Samsung adding anti-theft solutions to smartphones

SAN FRANCISCO — Samsung Electronics will add two safeguards to its latest smartphone in an effort to deter rampant theft of the mobile devices nationwide, the company said Friday.

The world's largest mobile-phone maker said users will be able to activate for free its "Find My Mobile" and "Reactivation Lock" anti-theft features to protect the soon-to-be-released Galaxy 5 S.

The features that will lock the phone if there's an unauthorized attempt to reset it will be on models sold by wireless carriers Verizon and U.S. Cellular. The phones go on sale next week.

"Samsung takes the issue of smartphone theft very seriously, and we are continuing to enhance our security and anti-theft solutions," the company said in a statement.

The announcement comes as San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and other U.S. law enforcement officials demand that manufacturers create kill switches to combat surging smartphone theft across the country.

Earlier this week, California legislators introduced a bill that, if passed, would require mobile devices sold in or shipped in the state be equipped with the anti-theft devices starting next year — a move that could be the first of its kind in the United States. Similar legislation is being considered in New York, Illinois, Minnesota, and bills have been introduced in both houses of Congress.

In July, Samsung officials told Gascon's office that the major carriers were resisting using kill switches. However, Gascon and Schneiderman said in a joint statement Friday that Samsung's latest move sends a strong message that the wireless industry can work together to make consumers safe. The prosecutors have given the manufacturers a June deadline to find solutions to curb smartphone theft.

"More work needs to be done to ensure that these solutions come standard on every device, but these companies have done the right thing by responding to our call for action," the prosecutors said. "No family should lose a mother, a father, a son or a daughter for their phone. Manufacturers and carriers need to put public safety before corporate profits and stop this violent epidemic, which has put millions of smartphone users at risk."

Apple created a similar "activation lock" feature for the popular iPhone last year.

Almost one in three U.S. robberies involve phone theft, according to the Federal Communications Commission. Lost and stolen mobile devices — mostly smartphones — cost consumers more than $30 billion in 2012, the agency said in a study.

CTIA-The Wireless Association, a trade group for wireless providers, has said a permanent kill switch has serious risks, including potential vulnerability to hackers who could disable mobile devices and lock out not only individuals' phones but also phones used by entities such as the Department of Defense, Homeland Security and law enforcement.

The association created a national stolen phone database last year to remove any market for stolen smartphones.

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Follow Terry Collins at: https://twitter.com/aptcollins

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Desperate hunt is on for Flight 370 'black boxes'

PERTH, Australia — Planes, ships and two submersible sound locators were deployed Saturday to again scour a remote patch of the Indian Ocean in the increasingly urgent hunt for the Malaysia Airlines jet that vanished four weeks ago.

A multinational team is desperately trying to find debris floating in the water or faint sound signals from the plane's flight recorders that could lead them to the aircraft and help unravel the mystery of its fate.

Beacons in the black boxes emit "pings" so they can be more easily found, but the batteries only last about a month. And officials say that the more time that passes before any floating wreckage is found, the harder it will be to find the plane itself.

So far, there's been no sign of the Boeing 777.

The recorders could help investigators determine why Flight 370, which disappeared March 8 while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people aboard, veered so far off-course.

Two ships with sophisticated equipment that can hear the recorders' pings were deployed for the first time on Friday along a 240-kilometer (150-mile) route investigators hope may be close to the spot where they believe the plane went down.

Those ships, the Australian navy's Ocean Shield and the British HMS Echo, were returning to the search area on Saturday, along with up to 13 military and civilian planes and nine other ships, the agency coordinating the search said.

Weather conditions in the area, which have regularly hampered crews trying to spot debris, were fair with some rain expected, the Joint Agency Coordination Centre said.

Because the U.S. Navy's pinger locator can pick up signals to a depth of 6,100 meters (20,000 feet), it should be able to hear the plane's data recorders even if they are in the deepest part of the search zone — about 5,800 meters (19,000 feet). But that's only if the locator gets within range of the black boxes — a tough task, given the size of the search area and the fact that the pinger locator must be dragged slowly through the water at just 1 to 5 knots (1 to 6 mph).

Officials said there was no specific information that led to the underwater devices being used for the first time on Friday, but that they were brought into the effort because there was nothing to lose.

Australian Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, head of the joint agency coordinating the operation, acknowledged the search area was essentially a best guess, and noted the time when the plane's locator beacons would shut down was "getting pretty close."

Finding floating wreckage is key to narrowing the search area, as officials can then use data on currents to try to backtrack to where the plane hit the water, and where the flight recorders may be.

The overall search area is a 217,000-square-kilometer (84,000-square-mile) zone in the southern Indian Ocean, about 1,700 kilometers (1,100 miles) northwest of the western Australian city of Perth.

The search area has shifted each day as investigators continue to analyze what little radar and satellite data is available while factoring in where any debris may have drifted.

Australia is coordinating the ocean search, and the investigation into the plane's disappearance is Malaysia's responsibility. Australia, the U.S., Britain and China have all agreed to be "accredited representatives" of the investigation.

Meanwhile, the Air Line Pilots Association, a union that represents 30,000 pilots in North America, said in a statement that the Malaysia Airlines tragedy should lead to higher standards of plane tracking technology being adopted by the airline industry.

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Associated Press writers Eileen Ng and Gillian Wong in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Rod McGuirk in Canberra, Australia, and Kristen Gelineau and Rohan Sullivan in Sydney contributed to this report.

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BMW’s SUV runs like a hot rod

Some cars you just know are fast, others have a flashy appearance to compensate for a lack of performance and then there's the 2014 BMW X5, a hot rod disguised as a sport utility vehicle.

Our $73,000 X5 tester was the top-shelf 50i model with a twin turbocharged 4.4-liter, V8 engine. BMW seamlessly blends luxury and cargo capacity in its flagship all-wheel-drive SUV and leaves it up to the driver to discover the X5's astonishing power and coupe-like handling.

BMW actually calls the X5 a "sport activity vehicle" rather than an SUV, which I agree better suits our tester, considering the X5's low ground clearance and 20-inch, low-profile tires. While the X5's sophisticated all-wheel-drive provided peace of mind when I got caught in sleet and then snow on an early spring commute, this BMW, with its robust exhaust note, seemed better suited for the drag strip than picking its way along a rocky dirt road.

When I took the wheel of the X5, I had only a vague notion of the beast under the hood. The first few days, I soaked up the interior's distinctive European leather aroma and dialed in the seemingly infinitely adjustable driver's seat that provided firm support with just enough comfort. I focused on the superb handling that kept the X5 flat through the corners with a decent amount of steering feedback.

Initially, I drove the compact SUV the same way I drive my own car, using the cruise control to conserve fuel. One day on my way to work, I thought I forgot my laptop. I pulled off the highway to check, and sure enough it was in the back. Now I had to find a gap in traffic and get the X5 up to highway speed. I toggled through the X5's drive modes from "Eco Pro," which boosts fuel economy, and the road- dulling "Comfort" mode to the "Sport Plus" mode, which ramps up throttle response, adjusts the shift points of the 8-speed transmission and stiffens the suspension.

After waiting for traffic to clear, I stomped the accelerator. The BMW's 445 horses came to life and I was thrust into my seat. The sides of the road blurred and the 
tachometer jumped far to the right with each precision shift. Cars in the rearview mirror vanished and glancing at the speedometer, I was suddenly well beyond the 5-10 miles per hour of speed limit grace that most state troopers grant motorists. I laid off the accelerator and set the cruise control to an appropriate speed. I couldn't wait for the toll booth up ahead to do it all over again.

City fuel economy at 14 miles per gallon is certainly a downside to the X5's powerful V8 engine. BMW does offer the X5 with a turbo-charged inline 6-cylinder and a diesel option as well, both of which greatly improve the SUV's fuel economy. On top of the $68,000 base price, the X5 has several trim packages. We had the $3,600 M Sport line, which includes upgraded seats and transmission along with "M" badging on the steering wheel, foot rest, and door sills. The X5 50i is a bit overpriced considering the absence of safety technology such as adaptive cruise control, blind spot warning and lane departure warning, some of which are available at an extra cost.

Even with a large rear cargo area that expands with fold-down rear seats, the X5 was a thrill to drive, and it lives up to BMW's reputation, a well-built luxury car with an emphasis on performance.

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5-year-old finds flaw in Xbox Live security

SAN DIEGO — A 5-year-old San Diego boy has outwitted the sharpest minds at Microsoft — he's found a backdoor to the Xbox.

Kristoffer Von Hassel managed to log in to his father's Xbox Live account. When the password log-in screen appeared, Kristoffer simply hit the space button a few times and hit enter.

Robert Davies tells KGTV-TV (http://bit.ly/1hmrTan ) that just after Christmas he noticed his son playing games he supposedly couldn't access.

Davies, who works in computer security, says he reported the issue to Microsoft, which fixed the bug and recently listed Kristoffer on its website as a "security researcher."

A Microsoft statement says "we take security seriously" and thanks customers for highlighting issues.

It's not the Kristoffer's first triumph. At a year old, he bypassed a cellphone toddler lock by holding down the "home" button.

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LPGA Tour boss 'disappointed' with Golf Digest

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. — LPGA Tour Commissioner Mike Whan weighed in Friday on Golf Digest's provocative cover featuring Paulina Gretzky.

"Obviously, we're disappointed and frustrated by the editorial direction (and timing) Golf Digest has chosen with the announcement of its most recent magazine cover," Whan said in a statement at the Kraft Nabisco Championship, the tour's first major tournament of the year.

"If a magazine called Golf Digest is interested in showcasing females in the game, yet consistently steers away from the true superstars who've made history over the last few years, something is clearly wrong. ... 'Growing the game' means a need for more role models and in these exciting times for women's golf, the LPGA is overflowing with them."

The cover photo shows Gretzky in skintight capris and a bra.

Known for provocative pictures on her social media accounts, Gretzky is former hockey star Wayne Gretzky's daughter and PGA Tour player Dustin Johnson's fiancee.

Former LPGA Tour star Lorena Ochoa in 2008 was the last female pro to appear on the magazine's cover. Golf Digest featured Golf Channel's Holly Sonders in May 2013 and model Kate Upton posed with Arnold Palmer for the December issue.

"It's frustrating for female golfers," third-ranked Stacy Lewis said. "It's kind of the state of where we've always been. We don't get respect for being the golfers that we are. Obviously, Golf Digest is trying to sell magazines. But at the same time you'd like to see a little respect for the women's game."

Jerry Tarde, Golf Digest's editor in chief, released a statement about the cover.

"Sports figures, celebrities and models have appeared on Golf Digest covers since the magazine's beginning," Tarde said. "Paulina ranks at the high end of the golf celebrity scene today, and she has a compelling story to tell. She also might get some new people interested in the game."

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Fitchburg couple takes over Marshall Farm

FITCHBURG, Mass. — Jim Lattanzi is no stranger to hard work. At 29, he has operated a highly successful food-truck business, started a farm in his Hollis Hills home backyard with wife Allison, and expanded the business to include maple sugaring.

The couple, who are expecting their first child in the summer, are taking their business to a whole new level after purchasing Marshall Farm in Fitchburg, and expanding their services beyond home-grown beef, bacon, chicken, eggs and maple syrup.

In addition to providing those services in the farm's store, they plan on providing apple picking and pumpkins in the fall and full-service breakfast at their state-of-the-art kitchen and restaurant.

The couple had been looking for a place to move their farm for about a year, and Allison Lattanzi said her mother approached her about Marshall Farm being on the market. She said she initially brushed it off, thinking Jim wouldn't be interested.

The next time he saw his mother-in-law, she told Jim about the farm and a light instantly went off in his head, she said.

"My mother is very involved in this farm," she said.

Purchasing the 100-acre farm is like coming home for Jim Lattanzi, he said. When he was first getting his food-truck business off the ground, he used to lease kitchen space at Marshall Farm from the owner.

Their retail store will not only sell products from Hollis Hills farm but from other farms in the area, including Carlisle Honey in Tyngsboro.

"We're looking to revive this place," he said, while noting he and Allison first began pondering the idea in the fall. "The opportunity just presented itself."

The couple closed on the property March 25.

Lattanzi said Marshall Farm has a rich history in the city, and it is his hope to bring back some of the historical charm.

"We're excited to bring this back as an institution to the city of Fitchburg," he said.

He said for many years in recent history, the farm had moved away from being a fully functioning farm and dabbled in other business ventures.

"We're looking to change it back to a fully functioning agricultural farm and provide clean food to the community," he said.

The couple also bought the Marshall homestead, which was built in 1784, and is next to the farm. They plan to move in this spring.

Despite the move, he said, the farm will still have a presence in Lunenburg.

"I still have a ton of crop land in Lunenburg. It's still a vital part of our business," he said. That includes fields he hays and maple taps that provide sap for his maple syrup.

Lattanzi was renting the old Ewen's Sugar Shack in Lunenburg and has since moved the entire operation to the farm and upgraded a lot of the equipment.

The couple said they are appreciative of all they were able to do in Lunenburg and feel they still have a lot to offer.

"We work with excellent landowners in Lunenburg. Lunenburg has always been an agricultural community. You definitely like to see your farm help to maintain that," he said.

Allison Lattanzi said one of the biggest things they focus on when raising their animals is attention to detail.

"We're not pushing out animals for the fastest production," she said. "We maintain our soils and pay close attention to the environment.

She said they use no hormones or antibiotics with their animals.

Jim Lattanzi said that principle has become more and more important now as more and more people want to "see where their food is coming from."

"We're more farm to table, using what you get from us on our farm and use those ingredients in everything we make that we put on the table," he said.

Lattanzi was one of the driving forces in establishing an Agricultural Commission in Lunenburg and helping to write a right-to-farm bylaw for the town, and although he said he still plans on being active in the farming community, this was a chance to help grow his business.

-KATINA CARAGANIS, Sentinel & Enterprise

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7M enrolled doesn't guarantee health law's success

WASHINGTON — Seven million people signed up, so there is an appetite for President Barack Obama's health care law.

But that doesn't guarantee success for the country's newest social program.

The next enrollment season, which starts Nov. 15, will bring big challenges.

First off, keeping premiums and other consumer costs in check.

Close behind — overhauling an enrollment process that was advertised as customer-friendly but turned out to be an ordeal.

Health insurance expert Larry Levitt of the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation says the Obama administration has demonstrated that the law can work, but people are a ways off from being able to judge its success.

Republican opponents of the law keep pushing for a repeal, but as millions get insurance, how long can the party's strategy remain a politically viable option?

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Secrecy surrounds execution drugs in most states

ST. LOUIS — The vast majority of the country's 32 death penalty states refuse to disclose the source of their execution drugs.

A review by The Associated Press has found that the states cloaked in secrecy include some with the most active death chambers. Texas, Florida, Oklahoma and Missouri are among them.

The secrecy comes as most states now rely on loosely regulated "compounding pharmacies" for execution drugs but refuse to name them. They cite concerns about backlash that could endanger the supplier's safety.

Defense attorneys question how an inmate's constitutional right against cruel and unusual punishment can be guaranteed if nothing is known about the drug being used to kill him.

Proponents say forcing states to reveal their drug source can amount to obstruction of justice by delaying executions.

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Welsh-Huggins reported from Columbus, Ohio.

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Glance: Execution drug secrecy in 5 states

An Associated Press survey of the nation's 32 death penalty states found that the vast majority refuse to disclose the source of their execution drugs. Some states with laws shielding information about execution drugs and policies and the challenges to those laws:

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GEORGIA

Law: Shields the "identifying information of any person or entity who participates in or administers the execution of a death sentence and the identifying information of any person or entity that manufactures, supplies, compounds, or prescribes the drugs, medical supplies, or medical equipment utilized in the execution of a death sentence."

Challenge: A state court last year stayed an execution after a death row inmate challenged the law. The case is pending before the state Supreme Court, which has effectively halted executions.

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LOUISIANA

Law: Identities of people "who participate or perform ancillary functions in an execution of the death sentence, either directly or indirectly, shall remain strictly confidential and the identities of those persons and information about those persons which could lead to the determination of the identities of those persons shall not be subject to public disclosure in any manner."

Challenge: The law is not currently the focus of litigation, although the state has previously defended it. The U.S. Supreme Court is now weighing an appeal by a death row inmate trying to get information about the seller and maker of drugs the state uses in executions.

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MISSOURI

Laws: Shield the "identities of members of the execution team, as defined in the execution protocol of the department of corrections." Last year, the Missouri Department of Corrections amended its protocol to show that the execution team consists of "contracted medical personnel" and department employees. The phrasing allows the department to include the pharmacy that makes its execution drug as part of the team and not subject to public scrutiny.

Challenge: A lawsuit filed on behalf of 16 inmates claims Missouri's refusal to name the drugmaker, even privately to attorneys, makes it impossible to know whether the drug is suitable for an execution, or whether its use could violate the constitutional guarantee against cruel and unusual punishment.

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OKLAHOMA

Law: Shields the "identity of all persons who participate in or administer the execution process and persons who supply the drugs, medical supplies or medical equipment for the execution. ... The purchase of drugs, medical supplies or medical equipment necessary to carry out the execution shall not be subject to the provisions of The Oklahoma Central Purchasing Act."

Challenge: The state revealed the drug combination it plans to use this month on two inmates after a judge ruled they had a right to know about the drugs. The state attorney also said promised a lab analysis to ensure the efficacy of the drugs and provide it to anyone who requests it.

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TEXAS

Position: Texas announced that it found a new source of compounded pentobarbital but will not reveal the identity of the supplier.

Challenge: The U.S. Supreme Court declined to halt the execution Thursday of an inmate who sought to get the Texas prison system to disclose more information about where it gets lethal-injection drugs.

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Anti-gay marriage group calls for Firefox boycott

SAN JOSE, California — A major backer of same-sex marriage bans is calling for a boycott of the Firefox web browser after the politically charged resignation of Mozilla CEO Brendan Eich.

Eich served as CEO of Mozilla, which created Firefox, for only a few days because of a flurry of online outrage over his $1,000 contribution supporting California's now overturned anti-gay marriage law in 2008.

The National Organization for Marriage, which backed the law, on Friday urged consumers to remove the Firefox web browser from their computers as a sign of protest.

Eich's abrupt departure has stirred the debate about the fairness of forcing out a highly qualified technology executive over his personal views.

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