[H]ardNews 3rd Edition - Connected Edition

Ninjam:

Listen up all you Hepcats while I lay down these smooth grooves. Justin Frankel the daddy-o behind Winamp, Gnutella, Shoutcast, Waste, and Jesusonic has just released Ninjam. This almost made last week's edition till the story got pulled by the man. But I dug up an echo.

We Got Your Protocols:

You want protocols? I got your protocols right here. First up The TechZone offer a complete guide to Wireless security protocols, next Bona Fide Reviews covers Session Initiation Protocol employed in VoIP and finally eWeek discusses PGP inventor Phil Zimmermann's proposal for a secure encrypted VoIP protocol.

Using the open-source, cross-platform softphone Shtoom and the Diffie-Hellman key agreement protocol, Zimmermann has developed a session-based encryption tool that lets two users on a SIP (Session Initiation Protocol)-based VOIP connection verify each other's identity to avoid snooping.

IM Generation:

BetaNews highlights a new Pew Internet and American Life Project which points out that nearly nine out of every ten children ages 12 to 17 are now online and that they heavily favor IM over email.

Half of the 21 million teens now online log on once a day, and over half (51 percent) now live in homes with a broadband connection. 81 percent of teens now log on to play games, which is up from 66 percent in 2000. 76 percent check news regularly, up from 68 percent. Shopping online has also increased, now at 43 percent versus 31 percent in 2000.

Pod What?:

Citing the very same Pew Internet and American Life Project report, Daniel Terdiman points out that the vast majority of Americans are often clueless when it comes to underlying technologies like RSS or cultural phenomena like podcasting. Most likely think its from the Invasion Of the Body Snatchers. I think the old term for this was generation gap.

The lesson seems to be that while geeks get bored with hot new technologies in about 45 minutes, the general public can still be months or even years behind. And generally, it takes something like Apple's iTunes putting a spotlight on a technology like podcasting before even that paltry 13 percent catches on.

Can You See Me Now?:

Roland Piquepaille's Technology Trends features research by IsraCast that seems to indicates microwave radiation used by cell phones can damage your eyes. Well, just so long as hair doesn't grow on my palms.

In a recent scientific study conducted by a team of researchers from the Technion, a possible link between microwave radiation, similar to the type found in cellular phones, and different kinds of damage to the visual system was found. At least one kind of damage seems to accumulate over time and not heal, challenging the common view and leading the researchers to the assertion that the duration of exposure is not less important than the intensity of the irradiation. The researchers also emphasized that existing exposure guidelines for microwave radiation might have to change.

Cableless Cable:

WiredNews relates that the cable industry wants to become an oxymoron. Thats right, no cable for the cable industry, cut the cord and go wireless.

After all, customers now want to take their entertainment and communications with them everywhere they go. The last thing cable operators want is to be left out of that party. "The winners and losers are going to be determined by issues like portability and mobility," said Lindsay Gardner, executive VP of affiliate sales and marketing at Fox Cable Networks.

Ive Seen The Future:

Well actually I just saw The TechZone's article on the Future of Internet TV, but it was less dramatic that way.

Get ready because "there's going to be television out the wazoo!" This according to Jonathan Klein, the president of CNN - U.S. operations in a USA Today story on the merger of the Internet and television. Major broadcast networks, cable networks, and content providers are gearing up for the 'mother of all media battles' in staking out territory on the new and rising medium called "Internet TV".

Big Business Broadband:

Cnet reports on the proposed bill aimed at largely deregulating broadband, satellite and cell phone services. I wonder if there is any relation to the stories above? Naw, merely a coincidence Im sure.

Underlying Congress' revamping of the 1996 law, which could take a year to complete, are competing philosophies of how the government should treat telecommunications providers. Are consumers better served through price-setting by regulators--or by letting competition flourish? Is it wiser to mandate that companies permit rivals to use their networks, or will that discourage investment in fiber links?

Hyperbol In The Big Apple:

Rounding out this edition we have the Big Apple slapping Sprint, T-Mobile USA and Nextel Communications with a

lawsuit alleging misleading advertising. Say it ain't so Joe.

Sprint believes it complies with advertising regulations, according to spokeswoman Lisa Malloy. Nextel plans to fight the case, as it believes its ads truthful, said spokesman Scott Sloat. T-Mobile USA, which is owned by Deutsche Telekom, declined comment as a matter of policy.