FBI wants instant access to British identity data
Senior British police officials are talking to the FBI about an international database to hunt for major criminals and terrorists.
The US-initiated programme, “Server in the Sky”, would take cooperation between the police forces way beyond the current faxing of fingerprints across the Atlantic. Allies in the “war against terror” - the US, UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand - have formed a working group, the International Information Consortium, to plan their strategy.
Biometric measurements, irises or palm prints as well as fingerprints, and other personal information are likely to be exchanged across the network. One section will feature the world’s most wanted suspects. The database could hold details of millions of criminals and suspects.
The FBI is keen for the police forces of American allies to sign up to improve international security. The Home Office yesterday confirmed it was aware of Server in the Sky, as did the Metropolitan police.
The plan will make groups anxious to safeguard personal privacy question how much access to UK databases is granted to foreign law enforcement agencies. There will also be concern over security, particularly after embarrassing data losses within the UK, and accuracy: in one case, an arrest for a terror offence by US investigators used what turned out to be misidentified fingerprint matches.
Britain’s National Policing Improvement Agency has been the lead body for the FBI project because it is responsible for IDENT1, the UK database holding 7m sets of fingerprints and other biometric details used by police forces to search for matches from scenes of crimes. Many of the prints are either from a person with no criminal record, or have yet to be matched to a named individual.
IDENT1 was built by the computer technology arm of the US defence company Northrop Grumman. In future it is expected to hold palm prints, facial images and video sequences. A company spokeswoman confirmed that Northrop Grumman had spoken to the FBI about Server in the Sky. “It can run independently but if existing systems are connected up to it then the intelligence agencies would have to approve,” she said.
The FBI told the Guardian: “Server in the Sky is an FBI initiative designed to foster the advanced search and exchange of biometric information on a global scale. While it is currently in the concept and design stages, once complete it will provide a technical forum for member nations to submit biometric search requests to other nations. It will maintain a core holding of the world’s ‘worst of the worst’ individuals. Any identifications of these people will be sent as a priority message to the requesting nation.”
In London, the NPIA confirmed it was aware of Server in the Sky but said it was “too early to comment on what our active participation might be”.
The FBI is proposing to establish three categories of suspects in the shared system: “internationally recognised terrorists and felons”, those who are “major felons and suspected terrorists”, and finally those who the subjects of terrorist investigations or criminals with international links. Tom Bush, assistant director at the FBI’s criminal justice information service, has said he hopes to see a pilot project for the programme up and running by the middle of the year.
Although each participating country would manage and secure its own data, the sharing of personal data between countries is becoming an increasingly controversial area of police practice. There is political concern at Westminster about the public transparency of such cooperation.
A similar proposal has emerged from the EU for closer security cooperation between the security services and police forces of member states, including allowing countries to search each other’s databases. Under what is known as the Prum treaty, there are plans to open up access to DNA profiles, fingerprints and vehicle registration numbers.
by Guardian
Reference: The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the primary investigative arm of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), serving as both a federal criminal investigative body and a domestic intelligence agency. At present, the FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crimes, making the FBI the de-facto lead law enforcement agency of the United States government. The motto of the bureau is “Fidelity, Bravery, Integrity”.
In fiscal year 2006, the FBI’s total budget was approximately $8.7 billion, including $495 million in program increases to enhance counter-terrorism, counterintelligence, cyber crime, information technology, security, forensics, training, and criminal programs.
It was established in 1908 as the Bureau of Investigation (BOI), and the name was changed to the FBI in 1935.
The FBI Headquarters are in Washington, D.C., and the FBI also has 56 field offices located in major cities throughout the United States as well as over 400 resident agencies in smaller cities and towns across the nation, and more than 50 international offices, called “Legal Attaches”, in U.S. embassies worldwide.
18 September 2007 13:27 GMT - Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO, has confirmed that there is a 3G iPhone in the works, although fell short of saying when we could expect to buy one.
Making the comments at the “Mum is no longer the word” press conference at the Regent Street Apple store in London, Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple said: “You can expect a 3G iPhone later next year”.
The news comes as a 2G EDGE-enabled iPhone will be available in the UK on 9 November.
When asked why the current model didn’t have 3G, Jobs blamed power issues saying that the 3G chipset would be too much of a drain on the unit’s battery life which promises 8 hours of call time, but said that future models would have the technology.
“We are working on the next iPhone already, the one after that and the one after that”, Jobs said.
After threatening to drop a large-scale cellular service contract based on concerns that it would lock itself out of a trade-up to the iPhone, a Swedish firm has received assurances from its liaison at the provider that the coveted gadget would arrive as soon as September — and, startlingly, that a version of the handset with 3G (third-generation) wireless Internet access would be in the provider’s hands as soon as January of 2008. The contact at the carrier was especially confident, sources said.
If true, the new model would signal a revision to the iPhone just seven months after its slated June 2007 launch. It would be an even quicker response for European customers, who were originally told not to expect the Apple candybar phone in any form until late this year.
Apple hasn’t been especially shy in beating the drums for its long-term 3G plans, as Apple chief executive Steve Jobs himself mentioned 3G in his Macworld keynote and later had his story backed by Cingular (now AT&T) distribution chief Glenn Lurie.
Most cellular-based Internet access in the world today, including the AT&T EDGE network which the iPhone will first use, is considered second-generation (2G). Few would mistake 2G-level wireless for a truly fast connection. Downloads typically crest at a few hundred kilobits per second even under ideal conditions; uploads are regularly far worse, frequently hovering around just above dial-up access.
3G ultimately amounts to the addition of extra channels on a cellphone network to boost those anemic speeds, particularly in terms of uploads. Where downstream access rarely exceeds 800Kbps on present 3G networks, upstream levels are a much healthier 400Kbps. The technology smoothes out wrinkles in mobile Internet access that make some tasks impractical or even impossible on 2G networks, such as uploading large photos in e-mail attachments or video messaging.
Apple’s choice of cellphone networks would obligate it to use a particular form of 3G known as High-Speed Download Packet Access (HSDPA). At first, this would seem to be something of a misstep: the standard has barely lifted off the ground in the Cupertino-based company’s home turf. Only a handful of US cities currently offer AT&T’s particular brand of 3G to subscribers.
The situation was discouraging enough that Apple reportedly left out the technology in its inaugural phone due to the limited amount of HSDPA coverage in the country.
Thankfully, HSDPA also happens to represent Apple’s best shot at selling the iPhone beyond American borders. In Europe, cheaper data rates and widespread 3G networks encourage Internet access from smartphones to the extent that many cellphone giants lavish more attention on their phone lineups for that continent than anywhere else. Nokia’s range toppers, for example, are often badged as “multimedia computers” rather than cellphones.
It remains to be seen whether or not Apple will add any features to the Euro-friendly version. Most 3G cellphones outside of North America ship with front-facing cameras for video calls, but those phones released in the US (such as AT&T’s BlackJack) have typically gone without added features beyond the extra speed.
The $300 Linux-Powered iPhone Killer Arrives
After seemingly endless delays, the OpenMoko phone is here. The first version of the NEO 1973 mobile phone, which carries the Linux kernel inside and is not locked to a specific network, is available for purchase from OpenMoko.com. It’s not as jaw-droppingly pretty as the iPhone, but it shares a design philosophy — no buttons, just a screen — and it’s ready to be loaded with any number of open-source software applications. (Though, according to Gadget Lab, so is the iPhone).
The base version of the NEO sells for $300. It has a 2.8″ VGA touch screen, a micro SD card slot, a USB port and 2.5G GSM quad band capability.
Keep in mind that this unit (the GTA01) was pushed out early so developers could begin writing device drivers, custom GUIs and some cool apps for the phone. The next revision (GTA02), which will be available starting at $450 in October, will be ready for the mass market. It will have wi-fi, 3-D motion sensors and added graphics accelerators. So this phone isn’t exactly an iPhone killer — the next one will be a contender. AptUsTech has a nice comparison of the NEO 1973 and the iPhone.
When it comes to devices, more choice is almost always “a good thing.” But will consumers respond to the NEO? We all know developers are going to dig this phone. But what’s more important to consumers — a super-sexy status item that’s locked to one carrier and one set of functions, or a less sexy look-alike with a fully free and open software system?
At the same time a very interresting phone has been launched on the market : the Neo 1973
From an user point of view, the two phones share the same design — no more buttons only a tactile screen. While the iPhone has a wonderful user interface that is very polished (as usual from Apple), the Neo 1973 is more conservative with a more traditional interface comparable with an existing PDA.
The main feature of the Neo 1973 is openness. All the hardware is documented, and the software is open source. This contrasts greatly with the iPhone which is as closed as a bank vault. The only way to develop software on iPhone is to build web services designed to fit well on the screen or to use javascript with limited access to the iPhone resources. Trillian just did this and developed a chat application for the iPhone.
But without access to the bare metal, the applications will be limited, and the control remains in the hands of Apple. Of course there is attempt to reverse engineer the iPhone software so a preliminary shell can be run.
On the other hand, the Neo 1973 gives you a total control of the software, a SDK is provided at www.openmoko.org you can also download an emulator and try your software without the real hardware.
Hardware Comparaison
The hardware of the iPhone is not known for sure but several reports give a close idea of what it is.
| Functions |
iPhone |
Neo 1973 |
| CPU |
ARM11 620MHz |
ARM9 266MHz |
| RAM |
128MB |
128MB |
| FLASH |
4 or 8 GB |
64MB |
| Storage extension |
No |
microSD |
| Resolution |
320×480 |
640×480 |
| Bluetooth |
Yes |
Yes |
| WiFi |
Yes |
No (Yes in next revision) |
| USB |
No |
OTG (non powered host) |
| Camera |
2MP |
No |
| GPS |
No |
Yes |
| Bluetooth |
Yes |
Yes |
| Geekport |
Ipod Like (audio+RS232) |
I2C, SPI, RS232, JTAG |
| Accelerometer |
Yes |
No (Yes in next revision) |
No doubt the hardware of the iPhone is more advanced, but the next revision of the Neo 1973 should bring improvements:
- 802.11 b/g WiFi
- Samsung 2442 SoC (400MHz and Camera interface)
- SMedia 3362 Graphics Accelerator
- 2 3D Accelerometers
- 256MB Flash
The main missing function of the Neo 1973 is the camera, but the hopefully the next version will provide it. As an interim, an external USB webcam could be used.
The GPS opens a lot of possibilities, I bet SMS bloging with ubiquitous geographicall positioning will be one of the first mainstream application.
What to do with a Neo 1973
I spoke about shared phone and product adaptation in a precedent article with this phone you can adapt the software to your exact requirements. You can have a phone booth application complete with accounting. Or you can monitor easily a truck or a boat and optimize delivery and pickup.
With the good screen resolution it’s also possible to use it as an e-book reader, or as a web browser with better readability than the iPhone.
Please post your ideas in the comments below and have a look on the existing projects.
How much and when
The Neo 1973 is available now, for a price of $300 you can order it on the web.
The price is high for personal use in developping countries but it’s a great tool for community based phone and we can hope it will lead a open movement in the closed world of GSM phone.
The Neo1973 is the first phone designed to run OpenMoko. It is a phone that can be used with any GSM operator, and it is manufactured by FIC who instigated the OpenMoko project.
If you just received a Neo1973 here are some suggestions for getting started.
Neo1973 Hardware and Disassembling Neo1973 have more information on the hardware.
See OpenMoko, OpenMokoFramework, MokoMakefile and Development resources for more information about source code.
The Neo Base costs $300, the Neo Advanced costs $450.
Neo Base — everything the mobile application developer needs to enjoy the benefits of the first freed phone, the Neo1973:
* Neo 1973 (GTA01B_v4)
* Battery
* Stylus
* Headset
* AC Charger
* Phone Pouch
* Lanyard
* SanDisk 512MB MicroSD Card
* Mini USB Connectivity Cable
Neo Advanced — everything the mobile device hacker wants to get down and dirty with the first freed phone, the Neo1973:
* Neo1973 (GTA01B_v4)
* Battery (2x)
* Stylus
* Headset
* AC Charger
* Phone Pouch
* Lanyard
* SanDisk 512MB MicroSD Card (2x)
* Mini USB Connectivity Cable (2x)
* USB Host Mode Cable
* Debug Flex Cable
* Debug Board v2 (JTAG and serial console)
* Ruggedized Toolbox with shoulder strap
* Guitar Pick (for opening case)
* Torx T6 screwdriver
“Phase 2″ (GTA02, “Mass Market”)
GTA02 (AKA: The Mass Market Neo 1973) is on schedule to go on sale in October. It will have the following new hardware components:
* 802.11 b/g WiFi
* Samsung 2442 SoC
* SMedia 3362 Graphics Accelerator
* 2 3D Accelerometers
* 256MB Flash
* 1700mAh Battery
* Faster CPU - S3C2442/400
We will sell this device through multiple channels. Direct from openmoko.com, the price will be $450 for the Neo Base and $600 for Neo Advanced.
Adds to the Phase 1 phone:
2D/3D-Graphics-Accelerator
2 Accelerometers (model and number is uncertain)
Faster CPU - S3C2442/400
WiFi: Atheros AR6K (see also [2])
Above from [3] and other sources
There will be no changes in the housing. [4]
Sprint breaks up with high-maintenance customers
The squeaky wheel doesn’t always get the grease.
At least not if the squeaky wheel is a Sprint Nextel customer. On June 29, 2007, Sprint sent letters notifying some customers that their service would be canceled by the end of July due to excessive calls to customer service.
“Our records indicate that over the past year, we have received frequent calls from you regarding your billing or other general account information,” the letter reads. “While we have worked to resolve your issues and questions to the best of our ability, the number of inquiries you have made to us during this time has led us to determine that we are unable to meet your current wireless needs.”
“Therefore after careful consideration, the decision has been made to terminate your wireless service agreement effective July 30, 2007.”
Subscribers who have gotten letters from Sprint terminating their service won’t have to pay the early termination fee. Their account balances will also be set to zero. But subscribers will have to sign up with a new wireless provider by July 30 if they want to keep their phone numbers. Otherwise, the numbers won’t be available after the Sprint service ends, the letter states.
A Sprint spokeswoman acknowledged that a group of letters had been sent out on June 29. She said that only a “small minority” of customers were impacted.
“We have to be able to quickly and efficiently serve customers,” said Roni Singleton, a Sprint spokeswoman. “And when we are unable to consistently solve our customers’ problems it results in a lot of frustration and longer waits for other customers. So after looking through our records, we were able to determine that there were customers who we could couldn’t meet their current needs.”
Singleton said it was normal business practice for Sprint to audit customer service interactions. She also said the company has always reserved the right in its terms of use to terminate the contract for whatever reason.
Posting on the Sprint users’ message board, one customer who received one of these letters said the calls she made to Sprint were for errors in the company’s billing. She also questioned how the company counted the number of calls.
“I absolutely didn’t call as much as they say I did, but I did always have the hang up/transfer scenario–even today calling in I was hung up on twice and transferred at least five times,” she said in one of her posts. “I mean I DREAD calling in and sitting on hold, why on earth would I do it unless I had to!”
Clearly, Sprint is trying to shed customers who seem to eat up too many resources. But it seems crazy that a company that’s already having a hard time keeping subscribers would be willing terminate contracts.
For years, Sprint has had a reputation for poor customer service and poor network coverage, and as a result, the company is suffering. For the first quarter of 2007, it reported a loss of 220,000 post-paid monthly subscribers–customers who pay monthly. This was the third quarter in a row the company had a substantial loss of these types of customers. The company has consistently had one of the worst churn rates in the wireless industry. At the end of the first quarter of 2007, Sprint reported a churn rate of 2.7 percent.
Sprint Nextel Corporation (NYSE: S) is one of the largest telecommunications companies in the world. With 55 million subscribers, Sprint Nextel operates the third largest wireless telecommunications network in the United States (based on total wireless customers), behind Verizon Wireless and AT&T. Sprint is a global Tier 1 Internet carrier, and, as such, makes up a portion of the Internet backbone. In the United States, the company also operates the largest wireless broadband network and is the third largest long distance provider.
The company was created in 2005 by the $35 billion purchase of NEXTEL Communications by Sprint Corporation. In 2006, the company spun-off its local landline telephone business, naming it Embarq and also completed the $6.5 billion acquisition of Nextel Partners, one of its largest affiliates, which primarily provides Nextel wireless services to more rural markets.
Sprint Nextel has its executive headquarters in Reston, Virginia and maintains an operational and engineering headquarters in Overland Park, Kansas (where the largest number of Sprint Nextel employees are based). Both internally and externally, Sprint is an acceptable short name for the company.
