GoDaddy Officially Removed From The House’s List Of SOPA Supporters

When GoDaddy publicly recanted their support of SOPA last week, many were quick to point out that such an act didn’t reallymean much. As far as the Judiciary Committee overseeing SOPA was concerned, GoDaddy was still a supporter.

That’s been changed, it seems. In the latest version of the US House Of Representatives’ SOPA Supporters list (heads up: it’s a PDF), GoDaddy’s name is nowhere to be found.

Does this mean that everyone should immediately resume throwing money at GoDaddy? Of course not; if you’re genuinely interested in only handing your greenbacks over to companies that are either neutral towards or against SOPA, it’s important to keep an eye on the company’s actions in the coming weeks (once the scalding hot and blindingly bright spotlight has moved on.) Plus, it’s not as if there aren’t plenty of alternatives just begging for your business.

What’s more important, however, are the the names still on the list. ESPN? Scholastic, Inc.? Visa? Even if you can’t find a way to stop supporting most of the SOPA-friendly companies with your wallet (GoDaddy was quite easy in this sense, which is presumably a big part of why the Internet’s rallying against them moved so quickly), it’s important information to keep in the back of your mind.

Google+ Launches 3 New TV Ads Featuring Muppets, Bill Walton & Some Engaged Chick

What do you do when your viral growth starts to taper off? Advertise! That strategy has seemingly been working well for the Google Chrome web browser (now with a quarter of worldwide browser market share), so Google may as well give it a shot with Google+.

Google has released a trio of new TV commercials promoting its fledging social network, featuring Hangouts with celebrities like the Muppets as well as NBA announcers, Bill Walton, Kenny Smith, Steve Kerr, Spero Dedes and Jon Barry. There’s also one of those heartstring-tugging promos showing Hangouts in action, with kids talking to grandma, a girl telling her friends she’s engaged, New Year’s Eve kisses and other such cheesiness, all complete with an Apple-esque background track.

The strategy to focus heavily on Google+ Hangouts in the new TV ads is a smart one. Google’s multi-person video chat tool, which allows up to 10 participants to “hang out” (for free), is probably the number one selling point for Google’s social network. And even if the first commercial is a bit treacley in its depiction of the feature (hey advertisers: enough with the Apple imitation in your TV ads!) it’s at least presenting an easy-to-grasp use case that will help educate mainstream users about Google+.

More importantly, the commercials demonstrate the one viable reason as to why you may want to try Google+ in the first place, given that much of the network is an engineer’s re-creation of Facebook: Hangouts.

Hangouts are cool.

The other two ads show off the Muppets (seeing a resurgence of cool themselves) and a goofy one featuring NBA announcers keeping up their craft during the strike by calling a home game…taking place on a driveway. It’s pretty funny (and would probably be a lot funnier to me if I actually watched sports, but hey, I get it).

Given that two of the three commercials involve celebs, it’s important to point out that celebrities’ use of Google+ Hangouts has not been without its own (minor) controversy. In fact, the Muppets themselves were at the center of  that debate not so long ago, when they launched their first Google+ Hangout, promoted as a chance to “Hangout with the Muppets.” Sadly, there was no “hanging out” involved, only an ad for the Muppet movie. While still arguably more engaging than a YouTube video spot, Hangouts usage by brands is still very much a challenge for companies looking for the right way to connect with their audience.

I haven’t caught these commercials on air myself as I prefer pre-recorded TV, but some of our tipsters sent in the NBA one. (Thanks!) You can check them all out over on Google’s YouTube page.

Find Your Stolen Camera or Protect It First With GadgetTrak’s CameraTrace

If you got a digital camera for the holidays, or already own one, take a moment and write down the serial number. That way GadgetTrak’s new CameraTrace service can help you recover it if it’s ever stolen. Launching today, for a one-time fee of $10 CameraTrace lets you register your camera’s serial number. If you later report it lost or stolen, you’ll be notified by email if anyone else tries to upload photos from it. You can also search CameraTrace’s serial number database of 5 billion photos for free. Both tools could help you track down unauthorized uploaders and get your gear back. Camera thieves beware, there’s a new sheriff in town.

The way it works is that almost all digital cameras imprint their serial number on the photos they shoot, which CameraTrace can detect when they’re posted online. Law enforcement can then be alerted to investigate.

The official launch of CameraTrace comes after several years of beta testing. Back in August, we wrote about how GadgetTrak reunited a professional photographer with over $9,000 worth of property. The company also offers a recovery service for laptops and phones that detects when they connect to the Internet.

For the launch, CameraTrace upped its crawling capabilities. Its database now includes 11 million cameras of 300 different models, and every photo uploaded to Flickr since 2006. CameraTrace stays up to date by scanning newly uploaded pics each day with CPUsage grid computing technology.GadgetTrak‘s CEO and founder Ken Westin tells me its database of photos is an order of magnitude larger than that of competitors like Stolen Camera Finder. This makes CameraTrace the best place to go if you ever get jacked.

The premium service includes a physical lost and found tag that can be applied to your camera. It features instructions so anyone who finds it can notify you through CameraTrace, and it also serves as a theft deterrent. Another advantage of the CamerTrace: it can help photographers locate where their copyrighted photos are displayed without permission.

But remember, all of CameraTrace’s services only work if you have have a copy of your serial number. It can typically be found on a camera’s base plate, inside the battery case, or in the box. Westin’s final tip? A huge number of cameras are stolen through auto break-ins, so lock your gear in the trunk.

Facts About Port Scanning

Each individual computer runs on multiple ports. For instance, when a person opens his or her email, the computer's server will open a port through which new mail will be downloaded through a connection to the email server. Certain ports on an individual's personal computer are open continually, making them a target for any potential hacker who is searching for individuals to victimize. This can lead to one's sensitive and personal information falling into the hands of those who intend on using it for criminal activity. Unfortunately, criminals and computer hackers are always looking for new victims to exploit, and port scanning is one of the ways through which this can be accomplished.

Port Scanning

Port Scanning is the name for the technique used to identify open ports and services available on a network host. It is sometimes utilized by security technicians to audit computers for vulnerabilities, however, it is also used by hackers to target victims. It can be used to send requests to connect to the targeted computers, and then keep track of the ports which appear to be opened, or those that respond to the request.

When a criminal targets a house for a burglary, typically the first thing he or she checks is if there is an open window or door through which access to the home can be gained. A Port scan is similar, only the windows and doors are the ports of the individual's personal computer. While a hacker may not decide to "break in" at that moment, he or she will have determined if easy access is available. Many people feel this activity should be illegal, which it is not, however, due to the fact that the potential attacker is merely checking to see if a possible connection could be made, in most areas, it is not considered a crime. However, if repetitive port scans are made, a denial of service can be created.

Hackers typically utilize port scanning because it is an easy way in which they can quickly discover services they can break into. In some cases, hackers can even open the ports themselves in order to access the targeted computer. Hackers also use port scanners to conduct tests for open ports on Personal Computers that are connected to the web.

Port Sweeping

Port sweeping is regarded by certain systems experts to be different from port scanning. They point out that port scanning is executed through the searching of a single host for open ports. However, they state that port sweeping is executed through the searching of multiple hosts in order to target just one specific open port. While Port scanning and sweeping have legitimate uses with regard to network management, unfortunately, they are used almost as frequently for the purpose of criminal activity.

A Serious Threat

Any time there are open ports on one's personal computer, there is potential for the loss of data, the occurrence of a virus, and at times, even complete system compromise. It is essential for one to protect his or her virtual files, as new security risks concerning personal computers are discovered every day. Computer protection should be the number one priority for those who use personal computers. Port scanning is considered a serious threat to one's PC, as it can occur without producing any outward signs to the owner that anything dangerous is taking place.

Firewall Protection

Protection from port scanning is often achieved through the use of a firewall. A firewall monitors incoming and outgoing connections through one's personal computer. One technique used by firewall technology is the opening of all the ports at one time. This action stops port scans from returning any ports. This has worked in many situations in the past, however, most experts agree it is best to have all open ports investigated individually. Another approach is to filter all port scans going to one's computer. An individual can also choose to port scan his or her own system, which enables one to see the personal computer through the eyes of a hacker.

Firewalls are the best protection one can invest in with regard to port scanning. Firewalls deny outside access to an individual's personal computer. With this type of protection, a personal computer is essentially hidden from unwelcome visitors and is also protected from a variety of other hacking techniques. With firewall software, an individual is assured that his or her sensitive and personal information remains protected.

In today's age of cyber crimes, identity theft, and the myriad of other criminal activities which can be executed through electronic technology, one should never assume that he or she can be too careful. Most people who have become the victim of cyber theft, or other similar crimes, state they wish they would have paid closer attention to the tools available through which their personal computers could have been made safer, and less vulnerable to attack.

Anonymous says Facebook attack was never real

(Credit: illustration by James Martin/CNET)

Don't worry Facebook users, the sky is not falling--you'll be able to update your status and post those Occupy Wall Street photos tomorrow.
Members of Anonymous fed up with reports that the online activist group is going to take down the social network said today that the threat is not real and was the work of one lone member without any support from others in the group. They said it doesn't make sense to shut down a site they use to get their message out.
"Anonymous is a movement we don't take kindly to when people try to (expletive) it up. Our movement relies on communicating with people around the world so we can help one another," a statement posted to Pastebin today said.
"One skiddy queer chap named Anthony [last name redacted] from the US in Ohio decided to take it upon himself to have some lulz with creating an imaginary opfacebook and pawning it off as a legit anon op," the statement said. "Despite us telling this mate several times we did not support his op, he continued to push his agenda for lulz. This op is phony but he continues to say it's an anon op."
The statement then provides an address, phone number, and other information ostensibly belonging to the individual named. (We've chosen not to include his last name in this post.)
"If you are against how we communicate on facebook, twitter, and anonops for example then you are against anonymous and become our enemy since you are trying to disrupt our movement," the statement says. "Because of this we decided to social the Opfacebook skiddy and hack him. Give this wanker a call and tell him what a piece of rubbish he is."
A woman who answered the phone number listed in the statement for the alleged provocateur confirmed that someone with his name lives there but said he was not home and wasn't involved with Anonymous. No doubt she'll be getting a lot of prank calls this weekend.
Anonymous sources and people familiar with the group have previously told CNET that the campaign against Facebook was the work of a rogue member and not a legitimate threat.
This case brings up the difficulty of dealing with a movement that lacks leaders and whose members are all nameless and faceless. If Anonymous can be anyone and no one is identified then no one is accountable for anything and anyone can take an action in the name of Anonymous. Some kid in his parents house in Ohio can make a threat that causes a media frenzy and public panic for naught.
Meanwhile, some threats made by Anonymous members can pose all-too-real risks to human life. Members of Anonymous in Mexico canceled a threat against the Zetas drug cartel after the return of an Anonymous member who was kidnapped. The message that innocent people would die if Anonymous exposed any information on cartel associates also played a part in that decision.
Learning to pick your battles is wise.

Apple gives most of its top execs $60M bonuses

(Credit: James Martin/CNET)

It's bonus season at Apple.
A flurry of new filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission show Apple's top executives getting bonuses with big payouts that hinge on them staying with the company through the end of 2016.
The company on Wednesday doled out 150,000 shares each to most of its senior vice presidents, short of recently-minted SVP Eddy Cue, who received a slightly smaller 100,000-share bonus, and design guru Jonathan Ive, who is an SVP, but does not fall under the SEC's section for directors, officers, and principal stockholders. That works out to just over a $60 million payday to those who got the 150,000 shares, with Cue's cut coming out to a little more than $40 million, all based off today's closing price.
Those who got the 150,000 shares will reach 50 percent vesting come June 21, 2013, with the other 50 percent fully vesting on March 21, 2016. The filings show that 25,000 of Cue's shares vest on September 21, 2014, with the rest vesting two years later. With all of these, the bonus is contingent on the executives continuing to work at the company.
"Our executive team is incredibly talented and they are all dedicated to Apple's continued success," said Apple spokesman Steve Dowling in a statement. "These stock grants are meant to reward them down the road for their hard work in helping to keep Apple the most innovative company in the world."
Though Cue's bonus is less than the others, it's his second major bonus in the past few months. Cue was awarded 100,000 restricted stock units when he was promoted to SVP status at the beginning of September to oversee Apple's iTunes Store, iCloud, iAd, and iBookstore. Cue, who is a 22-year Apple veteran, helped create the company's first online store in 1998, and Apple's iTunes Music Store in 2003--the latter being the business that would become the foundation for the App Store and iBookstore, places where Apple sells other digital goods.
Here's a full breakdown of the bonuses by executive:
Bruce Sewell -- 150,000 shares, 50 percent vest on June 21, 2013, 100 percent on March 21, 2016
Jeffrey Williams -- 150,000 shares, 50 percent on June 21, 2013, 100 percent on March 21, 2016
Philip Schiller -- 150,000 shares, 50 percent on June 21, 2013, 100 percent on March 21, 2016
Peter Oppenheimer --150,000 shares, 50 percent on June 21, 2013, 100 percent on March 21, 2016
Robert Mansfield -- 150,000 shares, 50 percent on June 21, 2013, 100 percent on March 21, 2016
Scott Forstall -- 150,000 shares, 50 percent on June 21, 2013, 100 percent on March 21, 2016
Eddy Cue -- 100,000 shares, 25 percent vest September 21, 2014, 100 percent September 21, 2016.

 comment from Apple.

Motorola Xoom 2 tablet is thinner, faster with better specs

Motorola plans to only release the tablet in the United Kingdom and Ireland for now

Motorola plans to release a follow-up to its Xoom Android tablet in November, but only in the United Kingdom and Ireland for now.
The Xoom 2 is the same basic size as the original, with a 10.1-inch widescreen display, and follows a familiar tablet formula of thinner, lighter and faster. It packs a dual-core 1.2 GHz processor compared with 1 GHz in the original Xoom, and it's 10 percent lighter and 33 percent thinner. Other specs include more than 10 hours of battery life, a 5-megapixel camera in the back, a 1.3-megapixel camera in the front, 1 GB of RAM and 16 GB of storage. It will retail at £379.99.