chinese

Chinese hackers said to wage cyberwar on The New York Times

After a lengthy newspaper investigation on China's prime minister, The New York Times claims, the newspaper's computer systems were infiltrated and attacked by Chinese hackers.

The attacks began four months ago and culminated with hackers stealing the corporate password for every Times employee, according to the paper. The personal computers of 53 of these employees were also broken into and spied on.

The Times discovered the attacks after observing "unusual activity" in its computer system. Security investigators were then able to get into the system and track the hackers' movements, see what the infiltrators were after, … Read more

Apple's Chinese New Year sale hits Jan. 25 -- but only in Asia

Apple will kick off its Chinese New Year sale Friday, giving customers in the key Asia market access to discounts as part of its effort to attract buyers in the fast-growing region.

The sale will last from 12:01 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 25 and will take place in China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, and Taiwan.

Apple already has introduced a Chinese New Year gift guide, but it's unclear what discounts it will offer Friday. Deals in the past included 8 percent off iPads and 10 percent off iPod Touches, as … Read more

Tackle a missing Chinese word list update from Apple

Recently a number of OS X users who use Chinese input options in OS X have noticed an update to Apple's Chinese word list dictionary; however, for some reason this list has not been made available to everyone.

The update seems to be spurred by the use of some third-party software packages; however, it is not listed as a standard available update by Apple.

MacFixIt reader Sanchai recently wrote in regarding this issue:

"I'm running Mountain Lion and found that on my friend's machine, Chinese Word list update had been updated to version 1.1 on … Read more

SpaceX rocket engine shut down at launch

Monday's CNET Update finds a few problems:

Although it appeared to be a flawless launch, there was a problem with one of the engines of the SpaceX Falcon 9. About a minute after takeoff, one of the engines detected a drop in pressure and shut down. Video posted on YouTube shows debris falling off in what some have called an explosion. SpaceX said the engine did not explode, but rather the protective fairing for the engine ruptured due to the pressure change. The other engines compensated for the failed engine, as was designed to happen if there was a … Read more

The 404 1,095: Where we hang onto the bar (podcast)

Last week's show with the Sleep Doctor Michael Breus answered a lot of questions about how to stop snoring and sleep better, and Dr. Breus generously donated a Renew Sleep Clock to give away. The contest starts today, so head over to our 404 SubReddit and tell us about your craziest dream for a chance to win!… Read more

Apple asked Amazon to remove iPad from its Chinese retail site

Amazon has yanked the iPad from its Chinese Web site following a grievance by Apple that the retail giant is not authorized to sell the tablet in China.

A search of Amazon.cn turned up cases and other accessories for Apple's iPad but not the tablet itself.

The move was initially thought by some to be related to Apple's feud with Proview Technology, a company that claims it owns the rights to the iPad brand name in China. Earlier this week Chinese officials removed iPads from a third-party reseller following Proview's complaints that Apple refuses to honor … Read more

Won't buy Apple products anymore? Then don't stop there

Apple's outrageous success has a dark side. But does that mean it's time to stop buying Apple products?

Before we go there, let's get a few things out of the way. The focus of the New York Times iPad human cost story was Apple because:

Fame: Like anything that is constantly in the public eye (such as, say, a Republican presidential candidate) Apple is a magnet for reporters. There's lots and lots of reporting about Apple, some invariably negative.

Profits: While analysts and journalists trip over each other to applaud Apple's profit juggernaut, the way … Read more

Chinese hackers targeting smart cards to grab U.S. defense data

Hackers in China have found a way to infiltrate supposedly secure smart cards used by U.S. government employees, according to security company AlienVault.

The security firm said it has seen dozens of such attacks, which tap into a unique variant of a nasty bit of malware known as Sykipot.

The hackers appear intent on stealing data from the Department of Defense and other related agencies. The malware is capable of capturing the PIN numbers used by government smart cards, thereby allowing access to supposedly secure information.

"Like we have shown with previous Sykipot attacks, the attackers use a … Read more

Apple files Chinese trademark to protect Smart Cover

A few weeks ago, Chinese accessory makers fired off a Smart Case for the Samsung Galaxy Tab, claiming it was endorsed by Samsung, that looked remarkably similar to Apple's Smart Cover for iPad 2. Apple has now filed a figurative trademark in China to protect the Smart Cover design.

Samsung has since revealed that it did not officially endorse the Smart Case accessory and has distanced itself from the case. That hasn't stopped Apple from acting, however.

Patently Apple has uncovered an official figurative trademark for the Smart Cover in China, which if/when granted, should allow Apple … Read more