IRC log for #neo900 on 20140429

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13:24.40DocScrutinizer05background reading, recommended: http://dontbreakthesails.blogspot.de/2014/04/sailfish-silica-half-open-sourced.html
13:43.38bencohhmm
13:45.31Zero_ChaosDocScrutinizer05: ahh, more promises broken. so surprising </sarcasm>
13:45.39Zero_ChaosDocScrutinizer05: thanks for the reading material though
13:45.58DocScrutinizer05yw
13:50.51dos1DocScrutinizer05: thanks, I'll need it :D
13:51.04dos1hi btw :)
13:51.57DocScrutinizer05huh? and hi!
13:52.17DocScrutinizer05dos1: you need what?
13:53.22dos1my talk about openmoko/openphoenux will be right after the talk about sailfish, so I need some solid data about why we're better ;)
13:55.54dos1I expect that people may ask "it's nice, but why not sailfish? isn't it also open after all?", so I should be able to answer properly given that some people familiar with sailfish will also be there :D
13:56.25dos1same with neo900 vs. jolla
13:56.38bencoh:)
13:57.23DocScrutinizer05ask the guy talking about sailfish, he's the one who wrote the blog :-)
13:57.59DocScrutinizer05(also receive that cordial slap from him, that I ordered for you ;D )
13:58.27dos1Posted by Filip Kłębczyk - damn, you're right! :D
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13:59.49DocScrutinizer05for a very simple answer: Jolla wants to make a living from software. We want to sell hardware, we don't care about software so obviously our concept is less tangled by commercial interests in FOSS
14:00.00pancakerDoes the neo900 have an open source baseband adapter? I was told this is where remote backdoors happen
14:00.33DocScrutinizer05pancaker: Neo900 has NO baseband adapter
14:00.45DocScrutinizer05it simply talks AT to modem
14:01.11pancakerif you had to guess, why dont any Android phones do this?
14:01.15DocScrutinizer05our "adapter" is the genuine linux USB driver for ttyACM
14:01.19pancakeror any other smartphones?
14:01.36DocScrutinizer05it's not possible when you wanna go cheap
14:01.54pancakerhow come? does it require new hardware or more?
14:01.56dos1pancaker: "android way" is cheaper, highly integrated, sometimes sacrificing security for performance
14:02.08pancakerohh
14:02.40DocScrutinizer05see jolla for example: it shares RAM between linux CPU and modem CPU
14:03.10DocScrutinizer05the firmware for modem resides on ~16 of the 20 partitions on eMMC storage
14:03.27bencoh(they could've go for the snapdragon apq, but nooo, msm all the way)
14:03.39dos1modem using DMA means that it doesn't need to bother CPU so much with copying data around
14:03.48pancakercould you say, in short, that the baseband adapter is just the hardware chip that allows the phone to talk to cell networks? and usually the firmware for it is closed source?
14:03.59mvaenskaeDocScrutinizer05: interesting link; so basically they make a google and lure everyone in with (FO)SS but then it actually isn't?
14:04.01dos1but it also means that CPU can't control memory access
14:04.05bencohpancaker: in short yeah
14:04.58pancakerand neo900 doesnt have this chip, and instead has software for it but requires special hardware making it more expensive than traditional companies trying to save money?
14:05.19DocScrutinizer05pancaker: a very simplified analogy: our modem is like an USB stick plugged to your PC, while theirs is like a graphics card plugged to an internal slot, with own bios and everything
14:05.27dos1pancaker: neo900 has a equivalent of USB dongle modem
14:05.29mvaenskaepancaker: i have so far not seen any FLOSS baseband adapter on the market
14:05.35dos1just included inside the case
14:05.38DocScrutinizer05dos1: faster ;-P
14:05.43dos1damn! :D
14:06.09pancakerthanks guys
14:06.13DocScrutinizer05yw
14:06.22DocScrutinizer05thanks for your interest in Neo900
14:06.26mvaenskaei wonder if there ever can be a floss adapater
14:06.33dos1the only FLOSS sw for baseband I'm aware of is OsmocomBB, but it works only on TI Calypso, which is limited to 2G
14:06.34pancakerand in the news, when it says a phone can be turned on with the battery unplugged, does that mean there is a tiny back up battery?
14:06.52dos1and it's illegal to use without proper permissions of course
14:07.02DocScrutinizer05no, that means somebody is fooling you
14:08.28DocScrutinizer05unless you talk about Neo900's and Openmoko's ability to enable modem when on external power and no battery plugged in
14:08.46DocScrutinizer05(btw even that doesn't really work)
14:09.22dos1DocScrutinizer05: Openmoko's? I always thought that modem was connected directly to battery on GTA02
14:09.27DocScrutinizer05we can turn on the system (linux, main CPU) but not the modem
14:10.01DocScrutinizer05dos1: yes, see ^^^
14:10.05pancaker"BTW, even if the battery is removed, a 'supercap' or small Lithium would be enough to capture voice and store it to the generous Nand Flash that cell phones now carry (to be sent later, once the main battery is connected),"
14:10.46DocScrutinizer05pancaker: a highly sophisitcated rant of an expert about imaginary threats
14:10.59pancakerheh
14:11.42DocScrutinizer05not possible on Neo900 and probably nowhere else
14:11.43dos1pancaker: then sleep calmly knowing that modem on neo900 won't have access to voice when your OS won't explicitely allow it :)
14:12.30pancakeris the baseband adapter replacement modular? in a sense that it uses open source projects or was it made from scratch? just wondering if it could be used with other projects or its really difficult to tie into other platforms? I saw this PiPhone recently http://www.davidhunt.ie/piphone-a-raspberry-pi-based-smartphone/ but it uses this http://www.micro4you.com/store/sim900-gprs/gsm-module.html
14:12.35DocScrutinizer05dos1: when the P*S8 module had an integrated battery for that scenario, I bet they also integrate the microphone ;-P
14:12.39dos1(unless we assume that there's a tiny mic embedded in the modem :P)
14:12.57DocScrutinizer05faster again ;-P
14:13.48DocScrutinizer05pancaker: we also use a module
14:13.54mvaenskaeare you brothers? you have the same answers ready
14:14.45pancakerDocScrutinizer05: very cool
14:15.05pancakerim guessing its not made in a way to easily tie into other projects though right?
14:15.13pancakerie PiPhone
14:15.16DocScrutinizer05http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=93095
14:15.38DocScrutinizer05has links to all the datasheets
14:15.42DocScrutinizer05#2
14:15.43dos1mvaenskae: nah, just NSA agents
14:15.47dos1we have scripts to follow :)
14:17.27mvaenskaedos1: liar, if you were you would have burnt it into my screen =p
14:17.29pancakerdata sheets comment was for me?
14:17.29DocScrutinizer05pancaker: here's one http://m2m.gemalto.com/tl_files/cint...t_PLS8_web.pdf
14:17.49pancakerDocScrutinizer05: got a full link?
14:17.56DocScrutinizer05ugh
14:18.03DocScrutinizer05http://m2m.gemalto.com/tl_files/cinterion/downloads/datasheets/gemalto_datasheet_PLS8_web.pdf
14:18.13pancakerthanks
14:18.17DocScrutinizer05yw
14:18.54DocScrutinizer05there's quite a number of similar modules out there to choose from
14:19.09DocScrutinizer05none of them is FOSS
14:19.15DocScrutinizer05that's not possible
14:19.46pancakerthanks DocScrutinizer05
14:20.29DocScrutinizer05telit, qualcom, I forgot the names
14:21.59DocScrutinizer05OEMs use chips rather than modules. To do that you need to buy really high quantities of those baseband chips so the chip manufacturer considers helping with design
14:22.14DocScrutinizer05Nokia for example even used own chips
14:22.24DocScrutinizer05BB5 modem
14:22.31DocScrutinizer05(c) Nokia
14:25.11DocScrutinizer05pancaker: and again: the "adapter" is a module (hardware) with an USB interface
14:25.30DocScrutinizer05it's really simple to 'integrate it' into other designs
14:25.57DocScrutinizer05well, *our* modem is...
14:26.38pancakerDocScrutinizer05: that makes more sense, thanks!
14:27.05DocScrutinizer05modem of Samsung and Jolla and whatnot else is tightly integrated into the one huge chip with all the functions of the system, so for those devices situation is significantly different
14:28.06DocScrutinizer05so different that they can't even guarantee security of their design
14:28.36DocScrutinizer05actually the modem can take over control of whole device on those desgns
14:29.19DocScrutinizer05while on our design that's physically impossible
14:29.28pancakerso neo900 wont have 1 chip with many functions, but will have more modular parts, where in the case of the baseband chip, will have a separate chip dedicated to talking to cell networks, and it will have opensource firmware? I dont get the purpose of the USB interface
14:29.54DocScrutinizer05yes, basically
14:30.41pancakerdoes the USB interface allow the modular baseband chip to tie into other platforms easily?
14:30.46DocScrutinizer05except that the baseband chip/module doesn't have FOSS firmware, never
14:30.56DocScrutinizer05yes
14:31.08pancakerit doesnt come with it, but allows devs to write open source replacement?
14:31.16DocScrutinizer05no
14:31.34DocScrutinizer05you can't mess with baseband firmware
14:31.52DocScrutinizer05it's locked down so nobody can modify it
14:32.09DocScrutinizer05except manufactuer who has the key to unlock
14:32.13dos1pancaker: see out first presentation by Nikolaus from OHSW on YouTube - he had "first prototype" there, which was basically modem with USB pins connected to USB socket
14:32.28pancakerwill check it out dos1 thanks
14:32.29DocScrutinizer05yes
14:32.51pancakermfg meaning neo900 or the chip maker
14:32.59dos1pancaker: he connected it to his PC and talked to it via emulated serial port, making a call to someone from the audience
14:33.26DocScrutinizer05of course manufacturer of the chip
14:34.12pancakerbut im confused from the start of our convo, how does neo900 get around the whole remote backdoor part, if it still uses a baseband chip, one that is dedicated to itself, the chip part, but doesnt run open source firmware
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14:35.21pancakerdos1: this vid? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWPmXxq1MdQ
14:35.29dos1yup
14:35.32pancakerthanks
14:37.33DocScrutinizer05pancaker: how's abackdoor in your printer (for example) compromising your PC?
14:37.53Zero_ChaosDocScrutinizer05: well first it compromises your network, then everything else on it.
14:38.10DocScrutinizer05no, since my printer has no access to any network
14:38.21DocScrutinizer05it has an USB cable attached
14:38.45DocScrutinizer05and a mains cable
14:38.50DocScrutinizer05and that's it
14:38.54Zero_ChaosDocScrutinizer05: yeah, but of course your printer doesn't have internet access, the baseband processor does.
14:39.13Zero_ChaosDocScrutinizer05: to be fair, his concern is legitimate even if a bit "tinfoil hat"
14:39.15DocScrutinizer05so what? how am I concerned about internet?
14:39.40Zero_ChaosDocScrutinizer05: if the baseband processor wants to send an extra copy of every bit to a different destination it can.
14:39.49DocScrutinizer05sure
14:39.52DocScrutinizer05so what?
14:39.57dos1Zero_Chaos: as can your provider
14:40.04Zero_Chaosdos1: agreed entirely.
14:40.08DocScrutinizer05do you have control over your bits that run through the internet?
14:40.41Zero_ChaosDocScrutinizer05: I'm just saying I believe that is pancaker's point, so comparing a printer to a networking device is like comparing a fish to a bicycle.
14:40.52DocScrutinizer05do I know if my printer maybe has a GSM modem built in so it can talk to "the internet"? Do I worry?
14:41.16DocScrutinizer05no, it's not
14:41.18Zero_ChaosDocScrutinizer05: ad absurdem is a weak defense.
14:41.38DocScrutinizer05your concern is moot
14:42.18Zero_ChaosDocScrutinizer05: I have no concerns, I was simply trying to explina what pancaker is saying. target your words better :-P
14:42.23pancakerI just read an article by CNET about how dept of justice allows phones to be remotely turned on and then they cited a mafia case, I dont know if its true, ive heard many say its possible and that a "baseband adapter" is what allows it, thats all
14:42.34DocScrutinizer05the modem is connected to internet, true. But it only sees bits and bytes I send to the internet *anyway*
14:42.51pancakerim ignorant about these phone parts, not technical like most of everyone here
14:43.33Zero_Chaospancaker: in those cases it was the onstar system on the vehicle.
14:43.42DocScrutinizer05pancaker: our modem has no control over any aspect of the system
14:44.08Zero_Chaospancaker: if you are chiefly concerned with security, blackphone might interest you as well.
14:44.13DocScrutinizer05no "remote turn-on" or whatever
14:44.48pancakerthose silentcircle people work for US govt
14:44.53DocScrutinizer05blackphone is bullshit, it has exactly this integrated modem that *can* take over control of whole system
14:45.25Zero_Chaospancaker: lol, which one?
14:45.30DocScrutinizer05on Neo900 it's physically impossible
14:46.10DocScrutinizer05blackphone is Zimmerman integrating ZRTP into an android phone, nothing more basically
14:48.05pancakerZero_Chaos: Mike Janke it seems
14:49.10pancakerthe usb/modular/ baseband chip, can that be plugged into other platforms and basically say not to use onboard baseband adapter and use the one via USB? or its not that easy
14:49.42DocScrutinizer05I don't know about other platforms
14:50.26mvaenskaethe blackphone has a nice name but that's it
14:50.31DocScrutinizer05there's a zillion of USB UMTS dongles out there, check if they are supported by your other platform
14:50.53mvaenskaeas soon as i saw it "another failed project, lucky for me i know of the neo900 project"
14:51.04DocScrutinizer05:-D
14:51.51mvaenskaeseriously, the neo900 looks to be the "most" secure phone there is as the baseband CANNOT control anything it itself has access to
14:52.07mvaenskaehas NOT access to
14:52.16DocScrutinizer05yes, that's the idea
14:52.56DocScrutinizer05AND we even do tight monitoring of the baseband module, so it can't even start doing things it shouldn't without us noticing it
14:53.01mvaenskaeif i use the modem i am broadcasting and that makes me a potential target
14:53.34mvaenskaeDocScrutinizer05: is there a hardware powerline to the chip the system can control?
14:53.43dos1I always try to analize "what they have that we don't have, so they have more media buzz and attention"
14:54.07DocScrutinizer05yes. Asking for complete privacy and secure connections while using internet access is something no network adapter can satisfy
14:54.11dos1when any project similar to blackphone comes up
14:54.33DocScrutinizer05mvaenskae: we have very precise current gauges on all powerlines to the modem
14:54.56mvaenskaeDocScrutinizer05: no way to turn it off in the sense if "unplugging" it?
14:55.00dos1and generally I come to conclusion that they usually are just sacrificing some parts of security to look atractive in other aspects, like performance, and just not talking about such details :P
14:55.14DocScrutinizer05mvaenskae: there's a switch to turn it down.
14:55.16dos1like integrated modem on blackphone
14:55.21DocScrutinizer05mvaenskae: integrated
14:55.33DocScrutinizer05it#s as good as any other switch
14:55.38mvaenskaeintegrated switch to turn modem off --> already beats blackphone
14:55.43DocScrutinizer05we can check if it does what it should
14:56.43DocScrutinizer05yes, obviously it beats blackphone since on blackphone the modem is integrated into SoC and you can't power down the SoC and hope to still use the device
14:57.15mvaenskaeDocScrutinizer05: i believe the "black" and "secure" comes from the fact that as soon as you turn the screen off it turns black and then it is secure ;)
14:57.25DocScrutinizer05and you can't probe the power consumption of the modem part of the SoC, like we do for modem module
14:58.01dos1DocScrutinizer05: idea: we need a full blown article about your modem firewall solution, describing it in a way so both non-technical people will understand the general concept, and technical ones will be able to get some details from it
14:58.26dos1that could be very buzz-worthy
14:58.28DocScrutinizer05dos1: problem: i'm a terrible writer
14:58.30Zero_Chaosthis would be a worthwhile use of time ^^
14:58.40DocScrutinizer05dos1: close to illiterate
14:59.23DocScrutinizer05I planned such article in January, and haven't made any progress on it so far
15:00.34DocScrutinizer05all my articles ever getting published been always with a co-author
15:00.42DocScrutinizer05see e.g.
15:00.43dos1DocScrutinizer05: so maybe just describe it, even in form of bulleted list or something like that, and then I (or someone else) will write an article based on it?
15:00.48DocScrutinizer05+batteryfaq
15:00.54DocScrutinizer05~batteryfaq
15:00.54infobotextra, extra, read all about it, batteryfaq is http://wiki.openmoko.org/wiki/Battery_Questions_and_Answers
15:01.32DocScrutinizer05dos1: sounds like a deal
15:04.38dos1great, that sure has potential to generate some additional interest :)
15:08.06mvaenskaemaybe hire someone from apple... those fella seem to be all about marketing
15:36.57FIQyeah seems like they usually get stuff done by marketing
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