Silicon Valley Sleuth

Mississippi learns the danger of viral internet

2010-03-12T05:54:22Z

A school in Mississippi is getting a first hand lesson in the power of the internet to take an issue and make it go viral.

Constance McMillen, a student at Itawamba County Agricultural High School, was planning to go to her senior prom. However McMillen is a lesbian and wanted to bring her girlfriend along and the school has rules that all dates must be of the opposite sex. McMillen did what any American youngster would do and took the school to court.

The ACLU got involved and it looked like McMillen was going to go to the prom after all. However, the school board decided, in its wisdom, to cancel the entire prom rather than let a same sex couple darken its door. It issued a statement saying it hoped someone would host a private party instead, which isn't covered by discrimination laws.

Now this would seem to have drawn a line under the affair, and pre-internet chances are it would have. But the school administrators had reckoned without the power of social media.

This morning a Facebook group called 'Let Constance Take Her Girlfriend to Prom!' was set up to support McMillen and it went from zero members to over 40,000 in less than 12 hours. It's one of the fastest viral developments we've seen in years.

The news media is, of course, all over the story and McMillen has been on CNN, ABC and the rest of the networks all day, and now the BBC has picked up on it and the story has gone international. Famed relationship adviser Dan Savage caught wind of the story and published the email addresses of the school board and suggested people send in polite letters of complaint. The response apparently caused the school to shut down the email addresses of some staff, presumably due to the volume of traffic.

From a tech standpoint we'll be watching this closely. Viral issues like this tend to have a short half life so tomorrow will be interesting. If this rate of growth doesn't let up this could be a major meme and it'll be interesting to see how the school deals with it.

Commercially available jet pack out at last

2010-03-10T03:11:05Z

At long last the object of many geek's desires is on the market, a jetpack that actually works.

Older readers will remember Sean Connery's thrilling escape from the bad guys using a realistic looking jet pack in Thunderball. Younger readers may have seen the opening of the 1984 Olympics where a pilot flew a Bell Aerosystems rocket pack across the stadium.

In fact the idea of a jet pack is as old as World War Two, where the German army developed a primitive jetpack that would allow engineers to jump over minefields. Since then the idea has been tried and tried again but one fundamental problem remained - fuel.

No-one has managed to come up with a jet pack capable of sustained flight, although a recent example that uses water power was a brave attempt. Now a New Zealand company, Martin Aircraft, is taking orders for a workable jet pack that gives half an hour's flight time and runs on ordinary unleaded.

I predict this is going to become the transport device of choice for the well-healed geek in Silicon Valley. The device itself costs $90,000 and consists of a five by five foot unit with twin turbofan engines and a carbon fibre body.

At 250lb it's hardly the easiest thing to move around but the cool factor is through the roof and you won't need a pilot's licence to operate one. Imagine arriving at the office in one of these babies, or stopping off at a petrol station to top up the tank.

Now I wonder where we can get a review unit...

US relaxes sanctions on communications technologies

2010-03-09T05:12:31Z

In light of recent events in Iran and elsewhere the US government has announced that it is relaxing sanctions to allow internet communications tools to be exported to Iran, Cuba and Sudan.

In a statement issued today the government said it was relaxing the rules in the hope that the technologies will be used to allow those opposed to the established regime to coordinate their activities and protest effectively and communicate outside national borders.

"Consistent with the Administration's deep commitment to the universal rights of all the world's citizens, the issuance of these general licenses will make it easier for individuals in Iran, Sudan and Cuba to use the internet to communicate with each other and with the outside world. Today's actions will enable Iranian, Sudanese and Cuban citizens to exercise their most basic rights," said Deputy Treasury Secretary Neal Wolin.

The ban will be lifted on technologies covering personal communications over the internet, including web browsing, blogging, email, instant messaging, and chat; social networking; and photo and movie sharing. In addition other software sales could be allowed but these will be cleared on a case by case basis.

"As recent events in Iran have shown, personal internet-based communications like email, instant messaging and social networking are powerful tools," said Wolin.

"This software will foster and support the free flow of information - a basic human right - for all Iranians. At the same time as we take these steps, the Administration will continue aggressively to enforce existing sanctions and to work with our international partners to increase the pressure on the Government of Iran to meet its international obligations."

RSA 2010 a great improvement, say exhibitors

2010-03-05T05:30:54Z

The quality of people visiting stands at RSA 2010 has improved markedly, according to those manning the stands.

"It's a lot better this year," Chester Wisniewski, senior security adviser to Sophos told V3.co.uk.

"Last year we got about a third of people on the stand trying to sell us their companies. They'd lost angel funding and were just like 'Would you be interested in a company that does xyz?' Possibly, but we're here to sell, not to buy.

"This year there's a lot more customer engagement, we're doing a lot of good business."

Although visitor numbers won't be released for some weeks the exhibition hall has been packed and companies are reporting a significant amount of new business. Visitor numbers fell sharply last year as companies cut back on spending but anecdotal evidence from the show floor indicates this may be easing up.

"We're getting far more done here now," said Tom Murphy, chief strategy officer at enterprise application whitelisting vendor Bit 9.

"There's a lot of people interested in the concepts we're pushing and the quality of visitors is high."

RSA visitors get more bang for their bucks

2010-03-03T07:20:03Z

Visitors to the RSA conference spend thousands of dollars on the best tickets, and generally get their money's worth in information and contacts.

It's not widely known but the city of San Francisco and a major credit card company have struck a deal with a number of businesses in the city, and surrounding Bay Area, so that conference delegates can also get discounts and promotional offers.

There's a huge variety of things to choose from. Some of the best tourist attractions are covered, including the Academy of Sciences (well worth a long visit), the de Young museum (ditto, and handily right next door) and the Botanical Gardens bookstore.

A large proportion of businesses that opted into the scheme are vineyards, or wineries as they are known over here. You can get free tastings, private tours and discounted purchases just by showing your RSA 2010 conference badge.

However, as Sleuth scanned the list, some other businesses came to light that are a little more unconventional. Conferences can be stressful times and I'm hoping that not many delegates use their 15 per cent discount at the On the Mat Fight Shop. The last thing you need on the Expo floor is someone going nuts with nunchucks after getting jostled one too many times.

Then there are the purveyors of other services, notably strip clubs. I'm not sure how many delegates would be happy flashing their badge at one of these establishments but Larry Flynt's infamous Hustler Club offers 15 per cent off food and beverages, Beaver Bucks (I don't want to know) not included.

That said there certainly appears to be a lot more business being done on the floor, the Expo is bustling and the Thirsty Bear is doing great trade. Last year they were trying to keep stand staff away from sharp implements in case of mass depression. This year things seem a little more hopeful.

Yelp faces extortion charge over reviews

2010-02-27T00:43:30Z

If you've ever tried to find a review of somewhere in the US you'll probably have used Yelp.

The concept is simple, people review the restaurants, bars and businesses so that you can make a judgment based on people's actual experiences. While this approach does have its drawbacksY crowdsourced reviews are generally a good way to find out the skinny on a new place.

Almost since its inception, however, Yelp has been controversial. Business owners have threatened to sue over bad reviews and there have been persistent allegations that companies have been offered the chance to remove bad reviews if they buy an advertising package, allegations the site's management vehemently denies.

"Only a member of the user support team can remove a review and this team is not part of the sales organization. Please note that members of our user support team do not receive compensation tied to sales performance. It's our version of checks and balance," the company says in its FAQ.

Now things have come to a head, with a class action extortion complaint filed in the US District Court for the Central District of California, on behalf of Gregory Perrault, a veterinarian who owns and operates Cats & Dogs Animal Hospital in Long Beach.

Perrault claims that a sales executive from Yelp promised him that he could have much more control over the site if he bought a $300 per month advertising package.

"I don't have a problem with negative reviews. Like probably most business people, you use negative reviews to your advantage, as long as they're not emotional or making fun of [people]," Perrault told ABCNews.com.

"It's just that I tried following their rules about the reviews and I've been [faced with] this extortion ever since."

Yelp says that the claims are demonstrably untrue and it will fight the action. Several other businesses have also indicated that they want to get involved, according to Perrault's legal team.

"We've been directly contacted by dozens of people. And in every location you can think of. Literally across the country," said Beck, an attorney with Beck & Lee Business Trial Lawyers in Miami.

"What we learned is that this isn't an isolated practice or a single event or a single sales representative run amok. This seems to be a regular business practice."

Hope may Bloom, but watch the small print

2010-02-25T03:43:40Z

Bloom Energy's event today was all well and good, but Sleuth reserves judgment on its effectiveness.

On the one hand this is a perfect story. Nasa scientist develops hardware to convert Mars power into oxygen, project gets canceled and the invention gets turned around to benefit life on earth. It's not a new story - Bruce Stirling came up with something similar in Distraction.

As ever, the devil is in the details. Bloom claims to have invented an improvement on existing fuel cell technology that uses cheaper components than prior systems. If correct, this could be very good news.

One of the biggest problems with power generation is transmission. Superconductors, materials that can transmit power with no loss via resistance, aren't practical at normal temperatures and so we lose a lot of the electricity we generate just sending it to where it's needed.

Bloom offers to sort all that out by putting the power generation plant next to the consumer. It's a smart idea, something Thomas Edison first envisioned for power stations.

Details on the system are sketchy, we've asked for customer references and details of the system but had no reply. However, one serious problem springs to mind.

The fuel cell relies on either a hydrocarbon source, or renewable energy. Quite how the differential between these two power sources comes about hasn't been explained and therein lies the rub.

Intel plans to invest up to $3bn dollars in tech firms

2010-02-23T15:43:48Z

According to reports, Intel is planning to invest up to $3bn dollars in a US venture-capital fund that will assist technology start-ups.

Apparently Intel is discussing its investment plans with venture firms. The reports said that Intel chief executive Paul Otellini will make the announcement later today.

Otellini is speaking at the Brookings Institution at 10am in Washinton DC on how future economic growth can be established with a long-term strategic approach.

He will speak on rebuilding the foundations of America's growth based on investment in innovation, and through developing and engaging new talent, according to the Brookings Institution events agenda.

"In his remarks, Otellini will describe the need to create a culture of investment in the United States, including the role for American businesses to partner with the government in promoting education, innovation and the creation of new business opportunities in order to maintain a globally competitive economy," it said.

Teachers use free laptops to spy on students at home

2010-02-18T23:45:09Z

In an astonishing case a US school is being sued for spying on students in their own homes.

Papers released in the case of Robbins v Lower Merion School District show that Harriton High School issued laptops with webcams to all students so that they could work from home. However, the laptops also contained spying software, something the school neglected to mention in their information for students.

The policy only came to light in November last year after one student, Blake Robbins, was called into school and disciplined for "improper behavior in his home" and as evidence the school presented a photograph taken by the webcam.

When his outraged parents called in to confirm this the school said that it routinely monitored students webcams for inappropriate behaviour, according to the court documents.

The parents then filed a class-action lawsuit against the district, charging it with interception of electronic communications under the Electronic Communication Privacy Act, theft of intellectual property under the Computer Fraud Abuse Act, violations of the Stored Communications Act, violations of the Civil Rights Act, invasions of privacy, and violations of the Pennsylvania wiretapping and electronic surveillance act.

"Many of the images captured and intercepted may consist of images of minors and their parents or friends in compromising or embarrassing positions, including, but not limited to, in various stages of dress or undress," the lawsuit charges.

If the details of the case are accurate the case could prove very costly indeed for the school district, which has yet to offer an explanation.

Tesla plane crash leaves Facebook powerless

2010-02-17T23:36:06Z

Tragedy struck electric car company Tesla today when three of its employees died in a plane crash.

The three took off in a Cessna 310 from Palo Alto Airport at 7:55am in thick fog and within minutes hit power lines over a residential neighborhood. All were killed but there were no other injuries, something the Menlo Park Fire Protection Chief called "miraculous."

"We are withholding their identities as we work with the relevant authorities to notify the families," Elon Musk, Tesla's chief executive said in a statement.

The crash started house fires and knocked out a large chunk of the power network in Menlo Park and Mountain View, leaving many companies, including Facebook, powerless. At time of posting power is still out as engineers try to repair the damage.

The plane was registered to Doug Bourn, 57, a senior electrical engineer at Tesla, although it's not known if he was on board.

In a statement the city authorities said the Emergency Operations Center has been activated and the power should be back up by about 5.30pm, but no promises.

Corks popping as Team Oracle wins America's Cup

2010-02-16T20:53:29Z

While the sporting world may be watching the Winter Olympics in Canada the eyes of Oracle were across the Atlantic in Spain, where Larry Ellison piloted his high-tech trimaran to victory in the America's Cup.

Larry's been after the America's Cup for nearly a decade and, as we say in the tech industry, what Larry wants Larry gets. He's poured millions into the attempt, and has fought tooth and nail through the courts for the right to challenge, after the opposition tried to use legal means to bump him from racing.

But it's not just money that Oracle has been using, but compute time too. The team's winning boat uses an innovative fixed wing sale designed by CAD/CAM that has proved to be an absolute marvel. The BMW Oracle racing team romped off during the racing and Larry was at the helm to pilot his baby across the victory line.

Other tech companies were also involved, and are letting the world know. NetSuite's cloud applications were used by the team to handle finances around the world for example.

The news is also great for Silicon Valley because it looks likely that the next race will be held in San Francisco. Ellison was representing the Golden Gate Yacht Club and it is here that the trophy will be stored until the next challenge in 2014.

Google avoids using the f-word

2010-02-10T07:27:17Z

Today's press conference was notable not just for what Google said, but for what it didn't say.

In the hour-long presentation Facebook wasn't mentioned once, pretty impressive considering it's the market-leading social network. It was only at the Q&A session at the end that anyone could mention the elephant in the living room.

When the question was asked Brin ducked it, but his answer did reveal something of his intentions.

It seems clear that Google will be attacking Facebook on two fronts. Firstly, the basic Buzz will compete for user's time directly. One of the speakers admitted to using Facebook himself and I'm willing to bet a fair proportion of Google's 20,000+ employees aren't going to be trashing their accounts any time soon.

Secondly however, and this is something Brin pushed hard, is going to be a focus on Buzz as a business tool. He dismissed Facebook (without mentioning it by name) as focussing on friends and fun, while extolling the virtues of Buzz as a productivity enhancer in the office.

He gave the example of his writing an analysis article and mailing it around colleagues for advice. It's perfectly possible to do this now of course but Buzz will make that kind of collaborative working a lot easier.

That said, I can see considerable resistance to this in some areas from employees, particularly on the geotagging side of things. Google made a big point about privacy settings and how you can tailor your output to suit the audience but I can see companies insisting on staff leaving this on.

So you can kiss goodbye to calling in sick and sneaking off to the park on a sunny day, not that the Sleuth would ever condone such a practice. Salesmen on the road will be constantly available to be checked up on and employers will also no doubt be looking at any interviewee's Google profile when hiring.

But Facebook isn't the only company that should be worried about Buzz. Online reviews site Yelp, which last year Google reportedly tried to buy for $500m, could also be in trouble.

Google demoed using Buzz on a mobile phone to check out nearby restaurant reviews in an interface that Yelp users would recognise instantly. It looks like Yelp's owners could be facing the kind of regrets Jerry Yang knows only too well.

Obama opens space to private companies

2010-02-02T03:40:06Z

The latest US budget has been announced by President Obama and the news has been shocking for Nasa.

The new budget abandons plans for a manned moon landing, cancels the Areas One rocket program but crucially commits Nasa to buying in its orbital flights from commercial companies.

Silicon Valley entrepreneurs have been leading the way in orbital technology and so the announcement was good news here in California.

For example, the Blue Origin rocket programme started by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is to get $3.7m in the budget, despite it being aimed at sub-orbital flights only.

The SpaceX programme is also getting money, despite some fairly high profile failures. If the latest rocket works with the additional funding then the company could be poised to reap billions in government revenues.

By moving away from manned exploration to computer controlled investigations the budget will also be a boost to electronics companies in the Bay Area. We're already hearing about a host of new ideas, including remote greenhouses in space, new satellite drives and remote control exploration.

At a discussion of technologists last week it was noted that the only significant benefit from the Apollo launch was much better computing power and design. Maybe this budget will do the same for other areas. Silicon Valley is certainly hoping so.

Religious nutters protest outside Twitter HQ

2010-01-29T03:48:06Z

This afternoon San Francisco has been playing host to the folks from the Westboro Baptist Church (WBC), who have come to our fair city to protest about, well pretty much anything that takes their fancy.

For those lucky enough not to have encountered the WBC it's a small group of religious extremists who are under the impression that the entire world (apart from them) is doomed to hell because they aren't Protestants who hate homosexuals.

To spread this message they protest outside funerals of dead soldiers and celebrities (the group will be protesting Salinger's funeral) and anywhere else they think they can get a deadline.

The group has been barred from entering the UK and other countries and has been covered repeatedly on TV, both in documentaries and being mocked.

One of the targets of WBC's ire today was Twitter, and the group had a protest outside the company's headquarters on Folsom street.

"We're not protesting Twitter as a platform; that's like picketing television!," tweeted a WBC member. "We're picketing the people who run @Twitter, who don't use their position & voice to warn a generation of rebels of the consequences of their rebellion. Same goes for those at Foursquare & Gowalla."

Now San Franciscans are a tolerant bunch, and haven't taken this lying down. Quick as a flash counter protests have been following the group around.

As you can see from the photos the signs aren't exactly serious, and have a technical bent. My personal favourite? 'God's never going to give you up.'

Sun announcement eclipses Apple

2010-01-28T10:28:49Z

While the eyes of the consumer world were on Apple's shiny new tablet the enterprise world has been looking to Oracle to outline its plans for the merger with Sun.

Now that the final regulations have been overcome a lot of people, including most of Sun, have been waiting for the axe to fall. As it turns out those fears may be unfounded, for the moment at least.

While Oracle sought to reassure on the hardware and software fronts it is the human angle that has caused the most stir in the industry.

Oracle is one of the most business minded firms in Silicon Valley. Staff are suited and booted and work hard with a strong ethos on the bottom line. The same could not be said for Sun.

Sun is more of an archetypal Silicon Valley firm. Staff dress how they like, work on what interests them and the company is famed for its beer bust parties. How then will the two mix?

Well, based on today's announcements they won't at first. Oracle has had a while to plan this and the system it seems to be following is to let the parts of Sun that work well entirely separate, like MySQL and OpenOffice.

I suspect on the hardware side things will remain relatively unchanged. The server line will be cut and there will be some job losses but Oracle isn't a hardware company and is aware of that, and will tread carefully.

That said, we'll keep you updated on rumblings from Sun staff. Get in touch if you have a gripe.