Starium (was Re: article: german secure phone)

[Bram Cohen]

On 4 Jun 2001, Perry E. Metzger wrote:

> I was unaware that Starium has ever released a product to be
> compatible with, and a quick glance at their web site fails to reveal
> products for sale. Am I mistaken on this? I would very much like to
> buy their products if they existed...

I heard from an investor that they decided the first box was 'not secure
enough' and spent a bunch more time and money building the second mox,
which makes it harder to do physical snooping at either end, as a result
of which they haven't shipped a product and are now imploding.

Said investor was quite insistent that not shipping the first model was
necessary for security reasons. How not shipping enhances security I don't
understand.

I'd have bought the first box (phone -> device -> regular phone jack,
green light comes on if encrypted) if it had shipped for under
$50. Hopefully someone will start selling them some day.

I *wouldn't* have bought the second one, since it wouldn't work with
cordless phones, and frankly, I just don't care that much.

-Bram Cohen

"Markets can remain irrational longer than you can remain solvent"
                                        -- John Maynard Keynes




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