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Monthly Archives: April 2010

The iPad vs the PC – Don’t buy a Model T in 2010

30 Apr

The personal computer is like the Model T.  Henry Ford was noted as saying:

“I will build a car for the great multitude. It will be large enough for the family, but small enough for the individual to run and care for. It will be constructed of the best materials, by the best men to be hired, after the simplest designs that modern engineering can devise. But it will be so low in price that no man making a good salary will be unable to own one—and enjoy with his family the blessing of hours of pleasure in God’s great open spaces.” [1]

One could easily make the comparisons that IBM was the Ford of PC hardware manufacturing and Microsoft the Ford of Operating Systems.  The evolution of personal computing devices in the past 20 years has been as dramatic as the past 100 years of automotive evolution (and to some degree the past 15 years they’ve been closely entwined).  But for some reason, we have people arguing today to continue producing Model Ts and not Ford Fusions.

How is that you ask?

Originally Model Ts owners were content to own the vehicles and use them.  Most of them were just happy when the were running and not requiring maintenance or repair.  I liken this to the early IBM PC users in the 80s.  If they could get it to perform as designed, they were quite happy.

After World War II, young gentleman with new ideas and expanded skill sets decided to start modifying the evolved Model T (or Model As)  into unique hot rods.  They pushed it beyond the limits of it’s original capabilities.  The personal computer evolution of the 90s can be likened to this period.  Machines were more stable, parts became cheaper and widely available to the general public so they were able to customize and modify systems on their own.

Is this what you want to drive every day?

Now we make a jump to modern vehicles.  GPS, traction control, lane departure warnings, air conditioning, heated and cooled seats, satellite radio, anti-lock brakes, remote start, keyless entry, I can go on for a while here…  While the Model T didn’t have any of these features, the basics of transportation were met in 1908 and now in 2010.  However I don’t think we’re reached this level of evolution in the personal computing market, until now.

I’m going to invoke the 80/20 rule here (though it’s probably more 95/5) and say that the majority of automobile owners purchase their cars and use them as intended without modification.  Then there is a percentage of users that customize their cars for styling, performance, or function.  So why then do computer companies continue to produce Model T computer systems expecting the end users to do all the modifying and customizations when the Ford Fusion would better fit them?

The iPad is the evolution of personal computing devices.  I know Apple would love to have it be revolutionary, but it’s not that significant of a departure.  The iPhone and iTouch really couldn’t be a replacement for a PC for a general user, they were more like a device that augmented the PC.  They are more like motorcycles and scooters;  fun to have and fun to use but not very good in the snow, can’t haul the camper, and you can’t bring home groceries in them.  The iPad has the potential to be a full replacement device for the user who browses the Internet, does email, and has needs for a few applications.  I does this in a simpler (and so far more secure) manner than a traditional PC.  So the iPad has all those electronics safety and security features that your new car has, and you like them.

Then why do we base on computers on this?

I’m still astonished at the articles I read regarding the iPad (and Apple in other cases) where users complain about the closed systems and how they are against the governance Apple has over the hardware, operating system, and now applications on it’s devices.  I say this evolution is exactly what we should be expecting (and wanting), not arguing against.

For those who say, NO!!! I want to be able to do all these highly complex things.  No problem, there’s an F350 out there for you, it will do all the heavy lifting you need.  For those who want to modify their systems and play games, etc.  No problem for you either, there is a Mustang or Focus for you to buy endless aftermarket parts for.  But for the 80%+ remaining that want a device that works every time they turn they key and has a maintenance scheduled they can live with, there is the Fusion, I mean iPad.

 
5 Comments

Posted by on April 30, 2010 in Apple, iPad, Technology

 

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Why we need the iPad

26 Apr

I will disclaim that I am a fan of almost all products made by Apple.  I often try not to read any information on the days of product launches and instead wait until I can get the video and actually watch Steve (Jobs) sell me on why I need the next big thing.  However, when I watched the iPad launch, I felt… well, underwhelmed.

Time has since passed and having used an iPad I can definitely see a use for it.  It’s convenient, intuitive and most of all necessary.  Ok, I probably had you right up until necessary right?

Most post I’ve read are arguing about the convenience of this device vs a laptop or even a smartphone, that the lack of multitasking kills the usefulness, or that they can’t adapt to the keyboard.  That’s well covered everywhere else and I don’t have the background to weigh in on those concerns.

However…

For the average user  (I’m going to put that number at 80-90% of people using some personal computing device) whatever they have  for a pc or laptop does far more than they need.  The openness of those systems, flexibility, the power to meet most any need make it challenging for the casual user to maintain and have meet their needs.  Power users will have specific applications that require more advanced hardware and in doing so, they sign themselves up for the challenges of maintaining that device.  Netbooks were the first (dare I say feeble) attempt to fill this market space.  They were something inexpensive that gave people access to the Internet and allowed them to send and receive email.  Good concept, poor execution.

Along came the iPad.  After giving it some thought, I think the iPad is exactly what we need.

Allow me to digress…  Every day I learn something.  Being in Information Security, usually that’s something that makes it more difficult for me to sleep at night.  Vulnerabilities increase, threats become more aggressive and better at defeating security measures, and I begin to wonder if we aren’t fighting a losing battle.

Which makes me wonder…  What if… What if the iPad really is what we need?

A constrained device (yes this is a good thing), with controlled application deployment (yes still a good thing), where all applications have very limited access to the operating system?  I say, yes.  Absolutely.  PLEASE!  There is a tremendous market for this (which Apple certainly knows). Many more tech savvy users are screaming blasphemy as their screens as they read this, however having a PC with unlimited capabilities, interfaces, and expand-ability is only a requirement for a percentage of users (and I dare say that percentage is probably lower than most initial guesses).  Even those users, as intelligent and well intentioned as they may be, tend to do things that allow themselves to be compromised everyday.  Trust me, I see it.

The majority of users want a simple device that works and can offer some level of assurance of stability and data protection.  Remember “it just works!”  :)

No more OS patches that break applications (well not the ones that Apple is allowing on the device anyway), no more security applications that accidentally break the operating system (hello McAfee? hows that XP thing going for you?), just a highly controlled computing environment that’s set up to meet the needs of most users.  Most users are not aware of these issues anyway and honestly don’t want to be bothered.  They often only find out about much of this once they’ve experienced a significant system issue and even then, they don’t care, they just want their system back and working.

Will these devices eventually become as much of a target as “normal” systems?  Probably.  But I believe they are well suited to be managed more easily and better protected from threats.  They will be more limited in function than a PC, yes, but the end users will express a higher satisfaction rate regardless.

While everyone will continue to argue over the size, shape, wether or not it has a camera or can be a giant phone.  I say they’ve missed the point.  We really do have a game changer here.

 
3 Comments

Posted by on April 26, 2010 in Apple, crimeware, iPad, malware, mobile, Technology

 

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Answer this question and paste the answer in your facebook status!!!

20 Apr

No.

Let me repeat.  No.

No. No. No. No. No. No. No.

Why all the negativity you ask?

EXAMPLE: Where were you born?  Paste this question into your Facebook status (along with the answer) and tell all your friends where you were born.  Ask them to do the same!

Anyone what to guess what one of the most common questions people use for the password reset function on their bank accounts, credit card websites, or email?  If you post this information, along with your email, it gives someone most of the critical pieces of information needed to compromise an account.

What about this?

Answer these 10 questions and paste to your status.  Tell your friends to do the same and see how much you have in common:

  1. Where were you born?
  2. What is your sign?
  3. What is your favorite color?
  4. What is your favorite food?
  5. What do you do?
  6. What is your favorite movie?
  7. Are you a (insert a sports team name here) fan?
  8. Mac or PC?
  9. Dog or Cat?
  10. If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go?

I attended a presentation lately where this was said “if these people are REALLY your friends, they already know all this”.  So please don’t use that as a reason/excuse why you are publicising this information on your Facebook profile.  Most people may have technically “friended” you, but are loose social connections at best.

Given the number of changes to the Facebook security settings with the fact most people don’t have this set correctly, you can quickly see where these type of posts give entirely too much information to someone who shares a group with you or is a friend of a friend.

Since your profile already provides your location, maybe birthday, school, email address, etc.  One can approximate enough information to figure out where you are and how old.  In most locations there are probably 2-3 major banks in an area too.  So, one should have enough information to target your online banking account and/or your email account.  They aren’t going to have to guess or break your password.  They’re going to use all the information they’ve gathered about you to reset your password.

Anyone recall the issue with Sarah Palin’s email being “hacked’?  Well “hacked” is giving the guy a bit too much credit.  Socially engineered it more appropriate.  He simply went to her email service (which was known to be Yahoo),  to the password reset function, clicked on it and it prompted him:

  1. “What is your birthday”
  2. “Where did you meet your husband?”
  3. “What is your zipcode?”

If you were to have gone to the governors website at the time, it proudly displayed two interesting pieces of information.  She met her Husband Todd in High School and she spent her entire life in Wasilla.  Since Wasilla only had two zip codes, it was easy to guess.  A simple Wiki search will tell you  her birthday.

So since we are not all high-profile public figures with a ton of information about us on the Internet (though if you are, thanks for reading my post!), it’s probably best that we don’t voluntarily put this information out there for anyone to snag.

Here’s my litmus test: Would this be something you’d feel comfortable telling a stranger on the street?  Probably not.

 
2 Comments

Posted by on April 20, 2010 in Facebook, Phishing, Security, social engineering

 

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