network

The iPhone has become one of the most wanted devices on the mobile phone market 2008. No surprise there. With Apple's previous history of gadget success, this more or less had to happen.

And although Apple make money on these devices, Apple have decided to tap into the ongoing, continious revenue stream of their Telco partners. According to the Register, if you want to provide iPhone to your clients, you are required to add an Apple networking device in your datacenter.

At first glance, this is only to provide the customers with the services required for the iPhone to function propperly.

At next glance, you see that the device is able to capture and control the dataflow to and from any iPhone's connected through that Telco.

So what?

By controlling the actual dataflow to and from the device, Apple may now gather information, habits and control the way their users are actually using the iPhone. This also means that they may adopt content (advertisements) to the habits of the users - much like Google does on the web.

It also may enable services like pay-per-view and strict access control. As well as full monitoring of the content and communication.

According to the Register, this may become a threat to the Telco, as the Telco's themselves has been dreaming of such a tool for ages. Some have tried too - but due to too big differences on the device side, the success of identifying and controlling the content has not yet succeeded.

I think that Apple will share their technology with their Telco partners - the Telcos I know would never accept the technology partner to controll everything - unless they get revenue back.

I predict that Apple and the Telco's will walk this road hand-in-hand, all the way to the bank.

And the customers?

Nothing has really changed. You still get the bill. And you might persive the new technology as a better service to you.

Wich in my book means this is a typical Win-Win-Win situation.

And the security?

Well, you are already monitored and analyzed, so this makes no big change. The data quality is better, so the analyzes will be of a higher value, wich in turn will give you better adds!

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Telco = TELeCOmmunication Company

Many of my readers are curious about hacking, testing and the ins and outs of setting up a security testing facility.

So here goes a nice white paper authored by Harry Bulbrook at the Durham Technical Community college, explaining how to set up a secure lab for testing and learning. It is a year old, but it still is a great resource that enables you to easily set up and maintain your lab without interfering with your production network.

I get many strange invitations in my email. Todays selection is from a that calls themselves Biztime Limited, based in the UK. They have a new Social Networking idea - called Jamparii. Sure we can use that (pun). Their plan is to let me make a profit as they become the next MySpace and Youtube. In other words, they want my money.

The invitation came by an Ecademy group. I quit Ecademy 18 month ago because back then I felt many users where only interested in MLM and promoting scams. Even though I have canceled my account, and no longer are available on Ecademy, they continue to send me emails from their forums. That is another post, I guess!

So back to Jamparii - they ask me to give them £1 000,- in exchange for a Founder Life Membership. And a potential revenue share:

Our strategy is to create a small group of just 250 Founder Life Members, who will be the centre pillars of Jamparii and will benefit both as life members but also financially as shareholders. We already have a number in place but there are still plenty of places left. Your investment will be under £1,000 and you will have the opportunity to earn and win more shares during the first year or so.

 

So - I will win more shares during the first year or so. Sounds like the MLM game that took Europe by storm a few years back - you played around with virtual stocks, and made a profit based upon how many people you recruited. World Game Inc. it was called, before it was called a bluff.  

Further fuel to my presumption is the fact that 3 750 Founder members are also invited. So - we have Founder Life members who will win shares, and Founder members who pay to enter. Then add regular, paying members - they will provide the profit up the lane. Or so it may sound.

They start their story like this:

When we hear of the huge sums of money that are being paid for these web platforms do you wish that you had thought them up or had a stake in them?

Well here is an opportunity for you to do just that! - Read on and see for yourself!

 

I am sorry. If I had such an idea, last thing I would do is to tell everyone. I would have people use it. Not try to sell it like a scam.

Thus, I suggest Jamparii is a scam, and time will show who is right. I will have to appologize if they actually end up like MySpace or Youtube - walking away with a huge lump of money.

Today I became a member of the Security Bloggers Network over at Feedburner. Boy, am I proud? That means Alan at Stillsecure have visited and found my blog to measure up to the high standards. (I did have to poke him a couple of times, though!)

I am proud and honored!  If you do not know the Security Bloggers Network, I suggest you pay it a visit!