Product Review–Toshiba Satellite Z830 Ultrabook

Introduction

I have previously reviewed the Acer Aspire S3 Ultrabook in order to assess what an Ultrabook was capable of as a secondary content-creating ultraportable computer. Now I have the chance to review the Toshiba Z830 Series Ultrabooks. The representative unit that I am reviewing is the Satellite Z830 which is a model that is available through consumer-retail outlets.

But there is the Portege Z830 variants which are sold to the business market through value-added resellers and independent computer dealers targeting business users and is similar to this unit except for having different specification options like fingerprint scanners and higher-performance processors. I will be putting these specific options in the specifications table as “Portege options”.

Compared to the Acer Aspire S3 Series, these units offer some more functionality in the form of extra connections not normally seen on the typical Ultrabook.

Toshiba Satellite Z830 Ultrabook

Price
– this configuration
AUD$1399
Processor Intel Sandy Bridge – Core i5-2467M Portege variants: Intel Sandy Bridge – Core i3, i5 or i7
RAM 4Gb
Portege option:
6Gb in some packages
shared with graphics
Secondary Storage 128Gb solid-state drive SD card reader
Display Subsystem Intel HD
Screen 13” widescreen (1366×768) LED-backlit LCD
Audio Subsystem Intel HD audio
Audio Improvement N/A
Network Wi-Fi 802.11g/n
Portege variants:
802.11a/g/n
Ethernet Gigabit Ethernet
Bluetooth 3.0 + HS
Connectors USB 2 x USB 2.0 (1 with Sleep and Charge), 1 x USB 3.0
Video VGA, HDMI
Audio 3.5mm stereo audio-out, 3.5mm audio in, digital output via HDMI
Operating System on supplied unit Microsoft Windows 7  Home Premium Portege variants:
Microsoft Windows 7 Professional
Windows Experience Index – this configuration Overall 5.8 Graphics 5.8
Advanced Graphics 6.3

The computer itself

Aesthetics and Build quality

The Toshiba Satellite Z80 is finished in an all-plastic gunmetal-grey case which could benefit from a metal finish around the palmrest. Here, the plastic can feel very sweaty especially after a long period of use.

I had not noticed any overheating with this Ultrabook through my use of this machine. This is although it has a similar cooling arrangement to the Acer Aspire S3 that I previously reviewed.

User interface

The Toshiba Satellite Z830 is equipped with an illuminated chiclet keyboard which allows for full touch-typing. It could benefit from having the home keys with a more distinct feel so you can discover your home position by feel or could be equipped with a rubberised keyboard.

It has the same very-sensitive Toshiba trackpad which can be defeated using a button located under the spacebar when you are doing a lot of typing. The trackpad is easy to discover by touch as are the chrome-effect selection buttons.

The status lights are located below the selection keys but could be located above the keyboard or on the screen bezel. This is compared to where the power switch is located above the keyboard.

Audio and Video

The video display on the Toshiba Satellite Z830 Ultrabook was responsive even with video playback content as I watched some “catch-up TV” off one of the TV channels’ Websites. This would be adequate for basic multimedia tasks such as video playback or photo management as well as non-demanding gameplay.

Of course, like a lot of laptops, the sound through the internal speakers leaves a lot to be desired. This is due to the small speakers packed in to the computer and I would recommend use of headphones or an external speaker setup if you want more volume or better sound quality out of this laptop.

Connectivity and Expansion

Toshiba Z830 Ultrabook rear view with connectors

Rear view exemplifying extra connections – Gigabit Ethernet, 1 x USB 2.0, 1 x USB 2.0 with Sleep & Charge, HDMI, power input and VGA output

One area where the Toshiba Z830 Ultrabooks, both the Satellite and Portege variants, excels in is the connectivity options that are beyond what is available for this laptop product class.

The video outputs come in the form of VGA as well as HDMI. This would please those of us who have to use most affordable data projectors that have the VGA connections as their only video input for computer equipment. As well, there are three USB ports – 2 USB 2.0 connections with one supporting Sleep & Charge as well as a USB 3.0 port for those external hard disks. The audio connections have been augmented with an audio-input jack for a microphone.

Toshiba Z830 Ultrabook Left-hand-side detail

Left-hand side with more connections – 3.5mm audio-in jack, 3.5mm headphone jack, SDHC card reader

Unlike most Ultrabooks, the Toshiba Z830 Series also comes with a Gigabit Ethernet socket so you can connect it directly to a network where there is no Wi-Fi connectivity available. This also means that you could even use this Ultrabook with a HomePlug network using the typical HomePlug-Ethernet bridge adaptor.

It also is equipped with a Kensington-compliant locking slot so you can use one of those laptop locking cables to stop thieves taking advantage of this notebook’s lightweight design to make off with it; and is a feature that must be part of any Ultrabook. But this is located too close to the USB 3.0 socket on the right had side therefore you wouldn’t be able to connect anything to it if you have the laptop locked down.

Battery life

Toshiba Z830 Ultrabook Right Hand Side detail

Right-hand side detail with USB 3.0 socket and Kensington-compatible lock slot

The Toshiba Z830 Series can complete at least a day of mixed tasks on battery power without it needing to be charged. The only problem is that after a few days of disuse which will often happen with this class of computers when you are at home, using the primary computer, the battery loses its charge completely and you have to charge the Ultrabook up.

Limitations and Points Of Improvement

One major area where Toshiba could improve the Z830 Series would be to provide higher-capacity hard disks or solid-state drives as options in the Satellite and Portege model lineups. This could then please those users who want to use these Ultrabooks to store a quantity of photos or video footage they have taken themselves or to store a handful of movies to view on the long air trip.

Conclusion

Toshiba Z830 Ultrabook in cafe

This is perfectly at home on a coffee bar in a cafe

I would recommend any of the Toshiba Z830 Series Ultrabooks as a lightweight secondary computer for those of us who value connectivity. This is more so if  the areas one is using are not likely to have Wi-Fi or there is an intent to show video material and PowerPoint presentations through those economy data projectors. The USB 3.0 socket can allow to use a high-capacity external hard disk  without losing on data throughput and is what I would recommend if you do a lot of digital photography and review your work on these Ultrabooks.

But I would specifically recommend the Portege variants if you are doing high-risk or high-value business work with these Ultrabooks. This also encompasses journalists who are working on highly-controversial content.

Setting up for Internet in France

Key Resources – French languageFlag of France

DegroupNewsFrance map

DegroupTest

Service Providers

Free.frFreebox, Alicebox

Orange (France Télécom) – Livebox

Bougyes TélécomBbox

SFR – Neufbox

CompletelDartyBox

Introduction

If you have bought or are thinking of buying that chic apartment or holiday home in France, you may also be considering setting up Internet service along with your phone service for that property. Here, it will become very difficult to choose the service that suits your needs because most, if not all, of these services are priced very keenly.

Competitive market

Map of FranceHere, you are dealing with a highly-competitive communications-service market which supports local-loop unbundling or discrete infrastructure to your premises for the Internet services. This applies both to copper-based ADSL services and fibre-optic next-generation broadband services.

It is infact so much so that in most French cities and towns, being equipped with broadband “hot-and-cold running” Internet and unlimited-use landline telephony is considered a “given”.

ADSL technology

If a provider provides local-loop-unbundled access to phone lines in your service area, the area is described in French as a “zone dégroupé” for this provider. This allows the provider to provide the best service available that they can offer to you. It is because they simply have their ADSL equipment in your exchange, with an arrangement for direct access to your phone line’s wiring.

The DegroupNews site has an interactive map of France which allows you to know whether your desired provider provides this kind of access in your town and its sister site DegroupTest allows you to enter in your French location’s telephone number so you can know who can provide the unbundled access to your phone number.

Fibre-optic next-generation broadband

If you are able to have fibre-optic next-generation broadband, this will also come mostly as fibre-to-the-premises but in a competition-enhanced format. Here, you will have a “monofibre” setup with one fibre-optic line from the street to your premises and fibre-optic switches would be used to select which fibre-optic next-generation provider would provide the broadband to your home.

On the other hand, you may have a “multifibre” with fibre-optic lines from each competing infrastructure provider fed to a special multi-input wall socket in your premises. Here, an installer would select the connection that pertains to the service you subscribe to by modifying this wall socket.

Rural broadband Internet

Most rural areas of France will have ADSL Internet provided for by Orange (France Télécom) at least, but there is still work needed to be done with some sparse country areas not having the ability to support the full offering, especially the TV part of the triple-play service.  There is action taking place in some parts of France like Brittany that is being brought about by local and regional governments, with some assistance from Paris as well as business assistance.

It may be worth checking with local government, local chambers of commerce, Orange and local businesses; as well as consulting DegroupNews to find out what is going on for Internet at that “mas en Provence”; mountain home in the Pyrenees, Alps or Massif Centrale; or other country dwelling.

Of course, there is a strong likelihood that the main resort areas lke the Pyrenean and Alpine ski resorts and the main seaside resorts on the French Riviera (Côte D’Azur) like Saint Tropez will be dégroupé (fully unbundled) by the popular operators like Free or SFR.

Triple-play service

Most of these Internet service providers offer a “triple-play” service with broadband Internet, regular landline telephony and multichannel pay TV as a single package. This setup is specifically in the form of a single-pipe triple-play service with all services carried over the one copper or fibre-optic link between your premises and their exchange setup.

Services

Typically, you put down at least 25-30 euros per month for at least 20Mbps ADSL broadband, more TV channels to choose from, and calling anywhere in France at least as part of this cost.

A fully-equipped service with all of the channels on the TV, fibre-optic broadband and inclusive telephone calling to landlines and mobiles in the most-often-called countries in the world would set you back by approximately 40 euros per month.

There are even times when you can’t really call an accurate benchmark price and service mix for telephone and Internet service there because these prices can be keenly honed or services quickly varied for value. This is an example of how keen this competitive communications environment is in France.

The hardware

You would be provided with what is referred to as a “box” which is an Internet gateway device which also houses a VoIP analogue-telephony-adaptor as well as a “décodeur” which is an IPTV / digital-broadcast-TV set-top box. Mostly, these devices would be connected to each other via a HomePlug AV link, known in French as “réseau CPL”.

These Internet gateway devices are typically known as “Livebox”, “Freebox”, “Bbox”, “Neufbox” or some similar marketing name which also applies to the triple-play service you subscribe to and I refer to these services and routers in this article and across HomeNetworking01.info as an “n-box” because of the naming convention used by the carriers.

Increasing you are dealing with carrier-provided home network hardware that is above the ordinary when it comes to anything a telco or ISP would provide as standard for their customers. I would expect the latest incarnations of these devices to be a well-bred 802.11g/n Wi-Fi router with four Ethernet ports and UPnP Internet Gateway Device functionality.

Increasingly, these Internet gateway devices also are capable of being a network-attached storage device when you connect a USB hard disk to them or, in some cases, through the use of an integrated hard disk. If they have this function, they will typically work as an CIFS-compliant network file share as well as a media server for a particular media directory using iTunes (DAAP) or DLNA standards.

Similarly, the set-top boxes would be capable of being DLNA network media clients as well as increasingly becoming personal video recorders. Of course, this hardware is regularly and frequently updated with firmware that adds on extra functionality.

The Freebox Révolution – the best example of these “n-boxes”

One of these devices that I have given a fair bit of airtime to is the Freebox Révolution. Here, I wrote an article on this site about this piece of stunning industrial design which has an integrated Blu-Ray player in its décodeur (set-top box) and works tightly with the Apple ecosystem. For that matter, if you head for this option, you may be in a position to forego the need for a DVD player to go with the flat-screen TV that you intend to hook the Freebox Player to.

Choosing the right triple-play setup for that French property.

Who is it “dégroupé” to?

If you are coming in to France and have bought that “appartément en Paris” or “mas en Provence”, use the map in the DegroupNews website to identify who is covering your area in an unbundled or “dégroupée” state at the moment. You may also have to use the DegroupTest resource if you know your property’s current phone number or the phone number of one or two of your neighbours if you haven’t got phone service on in your location.

The right offers

Then, once you know who has the service under the “dégroupée” conditions, head to the service provider’s Web page and look at what they have to offer. For the telephony packages that come with any of these services, make sure that you have chosen the plan that allows you to make calls to your home country or frequently-called destinations “illimité” i.e. for no extra cost.

As for Internet use, choose the bandwidth that suits your needs, including allowing for use of the IPTV and interactive entertainment services that will be available through your “décodeur” set-top box. These services aren’t metered so there isn’t any worry about a broadband download limit or how much bandwidth you have used.

You also check that you have the TV channel packages that meet your needs, although most of these channels will be available with the shows running in native language audio with French-language subtitles (version originale sous-titres).

Getting the most out of your “n-box”

Firmware updates

All of the “n-boxes” and their corresponding “décodeurs” do undergo frequent and regular firmware updates, most often to accommodate new services and supply new functionality as well as to keep a stable operating environment. Some of them may perform a “blind” update or you perform the update manually by heading to the management Web page (page de gestion) or the Setup Menu and looking for the “mis à jour” or “mettre à jour” option.

Using an UPS to provide telephone-service continuity

A good practice would be to purchase a low-capacity uninterruptable power supply and connect the Livebox, Freebox or similar Internet gateway to that device if you don’t want to lose phone service during a power cut. Here, you may have to purchase a separate “homeplug” for those devices like the Freebox Révolution that use a power supply and “homeplug” module as their power supply and connectivity to the TV.

The best example of these UPS devices that would suit the “n-box” would be the APC ES series UPS units which are like a large thick power strip. Here, you would need to purchase these units in France so that you have the correct French power sockets on the unit and it comes with a proper Continental power plug.

Exploiting the n-box’s integrated NAS functionality

If the “n-box” has NAS functionality, whether with an integrated hard disk or a USB external hard disk that you supply yourself, it is a good idea to exploit this function. Here, you can use the storage capacity as a drop-off point for files that you move or copy between computers via the home network. Similarly, you could dump the latest pictures from your camera to a known directory on the NAS, share it via DLNA and view them using the set-top box or DLNA media app on your tablet.

Property owners who let others use their properties could place electronic copies of the reference material for that house on to the network storage. Then the people who are using these properties can download the material to their laptops or to their smartphones and tablets that are equipped with SMB-compliant file-manager apps.

The “n-box” may support this function with the aid of a USB external hard drive but may not provide enough power to run some of the small USB hard disks on the market. These drives typically have a separate USB connection for power, so you could then plug this USB power connection in to a self-powered USB hub or an AC-USB power supply, which you could pick up from Darty, Carrefour or other similar stores.

But I would still use a regular NAS for applications where the security of your data is concerned such as computer-system backup. This means that you are able to keep your data if you shift between carriers, the “n-box” plays up and the carrier has to replace it, or you move out of your French abode. As well, the regular NAS can handle intense data-sharing applications more readily than the “n-box” as a NAS.

Key terms and words to remember

Dégroupé(e) A condition of direct unbundled local-loop access to your phone line by your carrier
Monofibre Single fibre run to your premises with access to competing fibre carriers
Multifibre Multiple fibre runs to your premises with each owned by a competing finre carrier. Selected using a special wall socket
Box (n-box) Carrier-provided Internet gateway device (router) with at least a VoIP analogue-telephony adaptor and/or DECT base station
Décodeur Carrier-provided TV set-top box that connects to the Internet gateway device
CPL HomePlug powerline network
page / interface de gestion Web management page for the “n-box”
mettre à jour (mis à jour) update (often used in relation to these devices’ firmware)

Conclusion

This guide will help you with planning for and setting up an Internet service for that property that you have or are  dreaming to have in France.

Switching telephone and broadband in the UK

Article

thinkbroadband :: Making broadband switching easier

My Comments

The reason I am pleased about this article that provides information for British consumers about switching their fixed-line telephone or broadband Internet service provider is helping them understand what can be involved with any of these changeovers in a hilghly-competitive market.

For example, it stresses the importance of satisfying contractural obligations like seeing out any fixed-term plans or making sure that the last bills with the prior service provider are “squared off” completely.

As well, they mentioned about procedures that may be in place with you and your provider in order to protect you from being switched to different communications providers against your will, a practice known as “slamming”. This may involve a letter of confirmation that you sign and return or a passcode that you give to the customer representative of your previous and/ or new provider to authorise you change.

They covered different changeover scenarios such as moving between two retail providers using the same wholesale provider or different wholesale providers. This also included situations where the different wholesale providers use different backend “exchange-to-exchange” infrastructure. There is even the case of a setup where the handover involves totally different infrastructure like heading to a cable or fibre-based provider from an ADSL provider.

But some people do change their telephone or broadband provider when they change their home or business locations; and this usually is a simpler practice of “winding up” business with the previous provider and starting afresh with the current provider. If the move is within the same town and you retain your current phone number, it may be similar to changing service providers at your current address.

People in other countries that are heading towards highly-competitive telephone and broadband markets should have a look at the ThinkBroadband article so they can be aware of what happens when users are shifted between different providers.

Could an expansion module for an Ultrabook be a viable product?

Introduction

Sony VAIO Z Series and docking station

The Sony VAIO Z Series ultraportable with functionality expanded by an add-on module

Previously, I reviewed the Sony VAIO Z Series ultra-thin premium laptop and the review sample cam with an expansion module that linked to this laptop with an LightPeak-(Thunderbolt)-via-USB3 connection. This provided discrete graphics circuitry, an Ethernet connection, video outputs, extra USB sockets as well as a slot-load Blu-Ray reader / DVD-burner optical drive. A cheaper variant of this laptop had the expansion module as an optional accessory rather than in the box.

Well, the age of the Ultrabook is here and some of us may want to have these machines benefit from extra connectivity or functionality at our main work locations yet benefit from a lightweight design when out and about.

Most of us would expand these computers with a myriad of adaptors and modules that plug in to these computers’ USB ports and this could yield a mess when you have many of these peripherals and too few USB ports on the computers.

Docking Stations before

Previously, some manufacturers used to supply docking-stations and port-expanders that integrated with some of their laptop lines usually through a proprietary multipin connector. These typically served one main function i.e. to connect larger desktop peripherals to the laptop but allow the user to quickly remove the laptop when they hit the road.

Data connectivity nowadays

Now the USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt connector can make this concept real for most Ultrabook models when it comes to data transfer; and this can work well with setups that just provide access to an optical drive and / or extra connectors.

These connections allow for high-bandwidth data throughput which can support the requirements of Blu-Ray Discs, high-capacity high-throughput hard disks, Gigabit Ethernet, data for discrete-video GPUs serving high-resolution displays or many more USB 2.0 connectors.

A current problem

Expansion unit as a power supply

But there are issues involved if the expansion module is to be a power supply for the portable computer. Here, most manufacturers ask for different input voltage and current levels for their different notebook computer designs, and they also use different DC plug sizes for some of their products.

This can be easier if the goal is to have the device work with one particular make or model-range of computer. But it can be harder if you expect an expansion module to work across a larger range of products such as a manufacturer’s complete lineup or products made by different manufacturers.

If there is an industry expectation that all Ultrabooks and, perhaps, other ultraportable computers, are to have a particular power-supply requirement for outboard chargers, the power-supply functionality could be answered through the provision of a standard flylead from the expansion device to the host computer.

This could be facilitated through the use of a standard power-supply requirement and connection type for portable computer power-supply connections. It can then allow for power-supply innovation by computer manufacturers and third parties to provide power to these computers from different power sources.

What can be provided

Optical disc

These modules could provide an optical disc drive so one can play or burn CDs / DVDs / Blu-Ray Discs with the Ultrabooks. This could come in handy either with entertainment or with installing software held on these discs. In some cases, people could burn data to these discs due to them being sold for a “dime a dozen”.

Extra connections

Another benefit would be to provide increased connection and expansion abilities for the Ultrabook. This would play well for those users who press a 13” laptop as a computing device at their main location, having it hooked up to a large screen and a keyboard and mouse fit for use with a desktop computer as well as some decent speakers or a nice sound system at their main workstation.

Typically this would manifest in extra USB sockets of the 2.0 or 3.0 variety as well as an Ethernet socket for connecting to a Gigabit Ethernet or HomePlug AV network.

Improved video and audio

An expansion module could help a manufacturer raise an Ultrabook’s multimedia credentials whether it is to enjoy creating or playing audio, video or photo content.

If the manufacturer decided to follow Sony’s example, they could house discrete video circuitry in the expansion unit in order to provide for enhanced multimedia-grade graphics. These could service the laptop’s integrated display or a display connected to video terminals on the expansion unit. In some cases, the expansion module could be a display in the order of 21” or more working as a second screen.

Similarly the sound quality available from an Ultrabook could be improved through the use of discrete sound-processing modules like the Creative Labs modules. This could open up paths like analogue RCA inputs and outputs or SP/DIF digital connections (Toslink optical or RCA coaxial) to connect to good-quality sound systems. As well there could be the use of one or more 1/4” jacks that can be used to connect good microphones or musical instruments to this module for recording.

In some cases, this could extend to the integration of broadcast tuners in to these modules to permit an Ultrabook to receive radio or TV broadcasts.

Providing to the market

Manufacturers should be encouraged to provide more than one different expansion module so that customers can choose the right unit to suit their needs and budget rather than just their computer. As well, they can make sure that these units can cover a larger range of their small notebooks. It can also allow for customers to upgrade their notebooks to suit different needs as well as purchasing different expansion modules for different needs at a later date.

Conclusion

Yes, an expansion module for the new class of Ultrabooks can be a viable computer-accessory product and, once worked out properly, could serve a large range of these computers.

Microsoft Windows 8 product list now made official–3 product ranges

Articles

Microsoft makes Windows 8 name official, three editions only | Microsoft – CNET News

From the horse’s mouth

Windows Team Blog article – Microsoft

My Comments

With all of the talk about WIndows 8 coming up this year, there has been a burning question on the variants this operating system will be available in.

The product variants

Windows RT

Firstly, there will be the Windows RT variant which will be delivered with computer equipment based on the ARM microarchitecture. This will have nearly all of the features available for Windows 8 but will have certain limitations to cope with this microarchitecture and what it stands for.

At the moment, users can install Windows 8 “Metro” apps that are compiled and available for the ARM microarchitecture but wouldn’t be able to load and run the typical Windows desktop applications and games compiled for the classic 32-bit / 64-bit x86 microarchitecture. This version will also have an ARM variant of the essential Microsoft Office apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint & OneNote) onboard.

There will be limited power functionalities with a “Connected Standby” mode as well as the full operational mode, so these devices can keep themselves updated but with the display off and using very little power.

Windows 8

This version is what most home users will head towards and will have most of the features like the Metro touch user-interface, multi-monitor support, ability for users to switch languages amongst other things. It will also have the Windows Media Center functionality for multimedia consumption including TV viewing.

Windows 7 Starter and Home Premium users can upgrade their existing computers to this package of Windows 8.

Windows 8 Pro

This version is pitched at business users and have all of Windows 8’s features except for the Media Center functionality. Instead, it will have the inherent support for volume and file encryption, virtualisation, remote-desktop server functionality and business-class manageability. Of course it will also be pitched at technically-competent home users and they will need to purchase a low-cost “Windows Media Pack” which will have the Windows Media Center functionality if they want this functionality.

Personally, I would also like to see the availability of a “Pro-Plus” package with Windows 8 Pro and the Media Pack targeted at enthusiasts, IT professionals and others who use their computer for work and personal applications.

Conclusion

What I see is that Microsoft has taken the right step with reducing the number of packages available for Windows 8 so they don’t feel as though they have missed out on certain features that are essential for their work and personal computing needs.

Here, I would find that Windows 8 would suit most users while the Pro variant would suit those users with highly-confidential data, a need to link with established business computing environments or want to get more out of their computing environemnt.

Barnes & Noble beats Amazon to the punch with lighted e-ink Nook (hands-on) | E-book readers – CNET Reviews

 

Barnes & Noble beats Amazon to the punch with lighted e-ink Nook (hands-on) | E-book readers – CNET Reviews

My comments

Illuminating non-self-lighting displays

The new e-ink display technology is showing up a few issues here, especially with use in darker environments. The typical solution for dark-environment ebook reading was to use an accessory cover that had an integrated light of some sort. But it will follow the same path as the liquid-crystal display as I outline below.

Initially, if an application required any form of useability in a dark environment such as a watch, the manufacturer installed a filament bulb in the side of the display and this was lit up by the user pressing a button. Later on, in the mid-80s, device manufacturers used a LED array installed behind the display to backlight small displays like number displays. This typically provided a relatively-consistent illumination effect across the display area and allowed for such practices as changeable illumination colours, which was asked for with car radios.

This became the norm through the mid-90s until some watch manufacturers worked on the use of “electroluminescent” illumination technology which provided an illuminated display on their watch with very little battery consumption and an even display lighting.

Large LCD screens for video / data display applications do use cold-cathode fluorescent backlighting but have moved to white-LED backlighting as a way to be power-efficient.

Research that has been done

The current problem with the e-ink display is that it isn’t self-illuminating. This is although there is research by Pixel QI in to establishing a display technology that can combine what the LCD offers with the e-ink technology. This is to counteract the problem of LCD and OLED display applications being “washed out” in bright sunlight.

But there could be the use of a white electroluminescent panel behind an e-ink display, especially a colour fast-refreshing type to allow for a highly-flexible “use-anywhere” display that can conserve power.

Conclusion

Once we see further work on the e-ink display taking place, it could then allow for this technology to move beyond the Nook or Kindle e-reader.

The newly-discovered security risk in all-platform runtime environments

Introduction

The recent security scare with the Apple Macintosh platform and its exposure to the Flashback malware was centered around the use of Java on this platform, rather than being targeted directly using native code. But there have been similar risks targeted at this platform but this time using the Adobe Flash runtime environment.

Previously the typical computer’s operating system, desktop-productivity software and default Web-browsing environment has been targeted by malware writers. This has been more so with software that is used by many people, like Microsoft’s Windows XP operating system and Internet Explorer Web browsers.

But Microsoft, Apple and the open-source community have been working lately on hardening their operating-system, desktop-productivity and Web-browsing software against malware. This has been done through releasing software patches that fix vulnerabilities as soon as they are discovered and having such patches delivered using automated software-maintenance systems like Windows Update.

So malware authors are now turning their arrows towards the multi-platform runtime environments like Oracle’s Java and Adobe’s Flash and Air environments. These typically have a runtime component that is user-installed on most computing platforms, or this component is rolled in to some computing platforms.

These runtime environments have appealed to mainstream software developers because they can create their software in a “write once, run anywhere” manner without needing to port the software to the different platforms they want to target. This situation also has appeal to malware authors due to the ability to target multiple platforms with little risk as well as finding that these runtime environments aren’t patched as rigorously as the operating systems.

One main problem – Java and how it is maintained on the Macintosh

The Java runtime environment used to be delivered with the Windows platform until 2004 due to a legal agreement between Sun and Microsoft regarding an anti-trust issue. Now Windows users pick up the runtime code from Oracle’s Java website now that Oracle have taken over the Java environment from Sun.

But Apple still delivers the Java runtime environment to their Macintosh users, either with the operating system until “Snow Leopard” or as a separate download from their Website for subsequent users.

For both platforms, the Java runtime survives operating-system updates, even major version upgrades. As well, it, like the Adobe Flash runtime, has to be updated separately.

Windows and Linux users still have the advantage of going to the Oracle Website to install and update the Java Website and they can set up the Java installer software to implement the latest version automatically or let them know of updated Java runtimes. But Apple don’t pass on new updates for the Java runtime to MacOS users as soon as Oracle release them.

What Apple should do is pass on the Java runtime updates as soon as Oracle releases these updates. This could be involving Apple ceding the management of the MacOS X Java runtime to Oracle and writing any necessary integration code to support co-ordinated maintenance of this runtime the the Macintosh platform.

What users can do with these runtime environments

Users can keep their runtime environments for Flash, Java, Adobe Air and other “write once, run-anywhere” platforms by looking for updates at the developer’s Website. They can also enable automatic deployment of critical updates to these environments through various options offered by the installer.

But do you need to keep any of these runtime environments on your regular computer? You could do without it but some vertical, enterprise and home software requires the use of these runtime environments. In some cases, some developers write parts of their software in native code for the platform the software is to run on while using “write once, run anywhere” code that works with these environments for other parts.

For example, YouTube,  most browser-hosted games or file-transfer interfaces for Websites implement Adobe Flash Player while programs like OpenOffice, Adobe’s Creative Suite and some enterprise / vertical software require Java.

If you are not likely to running any programs that depend on a runtime environment regularly or can avoid needing that particular environment, you could avoid installing the environment at all to keep your computer secure and stable.

What can the industry do

Use of computer security software to protect against runtime-environment attacks

A question that could be raised is whether it is feasible for a computer-security program to be written so that it can inspect the software that is intended to be run in these environments.

This is more so as these environments become ubiquitous for delivering software to multiple computing environments. In the case of Java, this environment is being implemented as a baseline for the Android platform and as the language for writing interactivity in to Blu-Ray Discs.

This could be achieved through the use of plug-in modules for current desktop and appliance-level security applications; or for modules that connect to the runtime environments, observing for abnormalities in the way they handle computer resources.

Development of enhanced runtime environments that work with the host operating system’s security logic

It can also be feasible for the runtime environments to work tightly with the operating-system’s user access management and prevent the programs that work behind them from using resources unless they are explicitly allowed to. This could involve use of sandboxes or privilege levels that mimic the operating system’s privilege levels thus working at the lowest level unless they have to work higher.

Consistent and responsive updating of the runtime environment across all platforms

Adobe, Oracle and others who develop “write-once, run-anywhere” platforms could implement a consistent and responsive update policy for these platforms in response to any discovered bug or exploitable software weakness. The developers of these platforms have to be sure that the updates are delivered as soon as possible and across all platforms that the runtime environment is targeted at.

This includes development of a strategy so that access to the targeted platforms is guaranteed by the runtime-environment developer. For example, it may include immediate propagation of firmware updates for devices or the use of the developer’s own installation routines for all regular computing environments.

Allow design-time native-binary compiling for desktop Java

Another improvement that I would like to see is for software that is written in the Java language to be able to be compiled to native binary (.EXE) code during development. Here, this could allow a desktop-software project that has routines written in Java as well as routines written in other languages like C++ and targeted to one platform to be able to run quickly and securely on that platform.

It will then avoid the need to require the installation of the Java runtime when a program like Adobe’s Creative Suite software is deployed to the end user. It can also allow the developer to deliver the software to many platforms in a binary form that is native to each target platform, thus allowing for efficient use of system resources.

Conclusion

Once we adopt proper standards concerning the management and maintenance of “write-once, run-anywhere” software-development platforms and make them to the same standard as regular-computer operating systems, this can reduce the chance of these platforms being exploited by malware authors.

Apple has now released a software fix for the Flashback trojan

Articles

A look at Apple’s Flashback removal tool | MacFixIt – CNET Reviews

Apple releases fix for Flashback malware | Engadget

Downloads – Apple’s support Website

Java Update for MacOS 10.6

Java for MacOS Lion

My Comments

Apple has reacted to the groundswell of concern about the recent Flashback malware and have issued updates to its Java runtime environment for both MacOS Snow Leopard and Lion.

Here, they have implemented a check-and-remove routine for this Trojan as part of the installation routine for the new Java runtime environment. For most Macintosh users, this will simplify the process of removing any existence of this malware as well as keeping this runtime environment up-to-date.

The CNET article also gave a detailed review of what goes on as well as how to fix situations if the installation takes too long and the procedure hangs. As I have posted previously, Apple could improve on the issue of providing system maintenance and desktop security software so that Mac users can keep these systems in good order.

The full-featured wristwatch has come back thanks to Sony

Articles

Sony unveils ‘Dick Tracy’ Android wristwatch

Sony unveils the SmartWatch, syncs with Android phones | News.com.au

From the horse’s mouth

Product page – Sony UK

My Comments

Since the late 1970s, some Japanese firms like Seiko and Casio introduced multi-function digital wristwatches. These typically had an integrated calendar, alarm clock and stopwatch as well as the time display with a seconds count; and showed this information on a liquid-crystal display. There were some economy models that came with just a time display and a calendar.

Infact, through 1980-81, these were a “must-have” and people could impress each other by showing that new digital watch they had bought. They would even step their watch through the functions that it could do.

Through the 80s, manufacturers gradually added extra functions to these watches such as hourly chimes, musical alarms, phonebooks, four-function calculators and even games as a way of differentiating their product. This trend started to peel off through the 1990s due to various factors such as an effective “innovation ceiling” for this product class as well as the mobile phone becoming a commodity.

Even now, the smartphone has displaced the wristwatch as a personal timepiece, with some people wearing a quartz analogue watch as a “dress watch” or not using a watch at all. This is due to the smartphone implementing a clock that works off an Internet-based or mobile-network-based master clock and setting up for daylight-saving automatically. They also have the same functionality as the most tricked-out 1980s-era digital wristwatch, if not more.

There have been a few attempts at implementing a digital watch that works as a remote terminal for a smartphone but Sony have released the latest in the form of the “Smart Watch”.

This is an Android-powered wristwatch that is paired with an Android smartphone using Bluetooth technology. The phone runs a special communications app that allows it to be a display and control surface for that phone. You control this watch using its OLED touchscreen rather than pressing one of the buttons on the side of those watches, There is the ability to upload apps to the watch via the communications app so you have the right functions on your wrist.

At the moment, there needs to be work done on providing a level playing field for data communications between smartphones or similar devices and remote-display devices like these watches. Devices like watches would also need to keep the time independently of the phone when they are offline from that phone so they can do what a watch does best.

This could become an interesting return to the watch just like what has happened in the 1980s where the desire for many functions on your wrist made this accessory earn its utility value rather than fashion value.

The Apple Macintosh platform–now the target for malware

Introduction

In the late 1980s when the scourge of computer viruses hitting popular home and small-business computing platforms was real, this issue was exposed across all of the platforms that were in use during that year. This encompassed Apple’s two desktop platforms i.e. the Apple II and the Macintosh; along with the Commodore Amiga, the Atari ST and, of course the MS-DOS-driven “IBM” platform. Of course, the computer magazines ran articles about this threat and how to protect against it and disinfect your computing environment from these software pests.

But through the 1990s, the Windows / DOS systems were the main malware target, especially the Windows 98 and XP systems that ran Internet Explorer due to their popularity. The other platforms weren’t targeted that much due to their lesser popularity in the field and the computer press didn’t touch on that issue much. It was also because some of these platforms like the Amiga and Atari ST weren’t being supported any more by their manufacturers.

But lately there has become a trend for people to hop from the Windows platform to the Macintosh platform due to reduced targeting by malware authors and the perceived hardening that Apple has done to this platform. This has been recently augmented by the popularity of the iOS mobile-computing devices i.e. the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad as well as elegant computing devices available to this platform. All of these factors has led to an increased popularity of Apple Macintosh computers in the feild and they have become a target for malware authors.

But most Macintosh users run their computers with the Apple-authored Safari Web browser and are likely to implement Apple iWork or Microsoft Office productivity software. They also run these computers without any desktop-security or system-maintenance tools because they perceive that Apple has made the task of keeping these computers in ideal condition easier than with the Windows platform.

What can Macintosh users do

Macintosh users can harden their computers against malware by installing and keeping up-to-date a desktop security suite. A free example of this is the Avast program that has been recently ported to the Macintosh platform and another paid-for premium example is the Kaspersky desktop-security suite. These programs are, along with a system-maintenance suite like Norton Utilities, a must-have so you can keep these computers working in an ideal condition.

Another practice that I always encourage is to keep all the software on your Macintosh computer lock-step with the latest updates. This can also help with dealing with any bugs or stability issues that may affect how the software runs on your computer. Here, you may want to enable a fully-automatic update routine for security and other important updates or a semi-automatic routine where the Macintosh checks for these updates and draws your attention to any newly-available updates, that you then deploy.

It is also worth disabling Adobe Flash Player, Java and similar “all-platform runtime” environments if you don’t need to run them. There are many articles on the Web about this in response to the Flashback Trojan Horse. Otherwise make sure that the runtime environments are kept updated. Similarly, you may want to change your default Web browser to a purely-open-source browsers like Firefox or Chrome, which is more likely to be kept up-to-date against known bugs and weaknesses. This was also made easier with new-build installations of MacOS X Lion i.e. when you had a new Macintosh with this operating system “out of the box”. Prior operating systems had the Java runtime installed by default and this survived any operating-system upgrade.

What Apple needs to do

Apple needs to come down from its silver cloud and see the realities of what is involved with keeping a computer in good order. For example, they need to provide desktop-security and system-tuning tools so that users can keep their Macintosh computers in tip-top condition and free from malware. They also need to transparently and immediately implement all updates and upgrades that Oracle releases for the Java environment in to their distribution or allow Oracle to distribute the Java environment  for the Macintosh platform.

As well, they need to take a leaf out of Microsoft’s book by implenenting a “default-standard-user” setup that has the user operating as a “desktop-user” privilege level by default. Then the user is asked if they want to go to an “administrator” privilege-level when they perform a task that requires this level and only for the duration of that task. This is important with home and small-business computer setups where there is typically only one fully-privileged user created for that system.

Conclusion

What the recent “Flashback” Trojan Horse has done is to bring the Apple Macintosh platform to a real level where issues concerning desktop security and system maintenance are as important for it as they are for other platforms.