iPhone Cruncher

How’s this for an undocumented feature? Apple’s newer MacBook, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro notebooks have a security flaw that can allow hackers to remotely prevent the batteries from charging. Better yet, hackers can exploit the same flaw and remotely cause batteries to explode. Apple laptops’ new “smart” battery technology is intended to provide added control over power management, and it does just that. Unfortunately, it also gives hackers added control because the microcontroller chip that ships in recent Apple laptops can be accessed remotely using a default password shared by each and every notebook. Charlie Miller, the security expert who discovered the vulnerability, plans to showcase the flaw next month at the Black Hat security conference. There, Miller will show that he is able to access the battery controller remotely and cause it to refuse a charge, or even heat up until it catches fire and explodes. “These batteries just aren’t designed with the idea that people will mess with them,” Miller told Forbes last week. “What I’m showing is that it’s possible to use them to do something really bad.” Thankfully, the security expert also intends to showcase a fix for the flaw, which Apple will hopefully implement as soon as possible.

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Mobile phones including the iPhone can be used for other things other than calling and here is one which turns you Apple device into a virtual universal remote control. The i-Got-Control Universal Remote allows you to control various devices through the usual infrared interface.

Features:

• Turn your iPhone into a color touchscreen universal remote
• Simply download the free app and plug in the included IR adapter
• Codes for thousands of different devices built in
• Create your own codes by “teaching” them from your original remote
• Store all your favorite devices and switch between them easily
• No batteries required

The i-Got-Control iPhone Universal Remote can be yours for $69.99 over at Thinkgeek.

L5 Technology today introduced the L5 Remote, an accessory and free app that turn any iPhone or iPod touch into a universal remote control. Launching at ShowStoppers @ CES, the L5 Remote provides consumers with a powerful alternative for replacing multiple and often-confusing remote control devices.

The L5 Remote transforms the iPhone and iPod touch into a personal universal remote that controls televisions, DVDs, DVRs, cable boxes, audio equipment, and most other products that come with an infrared remote.

The L5 Remote is portable and does not require batteries, Wi-Fi or external power to work.

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