Category: Technology

Developer Kit Coming to Amazon’s Kindle

Now this is interesting. Amazon is planning to release a development kit for their Kindle. It’s going into beta next month, and I’m going to do everything I can to grab a copy (Assuming it’s a closed beta).

This will allow developers to write applications for the Kindle devices. This could be huge as it opens the possibility of adding readers for other e-book formats to the device. Of course there are restrictions:

Amazon has released some specifications and pricing details for prospective KDK developers. The max file size is set at 100MB, compared to the iPhone’s 2GB (just over 2,000MB) limit, but the Kindle shares Apples policy on restricting users from wirelessly delivering active content over 10MB on the Kindle’s 3G connection. Files larger than this will need to be transferred via USB.

Other restrictions include a ban on content deemed offensive, advertising or misuse of the user’s information, as well as a ban on voice over IP software and applications that supersede the Kindle’s basic functions.

Developers can also choose to provide small pieces of content (less than 1MB) for free, but are forced to charge for any larger content to pay for 3G data costs. Software creators can choose between a one-time purchase and a monthly subscription model for their content.

The need to make an application cost money if it’s over a certain size isn’t surprising to me. Every Kindle user gets access to free 3G. But that connection is really only free to you in the sense that you don’t pay a monthly fee. Every time you download a book part of the money you paid goes to Sprint or AT&T for the data transferred.

I’m rather worried that Amazon is planning such strict controls over the development process beyond the use of the 3G connection though. It seems like Apple made it OK to release a device where the manufacturer has to approve every applications for that said device. I really hate that idea and it’s part of the reason I don’t have an iPhone. I hate to see this kind of crap catch on.

But not matter how you slice it having an SDK for the Kindle is a pretty cool idea.

China Responds to Google

Google has threatened to pull out of China and have already stopped filtering search traffic in that country. Well China has responded:

China has said that foreign internet firms are welcome to do business there “according to the law”.

As I stated if you want to do business in a country you have to play by that country’s rules. If you don’t like the rules don’t do business there. That seems pretty straight forward to me.

Don’t Hack Google

Here is something to note, don’t hack Google. Apparently several malicious hackers from Google have been banging on their virtual door. Strangely enough these attacks have originated in China. This wasn’t a bunch of bots or script kiddies, these attacks were targeted at Google and the malicious bastards knew what they were doing. They even managed to run away with some of Google’s intellectual property. But here’s the icing on the cake:

Second, we have evidence to suggest that a primary goal of the attackers was accessing the Gmail accounts of Chinese human rights activists. Based on our investigation to date we believe their attack did not achieve that objective. Only two Gmail accounts appear to have been accessed, and that activity was limited to account information (such as the date the account was created) and subject line, rather than the content of emails themselves.

Well apparently this has made Google think about it’s China operation. First they are looking over the “viability” of their China operation. There is even the threat of pulling out of that country entirely (With how much money is at stake I’m betting this won’t happen). But effective already Google is no longer censoring search results on their Chinese page.

It’ll be interesting to watch how this turns how. I believe if you want to sell your toys in a country you need to follow that country’s rules. If you don’t like those rules you simply don’t go there. But seeing as how Google is playing by China’s rules and being punished for it I’d say screw it as well.

Digital “Rights” Management Proven Useless Again

I’ve always found the term digital rights management to be an idiotic one. You don’t need your rights managed. But alas that’s the name that became popular and many companies used it. For instance Amazon uses it on downloaded e-books for their Kindle. Its use is an attempt to prevent copying of the material but alas an ingenious hacker has cracked it.

I have no problem paying for e-books so why do I care about this? Because I want to be able to use my documents on other devices. Maybe somebody in the future will build an e-reader that I like better than the Kindle. What will I do? Re-purchase all my books for the new platform? Well that’s the only option unless the Kindle’s DRM gets cracked, which it just did. I’ll try out the tool and report back on it this weekend (not a copy is available at the link, get it before Amazon pulls a DMCA notice and gets it removed).

Oh and here is a link to the blog of the person doing the fine work.

And for the sake a clarity I just want to make it clear that this tool allows breaking Kindle books obtained via Kindle for the PC. Cracking Kindle books on a Kindle has been possible for quite a while now.

Palm Ares

OK this is cool. I just got notification that Palm Ares has entered public beta. This is certainly a geeks only thing. Ares is Palms WebOS development environment that runs in your web browser. Think of it as Eclipse, Visual Studio, or Xcode in the web browser and you’ll have a decent idea of what Ares is.

This means WebOS developers can not write software for Palm’s new phones without having to actually install anything on their computer. I’ve only played with it for a short while so far but will admit it’s pretty cool. Of course I’m still a fan of having my stuff on my computer with my tools so if I don’t have an Internet connection I can still work. But if you’re into this whole cloud computing thing and want to write WebOS projects this could be for you.

Security, It’s Important

File this story under hilarious. Apparently some Shiite fighters in Iraq have managed to obtain video feeds from some United States drones. It seems little effort was required as the communication link from the drone back to home base lacks any form of encryption. When designing any piece of software security needs to be baked in from the get go. This goes double for a machine meant to be flown around in a war zone.

I Have My Doubts

Well the 802.11n protocol was finally ratified a while ago so that means it’s time for engineers to work on the next great thing. In this article they are talking about the next standard which is to be dubbed 802.11ac. They are claiming this next standard will support speeds up to 1Gbps.

But it’s their second claim I find doubtful, that this new protocol will be out by 2012. If anybody followed the 802.11n fiasco you’ll know it took them forever to finally ratify the standard and get it out the door. I highly doubt they will get the next version out in two years.

Google Chrome OS Revealed

Well Google revealed their Google Chrome OS. My take? Meh. It’s a web browser running on Linux. So if you have no Internet connection you have no usable computer.

It would be great for somebody like my Grandma whom would only need a web browser. But I certainly wouldn’t be too happy using it. Fortunately Google admits I’m not the target audience so I’m not going to say much.

Awesome Japanese Submarine Found

There is something about submarines that fascinate me. Therefore when I hear interesting news about them I read away with impunity. Well researchers have found the purposely sunk I-201 submarine.

The I-201 was a Japanese submersible aircraft carrier. Since cruise missiles didn’t exist during World War II the only really effective way to bomb something by delivering those explosives via airplane. Of course anybody can see a massive aircraft carrier approaching a coast line, but few can see underwater. The idea of these submarines was to deliver bombers stealthily to enemy targets and within minutes surface and launch a surprising bombing.

Of course the war ended before the Japanese could use the I-201 so it ended up in the hands of the United States Navy. The Navy studied it and her sister ship then sunk the shit out of them when the Soviet demanded access to them.

Anyways just some cool shit.