What's still missing in the HTML5 spec

Although the HTML5 spec won't be finalized until July 2014, the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium), has scheduled its "last call" for feature-completeness for this May. So what's missing?

According to the editor of the specification, refinement of the HTML5's multimedia capability is the only outstanding issue to be resolved before the W3C can move to the final stage of the HTML5 specification effort: finalizing the technical specs, getting final comments, and creating test suites to validate interoperability across browsers and other technologies, said Ian Jacobs, head of W3C communications. That last stage will take about three years.

The multimedia holes in the HTML5 spec The primary aspect of multimedia capability to be resolved this spring is multitracking for audio and video, though the W3C isn't committing to having this capability in the final HTML5 spec. Multitracking would, for example, enable a choice of spoken languages to accompany a video, allow the presentation of a video within another video, and permit applications like chat rooms to display simultaneous audio from multiple people.

Also possible to be added to the HTML5 spec after the "last call" are extensions to the canvas 2D technology and the ability to mark up photo credits, said HTML5 specification editor Ian Hickson. He expects such additions to first come up in the WHATWG (Web Hypertext Application Technology Working Group) HTML5 proposals, then migrate to the W3C effort through the W3C HTML working group chairmen. (The two organizations are collaborating on the HTML5 spec.)

One technology not slated for HTML5 is a standard video codec. Developers of the specification have been unable to find a satisfactory open source codec to use, so they are leaving each browser maker to choose its own codec and instead providing standard APIs for them to use in HTML5. "That's pretty much the deal," Hickson said. "HTML5 doesn't care what the codecs are," Jacobs added.

The lack of a video codec does not have to be resolved for HTML5 to be completed, said Forrester Research analyst Jeffrey Hammond. "It's a pain for developers, but [they] can work around it for the time being" by encoding in multiple formats, he said.

WebSocket, developer tools not yet HTML5-ready HTML5 has been paired with complementary specifications, such as CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) 3 and WebSocket, for two-way Web communications, in an effort to promote an "open Web." HTML5 is in pretty good shape in terms of the language, but WebSocket capabilities are needed for applications like stock trading and real-time data feeds, Hammond said. "You can do that fine with Flash or Java," but not with HTML5, he said. There's also a security issue: WebSocket implementations have been pulled from current browsers because of concerns over potential screen hijacking, he said.

Developer tools support is also lacking for HTML5, Hammond said. Although there are some HTML-savvy tools available today, there's nothing on the order of a Microsoft Visual Studio or Adobe Dreamweaver, Hammond said.

HTML5's newest target date could slip again The July 2014 deadline for the final HTML5 standard is not set in stone, Hickson noted. He pointed out that in 2007, the W3C projected a final specification would arrive in 2010, which did not happen.

That lack of certainty may explain why Jacobs is championing use of HTML5 as it is right now. "We're telling people to use it already," he said. "The goal is to get feedback to improve interoperability," he added. That advice contradicts what Philippe Le Hegaret, the W3C interaction domain leader, said last fall, when he cautioned against deploying HTML5 in websites at the time because of the incompleteness of the specification.

Army of fake social media friends to promote propaganda

It's recently been revealed that the U.S. government contacted HBGary Federal for the development of software which could create multiple fake social media profiles to manipulate and sway public opinion on controversial issues by promoting propaganda. It could also be used as surveillance to find public opinions with points of view the powers-that-be didn't like. It could then potentially have their "fake" people run smear campaigns against those "real" people. As disturbing as this is, it's not really new for U.S. intelligence or private intelligence firms to do the dirty work behind closed doors.

EFF previously warned that Big Brother wants to be your friend for social media surveillance. While the FBI Intelligence Information Report Handbook (PDF) mentioned using "covert accounts" to access protected information, other government agencies endorsed using security exploits to access protected information.

It's not a big surprise that the U.S. military also wants to use social media to its benefit. Last year, Public Intelligence published the U.S. Air Force social media guide which gave 10 tips for social media such as, "The enemy is engaged in this battlespace and you must engage there as well." Number three was "DON'T LIE. Credibility is critical, without it, no one cares what you have to say...it's also punishable by the UCMJ to give a false statement." The Air Force used the chart below to show how social media influences public opinion.

The 6th Contracting Squadron at MacDill Air Force Base sought the development of Persona Management Software which could be used for creating and managing fake profiles on social media sites to distort the truth and make it appear as if there was a generally accepted agreement on controversial issues. "Personas must be able to appear to originate in nearly any part of the world and can interact through conventional online services and social media platforms." What happened to don't lie and the Uniform Code of Military Justice?

Everything revealed after Anonymous leaked emails from private security firm HBGary Federal is disturbing on many levels. However, the Daily Kos said with the Persona Management Software it would take very few people to create "an army of sockpuppets" which could distort the truth while appearing to be "an entire Brooks Brothers riot online."

So again I ask, what happened to number three . . . the rule about not lying that was also "punishable by the UCMJ to give a false statement"?

President and CEO of Plessas Experts Network, Inc, Kirby Plessas pointed out some of the unethical and potentially illegal activities that Aaron Barr's leaked emails suggested like "Chumming and baiting" which sounded like "entrapment of some sort." There would be no warrant for the data collected on individuals which could then be stored for how long? "THIS is the entire reason Intelligence Oversight was created - to avoid this sort of thing from ever happening again."

According to Redacted News, the leaked emails showed how names can be cross-referenced across social media sites to collect information on people and then used to gain access to those social ciricles. The emails also talked of how Facebook could be used to spread government messages:

Even the most restrictive and security conscious of persons can be exploited. Through the targeting and information reconnaissance phase, a person's hometown and high school will be revealed. An adversary can create a classmates.com account at the same high school and year and find out people you went to high school with that do not have Facebook accounts, then create the account and send a friend request.

Under the mutual friend decision, which is where most people can be exploited, an adversary can look at a targets friend list if it is exposed and find a targets most socially promiscuous friends, the ones that have over 300-500 friends, friend them to develop mutual friends before sending a friend request to the target. To that end friend's accounts can be compromised and used to post malicious material to a targets wall. When choosing to participate in social media an individual is only as protected as his/her weakest friend.

Lots of people have multiple online aliases, Facebook or Twitter accounts for both business and private life. What most bothers me is the lying and seemingly unethical means to an end. Although the government says it doesn't approve of censorship, etc, when its secrets come to light, it seems to be Okay with recommending underhanded tactics.

Secretary Clinton delivered a speech called, "Internet Rights and Wrongs: Choices and Challenges In A Networked World." To help promote and support Internet freedom, the State Department intends to award $25 million in grants. While that is great news, the EFF reported, "For every strong statement about preserving liberty, freedom of expression, and privacy on the global Internet, there exists a countervailing example of the United States attempting to undermine those same values."

Secretary Clinton later told "This Week" anchor Christiane Amanpou that most Americans "are in favor of human rights, freedom, democracy. We know that ultimately the most progress that can be made on behalf of human beings anywhere is when those individuals are empowered, when they have governments that are responsive." Clinton added, "At the same time, we recognize that this process can be hijacked. It can be hijacked by both outside and inside elements within any country."

So while the U.S. government can talk a good talk, what it does and what it says often doesn't seem to jive. Gasp, I know, it's not a big shocker but sometimes I find that utterly frustrating. The President wanted an Internet Kill Switch, the FBI keeps pushing for backdoors on all-things-Net. What happened to a code of ethics? Does it disappear behind closed doors, dirty deeds done in the dark and used against the American people who are supposed to be free to express themselves?

Motorola Xoom: The complete FAQ

It's been months in the making, but it's finally here: the Motorola Xoom, Google's inaugural Android Honeycomb tablet.

Launching today, the Xoom will be the first in a tidal wave of Android tablets set to hit the market this year. It's essentially Google's flagship device, kickstarting the category and setting a golden standard for all the high-end Honeycomb products on the way. Android engineers actually used the Xoom to test and develop the Honeycomb OS, and it's considered a "pure Google" product -- meaning you get what Google created, with no manufacturer-added skins or interfaces getting in the way.

As I've covered the Xoom and Honeycomb these past several weeks, I've heard plenty of questions -- questions on everything from the technical nitty-gritty to the truth about those irksome Verizon data plans. It's time for some simple, straight-forward answers. Here's a Q&A-style guide to everything you need to know.

What is the Motorola Xoom?

Come on -- that's just too easy. The Motorola Xoom is an Android-based tablet that runs on Google's new Honeycomb platform.

How's the Motorola Xoom different from previous Android tablets, like the Galaxy Tab?

Motorola Xoom Android Honeycomb

Aside from differences in form, Honeycomb -- the operating system debuting on the Xoom -- is the first version of Android that Google actually built with tablets in mind. The software was written from the ground up in order to optimize the Android experience for larger-screen devices.

With Honeycomb, the devices' hardware buttons are gone and replaced with on-screen buttons that change position based on your orientation. There's a whole new notification system that puts desktop-style alerts at the bottom of your screen. Android's multitasking system is revamped to make it easier to switch between running applications. And speaking of apps, Honeycomb allows developers to split their programs into multiple panes -- like in Honeycomb's Gmail app, where you can actively scroll through your inbox while simultaneously viewing (and scrolling through) individual messages.

Put simply, it's a very different interface -- and, if you ask me, a drastically improved one. Check out my Android Honeycomb hands-on impressions for a deeper dive into the Xoom experience.

How 'bout hardware -- what kind of specs does this bad boy have?

Motorola Xoom Hardware

The Xoom has a 10.1-inch, 1280-by-800 display. It runs on a dual-core Nvidia Tegra 2 1GHz processor with 1GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage, and SD card support for additional storage space. As of now, the Xoom supports 3G and Wi-Fi connections; Verizon promises, however, that you'll be able to get a free hardware upgrade that'll enable 4G access by this spring.

The Xoom comes with a 5MP rear-facing camera and a 2MP front-facing camera for video chat (which Honeycomb natively supports via Google's Google Talk system). The tablet records 720p HD video and supports 1080p playback. It has HDMI and USB 2.0 ports. And according to Motorola, its Android battery life can give you up to 10 hours of video playback on a single charge.

So how can I buy this Xoom, and how much is it?

The Xoom is on sale in the U.S. as of today, February 24. It's available for $800 at Verizon Wireless or Best Buy stores. Verizon is also offering the Xoom for $600, if you sign a two-year contract for data services; those will run you a minimum of $20 a month.

Do I have to get a data plan?

Verizon is requiring you to sign up for one when you buy a Xoom -- obnoxious, I know -- but you can cancel it immediately after. So basically, you'll have to pay $20 for one month, plus a $35 activation fee (sigh). But there's no obligation to continue paying for data beyond that point; once your first month is up, you can use your Xoom via Wi-Fi only and never pay Verizon another nickel.

UPDATE: Verizon Wireless has changed its mind on this policy as of Thursday morning (thank goodness). I've just confirmed with a Verizon spokesperson that if you purchase the Xoom for $800, without a contract, you will not be required to pay the $35 activation fee or sign up for a data plan. As of now, the Verizon Wireless website is not reflecting this change; however, an online customer service representative tells me you can contact customer care to have the data plan removed after making your purchase.

UPDATE #2: Best Buy has now revised its policy and is allowing Xoom purchases without data plans as well.

So what if I want to activate data for a month here and there as I need it? Will I get charged an activation fee each time?

I've been wondering that very thing myself (how coincidental!). I checked with Verizon Wireless yesterday. The annoying answer is that yes, they'll charge you 35 bucks every time you activate data service. So you can switch the data plan on as you need it, but you'll have to pay that fee each time.

Isn't there supposed to be a Wi-Fi-only Xoom, too?

Yes -- but it isn't here yet. Motorola Mobility CEO Sanjay Jha has said a Wi-Fi-only edition of the Xoom will sell for about $600; he hasn't said, though, when it'll launch. So if you want the Xoom now, you'll have to spring for the full 3G/4G version, even if you're planning to use it only over Wi-Fi; otherwise, you can wait, but it's anyone's guess how long the wait might be.

Can I just use my phone's data plan to get my Xoom online?

Motorola Xoom Adobe Flash

Maybe. Standard Android tethering -- where you use a program like PdaNet to connect your phone to another device via USB or Bluetooth -- won't do the trick, as those kind of connections require a Windows- or Mac-based client to work.

If you're able to create a wireless hotspot from your phone, though -- either by subscribing to your carrier's hotspot option or by going the underground route and rooting your phone -- then yes, you can use that connection to get the Xoom online. It would be no different than connecting the Xoom to any other wireless hotspot.

What's with all this Flash talk? Will the Xoom support Flash or not?

The Xoom will support Flash, but not immediately; Adobe is still putting the finishing touches on its Flash Player 10.3 software, which the Xoom needs in order to play Flash-based content. Adobe promises, though, that the software will be sent to the Xoom as an over-the-air update "within a few weeks" of today's launch.

Should I get the Xoom or wait for one of the other upcoming tablets?

That, my friend, is a tricky question; I take a stab at answering it here.

Okay, Mr. Smartypants, tell me this: Can you eat the Motorola Xoom?

Technically, yes, but it isn't advisable.

Android Power TwitterCan you drop it from a 40-story building?

Sure, but you probably wouldn't want to.

Can you legally marry it in the state of California?

Right -- I think we're done here.

A big solar storm could cost $2 trillion, could be a global Katrina

The impact of a big geomagnetic storm has been estimated to be $2 trillion. Good thing the solar storm last week didn’t cause that much disruption to our technology infrastructure and communication network. However, there were some reports that the blast of electrically charged gas traveling at five million miles an hour did cause minor ground communication disruption.

During the AAAS press briefing, University of Colorado Boulder professor Daniel Baker said:

The sun is coming back to life. For the past several years the sun has been in its most quiescent state since early in the 20th century.

We live in a different world now, it’s more connected than ever. GPS is ubiquitous. When the last solar storm hit, we weren’t as wired and hooked to the grid. But our ability to predict space weather is where weather forecasts were in the 1960s…pretty crappy.

The Solar Dynamics Observatory helps scientists understand the solar cycle. The sun has a cycle of about 11 years, and scientists can track it based on the number of sun spots on the sun. Any magnetic changes can impact our life on Earth and our use of technology. Think about it. We didn’t depend on cell phones as much when the last solar cycle maximum occurred a decade ago.

A big solar storm might hit soon, so we better be prepared for it. A big solar storm could disrupt our communication network by damaging the power grid, messing up airline communication and damaging satellites in orbit. Fortunately, the scientists say we are getting better at predicting large solar storms, thanks to real-time data from NASA satellites.

The European Space Agency set up the Space Situation Awareness Preparatory Programme in 2009 to monitor geomagnetic disturbances on power lines and pipelines.

However, Stephan Lechner of the European Commission said:

it will be extremely difficult to predict the potential implications of “bad space weather” on our earth-based hightech infrastructures: Even if we can calculate signal strength - would we be able to predict the consequences if GPS or other systems had to be shut down completely to protect themselves from damage? Even our technical standards do not always help: The need for accurate timing in telecommunications can serve as an example, where only the accuracy is standardized but not the way to get there.

After the briefing, I spoke with William J. Murtagh, program coordinator National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Space Prediction Center. Check back for the video interview to see what Murtagh told me about solar storms.

Microsoft's Windows Phone 7: When bad things happen to good phones

Windows Phone 7 devices began shipping last October to largely positive reviews. I had a chance to check one out and saw enough to like that I seriously considered making WP7 my first smartphone — and my first Windows phone.

But in the four months since, I’ve begun to waver. And the latest back-and-forth over the first update for WP7 has made me increasingly WP7-shy.

Here’s the back story: Microsoft announced on February 21 that it planned to push out to WP7 users a first “minor” update — something that seemed to be an updater for the real first update due in early March. As soon as some users began receiving notifications that the update was available, reports of “bricked” WP7 devices began appearing around the Web.

Microsoft issued a vague statement, saying the company was investigating reports of problems caused by the first update. But company officials said nothing about plans to halt or fix the first update.

On February 23, Microsoft issued a new statement, claiming that the company had pulled the first update for Samsung WP7s. Here’s the statement from a spokesperson (which I received hours after some European outlets did, and only after I requested any updates on the situation):

“We have identified a technical issue with the Windows Phone update process that impacts a small number of phones. In response to this emerging issue, we have temporarily taken down the latest software update for Samsung phones in order to correct the issue and as soon as possible will redistribute the update.”

However, contrary to the official statement, the first update still seems to be available. According to at least two blogs, the update had not been pulled, as of Wednesday morning, and is still available for download. Makram Daou, who runs MobileTechWorld.com, just checked again for me a few minutes ago.

Google launches Apps certification program for IT pros

Google has launched a program to certify that staffers at Google Apps resellers have specific expertise, knowledge and experience working with the company's hosted collaboration and communication suite.

The Google Apps Certification Program will offer badges for various areas of expertise, including Apps deployment, sales, software development and technical support.

At launch on Wednesday, the program will offer globally its first certification, Google Apps Certified Deployment Specialist, for IT professionals who know how to configure and implement the suite.

The materials, including study guides, are only in English, but Google plans to translate them into other languages. Certifications for other areas, like sales and application development are in the works.

Demand for a certification program came both from channel partners and from Apps customers, said Stephen Cho, director of Google Apps Channels.

"Customers have been asking for a way to identify partners who have expertise on staff, to make sure they have successful deployments," he said. "And partners have been asking for a way to differentiate themselves by showing the depth of their expertise."

The ideal candidates for the deployment certification should have several years of IT services experience in general and be very knowledgeable about Google Apps through study and online seminars, as well as through at least three hands-on deployments, he said.

Channel partners interested in having staffers certified need to buy a special, $45 webcam from Google and pay $100 per person who takes the test.

The tests, which last several hours and consist of multiple-choice questions, are monitored live by a Google representative through the webcam. Results are computed as soon as the test is over. Those who pass, receive via e-mail a diploma and access to an official badge graphic. Those who fail are told which areas they need to improve upon.

IT professionals who pass the test are understood to be qualified for deployments of all Google Apps versions: Apps for Business, Apps for Education, Apps for Government, as well as the standard edition of the suite.

After obtaining the certification, IT professionals will have to attend a minimum number of Google Apps webinars. Google will keep tabs on this. The certification has to be renewed every year by taking the test.

While the certification is primarily aimed at channel partner staffers, it is also available for Apps customer organizations that want to make sure that their IT employees are qualified to deal with their Apps implementations.

Until now, Google only had a certification program for channel partner organizations, called Google Apps Authorized Reseller Program. This new program is aimed at individuals within those channel partners.