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Truly unbreakable encryption?... Linux PDA in a suit... Napster sold |
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Sylvia Carr Senior Editor, AnchorDesk Monday, November 18, 2002 |
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As computers become capable of crunching numbers at a faster and faster rate, the security of the encryption schemes commonly used today--which are based on math-based algorithms--is threatened. But researchers are working on a way to harness the properties of light to encrypt information into code that only be cracked by breaking the physical laws of nature. Scientists at Northwestern Univeristy have used this so-called high-speed quantum cryptography to send encrypted data over a fiber-optic line at 250mbps. This technology has a long way to go--it only works over dedicated fiber-optic lines (not over the Internet) and over distances no greater than about 90 kilometers. But there's a growing interest in its apparent ability to guarantee the invulnerability of our data.
Go to the full story by Sandeep Junnarkar.
Thanks to IBM and Sharp, the Zaurus PDA--which runs Linux--may become a more powerful force in the business world. The two companies are working to create a new version of the device, called the Enterprise Edition Zaurus, which will combine Sharp hardware with IBM software. That combination should enable the Zaurus to perform a variety of business functions, from checking inventory and ordering supplies to reading e-mail and managing your calendar. The handheld should be available in the U.S. by mid-2003. Right now, according to IDC, Sharp holds a distant sixth spot in the handheld market. Sharp's hoping the enterprise model, as well as a faster Zaurus will help change that.
Go to the full story by Stephen Shankland.
The once-mighty Napster (or what remains of it) has found a new home--at a company that makes CD-burning software. The company, Roxio, has agreed to buy Napster for $5 million in cash and stock. Roxio will get all of Napster's intellectual property, including its technology patent portfolio, but will not assume any of Napster's liabilities, such as pending litigation. It's not clear yet exactly how Roxio will use Napster's technology, though the company has been making inroads into online music of late. For instance, it recently signed a deal with EMI that lets Roxio customers make permanent copies of songs they download from online services. The deal is subject to the approval of the bankruptcy court handling Napster's case.
Go to the full story by Margaret Kane.
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