; we thought it was important to produce a comprehensive report so you could make an informed decision.

Alarm systems come in many different forms and offer an incredible array of options. Some are cheap and others are very expensive. Most are professionally installed and for good reason. Reliable detection of intrusion requires expertise in system setup, selection of sensors, and choice of monitoring services. The higher-end systems primarily rely on wired sensors rather than wireless and for good reason. Virtually all wireless sensors can be defeated by radio jamming, and is one of the well-kept secrets in the industry. So if you have a wireless system from ADT, GE, Honeywell (Ademco), Sentrol, Linear, Skylink, X10, ITI you may actually be at the same risk of bypass as the LaserShield.

The system you choose may eventually protect you, your family, and your possessions from theft, robbery, home invasion or vandalism so the decision is important and must be one that is based upon detailed information. Buying a security system is not like the purchase of an appliance, computer or other electronic gizmo; it literally can save your life so you need to make an informed choice.

Marc Weber Tobias is an investigative attorney and security specialist living in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He represents and consults with lock manufacturers, government agencies and corporations in the U.S. and overseas regarding the design and bypass of locks and security systems. He has authored five police textbooks, including Locks, Safes, and Security, which is recognized as the primary reference for law enforcement and security professionals worldwide. The second edition, a 1400 page two-volume work, is utilized by criminal investigators, crime labs, locksmiths and those responsible for physical security. A ten-volume multimedia edition of his book is also available online. His website is security.org and his blog is in.security.org. Marc welcomes reader comments and email.

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Posted Jan 31st 2008 1:31PM by Steven Kim
Filed under: Digital Cameras
So where do you turn if you want the DSLR-like ergonomics but you’re not big on the idea of picking which glass will be the best bet on your shoot? Fujifilm has some stuff to show you. New models to the FinePix lineup start out with the S100fd which lays claim to the world’s smallest 12x zoom camera. Hopefully the “Picture Stabilization” will produce crisp looking shots from the 10-megapixels when the lens is racked out without boosting the ISO to grainytown. Moving up the line to the S8100fd gets you optical and electronic stabilization (thank you) on the same 10-megapixel resolution. The top of the heap, though, is the S100FS. You get an 11-megapixel sensor and a 14.3x zoom. Dual stabilization is a given for that kind of reach, and you can crank up the ISO to 6400 by binning down the resolution to 6-megapixels. The $800 price is pretty close to DSLR territory, but like we said, some people like the simplicity.

Gallery: Hands-on with Fujifilm’s new FinePix lineup

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Ajayi and Quiss, imprisoned the vast Borgesian castle of Iain Banks’s Walking on Glass, are forced to play paradoxical games like one-dimensional chess and invisible dominoes. Add Remake Design’s "Static Pacman" to the exiles’ list of impossible tortures.

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Eazo’s dark tower of power has a curious line of sigils carved up one side, giving this desktop a mysterious and alien look. This is the computer that the evil witch from Ico checked her email on.

Regrettably, it’s also one of those vaguely half-baked "luxury" items — $9,000 and up, in this example — that come across as easily replicable by any competent artist. (In this kind of analysis, I submit, the MacBook Air is a good counter-example of gadget bling that can’t be copied with readily-available materials)

Eazo’s box does at least pack plenty in, tech-wise: a liquid-cooled 3GHz Core 2 Quad processor from Intel, two duplexed 8800 GTX video cards, 4GB of RAM, and a superfast 10,000 RPM 150GB HD backed by a standard one with 500GB of space.

Product Page [Eazo via Engadget]

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Nokia has received the FCC approval for the US version of the Nokia N95 with 3G support. We did see this model turn up a while back as a pre-order with a price of $800 and expected ship date of February 15, 2008. Nothing has been mentioned to make that official, but the FCC approval comes as good news as that is the last step before it can hit retail. Hopefully Nokia will have it out soon. The N95 8GB will have support fot 850/1900MHz HSDPA which puts it compatible with AT&T’s 3G and 3.5G networks. In addition it will also feature a 5-megapixel camera with Zeiss optics, 30 fps DVD-quality video recording, internal GPS and 8GB of internal storage.

Via [Boy Genius Report]

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