iOS6: Full of New Features; Lacking on Useful Innovation

Apple may have fulfilled consumers' desire for more features in iOS 6, but it's not clear it satisfied their cravings for innovation. "The announcement of iOS 6 felt more like a mashup of what other companies have already done instead of a groundbreaking new user experience," said Joe Burger, cofounder and CTO of Labor Sync.

Among the highlights at Apple's Worldwide Developer's Conference was the presentation on Monday of a laundry list of enhancements to be found in iOS 6. The 200-plus new features and functions include Facebook integration , a Maps app that has turn-by-turn navigation and a new Flyover view. Siri also got an upgrade and can now converse in more languages.

For many users, the top change will be the Facebook integration. Apple rolled out Twitter integration in iOS 5, leaving Facebook fans bereft. iOS 6 offers tools that allow users to write status updates, and share photos and links from iOS applications.

Facebook friends' information is synced across all iOS devices, automatically updating details in Contacts when they change. Users can "Like" content directly from the App  Store and iTunes and see what their friends recommend.

Those recommendations will prove to be very important for developers, Echo Interaction Group CEO Carlos Carbonell told MacNewsWorld.

"Most apps now spread via word of mouth. With this new feature, Facebook will become our new 'word of mouth,'" he said.

Pretty Maps

iOS 6 comes with a new Maps app sporting vector-based map elements. There is also turn-by-turn navigation with spoken directions, and a Flyover feature that has photorealistic interactive 3D views.

This is the most impressive feature to Josh Davis, Apple boutique store manager for Abt Electronics.

"Visually it looks wonderful, and the Flyover feature is something that will wow the users," he said.

"It will definitely give Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) a run for its money, although Google Maps is in the process of changing too to include similar functionality," he told MacNewsWorld.

Maps comes with real-time information on traffic, and it will guide users in finding a new route if the one they are taking suddenly slows down due to traffic conditions.

There is also a local search component that integrates with Yelp.

The Voice of Experience

Enhancements to Siri include language support for Spanish, Italian, Korean, Mandarin and Cantonese. It has been optimized to be used in 15 countries all together. Users can now ask Siri to update their status on Facebook or post to Twitter or launch an app. There is also a new Eyes Free mode, allowing users to interact with the iPhone via voice only.

"Siri now understands a little better what you are asking," said Carbonell. "It is also is more user-friendly with the Eyes Free mode and ability to launch apps."

Other Features

It will take time for users to become acquainted with all 200 new features. Some of the additions fall in the category of "I didn't know I needed that until I saw it" -- such as the Passbook app.

It organizes a user's passes -- from boarding passes to movie tickets -- in one place. It also lets the user scan via the iPhone or iPod touch to use a coupon or check into a hotel.

Also new is Guided Access, which allows someone to disable hardware buttons to lock an iOS device into a single app. Apple positions this feature as useful for parents or teachers of disabled students during test taking or merely just to keep students' focus on learning and off everything else that can be found online.

iOS 6 also supports FaceTime calls over cellular networks, lets users set up a VIP Mailbox, and gives them the option to decline incoming calls with a quick message.

Nothing New to See Here

Critics point to the obvious fact that much -- although not all -- of this functionality has been available on other platforms.

"The announcement of iOS 6 felt more like a mashup of what other companies have already done instead of a groundbreaking new user experience," said Joe Burger, cofounder and CTO of Labor Sync.

"Features such as "Can't talk now," which allows a user to respond to a caller with a canned text message when unable to answer the phone, has been available on other platforms for quite a while now," he told MacNewsWorld.

"Enabling FaceTime over 3G and enabling Siri on the new iPad were not new features at all -- just a removal of artificial restrictions. Features such as "turn-by-turn" navigation and "VIP Mail" have also been around for years, and come out of the box on other platforms."

In short, Burger concluded, Apple's iOS 6 announcement left a lot to be desired from a company known for innovation.

Flame Malware Can Now Self Destruct

The command-and-control servers directing Flame have apparently ordered the malware to delete itself. Flame was designed to steal information, and "when you run covert operations, you get operatives out of the target area when their job is done or their presence is a risk to the operation," said security expert Randy Abrams.

The Flame malware has reportedly begun to self-destruct.

Some command-and-control (C&C) servers for the malware sent an order recently that completely removes it from infected systems, according to Symantec (Nasdaq: SYMC).

Why the self-destruct command was sent is not clear, although it could be that the malware's creators were afraid of detection, as cybersecurity experts had shut down most of their C&C servers.

Flame was designed to steal information, and "when you run covert operations, you get operatives out of the target area when their job is done or their presence is a risk to the operation," Randy Abrams, an independent security  consultant, told TechNewsWorld. "This isn't a self-destruct command; it's more analogous to wiping out the trail."

Flame "is a very advanced, very targeted weapon," Tony Zirnoon, senior director of security strategy  and marketing at VSS Monitoring. "It's changed the game from cybercrime to cyberwar."

Flame Off!

Most of Flame's C&C servers had been shut down by last week, but its creators still controlled a few because they had retained control of their domain registration accounts, so they could host these domains with a new ISP, Symantec said.

These servers let the malware's creators communicate with a specific set of compromised systems.

Compromised computers regularly contact their C&C servers to ask for additional commands, and the servers that were still working shipped a file Symantec named "Browse32.ocx." This was, in essence, an uninstaller, Symantec said.

Without a Trace

The Browse32.ocx module has two parts. One, which Symantec named "EnableBrowser," was the initializer. It set up the environment prior to action. The other, "StartBrowse," actually wipes the files.

Browse32.ocx has a list of files and folders that are used by Flame, Symantec said. It locates every file on disk, removes it and overwrites the disk with random characters to prevent anyone from obtaining information about the files. This is recommended procedure for wiping a hard drive.

Symantec captured a version of the Browse32.0cs module created on May 9, shortly before Flame made the headlines. It's likely that previous versions of this module have been used in the past, Symantec said.

Goodbye Is Not Forever

It's possible that traces of Flame still reside on systems that the Browse32.ocx module apparently wiped. "If I was running a cyberespionage operation, I would certainly consider leaving modules on non-mission oriented computers for misinformation tactics," Abrams said.

Or, if infected computers were offline when the uninstaller module was sent out, they would not be affected, Abrams pointed out. An adverse interaction with other software could have prevented the removal command from working. Different versions of the malware might respond to different versions of the uninstaller, and so some might remain infected.

Further, "the removal of malware that arrives on a system using exploits will never assure the system hasn't been infected with something else," Abrams said. "This is true of all malware infections."

Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) has overhauled its Update feature, which Flame leveraged, to prevent further similar attacks.

However, operating systems are "so complex that it's difficult to know if all attack vectors have been found," Abrams warned. "Just like Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) Update or any other automated updating mechanism, there is always the potential for exploitation of unknown vulnerabilities."

The Evil That Men Do

Flame "is very advanced getting in, advanced getting out, and advanced in not leaving traces," VSS Monitoring's Zirnoon said. That could end up causing trouble for the United States and its allies.

"We won't go into who might have been responsible for creating it, but it's been targeting countries in the Middle East, and I wouldn't be surprised if somebody somewhere leverages [Flame's advanced capabilities] and targets European and Western financial institutions like what was done with Duqu," Zirnoon speculated.

Duqu is a worm discovered in September that's believed to be related to Stuxnet, a piece of malware that targeted Iran's nuclear infrastructure.

Symantec did not respond to our request for more details.

Microsoft Windows 8 VS Apple OS X Comparison

Even at this stage in its development, Windows 8 is reminiscent of Apple OS X 10.7 Lion. It's too early to properly compare the OSes, but there is value in examining their underlying assumptions about what an OS should look like in the age of smartphones and tablets.

If the iPhone's success has taught us anything, it's that consumers want their software to be hassle-free. That means ditching retail boxes in favour of downloads, automatic software updates and elegant interfaces that keep them informed. The Metro app ecosystem hits all three points with panache. But whereas Lion offers apps in the form of compact icons suggestive of the iOS approach, Windows 8 serves up gorgeous, customisable tiles that relay useful information in a compact space.

An interface must do more than simply keep you informed. Lion applies lessons that Apple has learned from its multitouch devices, implementing trackpad gestures to make interacting with your Mac more efficient and immersive. But it still delivers the look and feel of a traditional operating system, replete with folder hierarchies and windows to wrangle. Microsoft has shoved the old design ethos aside with Windows 8, developing a unified interface that flows readily from 7in ARM tablets to multi­monitor desktops.

The cloud takes things one step further. Both Lion and Windows 8 have tendrils that snake into your assorted devices. But while Apple's iCloud ensures that your media and photos populate across all your gadgets, Windows 8 makes your personalised interface available everywhere – from apps down to the particulars of your tile layout. Perpetually connected devices make it all possible. Windows 8 will shake up how you interact with tech.

Windows 8: Eight things we still don't know

• How many versions will be available. Windows 7 had six, but most users saw three. Expect a similar number.
• What it will be called. Windows 8 is just a code name, but Windows 7 has worked well. Why change?
• How much it will cost. Windows 7 costs from £99 to over £200, with volume discounts for manufacturers. Microsoft is unlikely to stray far from those prices, but tablets versions may cost less. 
• How Xbox Live will work on Windows 8. We know you'll get your avatars, achievements and messages, but not how it will work. Don't expect to pop an Xbox 360 disc into your PC's drive and play it.
• Whether the next version of Office will feature Metro apps. A new desktop version will surely surface, but tablet users will want Office, too.
• What new tools and utilities Windows 8 will include. Calculator, Paint and other accessory apps are sure to be updated for Metro, although we haven't seen them yet.
• Whether Microsoft will take a cut from the Windows Store. Developers give Microsoft 30 percent of revenue on sales through Windows Phone 7's store, but it might adopt a different model here.
• What apps will run on ARM-based tablets. Desktop Windows programs won't work on ARM, but can developers make traditional desktop applications for ARM?