Year: 2001

RSA Security and Hifn have announced a new technology patch for the Wireless Equivalent Privacy (WEP) protocol designed to encrypt communications transferred over standard 802.11 (AirPort) wireless networks, according to c|net. The current WEP implementation is flawed in that the encryption keys used to hide transferred data are too similar to each other and are thus relatively easy to crack.

Henry Norr speculates on possible Macworld Expo announcements in his latest column for The San Francisco Chronicle, including a flat-panel iMac and faster Power Mac systems. In addition, Norr discusses Adobe’s possible plans for the show and his distaste for Microsoft Office v.X.

Final Cut Pro 3 has begun shipping from the Apple Store, according to shipping notices sent to a number of MacMinute readers. Meanwhile, another MacMinute reader notes that his PowerBook G4 order placed last week was automatically upgraded to the new, combo drive-equipped PowerBook G4 free of charge.

MacMinute has learned that the Mac OS X-compatible Adobe Photoshop 7.0 will be released sometime around June of next year and will not make its debut at Macworld Expo in San Francisco next month. The much-anticipated image manipulation application is still in beta testing after moving from internal alpha testing in late November. Sources say that to minimize disappointment of the many who were expecting the release of Photoshop in January, Adobe is considering showing the beta version at its booth at Macworld Expo.

Despite turbulent economic conditions, Internet payment service PayPal has filed an amended prospectus with the Securities and Exchange Commission concerning its proposed initial public offering of 5.4 million shares at between US$12 and $14 each, according to c|net. The company estimates net proceedings from the IPO at about $63.3 million. PayPal has applied to list on Nasdaq under the symbol “PYPL”.