Page 01 March 31.Indd

MONDAY 31 MARCH 2014 • [email protected] • www.thepeninsulaqatar.com • 4455 7741 inside Actors who CAMPUS cropped their • DPS-MIS shines at locks for a role Qatar Debate P | 4 P | 8-9 SCIENCE • New adhesive based on geckos’ feet Apple and Samsung P | 6 are hoping for some powerful customers WHEELS as BlackBerry goes • Autonomous vehicles face into decline. Could speed bump? even Obama switch? P | 7 HEALTH • Eating cruciferous vegetables may lower inflammation P | 11 TECHNOLOGY • App could help people shape their dreams P | 12 Which phones do Learn Arabic • Learn commonly used Arabic words world leaders use? and their meanings P | 13 2 PLUS | MONDAY 31 MARCH 2014 COVER STORY By Charles Arthur or years, the well-connected world leader would use nothing but a BlackBerry to get their email on the move — and it is still Barack Obama’s phone of choice. He uses a model Fspecially enhanced by the US National Security Agency. But the news earlier this month that the White House Communications Agency is testing other phones, including models by Samsung and LG, sent shivers through fans of the struggling Canadian smartphone company, which has just announced an annual loss of $5.8bn. For a world leader, security is much more than just having a passcode on your phone; it also means protecting it against attempted incursions from all the amateur and professional hackers, and more importantly spy agencies, who want to know to whom, when, what and where you have been speaking and reading. For a country’s leader to have their phone eavesdropped is the ultimate failure of their national spy agency, and a huge loss of face. With enhancements, BlackBerry has been the spy agencies’ phone of choice to guard against that so far. Now, though, Apple and Samsung – the two largest makers of smartphones – are starting to knock on the security services’ doors. And what if BlackBerry goes away? Though it may have pulled out of a death spiral, BlackBerry’s position as the phone of choice for top executives is less clear — and Apple has been touting ever-improving security on its iPhone, which has been edging out BlackBerrys even in financial institutions such as Goldman Sachs, once a redoubt for the keyboard-reliant phones. Yahoo, Pfizer and Halliburton have all said sayonara too. As rival devices improve their security, it could only be a matter of time before Apple or Samsung becomes the US leader’s phone — perhaps not during Obama’s presidency, but in his successor’s. Though the White House press secretary has World leaders and insisted that “the executive office of the president is not participating in a pilot programme” to replace Obama’s BlackBerry, it might only be a matter of time – though if Hillary Clinton succeeds him, her well-known affinity for it could their smartphones extend its survival just a little longer. Germany Angela Merkel’s mobile became the most famous phone in world politics when it emerged in October last year that the NSA had been monitoring the chancellor’s calls. But she has at least two phones she uses on a regular basis: the one that was allegedly monitored by US intelligence services, a Nokia 6260 Slide, was reportedly used for party matters only. For state affairs, Merkel uses a BlackBerry Z10, fitted with an encryption chip by Secusmart. The Düsseldorf company insists its software remains hack- proof and continues to market its device as the “Kanzler-Handy”, the chancellor mobile. US One of Barack Obama’s first battles when he arrived in the White House in 2009 was to keep his beloved BlackBerry, despite objections from administration lawyers and the secret service. “I’m still clinging to my BlackBerry,” he said at the time. “They’re going to pry it out of my hands.” Ever since, the US president has been permitted a modified BlackBerry handset, with enhanced encryption. Only a handful of senior White House officials and family have his personal email address. Three months ago he told a group of young people: “I am not allowed, for security reasons, to have an iPhone.” PLUS | MONDAY 31 MARCH 2014 3 Pakistan also be tied to security concerns before the Edward Snowden senior officials in the Workers’ In a country where unusual ingrained in him from his time revelations about the US party of Korea. Kim is one of an phone numbers are traded as as a KGB spy. The president is National Security Agency spying estimated 2 million mobile phone prestige items it’s not surprising also known to avoid the internet, on French citizens, which forced users among North Korea’s 25 to see well-heeled Pakistanis instead preferring to get his government ministers to abandon million people. The country carrying around at least two information from regular reports smartphones and tablets for markets handsets as its own, high-end smartphones wherever by his intelligence agencies. A official use from last August, the but they are all made in China they go. Nawaz Sharif, the three- television documentary from French head of state was given and rebadged with local brand time prime minister of one of the Putin’s office in 2012 showed red an ultra-secure Teorem phone names, according to Martyn world’s most populous countries, folders on his desk — probably with encryption capabilities. But Williams, who runs the North has been spotted using iPhones intelligence reports — and a bank Hollande’s predecessor, Nicolas Korea Tech blog. Foreign models and Samsungs. But these belong of old-fashioned beige telephones. Sarkozy, found the Teorem phone are also popular, but expensive. to members of his entourage who cumbersome, and refused to use it Use of mobiles in the North is act as gatekeepers to their boss. France because it took 30 seconds to dial confined to officials and their The only phone he carries is a far- The French president, François a connection, which “took too long families, wealthy residents of from-fashionable BlackBerry Bold. Hollande, is inseparable from his for him”, according to an aide. the capital, Pyongyang, and, A fan of the ailing phone maker’s iPhone 5. He is reported to be in Sarkozy, who had a BlackBerry increasingly, businesspeople and messenger service, Sharif uses it constant contact via text messages addiction, did not seem too traders with ties to China. Most to stay in touch with his family with his girlfriend Julie Gayet. worried about cybersecurity in phones run on the domestic 3G and close political allies who are But t h e presidential his early days as president: he was cellular service Koryolink, a privileged to have his number. iPhone is photographed handing his mobile joint venture between Egypt’s supposed to to Vladimir Putin at the 2007 G8 Orascom Telecom and North Russia be for personal summit in Heiligendamm as they Korea’s Ministry of Posts and The Russian president, Vladimir use only. shared a phone call. Telecommunications, although Putin, is famous for claiming Even These days, the former users near China can pick up a to not have a mobile, unlike the president has become more signal from carriers across the prime minister, Dmitry Medvedev, circumspect. In order to border. who is known for his love of Apple Italy’s prime minister, (unsuccessfully) avoid phone North Korean subscribers products and became one of the Matteo Renzi, is more taps, he bought a new mobile are not permitted to access the first owners of an iPhone 4 when under the borrowed name of internet via mobile phone – only Steve Jobs gave him the still- than just an iPhone Paul Bismuth. The real Paul to make calls and send texts unreleased phone in Silicon Valley. user – he is an Bismuth is threatening legal inside the country. There is no In 2006, Putin reportedly said he action against the former international access. Foreign had many mobile phones but did Apple devotee who president and his lawyer, a residents can use mobiles to not use any of them because he did once had himself school friend of the French communicate among themselves not have time and preferred to use photographed businessman who says his and make overseas calls, but not other methods of communication. identity was stolen. Meanwhile, to contact local North Koreans, But in 2010, the president said he beside the sign a French government memo Williams said. did not have a phone at all: “If I at the entrance advises ministerial phone had a cellphone, it would ring all users to adopt long passwords, Italy the time.” to the company’s which should be changed every Italy’s prime minister, Matteo But Putin’s aversion could headquarters. six months, never to leave Renzi, is more than just an their phone unattended, iPhone user – he is an Apple particularly when travelling devotee who once had himself abroad, and never, ever, to use photographed beside the sign at a smartphone for transmitting the entrance to the company’s sensitive information, headquarters. When Steve Jobs including in a text message. died, Renzi wrote a tribute to him on his Facebook page, calling North Korea him “the Leonardo da Vinci of Speculation about Kim our time”. Jong-un’s mobile phone Renzi has used his iPhone to use grew after he was send text messages of more than photographed at a national one sort. In 2012, when he first security meeting in January campaigned for the leadership 2013 with a smartphone that of the centre-left Democratic appeared to be made by the party, promising to rottamare Taiwanese company HTC. (demolish) the old leadership, South Korean media said he had a cover made for his the North Korean leader smartphone that bore the slogan probably used his handset to “Keep calm and rottama”.

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