"3" Locks Down Symbian Smart Phone to Head Off Hackers.By Tony Cripps Hutchison 3G UK Holdings Ltd has locked down the new Motorola-built smart phone for its "3" service, seemingly in an effort to stop the device being used for nefarious purposes. However, the plan denies users of the device access to applications written for the similar Symbian-based handset from Sony Ericsson For an arrangement of Sony Ericsson products, see list of Sony Ericsson products Sony Ericsson is a joint venture established in 2001 by the Japanese consumer electronics company Sony Corporation and the Swedish telecommunications company Ericsson to make mobile phones. Mobile Communications AB. Symbian Ltd confirmed to ComputerWire last week that the A920 featured a "closed" version of its operating system operating system (OS) Software that controls the operation of a computer, directs the input and output of data, keeps track of files, and controls the processing of computer programs. , but 3 has only just confirmed what this means in practice. A spokesperson for the operator told ComputerWire that the device was being treated as a "walled garden Refers to a network or service that restricts its users to its own content. Cable TV and satellite TV are walled gardens, offering a finite number of channels and programs to its subscribers. " with users only able to install 3-approved applications on the device. By doing so, Hutchison is preventing users and developers from taking advantage of the basic similarities between the A920 and Sony Ericsson's established P800. With both phones using the same fundamental systems software - Symbian OS v7.0 and the UIQ UIQ User Interface IQ (smartphones) pen-based interface - the A920 could have come to market with a host of ready-made third-party applications. Symbian confirmed that P800 applications should, in theory, work with the A920. Hutchison's stance, while potentially irritating to users and developers, has some basis in common sense. The A920 is one of the most sophisticated mobile devices yet brought to market, combining the Symbian OS, high-speed 3G access and assisted global positioning system Global Positioning System: see navigation satellite. Global Positioning System (GPS) Precise satellite-based navigation and location system originally developed for U.S. military use. in one package. While there is little evidence yet of phone functionality being hijacked by hackers or rogue application writers, the A920's capabilities offer some of the best opportunities yet for exploitation. Hutchison's decision to lock down the A920 is similar to that used by Orange SA with its Microsoft-powered SPV SPV sheeppox virus. smart phone, which for some months after launch could only run Orange-certified software. However, Orange eventually relented, albeit in the guise of a "temporary" workaround (jargon, programming) workaround - A temporary kluge used to bypass, mask or otherwise avoid a bug or misfeature in some system. Customers often find themselves living with workarounds for long periods of time rather than getting a bug fix. to give developers access to the device for testing purposes. Hutchison appears likely to follow suit in due course. The spokesperson said the device would become more open going forward, although no time line was placed on this development. The operator has previously taken a similar approach to content, although it is now starting to bring in partner sites. |
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