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Apple iOS is safer than Android, McAfee says

In the fight against malware, Apple's iOS outshines Android as a safer environment, but no mobile device is free from risk, says a new report from McAfee (PDF).

Apple has so far done a good job of securing its devices, according to the report, noting that there have been no known cases of malware affecting iPhones, at least those that haven't been jailbroken. One reason iOS is more secure is because Apple restricts the way users can download apps.

iOS device owners can only download apps through Apple's App Store or through Mobile Device Management, which gives … Read more

First-generation phone runs fourth-generation Android

Running a newly released version of Windows or Mac OS X on a 3-year-old personal computer is an unremarkable feat.

But it's a lot more difficult in the smartphone world, where hardware and software have been changing at a breakneck pace. That's why I recommend watching this brief demonstration of Ice Cream Sandwich, aka Android 4.0, on the first-generation Android phone, the T-Mobile G1 from October 2008.

XDA Developers forum member jcarrz1 posted the video and an alpha version of his OS build yesterday, nine days after Google released the Ice Cream Sandwich source code.

As you may expect, the new OS drags on the comparatively ancient hardware, with slow app launches and long lags between a touch action and the phone's response. But all the ICS apps work.

What doesn't work at this stage, jcarrz1 said: Wi-Fi networking, Bluetooth, and screen rotation. … Read more

Android leads the way in mobile malware

Android tops the charts in mobile malware, largely due to the failure of Google's Android Market to properly review apps before they hit the marketplace, says a new report from Juniper Networks.

In a blog post yesterday, Juniper found that Android malware has soared 472 percent since this past July. In particular, October and November have seen the fastest rise in Android malware since Google unveiled its mobile platform, according to Juniper's Global Threat Center.

The number of Android malware samples collected in October rose 110 percent over September and 171 percent over those collected up to July. … Read more

DreamWorks CEO: How animation will change business

TUCSON, Ariz.--It may seem like creating a top-animated movie has become a simpler process with the advent of computer graphics. Yet in a talk here at Techonomy 2011, DreamWorks CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg shared details that show just how tedious the work remains--even today.

"An expert animator can do about three seconds of animation in a week," said Katzenberg, who was interviewed today by moderator David Kirkpatrick.

Even more challenging is that the designers are working largely in the dark, unable for hours to see, for instance, how exactly a character's leg moves during a dance scene. … Read more

It's Apple iPhone Day

Sprint has signed a $20 billion dollar deal for 30.5 million new iPhones, and Adobe releases Flash Player 11 and AIR 3 with accelerated 3D graphics support, and check out CNET.com's live coverage of Apple's announcement of the next iPhone(s).

Links from Tuesday's episode of Loaded:

Apple iPhone coverage Spring buying 30.5 million iPhones Flash Player 11 and AIR 3 launch Microsoft cleans up Hotmail inboxes Microsoft axes the Zune Nintendo partners with Dreamworks Subscribe: iTunes (MP3) | iTunes (320x180) | iTunes (HD) | RSS (MP3) | RSS (320x180) | RSS HD

Netflix-DreamWorks deal is more spin than win

Is Netflix desperate to generate positive news?

Sure seems that way. Someone gave The New York Times a heads up on a licensing deal that Netflix signed with DreamWorks Animation, the home of such films as "Shrek" and "How to Train Your Dragon," and the paper wrote a breathless story about the agreement.

But the details of the pact make it clear the partnership doesn't warrant the Times' goose-pimply reaction.

The paper made much of how DreamWorks is walking away from a licensing deal with HBO, the dominant pay TV service. This is supposed to … Read more

$560,000 iPod dock requires a ladder

There's run-of-the-mill ridiculous and then there's redonkulous. The AeroDream One from Jarre Technologies is pure redonkulous. It's an iPod, iPhone, and iPad dock. Big deal, right?

It's an 11-foot-tall, chrome-slathered, 10,000-watt iPod dock that requires a ladder just to get your device up to the top. It weighs more than 870 pounds. It also costs a wallet-shattering $560,000. Redonkulous.

Each AeroDream One is custom made and takes six months for delivery. This behemoth comes from a company created by Jean Michel Jarre, a man best known for electronic music, over-the-top shows with laser displays, and luxurious flowing hair.… Read more

Chevy unleashes 'Volt-age' for 100th birthday

DETROIT--In a moment sure to foreshadow the future while driving hot-rod purists bitterly insane, the electric car invaded Motor City yesterday.

More than 50 Chevrolet Volts from around the country gathered on the outskirts of Detroit to celebrate their automaker's 100th birthday as part of the Woodward Dream Cruise.

The Cruise is an annual gathering that brings hot rods, custom cars, and elite vehicles from around the world together for various auto-centric events. During downtime, the more than 1 million cars in attendance cruise up and down Woodward Avenue, Motor City's drag-racing mecca and one-time home to countless diners and auto-tuning shops.

But just as more cars are evolving into electrics and hybrids, century-old Chevrolet is evolving the Dream Cruise to celebrate the Volt. The automaker thus dedicated a chunk of its 100th birthday parade of rumbling Corvettes, Camaros, Novas, Impalas, and Bel Airs to the barely audible hum of Volts. … Read more

Netflix, DreamWorks Animation in licensing talks, report says

Netflix is close to reaching an agreement to license content from DreamWorks Animation and a deal could get done as soon as this week, according to a published report.

The news comes with Netflix due to report earnings after the close of trading today and with scores of Netflix customers deciding whether the company's streaming library is worth an upcoming fee increase.

Bloomberg is reporting that Netflix and DreamWorks Animation, the maker of such films as "Shrek," "Madagascar," and "Kung Fu Panda" are still in talks but that it appears Netflix will take … Read more

The 404 861: Where we're putting it all out there (podcast)

Have you ever received a phone call from a mystery number, but had no way to find out who was on the other side? A new online service called NumberGuru lets you perform a reverse number search to identify the source, and our friends from BeenVerified.com are in the studio to tell us all about it.

There are a few services like WhitePages that offer similar features, but NumberGuru is free and accessible from the Numberguru.com Web site, or with any one of its smartphone apps. Even better, the site lets you share comments on phone numbers to warn other users about spammers and telemarketers, and BeenVerified.com also offers background checks to dig up more details about the caller.

The 404 Digest for Episode 861

BeenVerified does background checks. Why bother to remember when you can just use Google? Great fear as PS1 discs begin to oxidize and degrade after 10 years.

Episode 861 Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more