Stanford Streams Instant Replay to Mobile Devices
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01 28th, 2012 in
Mobile Computing
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IEST cleanroom apparel doc update includes measurement guide
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01 28th, 2012 in
Mobile Computing
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December 29, 2011 — The updated IEST “Garment System Considerations for Cleanrooms and Other Controlled Environments” recommended practice document includes new sections on measuring cleanroom footwear, frocks and other garments, as well as a new subsection for tracking system use, such as RFID chips and barcodes.
A new edition of IEST-RP-CC003.4, Garment System Considerations for Cleanrooms and Other Controlled Environments, includes a 20-page supplement on recommended garment measurement specifications. The supplement, Guide to Measuring Cleanroom Garments, provides illustrated instructions for measuring coveralls, frocks, hoods, and footwear.
The revised Recommended Practice (RP) is published by the Institute of Environmental Sciences and Technology (IEST).
Also read: ISO Cleanroom standards update
IEST-RP-CC003.4 addresses the gowning of personnel as a critical aspect of cleanroom contamination control. Specification and use of an appropriate gowning system is essential in preventing human-generated contamination from reaching and affecting product or processes in the cleanroom. The RP provides non-mandatory guidance for the selection, specification, maintenance, and testing of garments or apparel and accessories appropriate for use in non-aseptic and aseptic environments.
The RP defines required performance criteria, test methods, and procedures for gowning system use and maintenance. It also features guidelines for developing a quality control (QC) plan for the apparel and accessories that may be part of the system. This edition includes a new subsection on the use of advanced tracking systems, such as barcodes and radio-frequency identification (RFID) chips, to monitor garment service life. Also provided is a section describing types of fabrics and relevant properties and methods of testing of the materials used in cleanroom garments, as well as the design and construction of appropriate configurations and special features of such garments.
Appendix B explains the Helmke drum test method, introduced in an earlier edition of the RP and based on round-robin testing performed by the IEST Working Group. This method is used to quantify particles dislodged through the application of mechanical energy under dry conditions as a means of simulating particle shedding from the surface of the garment during use. Garments being tested are tumbled in a rotating drum to release particles from the fabric in a controlled manner, while a discrete-particle counter is used to sample the air within the drum.
Ordering information for IEST-RP-CC003.4 and other IEST publications is available at www.iest.org.
IEST is an international not-for-profit technical society of engineers, scientists, and educators that serves its members and the industries they represent (simulating, testing, controlling, and teaching the environments of earth and space) through education and the development of recommended practices and standards. IEST is an ANSI-accredited standards-developing organization; Secretariat of ISO/TC 209 Cleanrooms and associated controlled environments; Administrator of the ANSI-accredited US TAG to ISO/TC 209; and a founding member of the ANSI-accredited US TAG to ISO/TC 229 Nanotechnologies.
Tracking-Software Maker Stirs Phone-Privacy Fears
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01 27th, 2012 in
Mobile Computing
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Little-known software installed on millions of smartphones is raising fresh questions about what data are being collected from mobile devices, where it’s going and what it is being used for.
Security researchers have published blog posts and videos that appear to show software— from a company called Carrier IQ Inc.—collecting information on an HTCCorp. smartphone, running Google Inc.’s Android operating system. The software, which security researchers said was not transparently visible to consumers, is shown tracking actions such as when buttons are pressed and collecting personal data such as the content of text messages.
Phone-Privacy Fears
Such disclosures, which began making waves a couple weeks ago, prompted concerns from users and regulators alike, who began asking how many devices used the software and what it did. HTC said Thursday it isn’t a customer, but that some carriers require the software to be used. Apple Inc., meanwhile, said it was already phasing out use of the software.Nokia Corp., meanwhile, said it hasn’t used it.
A spokesman for Google said the search giant doesn’t have an affiliation with Carrier IQ, adding that it doesn’t control how mobile carriers or handset makers might customize Android. Google distributes the software free and allows device makers to change its code to add or remove features.
Some wireless carriers, including Sprint Nextel Corp., AT&T Inc. and T-Mobile USA, ask some of their phone manufacturers to put Carrier IQ on their devices. Each said they use the technology to monitor their networks and improve service.
The dust-up is the latest in a string of privacy controversies that have concerned consumers and lawmakers. Privacy researchers recently have uncovered information about smartphones tracking user’s location history and apps that access and transmit user’s personally identifying information.
On Capitol Hill, Sen. Al Franken (D., Minn.) has asked the company to answer questions about what data it collects, where that information is sent and how it is handled, among other things.
Carrier IQ said in a statement late Thursday that its software does not record, store or transmit the contents of text messages, emails, photographs, audio or video. Instead, it said it tracks whether text messages are sent accurately, for example, and figures out which applications drain a handset’s battery. The company maintained that the software it makes is used to monitor and improve device and network performance, not to collect personal information.
“Our software makes your phone better by delivering intelligence on the performance of mobile devices and networks to help the Operators provide optimal service efficiency,” it said.
“The revelation that the locations and other sensitive data of millions of Americans are being secretly recorded and possibly transmitted is deeply troubling,” Sen. Franken said in a statement. “Consumers need to know that their safety and privacy are being protected by the companies they trust with their sensitive information.”
The company earlier sent a letter to one security researcher, Trevor Eckhart, demanding he remove any reference to Carrier IQ in his published research, or face court proceedings and fines.
Carrier IQ later withdrew its demand after the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a digital rights advocacy group, backed Mr. Eckhart’s research.
The EFF said it is acting as legal counsel for Mr. Eckhart and will continue to monitor the situation. Mr. Eckhart didn’t respond to a request for comment.
A former executive of Carrier IQ described the company’s technology as a “mobile intelligence service” being used on roughly 150 million devices world-wide. He also said that wireless companies in particular use the product to help analyze dropped calls, for example, or understand how much data a user downloads to their phone.
“We give them insight that they previously haven’t had into their end users’ experience, and the usability of the product,” he said.
Dan Rosenberg, security consultant for Virtual Security Research, believes the software doesn’t create a comprehensive log of all user keystrokes and send it to carriers. Rather, based on his own analysis, it appears that certain key-presses can be recorded, which may be used for technical support.
HTC said Carrier IQ’s software is required by “a number of U.S. carriers,” and that it isn’t a customer or partner of the firm. HTC also said it doesn’t receive any data from the company or the carriers who partner with Carrier IQ.
Samsung Electronics said Carrier IQ is available on some of its phones, but that carriers must request that it be added. The South Korean company said it doesn’t receive any information from Carrier IQ.
Apple said it stopped supporting the software from Carrier IQ in most of its products when they were upgraded to the iOS 5 mobile operating system, which was released two months ago alongside the iPhone 4S.
Apple added that it plans to remove Carrier IQ completely in a future software update, though the tech company will still offer customers an opt-in diagnostic service that doesn’t include recording of button presses or collection of any other personal information.
Microsoft Corp. said it doesn’t ship Carrier IQ with its mobile phone software. U.S. cellular data carrier, Verizon Wireless, said it doesn’t add Carrier IQ to its phones.
Sprint said it requests handset makers to add Carrier IQ “because it’s a diagnostic tool that helps us make the phones work better and the networks work better and them all communicate better.” “Generally speaking, all carriers use some service like this to basically determine what issues are occurring and how to fix them.”Sprint said it doesn’t and can’t look at the contents of messages, photos, and videos using Carrier IQ.
AT&T said “we solely use CIQ software data to improve wireless network and service performance.”
Why is a Hosted Bug Tracking System Necessary for my Business?
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01 26th, 2012 in
Mobile Tracking System
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by cwgoodroe
A hosted bug tracking system is a valuable application for any company that monitors the quality of its services by computer. When your web browser suddenly closes on its own and you receive an automatic query asking if you would like to “report” the problem, that’s an example of a bug tracking system at work.
From a consumer perspective, bug tracking systems, also known as “task tracking software”, offer consumers an effective way to communicate possible software bug to developers and support staff, while for developers, a bug tracking system serves a dual purpose: it allows them to search for bugs prior to a program’s release and it allows them categorize and prioritize consumer reported bugs with the intent of producing a better product the next time around. So, if you think that no cares about your recalcitrant browser; think again.
The central component of a bug tracking system is a database that records factual information about known bugs, such as the severity of a bug, the time it was reported, the effect that it had on a program and what’s being done to fix it. Once a bug has been prioritized by severity and complexity and is being addressed, the system allows its administrators to evaluate the bug’s status according to the work being performed. In addition to providing information that can help a company refine its products and services, bug tracking systems also allow companies to generate reports that reflect how efficient a company’s programmers at fixing bugs.
Bug tracking systems come with various features and applications, depending on a company’s specific needs. For example, a local bug tracking system (LBT) can be used by application support specialists to monitor bug reports that have been communicated to software developers, the key feature being that the support specialists can monitor the reports in their own language and not the language of the developers. In addition, an LBT allows support specialists to determine which user complaints represent an actual problem within the application in question.
If you think that your business needs a bug tracking system but you lack the technical know how to assess which system would work best, consult with your computer support staff or an independent expert. Bug tracking systems are designed to accommodate every kind of task tracking need on every kind of budget. From small computer companies to large software producers, the systems are tailored to match the needs of every business. There are several bug tracking systems available online, with most of them being available in trial form.
Adding a consummate bug tracking system to your company’s software department will accomplish three things: improved customer satisfaction, a dramatic raise in productivity and a significant reduction in application downtime. In addition, bug tracking systems offer an easy way for developers to keep track of software coding changes and provide an interface for programmers and support specialists to monitor progress. If you plan on growing your company or producing widely used software, a bug tracking system will prove essential to your success.
A hosted bug tracking system is essential for any software company that produces widely used software. Also known as task tracking software, a bug tracking system allow you to efficiently track and prioritize consumer reports of software bugs. In addition, a bug tracking system will also allow your developers to address bugs prior to your programs’ release. Visit AdminiTrack.com for more info.