Samsung's Core i5 Laptop Is Lighter, Thinner Than Air

[radiohead14]

Samsung responds to installation of keylogger on its laptop computers

In the first part of this two-part report, MSIA 2009 graduate Mohamed Hassan told of discovering a keylogger on two different models of Samsung portable computers. Today he continues the story. Everything that follows is Mr Hassan's own work with minor edits.

On March 1, 2011, I called and logged incident 2101163379 with Samsung Support (SS). First, as Sony BMG did six years ago, the SS personnel denied the presence of such software on its laptops. After having been informed of the two models where the software was found and the location, SS changed its story by referring the author to Microsoft since "all Samsung did was to manufacture the hardware." When told that did not make sense, SS personnel relented and escalated the incident to one of the support supervisors.

The supervisor who spoke with me was not sure how this software ended up in the new laptop thus put me on hold. He confirmed that yes, Samsung did knowingly put this software on the laptop to, as he put it, "monitor the performance of the machine and to find out how it is being used."

In other words, Samsung wanted to gather usage data without obtaining consent from laptop owners.

While in the Sony BMG security incident described in the first article in this pair one had to buy and install the CD on one's computer, Samsung has gone one step further by actually preinstalling the monitoring software on its brand laptops. This is a déjà vu security incident with far reaching potential consequences. In the words of the of former FTC chairman Deborah Platt Majoras, "Installations of secret software that create security risks are intrusive and unlawful." (FTC, 2007).

Samsung's conduct may be illegal; even if it is eventually ruled legal by the courts, the issue has legal, ethical, and privacy implications for both the businesses and individuals who may purchase and use Samsung laptops. Samsung could also be liable should the vast amount of information collected through StarLogger fall into the wrong hands.

[Mich Kabay adds:]

We contacted three public relations officers for Samsung for comment about this issue and gave them a week to send us their comments. No one from the company replied.

Good luck, Samsung! We see a class-action lawsuit in your future….

it was a false positive by an AV:

http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/31/samsung-reportedly-installing-keylogger-software-on-r525-privac/
http://www.f-secure.com/weblog/archives/00002132.html
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/hardware/samsung-keylogger-is-a-gfi-vipre-antivirus-false-positive/12128

 

[KPOM]

it was a false positive by an AV:

http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/31/samsung-reportedly-installing-keylogger-software-on-r525-privac/
http://www.f-secure.com/weblog/archives/00002132.html
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/hardware/samsung-keylogger-is-a-gfi-vipre-antivirus-false-positive/12128

That's good to hear. That said, given the FTC's recent settlement with Google over Buzz, doubtless this would have led to a hefty enforcement action if it were true.

 

[Icaras]

This is horrible. Just horrible.

 

[jamesryanbell]

I want to believe that Apple is ABOVE that sort of behavior. Don't ruin anything for me.

 

[SR71]

So, to bring this thread back from the the dead... does anyone here actually own both a MacBook Air AND a Series 9 that can do a comparison or has anyone actually seen or used one in person that can give us some info as to what it's like to actually see/hold?

 

[thuchu1]

A nice aluminum FACADE

The revolution of the duraluminum only goes as far as the faces that the user sees and interfaces with the most. it may be lighter and stronger, but the construction method doesn't take advantage of these nearly to the degree the macbook air does. from below it's just another plastic Windows machine.

 

[hcho3]

This Laptop costs more than 13 inch MBA. For 1599 dollars, I can get 13 inch MBA with 256GB SSD.

Once the price comes down, then I will take a look at it again.

 

[Cheffy Dave]

I dunno, when you look at it form the side, it doesnt look so great anymore.

from the side it looks like a razor clam, yuck!

 

[SR71]

This Laptop costs more than 13 inch MBA. For 1599 dollars, I can get 13 inch MBA with 256GB SSD.

Once the price comes down, then I will take a look at it again.

This.

The revolution of the duraluminum only goes as far as the faces that the user sees and interfaces with the most. it may be lighter and stronger, but the construction method doesn't take advantage of these nearly to the degree the macbook air does. from below it's just another plastic Windows machine.

Yup.

from the side it looks like a razor clam, yuck!

I agree.

 

[imahawki]

The most important question for me would be for $1600 is it still loaded down with crapware that usually can't be uninstalled effectively and slows down your brand new machine?

 

[onthecouchagain]

Someone mentioned briefly about the multi-touch trackpad... and I second that. I don't think I can ever go back to using a normal trackpad without gestures like the one Air/Pros have. It's just ingenious and gives the user so much control over their laptop; it's something I never imagined could be possible without a mouse.