The one of the Anonymous members, Yamatough, demanded $50,000 for not spilling the code he hacked from Symantec. As usual, the stories can be read through the links. I rather thought it would be more helpful once we engage into the discussion about cyber crime, instead of “awesome hacking skills” of a hacker.

Yamatough is claiming that this whole episode was just a different fashion of what-so-called trolling. As far as I’m concerned, trolling does not include the definition of illegally blackmailing corporation. And threatening and negotiating over a month are not really in the domain of trolling. It’s more of a “blackmailing.”

Again, there are always different opinions. I would like respect those. There are thousands of people, urging to take an official announcement of Anonymous and Yamatough.

So here goes food for thought of the day: will you take “both side stories” of 9.11? Unlikely.

This is simply a problem of ethics. Yamatough insists he was doing a fundraiser for kids in India. See, if I was a CEO of Symantec would enjoy the news of good-skilled hacker, who have found a loophole in the security and backdoors left open, willing to ask for some help in fundraising. It could have been an incredible chance of PR, to donate some moneys in India, and hire him as a part of company. (He is good-skilled, that’s for sure) Do you who ruined the whole thing?

It didn’t necessarily have to end up like this. It could have been fireside story of 21st century. -R

CNET | An e-mail exchange revealing the extortion attempt posted to Pastebin today shows a purported Symantec employee named Sam Thomas negotiating payment with an individual named “Yamatough” to prevent the release of PCAnywhere and Norton Antivirus code.

Computer World | The deal went to hell in a hand basket, so now there’s high drama on the high cyber seas as 1.27 GB of Symantec source code set sail into the wild from The Pirate Bay.

Gawkers | This is pretty hard to believe, considering Yamatough negotiated over money for nearly a month, including working out such details as whether to use PayPal or Liberty Reserve to send the money. And Yamtough is a proven liar, having previously released fake Indian intelligence agency documents.

Gizmodo | This is not fighting for anyone’s rights. This is just trying to get money easily.

Reuters | Hackers sought $50,000 from U.S. anti-virus firm Symantec Corp in return for the stolen blueprints to its flagship products under what the company says was a sting operation run by an undisclosed law enforcement agency via emails.

Pirate Bay | Symantec’s pcAnywhere Leaked Source Code

Even before Apple fanboys sue Microsoft for being copycat, Microsoft decided to scrap “Start” button for good.

According to the Verge, Microsoft has removed the Start Button Orb. Verge was also able to confirm with sources close  to Windows 8 development that “hot corner” will fully replace the functionality of current Start Button.

Gizmodo is sarcastically calling upon Mac users for having another déjà vu.

As many of early adopters are saying, I agree with the fact that corporate consumers or users will not like this. Apple’s removal of Rosetta is still being called as a bad-ass marketing. If Microsoft removes start button, it may end up just like Vista, SKIP IT version. Personally I heavily rely on the finder and spotlight -both of them are Mac-only features- to find my app on my Mac. I write codes and articles, so I have couple of officeware, writing assistant app, and programmer tools. Now that I have launchpad, I honestly stopped using spotlight. But for Windows, I’m sure many users, -not early adopters- use Start Button to actually start anything.

It’s really up to Microsoft. But I have this tangling feeling that Microsoft might just add another option for Start Button. -R

I still feel very proud of myself that I have predicted Apple would not be able to ship tablet with retina display on their 2nd generation of iPad. Feel free to search around the Mad Tea Party, you will find dozens of posts, arguing Apple does not hold such technology to run retina display on 9.7″ screen. According to Gizmodo, approximate resolution of the retina for iPad is 1,536 x 2,048. Numbers look just fine, but they forgot to put one factor in calculation, distance between eyes and display.

In order to experience something in a retina resolution, three factors need to work coordinately: distance(from eye to display), resolution, and density. We all know about resolution and density. We’ve seen how it worked out with iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S. But what about iPad? No users would put their iPad right in front of their eyes while they are using iPad in real life. Fortunately, Apple does not need to bare higher density than of the iPhones’, since many users would not keep it that close. But again, we are talking about 9.7 inch screen, manufactured in quantities of million units.

Round it up, it all goes back to the beginning. Is Apple capable of manufacturing a tablet with a processing power of retina display? iOS AppStore has been very popular for having games with high definition graphics. That even adds more pressure to Apple. Do they have that? Quite frankly, they had not have such technologies when  iPad 2 was announced. Let’s do the simple math. Macbook Pro 13 inch series generally have 1280×800 resolution. Without multiplying, it’s right in front of our eyes. iPad with retina display requires more processing power than a laptop.

Under the circumstances, Apple does not need to put all their secret flavors in their new coming iPad. They are the one who’s controlling the market, publishing new OS, -and only OS- and selecting the chips. But now that iBook 2.0 is launched for actual reading experiences for educational purposes, Apple may consider producing retina displayed iPad. There always has been popular demand, and now everything is set up, only thing they have to do is, just launch it.

Believe it or not, some analysts are actually predicting iPad 3 will be announced on WWDC 2012. Or maybe sooner, as iPads were generally launched before the Summer comes. And when they do, that will be another bloody fight, not in the IT, but in the publishing market. -R

It’s been a lame joke to even speak of where does Toyota really belong. Toyota is a Japanese company. Ever since some idiots were willing to speak out Toyota must have been American company, it applied exactly same for many S. Korean manufacturers and brands. Again, it is surprising some morons were willing to say Samsung must be an American company. Actually from what I have been hearing from dear S. Korean friends, Samsung is actually making most of their profits, more than a double, from the N. America.

Google recently published a statistics, suggesting S. Korean download is the highest number. In other words, many android users are actually located within S. Korea. Not so surprisingly, in S. Korea, there is a wide-spread ideas, literally belittling all Apple product users, especially iPhone users. Again, there were many stupid arguments and debates on going between Android fanboys and iOS fanboys, but it never gathered itself to a point when attacking one another. You can actually see a word created in the midst of S. Korean forums and websites, mocking iPhone users: ‘앱등이.’ From what I have heard, this word is composed of two different word, app and bugs. As far as I know and what I can gather from old informations, Apple fanboys in S. Korea must have engaged android fanboys with ‘how great the iOS appstore and its market are,’ and achieved a wonder-less failure.

Let us not assume that all S. Koreans must be Android fanboys. -that’s called racism, by the way- It is simply a result of spectacular collaboration of lack of proper software market and existence of mega cooperation in such a small country. -R

Amazon VP Dave Limp announced this year’s Black Friday sale for kindle was a great success, again without any actual numbers.

Business Wire | Best Black Friday Ever for Kindle Family: Kindle Sales Increase 4X Over Last Year

Black Friday was the best ever for the Kindle family – customers purchased 4X as many Kindle devices as they did last Black Friday – and last year was a great year

No doubt Amazon is doing wonderful with Kindle. Despite the huge competition they are involved, Kindle Fire has been proven to be an attractive choice for tablet customers. And the potential that Kindle possesses, as an ebook reader, is incredible. Again, the price level Amazon offers is literally different from what the other table has been offering, ever since rise of iPad.

Although Amazon is not willing to share their numbers, Gizmodo is already assuming, with a great level of sarcasm, Amazon must be doing fine. In other words, 4X sounds good, but if they sold only 1 kindle last year, it sucks. -R

from Amazon

Gizmodo, for largely accepted as one of best tech blogs, has been quite agressive toward Apple, and its controlled environments over all. No need to mention about iPhone 4, Gizmodo, despite the fact they saw appstore as innovations, did not agree, but rather disagree Apple’s tyranny happening inside the appstore. As matter of fact, many analysts believe Android will overcome, become supre power in smartphone business in the future. The future awaits, however for now, Apple is controlling the iOS appstore and its environment. And the margins between iOS and Android are going to need some time to fill the gap.

Along with the other stories, Gizmodo, unlike from the attitude toward iPhone, described iPad as tablet market dominator. Literally, Gizmodo never stopped mentioning every single tablets should look for killing iPad, or at least competing against  it. Again, unlike from smartphone market, iPad does not have much competitions involved.

Of course, Gizmodo applauses Kindle Fire as a real iPad competitor. Nevertheless never mentions it will become iPad killer; it just lives in different market. -R

Gizmodo | Kindle Fire Review: The iPad Finally Has Serious Competition

Apple is now warning users of iPod Nano 1st generation users, for it may become overheats, and cause safety risks.

Nanos produced (or sold) during September 2005 to December 2006 may rarely have defective batteries. The problem only happens “rare cases,” still Apple recommends user to stop using 1st generation iPod nano.

Apple posted following instructions and information on its website, including how to order a replacement unit. -R

When first B&N ebook reader was launched, I laughed, I humiliated them. Kindle was the only device that made, created inner-environment for ebook market. The markets, ebook markets were spontaneously created and disappeared, and my prediction was that Nook will be one of them. From my point of view, Kindle would have been part of “good old days,” if they have failed to keep the price down to 100 to 200 dollars.

from Mashable Tech

Barnes & Noble launched Nook color, and I saw it as a total failure. And it was, apparently none of tech bloggers were in favor of it, and largely taken and compared to Kindle. It was a total failure: Kindle worked faster, and Android mobile OS Nook used was badly imported to Nook, slowed the whole device down.

However Barnes & Noble CEO William Lynch disputes this common idea of Nook failure.

The Nook Color, which Barnes & Noble CEO William Lynch says is the second-best selling tablet behind the iPad, will now be sold for $199. The Nook Simple Touch will be sold for $99.

Amazing isn’t it? Nook Color so far has been hidden 2nd best selling tablet in the market! Though the source is quite unreliable, -since it is from Barnes & Noble itself- we have one good reason to believe that Barnes & Noble is actually serious about tablet business. It’s not because they see blue-ocean market, but because they are one of biggest tablet manufacturer.

Interestingly enough, Amazon and Barnes & Noble would be 2 biggest tablet producers, those who seek better price for consumers. Remember the days when Kindle was still 300 to 400 dollars; most early-adopters saw it as true mocked-up device of century. Who would want to spend 300 dollars for books? Despite all the free book promotions and etc., actual printed, hard-covered books were more loved by readers. Of course, potential of Kindle was underestimated back in those days. Amazon CEO was, and is proud of Kindle and its ebook market nowadays. He said, Kindle is now bigger than actual paper book markets. Readers want books, not papers and inks.

Both Kindle and Nook are reasonable price for readers and bookworms. I would put myself in realms of bookworms, since I usually read more than average readers would, but still 300 dollars were reasonable price for bookworms. -that’s how Kindle grew to this point- Now it’s $99, anyone can tryout off-bookshelf life in their pleasant office. How tablet war will end? Will it ever end? -R

P.S. Off the record, since I don’t have bookshelf in my room, Kindle is incredible option for me.

I hope this intrigued some people, because it didn’t do that for me. Interesting stories, but who cares about privacy on facebook? I mean seriously, does the author not understand the consequences of telling “REAL AGE” on facebook? -R

Forbes | The Unintended Consequences of Well-Intentioned Privacy Regulation

No matter how well-intentioned, regulation often has unintended consequences. A case in point is the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (COPPA), a law that mandates certain online privacy protections for children under the age of 13. A new study documents how the law has encouraged many kids—often with the help of their parents—to lie about their ages online and evade age-based restrictions. The authors also conclude that COPPA “inadvertently undermines parents’ ability to make choices and protect their children’s data.”

Apple holds patents that may result devastating for Android phones. After all, they can’t even build their own OS for their phone.

Forbes | Apple To Make Billions On Google’s Android

Apple does not have just one patent; Apple has managed to build a moat of patents. An exhaustive treatment of all of Apple’s patents is beyond the scope of this article. However, to give the investors a glimpse of Apple’s fire power, listed below are the summaries of some of the important Apple patents related to the touch screen.