Are Keycard protected doors really safe?

The doors at hotels, businesses, and some dorm rooms at college all use wireless RFID keycards (that you don't have to slide) to keep unauthorized people out, but with the rise of computer hacking, and the use of apps hackers can now unlock certain doors with a simple Android app.

With Caribou, an Android app that was shown on PopSci.com, the user unlocked both doors to a private pool within 30 seconds simply by using an app.

By inserting the ip address of the system that is being hacked the hacker in the video was able to unlock the door for 30 seconds in a minuscule amount of time. This app rapidly tries every possible combination until it lands on the one that unlocks the door.

This app has a big problem though, the hacker must be able to get the ip address of the door that is trying to be unlocked. It is not clear as to how easy it is to obtain the ip address, so some work may be required.

Fortunately the app was never actually released, no matter how flawed, to the Android Market, but it was only designed for an Android. The people who designed it were trying to warn the people in charge of security of a potential problem, and it warns companies that they are vulnerable to theft and break-ins by an average hacker.


For more information visit: http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2011-03/video-android-app-hacks-cardkey-protected-doors-one-click

Motion Control Remote

The 21st century has had many interesting, new electronics ranging from the iPad to flash drives but with the invention of the wii motion control has gained much popularity. Motion control has influenced ipods, game controllers, and more recently the remote.
The Philips Triton QWERTY Remote with uWand is the first remote to channel surf by waving the remote. Similar to the wii it utilizes an accelerometer to sense all the small movements of the user. The uWand foregoes the standard going through menus for pointing and clicking. Also unique to the uWand is that will utilize 3D controlling so you can pull objects on your screen closer or farther away (shrink or expand the picture). Instead of having to toggle through the inputs of the of the tv you could just point the uWand at the blu-ray player to begin watching the movie.
The uWand also has a qwerty keyboard on the back so you can access apps such as Netflix, and other tv apps, and will work on blu-ray players, tvs, and you will be able to control your entire home theater. According to popular science this has incredible potential in that it could eventually create other automatons such as blinds that close, turn on and off lights, and change the thermostat, and it could make you look and feel like you are conducting an orchestra. This device basically turns your tv into a large screened computer that you control much like a wii.
The Philips uWand is a sleek and small 6.7 x 2.1 x .7 inches and no price has been set for this new remote, and it is rumored to be released sometime in 2012.

For more info check out: http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/09/philips-uwand-hands-on/

Apple iPad 2

      The Apple iPad 2 was announced Wednesday March 2, 2011 to much anticipation.

     There was much speculation before the iPad 2 was announced, including rumors of it being thinner, faster, having a higher screen resolution, a camera, and an SD card slot.

       The new iPad, according to Apple at their media event, is going to have a front and rear camera, so the owners can now utilize Skype and be able to video chat. It is also going to be 33% thinner, and a new processor, Apple's new A5 dual-core processor that will make it run much faster while not using more battery power than the original iPad. It will also be lighter due to the new hardware, and will have a gyroscope while the original did not. Another new change is that the iPad now comes in two colors, black and white, and it is expected to be able to run with either AT&T or Verizon and then would run Wi-Fi and 3G.

      Unfortunately it will not have an SD card slot so you still cannot add a memory card to the iPad, and it still only has the three sizes, 16GB, 36GB, and 64GB. 

       It has been said by Tabletpcreview.com that if you already have an iPad you should not bother buying this newer model, instead they say you should wait until next year for the iPad 3 where they speculate that their will be many new changes.

       The Apple iPad 2 is scheduled for release Friday March 11, 2011.