After the effort, this piece wasn't used, maybe because the inteviewee didn't want to be identified- his boss was on honeymoon somewhere and didn't want to be bothered. At the last minute I couldn't find anyone else, so for the sake of filing in a story, I actually asked a favour to use this incognito person's opinion. Bummer...
Cybercafes unaffected by Wi-Fi hotspot expansion
By Hazimin Sulaiman
CYBERCAFES or Internet gaming centres or computer centres, or whatever one would want to call them are unaffected by the Wi-Fi hotspot expansion seen in the food and beverage industry. Mamak eateries, restaurants and coffee shops might offer broadband Internet access to their customers but it caters to a different target audience all together.
That is what a cybercafe manager based in Subang Jaya, who wants to be known only as Ken, believes. When asked whether Wi-Fi hotspots effects his buisness in any way Ken says that "no we are not really affected.
The people that go to Wi-Fi hotspot and cybercafes are two different types of people. The most that most people do at Starbucks is probably chat and do some non-intensive Internet related stuff. Compare that to hardcore gamers who need a lot of bandwidth."
According to Ken the people that come to his cybercafe are mostly from the college age group to the those in their thirties. "There are some forty year olds as well," Ken notes. One can imagine with all the young hardcore gamers at in the cybercafe that it can get quite nosiy. Most of the customers that go to Wi-Fi hotspots probably prefer a quieter atmostphere to work and chat on the Internet.
In Ken's cybercafe, there are different sections for gamers and those wanting to use Internet services. Ken's cybercafe provides headsets for customers who just want to use the Internet, to shield them from the noises from the gaming side.According to Ken, most established cybercafes in Subang have a minimum of 120 to 140 PCs, while the largest has more than 400 PCs. On weekdays he notes 60 to 80 per cent of the PCs are used at the peak hours of 6pm to 12 am.
While on weekends, capacity is filled 100 per cent! With that Ken's confident that the mushrooming of Wi-Fi hotspots does not effect them in any way. "Besides catering to a different market, cybercafes provide cheap group entertainment for RM2 per hour. Try to compare that with the cost of a coffee at Starbucks," Ken says.
The cost factor is a good point as the gamers tend to be younger customers with less cash to splurge just for Internet access. Specialty coffee shops also do not provide adequate bandwidth for hardcore games and do not have the right environment for team games such as Counter-Strike. It would simply be too loud for the other patrons.
In the future Ken says cybercafes might be effected if broadband connections become faster to the home. As more people will simply plan games at home. He does not see that happening for at least 1 or 2 more years. At the moment cybercafes have at least 2 or 4 broadband Internet connections. "It depends on the demand for speed by the customers. Normally the connections are divided for browsing and gaming. A big cybercafe can have close to 20 Streamyx connections divided for gaming and browsing," Ken observes.
Showing posts with label Malaysia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Malaysia. Show all posts
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Monday, April 21, 2008
New Product update: Palm Centro available now
This one came out, but not in its entirety:
Palm brings in the Centro
By Hazimin Sulaiman
WITH over one million 'glacier white' Palm Centro sold in the United States, Palm, Inc has recently announced the availability of the popular model on our shores. The Centro definitely contributed to the USD$1.56 billion revenue that Palm collected in 2007 which amounts to more than 34 million Palm products.Featuring on-the-go e-mail and Web, contact-calendar capabilities, a colour touch screen and full Qwerty thumb-board, the RM1,399 Centro offers simplicity and organisation to users who want to be connected with friends, family and colleagues at a low entry price.
It is, according to Palm, the smallest and lightest Palm phone to date.The Centro comes in at a price which will be attractive enough for first time smartphone buyers and those who want to step up from their regular mobilephones to something which offers a richer user experience and capabilities. Opting however for the Palm Operating System provided by Access which is based on the Palm OS Garnet 5.4.9.Centro boasts simplicity of use thanks to the Palm OS interface which enables one-handed operation, one-touch speakerphone, conference calling, ignore a call with text messaging and Bluetooth connectivity.
Sticking to the Palm philosophy, user experience remains the key design factor and not specifications.Some unique features in the Centro include a handy chat-style view for message conversations, personal and work e-mail (up to nine POP3 and IMAP accounts). The Centro supports even Gmail and Yahoo! mail. And if your company uses Exchange Server 2003 with Service Pack 2 or Exchange Server 2007 and access is enabled by your IT administrator, you can also receive your work e-mail via Microsoft Direct Push Technology.
Besides that, it can automatically update your work calendars and you can accept or decline meeting invites while on the go.The Web browsing capabilities allows users to directly feed their personal blogs and the built-in Google Maps application offers fast access to maps, directions and local searches. Performing a search using the Palm search function, you can search for the Google Map you're looking for in an instant, using an GPRS/EDGE data connection.
Of course, the Centro also features multimedia: Pocket Tunes lets users “sideload” songs and manage music, audio books and videos easily. Users can also shoot pictures or videos with the built-in digital camera and share them with friends. The Centro is already available from major IT and wireless operator channels nationwide.
Specifications:
Display: 320 x 320 pixels TFT, 65K colours
Processor: Intel XScale 312MHzRadio: GSM/GPRS/EDGE (850/900/1800/1900 MHz)Operating System: Palm OS by Access 5.4.9
Connectivity: Bluetooth 1.2, Palm Multi-connector
Memory: 64MB
Camera: 1.3 Megapixels with 2X digital zoom and video capture
Expansion: MicroSD (support up to 4GB)
Dimensions: 107.2 x 53.5 x 18.6 mm
Weight: 124 grams
Yet another FUD piece on hackers...
Tippingpoint security experts outline top threats for Asia Pacific region
By Hazimin Sulaiman
"FROM January 21 to March 21, 2008, there have been 3840 attacks specifically targetted to Malaysia," says Rohit Dhamankar, Project Manager, SANS Top 20 Vulnerability List and Senior Manager, Security Research, TippingPoint DVLabs. This trend is worrying with as Dhamankar cites the reported attacks in other Asian countries: China with 25,179,463 attacks, Singapore 4,353 attacks, Indonesia 5,489 attacks, Philippines 20,181 attacks and India 1,701,895 attacks.
From research conducted, it seems that most of the infected systems in Malaysia are compromised by Windows RPC Worms and Web attacks which utilise 'PHP File Include' attacks. The list also includes compromises caused by the SQL Slammer Worm, HTTP Connect Tunnel (Spam), LSASS Active Directory Interface Overflow nad Fusion News Command Injection.The key areas of concern according to Dhamankar would be the network downtime attacks, financially motivated attacks and critical infrastructure (cyber-terrorism and political) attacks.
The modern security model as Tippingpoint proposes, requires security automation. Security automation offers all-round 24 hours per day security and requires network stability, transparency and no impact upon overall performance. TippingPoint is currently conducting seminar series until May, across 11 Asia Pacific countries and cities to create awareness among media and security executives to address the top network attacks and emerging threats and provide security recommendations for comprehensive enterprise defense and risk compliance. Tippingpoint focus is on emerging trends across the threat landscape. The series offer insights into attack techniques used on Web application servers, which are becoming an attractive financial target for criminals due to their accessibility to back-end database servers. Other sophisticated and dangerous attacks targeting critical network vulnerabilities including VoIP and SCADA will be covered. The growing sophistication of cyber threats and system vulnerabilities provides a daunting task for IT administrators working to protect critical data while meeting regulatory compliance.
“The past two years have been a rich play of application vulnerabilities from the server to user perspective,” according to Dhamankar. Attackers Dhamankar says, have started turning towards Web applications for compromise since both open source and custom Web applications have been found to be riddled with numerous vulnerabilities. Web server vulnerabilities have, in turn, fueled the compromise of desktop systems via user application vulnerabilities. It has become an easy trick to take over a Web site or host a malicious Web site remotely and attack any users directed to the site. Tippingpoint also wants to bring to attention the emerging technologies and business trends in information security and their potential business impact.
Neal Hartsell, TippingPoint's worldwide vice president of marketing explains that a more innovative approach platform is required by organizations who want to evolve to better secure their networks.“The three principle concerns of organizations center on keeping bad traffic off the network; controlling who and what accesses the network; and ensuring critical data does not leave the network,” says Hartsell. Hartsell agrees however that, that's a large and seemingly disparate charter, so the question becomes how these topics are related and how they can be addressed through a cohesive network security solution model that is technically and economically viable.
By Hazimin Sulaiman
"FROM January 21 to March 21, 2008, there have been 3840 attacks specifically targetted to Malaysia," says Rohit Dhamankar, Project Manager, SANS Top 20 Vulnerability List and Senior Manager, Security Research, TippingPoint DVLabs. This trend is worrying with as Dhamankar cites the reported attacks in other Asian countries: China with 25,179,463 attacks, Singapore 4,353 attacks, Indonesia 5,489 attacks, Philippines 20,181 attacks and India 1,701,895 attacks.
From research conducted, it seems that most of the infected systems in Malaysia are compromised by Windows RPC Worms and Web attacks which utilise 'PHP File Include' attacks. The list also includes compromises caused by the SQL Slammer Worm, HTTP Connect Tunnel (Spam), LSASS Active Directory Interface Overflow nad Fusion News Command Injection.The key areas of concern according to Dhamankar would be the network downtime attacks, financially motivated attacks and critical infrastructure (cyber-terrorism and political) attacks.
The modern security model as Tippingpoint proposes, requires security automation. Security automation offers all-round 24 hours per day security and requires network stability, transparency and no impact upon overall performance. TippingPoint is currently conducting seminar series until May, across 11 Asia Pacific countries and cities to create awareness among media and security executives to address the top network attacks and emerging threats and provide security recommendations for comprehensive enterprise defense and risk compliance. Tippingpoint focus is on emerging trends across the threat landscape. The series offer insights into attack techniques used on Web application servers, which are becoming an attractive financial target for criminals due to their accessibility to back-end database servers. Other sophisticated and dangerous attacks targeting critical network vulnerabilities including VoIP and SCADA will be covered. The growing sophistication of cyber threats and system vulnerabilities provides a daunting task for IT administrators working to protect critical data while meeting regulatory compliance.
“The past two years have been a rich play of application vulnerabilities from the server to user perspective,” according to Dhamankar. Attackers Dhamankar says, have started turning towards Web applications for compromise since both open source and custom Web applications have been found to be riddled with numerous vulnerabilities. Web server vulnerabilities have, in turn, fueled the compromise of desktop systems via user application vulnerabilities. It has become an easy trick to take over a Web site or host a malicious Web site remotely and attack any users directed to the site. Tippingpoint also wants to bring to attention the emerging technologies and business trends in information security and their potential business impact.
Neal Hartsell, TippingPoint's worldwide vice president of marketing explains that a more innovative approach platform is required by organizations who want to evolve to better secure their networks.“The three principle concerns of organizations center on keeping bad traffic off the network; controlling who and what accesses the network; and ensuring critical data does not leave the network,” says Hartsell. Hartsell agrees however that, that's a large and seemingly disparate charter, so the question becomes how these topics are related and how they can be addressed through a cohesive network security solution model that is technically and economically viable.
Hi. Once again my article did not come out as intended. Anyway this was how it was originally written:
What's up with wireless HSDPA?
By Hazimin Sulaiman
IT is definitely been a long wait to have WiMAX finally up and running. Perhaps sometime mid of 2008 Packet 1, one of the WiMAX licensees will be able to satiate our thirst for neckbreaking wireless broadband speeds- exceeding even the fastest HSDPA services possible. WiMAX, will one day hopefully solve the last-mile problem that has deprived many of their broadband
Internet connection in Malaysia. HSDPA or 3G on the other hand, was never meant to actually compete with wired broadband Internet services.
What's the current situation in terms of 3G services? Well Maxis and Celcom are keenly pushing these services through roadshows, which are a common sight at almost every mall in Malaysia.
Maxis especially is striving hard to sell their packages which promise to deliver up to (another best effort dirty word) 3.6MBps at a monthly subscription rate of RM98; if you get the rather bulky ZTE Modem version. The USB version goes for RM138. Celcom however sells a similar service at 10 sen per 10 Kilobytes, RM8 for 24 hours or RM98 per month.The great thing about wireless Internet packages such as those mentioned: you get to almost immediately enjoy the wonders of broadband Internet access once you bring your modem home. There's no hassle of waiting such as with an ADSL subscription like TM Streamyx, which can be an extra bother for people who do not want to have to get a fixed phone line, (these would typically be people who are renting property like myself). It is potentially a moment of instant gratification: just plug it
in, turn it on and get connected.
But this can easily turn out to be a 'bored-band' affair when one discovers that there is no guaranteed minimum level of services when it comes to HSDPA/UMTS/3G services. Surely enough there are Quality Of Service guidelines, but one wonders if getting less than half of a promised speed is of any quality at all. Go to a search engine and search on grieviences of those that have subscribed to Maxis' wireless broadband packages and you will discover that many feel that they have been given a raw deal: never mind the fair usage policy and the 3GB monthly cap, it's the 18 months sign-up period which seems terribly unfair as far as contract terms are
concerned.You see, one who subscribes to the Maxis Power Package, cannot cancel the contract, no matter how bad the service is unless a penalty for every remaining month is paid up for.
Being a subscriber based in Damansara Damai near Sungai Buloh, since October, 2007, I must say the thrill of getting instant broadband has fast dissipated. Ever since then connection download speeds have steadily decreased. In the beginning there were moments when downloads came up to even 1.5Mbps, then it progressively went down in weeks to 800kbps, then 700Kbps, 600Kbps, 400Kbps and now after supposedly some upgrade in infrastructure, on a good day I get somewhere between 200 to 300Kbps, or less than 128Kbps. Calling up the helpline in the many instances could only resort to have the connection resetted or maybe going through some steps to change the connection type from WCDMA Preferred to WCDMA Only. The idea is that to fix it to WCDMA (UMTS up to 386KBps or HSDPA up to 3.6MBps) only
will ensure the ZTE Modem not to switch down to lesser EDGE/GPRS connections. These steps don't really help. Monitoring
This deterioration happened in less than 6 months and does not reflect well on Maxis; especially when it continuosly hypes and sells the services when it simply cannot cope. Granted however, that the speeds will go down with more subscribers, but shouldn't there be a set minimum for sake of fairness?
Coincidently, Perodua Engineer, Dzulhilman Sulaiman, when studying in Australia had come across technical contractors from a Malaysian telco, who were setting up Telstra's HSDPA services. "We actually hung around together and went out to eat. My friends and I were told that they were here to help setup the HSDPA stuff there. So apparently, technically speaking, Malaysian enginneers are competent enough to handle such a project. So what's the problem?," says Dzulhilman.
The mystery deepens, but three guesses could be spot on: economics of scale unrealiased, subscription not up to critical mass and inadequate infrastructure- money. Telstra's HSDPA stretches from Bondi Beach, the Blue Mountains and even the Outback. Sol Trujillo, chief executive officer, Telstra, Australia at the last GSMA Mobile Asia Congress 2007 in Macau said that Telstra's HSDPA services are now operating at 14.4Mbps, and 40Mbps by 2009. At the same congress, Ericsson's chief executive officer Carl-Henric Svanberg said flat rates for services, is the way to go. Svanberg cited data services such as '3' in Sweden with 7.2Mbps at US$30 for unlimited access, '3' in the UK with 3.6Mbps at US$20 for up to 1GB, and Maxis Malaysia with 3.6Mbps at US$32 for up to 3GB access. But with services the way they are, it would be a miracle to even get to that 3GB cap mentioned.
What's up with wireless HSDPA?
By Hazimin Sulaiman
IT is definitely been a long wait to have WiMAX finally up and running. Perhaps sometime mid of 2008 Packet 1, one of the WiMAX licensees will be able to satiate our thirst for neckbreaking wireless broadband speeds- exceeding even the fastest HSDPA services possible. WiMAX, will one day hopefully solve the last-mile problem that has deprived many of their broadband
Internet connection in Malaysia. HSDPA or 3G on the other hand, was never meant to actually compete with wired broadband Internet services.
What's the current situation in terms of 3G services? Well Maxis and Celcom are keenly pushing these services through roadshows, which are a common sight at almost every mall in Malaysia.
Maxis especially is striving hard to sell their packages which promise to deliver up to (another best effort dirty word) 3.6MBps at a monthly subscription rate of RM98; if you get the rather bulky ZTE Modem version. The USB version goes for RM138. Celcom however sells a similar service at 10 sen per 10 Kilobytes, RM8 for 24 hours or RM98 per month.The great thing about wireless Internet packages such as those mentioned: you get to almost immediately enjoy the wonders of broadband Internet access once you bring your modem home. There's no hassle of waiting such as with an ADSL subscription like TM Streamyx, which can be an extra bother for people who do not want to have to get a fixed phone line, (these would typically be people who are renting property like myself). It is potentially a moment of instant gratification: just plug it
in, turn it on and get connected.
But this can easily turn out to be a 'bored-band' affair when one discovers that there is no guaranteed minimum level of services when it comes to HSDPA/UMTS/3G services. Surely enough there are Quality Of Service guidelines, but one wonders if getting less than half of a promised speed is of any quality at all. Go to a search engine and search on grieviences of those that have subscribed to Maxis' wireless broadband packages and you will discover that many feel that they have been given a raw deal: never mind the fair usage policy and the 3GB monthly cap, it's the 18 months sign-up period which seems terribly unfair as far as contract terms are
concerned.You see, one who subscribes to the Maxis Power Package, cannot cancel the contract, no matter how bad the service is unless a penalty for every remaining month is paid up for.
Being a subscriber based in Damansara Damai near Sungai Buloh, since October, 2007, I must say the thrill of getting instant broadband has fast dissipated. Ever since then connection download speeds have steadily decreased. In the beginning there were moments when downloads came up to even 1.5Mbps, then it progressively went down in weeks to 800kbps, then 700Kbps, 600Kbps, 400Kbps and now after supposedly some upgrade in infrastructure, on a good day I get somewhere between 200 to 300Kbps, or less than 128Kbps. Calling up the helpline in the many instances could only resort to have the connection resetted or maybe going through some steps to change the connection type from WCDMA Preferred to WCDMA Only. The idea is that to fix it to WCDMA (UMTS up to 386KBps or HSDPA up to 3.6MBps) only
will ensure the ZTE Modem not to switch down to lesser EDGE/GPRS connections. These steps don't really help. Monitoring
This deterioration happened in less than 6 months and does not reflect well on Maxis; especially when it continuosly hypes and sells the services when it simply cannot cope. Granted however, that the speeds will go down with more subscribers, but shouldn't there be a set minimum for sake of fairness?
Coincidently, Perodua Engineer, Dzulhilman Sulaiman, when studying in Australia had come across technical contractors from a Malaysian telco, who were setting up Telstra's HSDPA services. "We actually hung around together and went out to eat. My friends and I were told that they were here to help setup the HSDPA stuff there. So apparently, technically speaking, Malaysian enginneers are competent enough to handle such a project. So what's the problem?," says Dzulhilman.
The mystery deepens, but three guesses could be spot on: economics of scale unrealiased, subscription not up to critical mass and inadequate infrastructure- money. Telstra's HSDPA stretches from Bondi Beach, the Blue Mountains and even the Outback. Sol Trujillo, chief executive officer, Telstra, Australia at the last GSMA Mobile Asia Congress 2007 in Macau said that Telstra's HSDPA services are now operating at 14.4Mbps, and 40Mbps by 2009. At the same congress, Ericsson's chief executive officer Carl-Henric Svanberg said flat rates for services, is the way to go. Svanberg cited data services such as '3' in Sweden with 7.2Mbps at US$30 for unlimited access, '3' in the UK with 3.6Mbps at US$20 for up to 1GB, and Maxis Malaysia with 3.6Mbps at US$32 for up to 3GB access. But with services the way they are, it would be a miracle to even get to that 3GB cap mentioned.
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