Linked List: April 10, 2012

Tuesday, 10 April 2012

If this doesn’t make your day, you’re not hooked up right.

Apple support document:

Apple is developing software that will detect and remove the Flashback malware.

In addition to the Java vulnerability, the Flashback malware relies on computer servers hosted by the malware authors to perform many of its critical functions. Apple is working with ISPs worldwide to disable this command and control network.

Ziptastic ★

Great idea:

Ziptastic is a simple API that allows people to ask which Country, State, and City are associated with a Zip Code.

The purpose for this service is to STOP the madness of having to fill those information out on webforms. If you’ve ever filled out a webform, then you have probably gotten to the address section and simply entered in your street information and then your city, state, country and then your zip code. This has always bothered me because the 3 fields prior to the zip code can be determined from the zip code!

(Via Jim Ray.)

‘Hard to Say’ ★

Frederic Lardinois, writing for AOL/TechCrunch:

It’s hard to say how popular Chrome OS, Google’s browser-centric operating system, really is.

Actually, it’s quite easy. Chrome OS is not popular at all.

Instagram’s Buyout: No Bubble to See Here ★

Andy Baio argues $1 billion for Instagram isn’t crazy.

Why Is Instagram Worth $1 Billion to Facebook and Zuckerberg? ★

Andy Ihnatko:

Troublingly, my best theory was that Mark Zuckerberg stood to inherit a trillion dollars from his eccentric uncle, but only if he could spend a billion dollars in less than an hour without acquiring any tangible property.

I’m a sucker for a Brewster’s Millions reference.

What Happens When a 35-Year-Old Man Retakes the SAT? ★

Drew Magary, writing for Deadspin:

If you’re 35 years old and you’re thinking about retaking the SAT as a kind of blog stunt, I would highly recommend you avoid it. In fact, I would recommend that no one take the SAT ever. It’s a sternly worded dinosaur of a test, graded in an arbitrary manner with outdated equipment, and it blows. The only reason people take it is because they have to. It exists only so that preppy dipshits can brag about their scores well into adulthood if they did well. I hate it. I hope the Princeton Review gets fucked by a cattle prod.

How Apple Could Make a 4-Inch iPhone ★

“Modilwar”, in a well-illustrated piece on The Verge forums:

But then last week, while watching the Vergecast episode 24, came the Eureka moment. A caller named Colin (apologies if I got your name wrong) mentioned how he thought apple could increase the iPhone screen size without effecting the external form factor or pixel density. […]

Colin’s idea was to keep the shorter side of the iPhones screen the same, i.e. 640 pixels at 1.94 inches. With that in mind how much would the longer side need to increase so the that diagonal measurement was 4 inches. The answer, derived using simple algebraic rearrangement of Pythagorus’s theorem, 1152 pixels and 3.49 inches. That leaves the the diagonal length measuring a little over 3.99 inches, I’m sure Apple PR could round this 4.

For those of you who are good with numbers I’m sure you’ve noted that 1152 × 640 has an aspect ratio of 9:5 and the 1152 pixels is and increase of 192 from 960 and that’s 20% more than on the iPhone 4 and 4S.

Methinks “Colin” wasn’t merely guessing or idly speculating.

Facebook and Instagram: When Your Favorite App Sells Out ★

Paul Ford:

Remember what the iPod was to Apple? That’s how Instagram might look to Facebook: an artfully designed product that does one thing perfectly.

Brilliant.

A New Window Manager for Chrome OS ★

Did you know Google was still working on Chrome OS?

Claim Chowder Check-In: Shantanu Narayen on Tablets ★

Tricia Duryee, reporting from All Things D last June:

Adobe’s Shantanu Narayen debunked a myth today at D that there’s an ongoing feud between it and Apple over running Flash on iOS.

Still, he didn’t hesitate downplaying Apple’s early lead in the tablet market, saying over the long-term, he is putting his money on Google’s Android, which runs Flash (coincidentally).

How’s that working out for Adobe?

U.S. Government, Carriers Plan a National Database of Stolen Cellphones ★

Rolfe Winkler, reporting for the WSJ:

The nation’s major wireless providers have agreed to a deal with the U.S. government to build a central database of stolen cellphones — part of a broad effort to tame an explosion of thefts nationwide.

The database, which the wireless companies will build and maintain, will be designed to track phones that are reported as lost or stolen and deny them voice and data service. The idea is to reduce crime by making it difficult or impossible to actually use a stolen device, reducing resale value.

Another non-ironic finally.