Today in Tech!

Global warming getting downright hot. University of CA. scientists are reporting that another side effect of global warming has been more and nastier wildfires in southern California. A lot of this is due to statistical analysis, however, with records reporting as many as four times the annual number of wildfires today than back in the 70s–not quite defintive that it’s global warming.

Verizon releases updated camera phone. Verizon just launched the Samsung SCH-a990 camera phone, whose claim to fame is a 180-degree flip capability that turns it into a 3.2 megapixel digi-cam, including a built-in flash and photo editing software. See, if that was a 5- or 7-megapixel camera, I might be impressed–but what’s really the point of 3.2?

Hacker-type snags FBI director’s password. An IT consultant used freely available software to scan the FBI’s network. The prizes he found were passwords, including those of the FBI director. The FBI has been struggling to update its computer systems, and this pretty much underscores the need for that. Identity management system anyone?

Hacker battles begin on Sony PSP. The home-brew console hackers movement has a new target: The Sony PSP. Sony has been issuing software updates that allow users to play a few new games but really close all the loop holes that hackers have been using to modify thier devices. So the home-brew crowd is deciding not to update its PSPs in order to effect hacks using its built-in wireless. Oh yea, and the xBox 360 is a target, too.