This week we report on a major iOS vulnerability, commend Google's brand convergence and make it easy for your mom to understand DNS. Read on for all this and more in the seventh issue of Fresh Insights (delivered 11 July 2011, subscribe to get it fresh).

Domain Name Servers in a Nutshell

Whenever you type a domain like google.com into your browser's address bar, a name server maps the name to an IP address on the Internet, just like mapping the coordinates of a street address on a map.

A domain's Start of Authority (SOA) record defines the primary name server to ask for an authoritative answer to your google.com DNS query. In this case the answer is ns1.google.com through ns4.google.com. To save time, this query traverses a long cache ladder, beginning at your nearest router and ending at one of the 13 root name server clusters that run the World Wide Interweb.

The authoritative name server then responds with an A Record that maps the human-readable domain name to a digital IPv4 address on the Interweb, which you can connect to and download content from.

Yes, the entire Internet Rolodex is run by 13 server clusters that propagate DNS records down to your ISP gateway. Cool.

Headlines

Dutch Pass First Net Neutrality Law

A new law preventing ISPs from pricing Internet services based on the underlying use of the service, was passed in the Netherlands two weeks ago, writes Ars Technica. This heralds an important milestone in our Internet history which limits anti-competitive fixed-line ISPs from overcharging on competing traffic like P2P Skype packets.

Google Retires Picasa, Blogger Brands

Google's foray into social has already increased its market cap by $20 billion. The search giant is now retiring its Picasa and Blogger brands to focus on its growing social network, Google+, reports Mashable.

This is a smart move because weak brands dilute core brands in saturated markets. Perfect branding lies in the sweet spot between unique and recognizable (see Perfect Domain Branding). Smaller brands with many competitors strengthen the core Google brand by living under the mothership's umbrella (see full comment on Hacker News).

Microsoft Coins On Android Tax

Microsoft gets $5 for every Android handset shipped by HTC for patent infringement and will seek $15 for each Samsung handset. Ironically, Android is more profitable for Microsoft than its search engine, Bing.

Major iPhone, iPad Security Hole

iPads and iPhones are vulnerable to a serious Safari PDF exploit, according to The Next Web. Loading an infected PDF file can grant an attacker root file privileges that could compromise user data. JailbreakMe.com uses the same exploit to install Cydia. Apple has vowed to patch the hole in an iOS 4.3.4 update.

Stay Tuned

Based on Google's recent acquisitions, will Google+ give Facebook a run for its money with social gaming?

Join our developer meetup later today in Stellenbosch. Students welcome!

If you read this far, you should follow me on Twitter and forward this to your mom.

Best
Petrus
freshcode.co
@FreshCode