It appears that researchers have detailed how they reverse-engineered the Dropbox client, even though the ‘frozen Python’ approach is supposed to make that impossible. The researchers, Dhiru Kholia and Przemyslaw Wegrzyn, were able to sidestep the SSL encryption scheme of Dropbox, and access the account of a ‘target’. Obviously, everyone should download the next release of Dropbox clients, because the company is likely to change their implementation.

This raises a more general security question, because the researchers say they could use the same techniques for other frozen Python apps.

The Ladbrokes betting service in the UK is sharing its odds making on the Next Microsoft CEO. Looks like an internal choice is highly favored, although I think that’s not a good idea. David Sacks of Yammer is not on the list, which is too bad. Jeff Raikes, the former head of Office and now working at the Gates Foundation might actually be a good pick, and his odds are 25/1. Reid Hastings is on the list at 16/1, and not someone I would have thought of, but he’d bring some new thinking to the job.

Parallels, the company that provides a virtual Windows platform for Mac OS devices, has announced Parallels Access, a tool to run Mac OS X and Windows apps on iPad. The mechanism is actually a remote desktop sort of architecture, where a running, connected Mac or Windows PC must be running Parallels Access software, and the iPad must be running and connected, running the software as as well. However, reviewers say that the app works as advertised, and cleverly supports iPad touch UX.

This may act as a goad to Microsoft to port Office to the iPad, and give up on the notion that Surface is the only tablet for Office. But in my case, nearly all the apps I run are available on iPad natively, or else have full web implementations. Office 365 does not have full implementation of Office apps in the cloud, and relies on an Office install on your desktop or laptop for full functionality, so there is no iPad web solution until now.