Bluetooth, Eavesdropping and Cars
By R. Longwell, contributing editor

Let’s face it: using a cell phone while driving is distracting at the very least and can be downright dangerous. In many states it has been outlawed. Hands-free, in-car phones are certainly less distracting, but they have the huge disadvantage of not being portable.

Bluetooth offers a great improvement by providing hands-free in-car calling. But there are potential drawbacks, including safety and security. So how do get Bluetooth in your car, and do you really want one? What should you be aware of when installing bluetooh? Is Bluetooh Eavesdropping a reality?

Bluetooth is a relatively new technology and has many emerging uses. Although its primary function is still hands free calling, the potential for its many uses in automotive devices is large. Bluetooth is also being used for music and video streaming.

Built-in Bluetooth in automotive products and in the OEM market is more common now. Infotainment platforms by car manufacturers and the inclusion of wireless audio streaming in aftermarket products has increased significantly. Audio streaming in cars is the first application. Video streaming is the next big Bluetooth 3 opportunity open to exploration by manufacturers in the not too distant future. Roughly 20 per cent of all new automobiles globally had Bluetooth technology in 2007, according to research from market analysts Allied Business Intelligence.
Many 2009 models offer Bluetooth. For older models, if your car is a high-end 2004 model or newer, your vehicle may already be Bluetooth capable. If this is the case, you simply need a Bluetooth cell phone. Your cell phone must be able to communicate with the Bluetooth device in your car.

If your car is not Bluetooth equipped, numerous cellular phone and aftermarket companies make adapter kits. Most of the aftermarket systems work with almost all Bluetooth-equipped cell phones.

Whether you hire a professional to install the kit or purchase a portable kit, keep a couple of things in mind. To get the best results, mount the microphone no more than 16 inches from your mouth, either adjacent to your rearview mirror, on your headliner, or on the overhead console. Be sure the path between the microphone and your mouth is not blocked by anything, such as the sun visor or rearview mirror, and isn’t in line with direct airflow from your air vents.

The components should interfere with the seats, the shifter, or the mirrors. Be especially careful that nothing is in the path of the air bag, or serious injury could result. It’s not always obvious where air bags deploy, so consult your owner’s manual or call your dealer if you are unsure about installing the system yourself.

Another problem, especially with self installation, is possible interference between wireless devices among themselves and between sensitive car electronics.
Also, Eavesdropping on Bluetooth Automobiles may be an issue. For example, a spy tool called The Car Whisperer allows someone with a Laptop and a directional antenna to inject audio to, and record audio from, stopped, parked or y bypassing cars that have a connected or even unconnected Bluetooth unit running. Many manufacturers use a standard passkey which often is the only authentication that is needed to connect. These pass-keys are frequently all to simple, such as 0000. This eavesdropping tool could be used to harass drivers or listen covertly to conversations in nearby cars by accessing the microphone.
As with all new technologies, such as email, ways to exploit conveniences should be considered in users and developers security planning.

New Voice on Demand Changes.
by Rob Long and Tara Thompson

Voice on Demand (Vod) technology has come along way since 1992. Today’s consumers increasingly want on-demand services. To keep audiences from shifting to sometimes underground alternatives, broadcasters are employing numerous orchestrated technologies to deliver more “on-demand” experiences.

VoD vendors, SeaChange International (SEAC) and Concurrent Computer (CCUR), are near their 52 week lows while their main competitors have been bought in fire-sales by cable equipment manufacturers. Within the next few years most of the VoD service providers will have replaced or upgraded their VoD systems.

Three emerging technology shifts are slowly rolling out. The most important shift is the separation of hardware and software. VoD vendors are moving away from hardward and toward becoming software-only providers. Software solutions will be more important as VoD will require cheaper hardware along with Linux just to survive in the more competitive environment. Telecom’s advanced TCA hardware platform could also bring costs down.

The second major shift is the migration from proprietary bundled content management to stand alone content delivery network (CDN). CDN content management will enable more rapid content propagation to any device from any location, preferably the nearest source.

The last major shift is the increasing importance of back office support for VoD. Back office systems could very well become the most expensive part of any VoD system.

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Google moves into Cell Phones with the Android Nexus

By Rob Long, Real Star News

Google, the dominate internet-search engine, is extending its reach into mobile phones. Bloggers, partly humorously, call this move part of Google’s world domination plan, as Google has already made inroads into much of Microsoft’s territory, including browsers (Google chrome), data, Google Office and even plans for a- Google operating system to replace windows. The company is ready to formally unveil the “Nexus One,” a phone that has already been given to Google employees and was quickly tagged the“Google phone.” Google plans to sell the smart Android phone directly to consumers rather than through the traditional carrier partner.

Initially, this direct sales business model was considered a game changer, but more recently, critics have pointed out that other phone manufactures have been unsuccessful at selling unlocked phones in the U.S. However, it has been rare to find marketing miscalculations in Google’s seemingly unstoppable expansion. Google’s cellular marketing plan is common outside of the US. In Europe consumers often first select their phone and then choose the service provider. But that’s just not how things usually work in the US. Although unlocked phones of varying quality are widely available online for use on US networks, a Google Phone has the potential to make this much more common. What Google brings to the table is significant advertising power, credibility and a highly desirable phone.

Consumers could use the Nexus One phone on any service that uses GSM technology — that is, runs with a SIM (subscriber identity module) card. Instead of being locked into AT&T, for example, consumers could use their new Google phone to shop other carrier deals and take advantage of typically shorter or nonexistent contracts that companies offer when shoppers bring their own phone.
Providers like Virgin Mobile and Boost are offering unlimited calling and no-contract service plans for around $30 to $50 per month. T-Mobile also now offers a contract-less, no free phone deal with unlimited voice use for around $50. Three of T-mobiles plans offer $10 per month lower rates if you purchase your own phone.
The Nexus phone is being manufactured by HTC for Google, though it won’t be like other Android phones already on the market. Google was deeply involved with the design, making it a more of a “Google Phone” than to a third-party phone that runs Android
It’s not clear yet whether Google will offer multiple versions of the phone for different carriers. The initial Nexus phone will be designed for GSM, which is used by AT&T, T-Mobile and most of the rest of the world. CDMA is used in the US by Verizon and Sprint.
Verizon has already been talking about launching a CDMA-equipped iPhone if it can agree on pricing with Apple. While consumers would benefit from a choice of carriers, a CDMA iPhone still seems like a pipe dream. Verizon will also soon be getting Palm’s webOS phones. With the launch of Google Nexus One, Verizon may not be as interested as it once was in the iPhone.
Apple has launched the iPhone on multiple carriers in many parts of the world, and has noted success in countries where it is available from more than one carrier. However, when the iPhone first launched, Apple had to make a long-term exclusivity deal with AT&T just to get the phone to market. The original deal was for five years, though it is believed that that deal was renegotiated when the iPhone transitioned to a subsidized model for the iPhone. That renegotiated exclusivity is widely believed to expire this year.

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