[Tfug] Smart phone/tablet PC connectivity

[Bexley Hall]

Hi Erich,

On 5/1/2014 3:05 PM, erich wrote:
> OK,
> They have a connection to the internet using cellular network connectivity
> and sometimes bluetooth, but I've never seen such a device with other
> than that.

BT is usually for talking to peripherals (keyboard, mouse, etc.) *or*
a link to an external cell phone for the inet connection.

Older tablet PC's had lots of options in this regard.  The tablets
I use have (wired) ethernet, USB, BT and PCMCIA slots (add "whatever").
But, folks want slim and sexxy nowadays (mine are about as thick as
my index finger).  Connectors are costly, the source of failures and
impact the overall styling/size of the product disproportionately.

I'll admit to adopting the same ideas in my product designs.  Avoiding
the connectors is a huge win (think about how you would make something
survive being dropped into a toilet if it had connectors!).  But,
you can adopt proprietary encryption protocols to make eavesdropping
and MiM attacks less possible.

[OTOH, the home automation here is deliberately *wired* to avoid that
possibility entirely -- e.g., even a system employing "perfect
encryption" can be subverted simply by broadcasting *noise* on the 
appropriate bands!]

> No USB or RJ-45. Sure, there's often a standard USB connector, but this is
> merely for the battery charger.
>
> Why don't they have it? Well, there's no demand. The millenial
> generation has
> a much more relaxed attitude toward security than mine, (I'm 68)

(sigh)  Preaching to the choir here, Erich!  You'd think with the prying
eyes of employers wanting to check your <social_network> pages, they
would learn by now!  (this is information you have WILLINGLY disclosed)

But, even ignoring their influence, there doesn't seem to be an
active effort *anywhere* to promote privacy issues -- especially
in *design*!

[A conversation I had with RMS about this resulted in his advice:
"Give them the source code" -- as if having the source code to a
product would help Grandma adjust the device to *her* desired level
of privacy!  Sheesh!  The words "hammer" and "nail" come to mind...]

> My dream is to get a touchscreen tablet that I can install Linux, configure
> the kernel to my liking, and have other kinds of connectivity besides
> cellular network. IS there such a thing?

I think some of the IBM (Lenovo) tablets will do this for you.  You
may find the *cellular* link is the hardest to get support for (so,
you may have to "live without it"...)

--don