Cutting Edge Technology in the news

[calikid]

"Makes me wonder just HOW FAR Microsoft can drop in value/market share. The bigger they are....."

'Wintel' on the wane: Intel goes Google

Intel has been synonymous with Windows PCs seemingly forever. But it's trying to change that in a hurry. Enter Google.
by Brooke Crothers

The fact that Microsoft and Intel no longer rule the personal computing world isn't news. But what happens next is.

I'll start with a flashback from the early '90s. I remember attending the launch of Windows 3.1 when I lived in Japan. Kazuhiko Nishi, former friend and business partner of Bill Gates, made a statement that foretold the fate of the Japanese PC industry as well as the global PC market.

I'm paraphrasing, but he said Microsoft was the chassis and Intel the engine of the personal computer. The point, of course, was that the two companies controlled the Windows PC and, as a consequence, controlled the digital computing world.

That was then. Today, Intel needs to be the engine powering the non-Windows world. That's where the explosive growth is.

So Intel is turning to Google. I've been hearing from sources at Intel for a long time that Android is the future. And Intel said as much to CNET this week.

Expect to see Intel-based Android laptops and hybrids priced between, let's say, $200 to $500 in the coming months. (Likely, at first, from companies such as erstwhile Netbook vendors Asus and Acer.)

A lot of the above will emerge in Asia, not necessarily the U.S.

And those aren't the only new Android devices you'll see. Intel's Communications Group is also pushing hard into Android phones. The Lenovo K900 and Motorola RAZR I, and phonelike devices such as the Asus FonePad, come to mind. Intel will continue to expand this business in developing countries.
Story Continues (http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-57581751-92/wintel-on-the-wane-intel-goes-google/)

[calikid]

I may never understand the stock market, MS is having a terrible year, market share/sales-wise, but their stock is more valuable than ever?!?
Not what I would have predicted. :confused:

Microsoft shares hit five-year high despite Windows 8 flop

With solid earnings and big growth in corporate sales and cloud-computing technology, Microsoft's stock reaches levels not seen since 2007.
by Jay Greene

The news may seem bleak for Microsoft these days, what with Windows 8 sales disappointing, and the PC market itself sliding.

But don't tell Wall Street. Microsoft shares closed Tuesday at $33.10, their highest level in more than five years.

Microsoft shares have been moribund for the better part of the last decade. Investors have come to view the company, once the most valued stock in the world, as one with limited growth opportunity, particularly as rivals Apple and Google race ahead in key consumer markets.

The recent stock bounce, which gained momentum earlier this month, is largely a reflection of the strength of Microsoft's enterprise software and cloud services business. The software giant posted solid, but not spectacular, third-quarter results on April 18, making its biggest gains with business customers.

The company has seen good growth in its Office 365 productivity service. Microsoft recently noted that its Azure cloud computing technology is now generating more than $1 billion in annual sales. And last week, ValueAct Holdings disclosed that it has accumulated a $1.9 billion stake in Microsoft, bullish on its cloud-computing prospects.
Story Continues (http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-57582240-75/microsoft-shares-hit-five-year-high-despite-windows-8-flop/)

[calikid]

Youthful indiscretion can come back to haunt you. Best to keep it in your pants, especially when a camera is around.

“Revenge porn” suit targets generic porn sites, Web hosts

Woman sues ex-boyfriend and four sites that allegedly hosted her nude pictures.
by Timothy B. Lee

A Florida woman who says her ex-boyfriend uploaded compromising pictures of her to various websites has filed a lawsuit against numerous parties connected to her plight. It's the second well-publicized lawsuit fighting back against "revenge porn" sites.

Like the first lawsuit, it seems to be taking a broad, confused view of who's responsible. The lawsuit not only names the woman's ex-boyfriend, but also four websites she says hosted the pictures—and even their Web hosting companies.

Plaintiff Holly Jacobs says that her ex, Ryan Seay, "took, appropriated, or otherwise obtained pornographic images" of Jacobs while they were dating. After the relationship went sour, Seay allegedly "began publishing pornographic photographs and video of the plaintiff as well as plaintiff's name, occupation, details about her schedule, and other personal and private facts about the plaintiff on various websites."

Jacobs describes the defendant websites—sextingpics.com, anonib.com, pinkmeth.tv, and xhamster.com—as "revenge pornography" sites that "traffic in pornographic photographs of young women and children as well as private facts and details of the victims." But looking at the sites, one gets a rather different impression.

XHamster appears to be a generic website for user-submitted pornography. Its "about us" page states that "we created a perfect platform for users to share their own amateur content and for producers to advertise their professional works." We didn't see any sign that the site was geared toward revenge pornography. Story Continues (http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2013/05/revenge-porn-suit-targets-generic-porn-sites-web-hosts/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+arstechnica%2Findex+%28Ars+Te chnica+-+All+content%29)

[CasperParks]

I shake my head each time I hear that the law must be broken, in order to uphold the law.
If it's a bad law, repeal it. If it's a good law follow it.
No exceptions.
Sorry if it is inconvenient, but if I have to follow the law, then my government (and my ISP) should too.

U.S. gives big, secret push to Internet surveillance

Justice Department agreed to issue "2511 letters" immunizing AT&T and other companies participating in a cybersecurity program from criminal prosecution under the Wiretap Act, according to new documents obtained by the Electronic Privacy Information Center.
by Declan McCullagh

Senior Obama administration officials have secretly authorized the interception of communications carried on portions of networks operated by AT&T and other Internet service providers, a practice that might otherwise be illegal under federal wiretapping laws.

The secret legal authorization from the Justice Department originally applied to a cybersecurity pilot project in which the military monitored defense contractors' Internet links. Since then, however, the program has been expanded by President Obama to cover all critical infrastructure sectors including energy, healthcare, and finance starting June 12.

"The Justice Department is helping private companies evade federal wiretap laws," said Marc Rotenberg, executive director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, which obtained over 1,000 pages of internal government documents and provided them to CNET this week. "Alarm bells should be going off."

Those documents show the National Security Agency and the Defense Department were deeply involved in pressing for the secret legal authorization, with NSA director Keith Alexander participating in some of the discussions personally. Despite initial reservations, including from industry participants, Justice Department attorneys eventually signed off on the project.

The Justice Department agreed to grant legal immunity to the participating network providers in the form of what participants in the confidential discussions refer to as "2511 letters," a reference to the Wiretap Act codified at 18 USC 2511 in the federal statute books. Story Continues (http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-57581161-38/u.s-gives-big-secret-push-to-internet-surveillance/)

With corporations and governments in bed together, wonder if they are passing STDs to each other.

[norenrad]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMcpWxF9hbI

[calikid]

SNL GOogle Glass Sketch
Appears the tech is not exactly ready for prime time.... :rolleyes:

[enigphilo]

Government Lab Admits to Using Quantum Internet for Two Years

This might be the biggest tech humblebrag ever. A team of scientists at Los Alamos National Labs has quietly shrugged its shoulders and admitted to the fact that, yeah, it's been using quantum internet for, like, the last two years. Whatever.

Steady on there, cowboy! If you're not familiar with the concept of a quantum internet, then you should be. The dream of many a security expert, it's a concept that uses the laws of quantum mechanics to create perfectly secure online communication. The idea is that measuring a characteristic of a quantum object—like a photon—always changes it, so attempts to intercept messages screws them up and renders them incomprehensible.

Story (http://gizmodo.com/government-lab-admits-to-using-quantum-internet-for-two-493293340)

[Doc]

It sounds like a lot of steps for a benefit that may be elusive. If they are doing it for the experimental value, well, that would be something else

[calikid]

Loved this FPS game when it first came out. Hope the reboot is half as good!
Wolfenstein: The New Order revealed
The rumors were right. Bethesda today announced Wolfenstein: The New Order, a new entry in the seminal first-person shooter series heading to Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC, and next-generation consoles during Q4 2013.

Wolfenstein: The New Order revealed
By Eddie Makuch

New game from Bethesda and MachineGames coming to current- and next-gen consoles in Q4 2013.

The New Order is set in 1960 after the Nazis won World War II. Gamers play as the familiar American war hero B.J. Blazkowicz and are tasked with launching an "impossible counter-offensive" against the Nazi powers that have taken over the world.

Set in Europe, The New Order will have players infiltrating Nazi strongholds and battling legions of enemies, while taking control of "super weapons" that the Nazis have used to dominate earth--"and beyond," Bethesda teased. Story Continues (http://www.gamespot.com/news/wolfenstein-the-new-order-revealed-6407979)

[calikid]

The Senate has passed the bill, now it's up to the House of Reps. Death & Taxes. If you walk to work, we'll tax your feet.
If as a businessman, I'm going to work for the governments collecting/tracking sales tax, how much do I GET PAID for me work? :(

Internet sales tax: What you'll pay, and when
By Heather Kelly

Internet shoppers could be one step closer to having to pay sales taxes on online purchases.

In a vote on Monday, the U.S. Senate passed the Marketplace Fairness Act, which will require all online retailers to collect sales taxes for the states where they ship goods.

The legislation still needs to pass the Republican-controlled House before it can become a law. White House spokesman Jay Carney has said that President Obama supports the bill.

Why is there no online sales tax now?

Until now, online shoppers have enjoyed buying items from e-commerce sites mostly sales-tax free. That's because older laws require stores to collect sales tax only on goods shipped to states where they have a physical presence, such as a distribution center or a physical store.

The primary reason for not requiring sales taxes for products sold across state lines is that it was just too complicated. Having to juggle the various sales tax laws and amounts for all 45 states that have sales tax was seen as a burden on businesses.

States that collect sales tax often have different rates depending on the type of goods being sold. Alcohol might have a higher sales tax rate while some goods like groceries dental equipment can be tax free. Within a state, cities and counties can charge additional taxes.

What's changed?

The most recent Supreme Court ruling that addressed the issue was in 1992, when Internet commerce was non-existent and computer software not as advanced.

Advocates for the online sales tax argue that current technology makes it possible to simplify and automate the task of collecting sales taxes for various states. Story Continues (http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/06/tech/web/internet-sales-tax/index.html?iref=allsearch)

[CasperParks]

From ABC News:


Earl: World’s First Solar-Powered Backcountry Survival Tablet:

Jon Perry says his inspiration behind making a tough, reliable and rugged expedition gadget came from his long-time outdoorsy companion – his dog Earl. Now the world’s first backcountry survival tablet, also named Earl, is in development and asking for some crowdsourcing support.

Through June 9, you can be a project backer and reserve your own unit for just $249, 30 percent below the expected retail cost. Unit production is on track to begin in July, according to a post on the project website.

Earl is solar-powered, features a 6″ flexible Amazon Kindle-looking E-ink touch screen and is water/dust/shock/mud-proof. The tablet runs a version of Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) and keeps you connected while braving the wild with GPS onboard, FRS, GMRS and MURS two-way radio connectivity for up to 20 miles, and a built in AM/FM/SW/LW radio tuner.

The device can reach full charge on five hours of sunlight and that’s enough power for 20 hours of operation. Other mountain man features are “glove friendly� touch, gyroscope motion controls and the ability to measure temperature, humidity and barometric pressure.

Read more at ABC News (http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/technology/2013/05/earl-worlds-first-solar-powered-backcountry-survival-tablet/)


Also found this, similar:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTjyVHqVHL4

[CasperParks]

Another style for flying car / plane in development.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=bp2TWNpTA7s



Published on May 6, 2013 at youtube

TF-Xâ„¢ is the practical realization of the dream of countless visions of the future; it is designed to be the flying car for all of us. In order to achieve this long-sought-after vision, Terrafugia will focus the TF-Xâ„¢ program with clear goals that enhance the safety, simplicity, and convenience of personal transportation. We believe these goals are achievable today.

Terrafugia's Transition Street-Legal Airplane is laying the ground work for TF-X as a Poof of Process for flying cars. Learn more at: Terrafugia (http://www.terrafugia.com/tfx-vision)

Wonder what the cost will be?

[calikid]

Who says crime doesn't pay? Now if they live long enough to spend it. Black Ops payback?

8 charged in $45 million cybertheft bank heist
By Chris Isidore

Federal prosecutors unsealed charges Thursday against an alleged cybertheft ring accused of stealing $45 million from banks around the globe and using the loot for Rolex watches, luxury cars and other booty.

The charges were announced in Brooklyn, N.Y., by U.S. Attorney Loretta Lynch.





The eight defendants charged Thursday withdrew $2.8 million from New York banks in two separate attacks this past December and February, Lynch said. Each attack was pulled off in a matter of hours.

While the eight were taking the money from the New York banks, additional co-conspirators made more than $42 million in withdrawals at other banks across the world.

Authorities are still searching for other members of the global crime ring, Lynch said.

How the alleged theft went down

The ring used prepaid MasterCard debit cards that were issued by the National Bank of Ras Al-Khaimah PSC, located in the United Arab Emirates, and the Bank of Muscat, located in Oman.

The thieves hacked into the banks' systems to drastically increase the amount available on the cards, and then used the information about the cards to withdraw money at banks around the world.

Bill Stewart, a senior vice president at Booz Allen, said that while these hackers might have been sophisticated, using common criminals to withdraw cash from ATM machines shows that some cybercrime is still surprisingly low tech.

"The run of the mill criminals are more common [in cybercrime] than you think," said Stewart, an expert on cybercrime who works with financial firms.

He said the fact that the hacked banks were in the Middle East shows that cybersecurity in the global financial system is only as strong as the weakest link.

"There are still many institutions these days are not practicing good security hygiene," he said. "So these kinds of attacks work."

The eight suspects allegedly made nearly 3,800 separate transactions to withdraw the $2.8 million. That makes it the second largest theft on record in New York City, surpassed only by the 1978 Lufthansa heist made famous in the movie "Goodfellas."

While $45 million is one of the largest global bank robberies on record, it is not the largest. In July 2007, the media reported that guards at a private bank in Baghdad made off with at least $282 million in U.S. currency that was being stored there.

During the first attack in December 2012, the New York group allegedly withdrew $400,000 in 750 separate ATM transactions at more than 140 different locations in New York City in less than three hours.

Then in February, the perps withdrew $2.4 million in 3,000 ATM withdrawals made in just over 10 hours. Lynch described the group as a "virtual criminal flash mob, going from machine to machine drawing as much money as they can before these accounts are shut down."

They deposited some of the cash into bank accounts, in one case putting almost $150,000 in $20 bills into one account. They also bought expensive cars, watches and other luxury items.

Federal authorities said they have seized bank accounts, hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, two Rolex watches and a Mercedes SUV. They are in the process of taking possession of a Porsche.

According to a statement from Lynch's office, one of the eight defendants, Alberto Yusi Lajud-Peña, described in the indictment as the leader of the group, was murdered in the Dominican Republic on April 27. The others were arrested over a six-week period that began March 27 and ended Tuesday.

Related: New tools to stop cybercrime

Lynch, the prosecutor, said her office worked with law enforcement authorities in 16 countries -- including Japan, Canada, Germany and Romania -- as part of the investigation.

"The defendants and their co-conspirators participated in a massive 21st century bank heist that reached across the Internet and stretched around the globe," said Lynch. "In the place of guns and masks, this cybercrime organization used laptops and the Internet." Story Continues (http://money.cnn.com/2013/05/09/technology/security/cyber-bank-heist/index.html)

[calikid]

As if there were not hundreds of other ways to make zip guns (improvised devices/methods to fire a bullet).
IMHO, the guys with a zillion dollar 3D printer are not the ones we need to worry about.

U.S. State Department latest to crack down on 3D-printed guns

The State Department demands that Defense Distributed, which has created a series of 3D files used to print firearms, take down the files because they could violate export restrictions.
by Daniel Terdiman

The latest governmental attack on 3D printed guns came from the U.S. State Department on Thursday.

In a letter sent to Defense Distributed, a nonprofit advocating for the creation of 3D printed firearms, the State Department demanded the removal from a public Web site of a set of 3D files used to print gun components. The State Department said that the online dissemination of the files could violate restrictions on exporting guns covered by International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR)

Defense Distributed founder Cody Wilson said he obeyed the federal directive. It followed the announcement yesterday by California state Sen. Leland Yee, a Democrat, of legislation that would ban 3D printed guns, and a bill from Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY) that restricted firearms that could be used to evade airport security. But some, including gun-control advocates, feel that these concerns are overblown. Story Continues (http://news.cnet.com/8301-11386_3-57583832-76/u.s-state-department-latest-to-crack-down-on-3d-printed-guns/)

[calikid]

So a company raises $16M+ in startup funding to form a company that processes bitcoin. 2 weeks later ICE (a subsidiary of Home Land Security) steps in and squashes the operation due to an ongoing investigation? I would not be a very happy investor. Either the company failed due diligence, or ICE is using some secret techniques that interfere with legal commerce. Not good either way.

Homeland Security cuts off Dwolla bitcoin transfers

Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirms an "ongoing investigation" that led to Dwolla cutting off bitcoin transfers to Mt. Gox.
by Declan McCullagh

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security confirmed it has initiated legal action that prompted the Dwolla payment service to stop processing bitcoin transactions.

Nicole Navas, a spokesperson for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, confirmed the legal action to CNET this afternoon.

Dwolla, a Des Moines, Iowa-based startup, which raised $16.5 million in funding two weeks ago, notified users about the move earlier Tuesday. It blamed the decision on "recent court orders" limiting its ability to send money through Mt. Gox, the largest bitcoin exchange.

"In order not to compromise this ongoing investigation being conducted by ICE Homeland Security Investigations Baltimore, we cannot comment beyond the information in the warrant, which was filed in the District of Maryland earlier today," Navas told CNET.

Mt. Gox did not respond to questions from CNET. It did, however, post a statement to its Google+ account saying:



MtGox has read on the Internet that the United States Department of Homeland Security had a court order and/or warrant issued from the United States District Court in Maryland which it served upon the Dwolla mobile payment service with respect to accounts used for trading with MtGox. We take this information seriously. However, as of this time we have not been provided with a copy of the court order and/or warrant, and do not know its scope and/or the reasons for its issuance. MtGox is investigating and will provide further reports when additional information becomes known.

Chris Coyne, co-founder of OkCupid, posted a screen snapshot of email he said he received from Dwolla this afternoon. It says: "Dwolla will be unable to complete your recent bank transfer [to Mt. Gox] and any future transactions."

Dwolla is not elaborating. Jordan Lampe, a company spokesman, told CNET that "Dwolla advanced the news of the seizure to Mt. Gox in under an hour of its execution. At their request, Dwolla followed up the initial communication to Mt. Gox with a copy of the warrant." Story Continueshttp://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-57584511-38/homeland-security-cuts-off-dwolla-bitcoin-transfers/

[norenrad]

Domino's Pizza DVD Campaign


http://youtu.be/DgJef5ZgeiQ

"A special thermal ink on the DVD reacts to the heat of the DVD player, not only releasing pizza odor but also causing a picture of a pizza to appear on top of the disc."

[Doc]

Smellovision? :biggrin2:

[calikid]

The reason I keep pepper spray on my key chain. One tough kid, regretful it had such a sad end.

Teen dies trying to hold onto iPad during theft, police say

A 15-year-old in Las Vegas dies after the passenger in a car allegedly tries to steal his iPad as he walks down the street. Police say the teen wouldn't let go of his iPad and was run over.

by Chris Matyszczyk

It's a natural instinct to resist if someone tries to steal something out of your hand.

In Las Vegas on Thursday afternoon, that instinct might have cost a 15-year-old boy his life.

As the Las Vegas Sun reports, Marcos Vincente Arenas was walking down the street, holding an iPad.

Police say an SUV pulled up alongside him. A man allegedly got out of the passenger seat and tried to wrest the iPad from Arenas.

The teen wouldn't let go of the device, so, investigators say, he was dragged along by the alleged thief toward the vehicle.

He was still near the passenger door when the car took off. Arenas was run over and died in hospital of his injuries.

Police have issued descriptions of both the driver and the passenger of the SUV, said to be a white Ford Explorer or Expedition.

This is the latest and most gruesome example of the phenomenon known as "Apple-picking."

Though not exclusively confined to Apple devices, there is a nationwide increase in the public theft of gadgets.

Cities such as New York and San Francisco have been particularly vulnerable to such thefts, with some criticizing cell phone manufacturers for not doing enough to prevent them. Indeed, some believe that gadget companies see a stolen phone or tablet as a sales opportunity.

In New York, 14 percent of all crimes last year were iPhone and iPad thefts. In San Francisco, nearly half of all robberies in 2012 involved a cell phone.
Story Continues (http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-57585166-71/teen-dies-trying-to-hold-onto-ipad-during-theft-police-say/)

[A99]

It's a natural instinct to resist if someone tries to steal something out of your hand.

That's absolutely true. I should know because I've been mugged 3 times in my life and in all of those incidents, my instinctual reaction was to hold on tight to my briefcase or purse when the mugger was trying to grab it out of my hand. There would momentarily be a tug-o-war going on between me and the mugger until I would then instantaneously come to my senses and let go of the object and let him have it. But then without thinking, in all 3 of those cases, after the mugger would grab my belonging and then, like a bat out of hell, take off with it, I immediately would chase after the mugger until I would come back to my senses the second time round and stop abruptly in my tracks and let the guy just run off with it in fear that he will turn around and run back after me especially after he would look back and see that I was running after him!

I'm no different than anybody else and too bad for that young teenager because he was only acting instinctually but it ended up costing him his life! How tragic! It does not make any difference if it was an expensive ipad or a cheap candy bar, that kid would have had the same initial instinctual reaction in the same kind of event.

PS -- but too bad that kid didn't follow his second instinct to just let go of his ipad....

[CasperParks]

That's absolutely true. I should know because I've been mugged 3 times in my life and in all of those incidents, my instinctual reaction was to hold on tight to my briefcase or purse when the mugger was trying to grab it out of my hand. There would momentarily be a tug-o-war going on between me and the mugger until I would then instantaneously come to my senses and let go of the object and let him have it. But then without thinking, in all 3 of those cases, after the mugger would grab my belonging and then, like a bat out of hell, take off with it, I immediately would chase after the mugger until I would come back to my senses the second time round and stop abruptly in my tracks and let the guy just run off with it in fear that he will turn around and run back after me especially after he would look back and see that I was running after him!

I'm no different than anybody else and too bad for that young teenager because he was only acting instinctually but it ended up costing him his life! How tragic! It does not make any difference if it was an expensive ipad or a cheap candy bar, that kid would have had the same initial instinctual reaction in the same kind of event.

PS -- but too bad that kid didn't follow his second instinct to just let go of his ipad....

Sad, and over an i-Pad... Moral decay in our society is getting worse.

[whoknows]

Are we really any better or worse than we ever have been morally, or are we just to attached to our stuff?

I didn't mean that to be funny this is not funny.

But is this not an example of where an how we misplace our values? Material things are always going to be temporal.

[calikid]

Are we really any better or worse than we ever have been morally, or are we just to attached to our stuff?

I didn't mean that to be funny this is not funny.

But is this not an example of where an how we misplace our values? Material things are always going to be temporal.

Frankly I have a problem rolling over and playing dead.
In my book, the criminal bears the brunt of the blame.
This teenager did not ask to be placed into a life & death situation, he was thrust into it. :mad:
Poor risk assessment is a hallmark of teenagers.... should not have cost him his life.
Hope they find the scum responsible; makes the case for capital punishment.

[calikid]

I have not read the full proposed legislation yet, but in the past Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has sponsored many positive personal liberty initiatives. Worth researching; just Google "unlocking technology act".

Unchain Your Phone With the Unlocking Technology Act


The Unlocking Technology Act provides an effective fix to a real problem in copyright: companies can exploit one-sided laws to prohibit users from modifying or repairing their devices by locking the technology with software.

One casualty of that massive copyright overreach is phone unlocking. Common sense may tell us that copyright law shouldn't prevent people from unlocking their legally purchased devices to work with other carriers, but the legal situation is murky. Earlier this year, over 100,000 Americans petitioned the White House for a fix.

And the problem isn't limited to phones—it can affect almost every device you own. Already these restrictions have ensnared security researchers, film makers, software developers, and more—people that are engaged in legitimate and non-infringing activities.

Please tell Congress now that you support this essential fix to a bad copyright law. Story Continues (https://action.eff.org/o/9042/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=9238)

[calikid]

Where ARE the affordable touch screens for the desktop system? Not only would such upgrades help fire up the PC hardware industry, it would probably make a move to Win8 much more attractive.
Cause of PC malaise? Designs not 'compelling,' says Intel

Intel executive admits devices haven't been good enough to justify an upgrade, but says the company's new processor will get things moving.
by Brooke Crothers

PC designs have been lackluster, offering no good reason to upgrade, according to an Intel executive speaking at the company's Spring Analyst Summit in London.

Navin Shenoy, vice president and general manager of the Mobile Client Platform division, was responding to a question from an analyst when he said the following on Thursday:

We think the usage patterns aren't the driver for elongation [of the PC upgrade cycle]. It's more that we haven't had products in the marketplace that were compelling in any way to the existing product, either from a form factor point of view, a battery life point of view, a security point of view, a responsiveness point of view...now we have all of those things.

Story Continues (http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-57586024-92/cause-of-pc-malaise-designs-not-compelling-says-intel/)

[whoknows]

Frankly I have a problem rolling over and playing dead.
In my book, the criminal bears the brunt of the blame.
This teenager did not ask to be placed into a life & death situation, he was thrust into it. :mad:
Poor risk assessment is a hallmark of teenagers.... should not have cost him his life.
Hope they find the scum responsible; makes the case for capital punishment.

Been thinkin about your reply for a few days and still not sure why it elicited a “Roll over and Die”

The place I was placing blame primarily was the culture we live in. I think it is a valid observation and is where we need to look change I think rather than just chopping of heads as an effort to precipitate change.

Quote Originally Posted by Nighthawk View Post
"Just look at us. Everything is backwards, everything is upside down. Doctors destroy health, lawyers destroy justice, psychiatrists destroy minds, scientists destroy truth, major media destroys information, religions destroy spirituality and governments destroy freedom."

Michael Ellner.

All I can say is that though we cannot allow ourselves to be “run over” and those who persist in harming others for whatever reason need to be sequestered in some way.

On the other hand, the ultimate anti-authoritarian came to supplant the old law as we knew it “an eye for an eye.” It (the law)was, rather, fulfilled, with love. Through a death. This is one of those old fashioned thing people really give little thought to these days, and the only way it can work is for each of use to act locally within ourselves, then we will just begin to able to think globally. Reconnect to that from which we come and cannot separate ourselves from. Though we turn our backs most of the time.

As I have said so, so many times before if we can learn to “love ourselves” we could preclude the need for law or rulers or priest, or dare I say it lobbyist.
It’s kind of akin to a chain reaction, to love one’s self, you want the best for yourself, and by extension you will want the best for those around you. It’s old “golden rule” but it cannot happen anywhere until happens within each of us individually for we are the only ones we have control over and we can force no one, as we were not, but by choice alone. By being rather than seeming we can at least exemplify a better way?

Sorry for the dissertation, but I guess I am not very clear at times, not sure I am now either.

[calikid]

"Not rolling over" had to do with the point of the original news article. The insinuation that the youth's reflex to hang onto the item rather than meekly surender it was what cost him his life.
Seemed to place the blame on the victim.
IMO it Just seemed wrong.
Even if the teen made a poor risk assessment, (again IMO) it should not have escalated to life & death.
I blame the criminals for commiting the crime, not the victim.

As for society alteration as prevention (effectively removing the incentive to commit crimes) vs punishment as a deterrent, have to give that some thought.
I would love to live in Utopia, but sadly find the real world wanting sometimes.

[calikid]

When DOES cyber-intrusion constitute an act of war? If the Chinese kicked in a door and looted confidential military plans, it would certainly be an act of aggression worthy of a military retaliatory strike. But when the intrusion is electronic in nature, what is the correct measured response? If China is so interested in examining the US military's fangs, maybe it's time they got a look, up close and personal.

Chinese hackers access major weapons systems: Washington Post

WASHINGTON/CANBERRA (Reuters) - Chinese hackers have gained access to designs of more than two dozen major U.S. weapons systems, a U.S. report said on Monday, as Australian media said Chinese hackers had stolen the blueprints for Australia's new spy headquarters.

Citing a report prepared for the Defense Department by the Defense Science Board, the Washington Post said the compromised U.S. designs included those for combat aircraft and ships, as well as missile defenses vital for Europe, Asia and the Gulf.

Among the weapons listed in the report were the advanced Patriot missile system, the Navy's Aegis ballistic missile defense systems, the F/A-18 fighter jet, the V-22 Osprey, the Black Hawk helicopter and the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

The report did not specify the extent or time of the cyber-thefts or indicate if they involved computer networks of the U.S. government, contractors or subcontractors.

But the espionage would give China knowledge that could be exploited in a conflict, such as the ability to knock out communications and corrupting data, the Post said. It also could speed China's development of its defense technology.

In a report to Congress this month, the Pentagon said China was using espionage to modernize its military and its hacking was a serious concern. It said the U.S. government had been the target of hacking that appeared to be "attributable directly to the Chinese government and military."

China dismissed the report as groundless. Story Continues (http://news.yahoo.com/u-report-says-major-weapons-designs-compromised-chinese-033726944.html)

[calikid]

Sound like Apple needs to step up their game...

Apple's new security system has holes
By Julianne Pepitone

Apple recently beefed up its authentication system in an effort to thwart hackers, but a new report shows the security measure is lacking in one huge area.

Back in March, Apple (AAPL, Fortune 500) unveiled an optional "two-factor authentication" login method for its Apple ID. It's a basic security tool already used by Google (GOOG, Fortune 500), Facebook (FB) and Dropbox that requires both a password and a piece of data, such as a string of numbers sent via text message. Twitter also recently unveiled such a system following a series of prominent hacks of Twitter accounts.

But security software company ElcomSoft explained in a blog post Thursday that Apple's new security measures protect users only in a few situations: app and music purchases, managing an Apple ID account or receiving customer support related to Apple ID. It does nothing to protect other important information, like photos and other files stored on its iCloud service.

A hacker who manages to figure out a user's Apple ID and password could log into that user's iCloud account, and download all of the potentially sensitive information stored there -- even if that user has the two-factor system enabled. ElcomSoft accused Apple of doing "a half-hearted job," arguing the two-factor protection should be implemented on iCloud data backups as well.

ElcomSoft laid out how a hacker could download that data by using a compromised Apple ID account to log in and restore a device's settings through an iCloud backup. Or the attacker could also use a simple program to download a user's iCloud data onto a computer.

Related story: Forensics for companies burned by hackers

Apple does send an email alerting users when a new device is restored using an iCloud backup, but ElcomSoft didn't receive a message after using a program to download the data.

"Apple's approach in implementing two-factor authorization does not look like a finished product," ElcomSoft wrote in its blog post. "It's just not as secure as one would expect this solution to be." Story Continues (http://money.cnn.com/2013/05/30/technology/security/apple-security/index.html)

[calikid]

What's that Microsoft? You made a mistake killing the START button? Speak up!

For Windows 8.1, a half-step toward a Start button

Microsoft lays out a series of new features and functions for the update to the 7-month-old operating system, including something insiders are calling a "Start tip" that gets users back to their PC Start screen.
by Jay Greene

When Microsoft rolls out Windows 8.1, the update to its struggling, 7-month-old operating system franchise, the company will not be bringing back the Start button as many users have been requesting.

But the company has acquiesced some. The company announced this morning that it will introduce something that a person close to Windows engineering is calling a "Start tip" that users can click on to go back to the Start screen in Windows 8.1. The "tip" is a Windows logo that that sits on the left hand side of the toolbar when Windows 8 users are working in the traditional desktop mode. When they are using the touch-focused tile-based interface, users will have to hover over the lower left corner for the "tip" to pop up.

But clicking on the "tip" won't launch the familiar menus that the Start button did in previous versions of Windows. Instead, it will take users to their Start screen. With Windows 8.1, users can customize that Start screen to replicate something close to the old Start menus, listing all of the applications that are available to them, if they want.

It's unclear if the Start tip will be enough to quiet critics who are clamoring for the ease of use that comes with familiarity. The Start tip is a bit of a half-step toward a Start button. Microsoft seems to be giving a nod to its critics but not quite giving them all they had wanted.

Earlier this month, Tami Reller, the chief marketing officer and chief financial officer of the Windows division, told ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley that the company is being "principled, not stubborn" about modifying Windows 8 based on user feedback.

One area where Microsoft will give traditionalists what they've sought is the ability to have their computers boot directly to the familiar desktop mode. Windows 8 computers automatically boot to the tile-based interface, requiring users to take an extra step to get to the old desktop. With Windows 8.1, they can choose to set the default to boot directly to the desktop mode.

Many of the biggest changes in Windows 8.1, which had been known by its codename "Blue," center on customization. In addition to choosing the mode in which the computer boots, users can also more deeply personalize the look of the Windows interface. Microsoft is adding more colors and backgrounds for the Start screen, including ones with motion
Story Continues (http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-57586786-75/for-windows-8.1-a-half-step-toward-a-start-button/)

[Doc]

So far Windows 8 doesn't even seem worth stealing. :biggrin2:

[calikid]

So far Windows 8 doesn't even seem worth stealing. :biggrin2:

Just a new face on Win7.
One that will allow cross device adaptation.
Like phones, tablets, etc., ie evolution to a more equal Mac competitor.
But careful with that bath water Ma! Don't lose the baby!

[calikid]

Let's hope they make some headway. Cyber-espionage could turn ugly (ie open hostilities) if China remains on the path it is currently traveling.
Some are even talking of repealing US laws forbidding private companies from launching their own counter attacks.


GOP lawmaker pushes Obama to get tough on Chinese cyberattacks in meeting with Xi

A top Republican lawmaker is calling on President Obama to address the issue of China's reported high-tech spying in his meeting with the country's leader this week, saying the unrelenting cyber attacks against American companies are at "intolerable levels."

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Mich., said in a statement to Fox News on Sunday that Obama needs to let Chinese President Xi Jinping that any cyber attacks from his government "will not be tolerated."

"China’s rampant theft of American intellectual property and the jobs that come with it is holding back our economy and impacting our competitiveness around the world," Rogers said. "China needs to see real consequences for their actions."

The summit Friday and Saturday at a California estate is aimed at establishing personal ties between Obama and Xi as relations between the two global powers grow increasingly complex.

The talks will be followed by a July meeting between U.S. and Chinese officials focusing on cyberespionage, along with other strategic and economic issues. Secretary of State John Kerry announced that session while he visited China in April.
Story Continues (http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/06/03/cybersecurity-tops-obama-agenda-for-china-talks/)

[calikid]

There is a reason for due process. Citizens should NOT be subjected to surveillance without some reasonable suspicion of criminal activity. IMO fishing expeditions by powerful government agencies should be discouraged.

White House defends snooping of Verizon phone records

The Obama Administration calls the NSA's practice of gathering phone records "a critical tool in protecting the nation from terrorist threats," reports the Associated Press.
by Lance Whitney

The White House is defending the decision to collect the telephone records of U.S. citizens by labeling it an anti-terrorist measure.

The move by the National Security Agency to gather the phone records of Verizon customers was revealed on Wednesday by U.K. newspaper The Guardian. A top secret court order obtained by the FBI found that Verizon has been required to give the NSA information about domestic and overseas calls "on an ongoing daily basis."

The court order, which can be seen on The Guardian's Web site, forces Verizon to release all call details or "telephony metadata" created by the carrier for communications between the U.S. and abroad and within just the U.S., including local calls. Story Continues (http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-57587974-83/white-house-defends-snooping-of-verizon-phone-records/)

[calikid]

Another report from the Electronic Frontier Foundation.


Stunned. Angry. Fighting back against NSA spying.


"When the American people find out how their government has secretly interpreted the Patriot Act, they will be stunned and they will be angry." Sneator Ron Wyden

Last night, we received confirmation from a report in the Guardian that the National Security Agency (NSA) is currently collecting the call records of every Verizon customer in America. The NSA order forces Verizon to provide "on an ongoing daily basis" all call records for any call "wholly within the United States, including local telephone calls” and any call made "between the United States and abroad."

And that’s not all. Today, the Washington Post and the Guardian published reports based on information provided by a career intelligence officer showing how the NSA and the FBI are tapping directly into the central servers of nine leading U.S. Internet companies. The government is extracting audio, video, photographs, e-mails, documents, and connection logs that enable analysts to track a person’s movements and contacts over time.

Mounting Evidence of the NSA Warrantless Surveillance

EFF has so much evidence of the surveillance now that we've created a timeline.

In brief, America first learned about the secret surveillance in a 2005 New York Times exposé which disclosed one aspect of the NSA’s domestic surveillance program. We learned that the Bush Administration had been illegally tapping phone lines in the U.S. without warrants or court permission immediately following the 9/11 attacks. President Bush himself admitted at least some of what the government was doing.

In early 2006, EFF received photos and blueprints from former AT&T technician Mark Klein. These undisputed documents show that AT&T installed a fiberoptic splitter at its facility in San Francisco which sends copies of all AT&T customers’ emails, web browsing, and other Internet traffic to the NSA.

Later in 2006, USA Today and a number of other newspapers published a story disclosing that the NSA had compiled a massive database of call records from American telecommunications companies, which included AT&T, Verizon, and Bell South. This was confirmed by a number of members of Congress.

Information has continued to trickle out over time. In 2009, the New York Times reported the NSA was still collecting purely domestic communications in a "significant and systematic" way after the FISA Amendments Act was passed in 2008.

Section 215 of the Patriot Act and Verizon

The news of the last few days has confirmed the records portion of the surveillance, and gave us some additional hints about the government’s arguments in support of its actions. The secret court order issued to Verizon was a Section 215 order (50 U.S.C. sec. 1861), a controversial legal instrument greatly expanded when George Bush signed the USA PATRIOT Act into law on October 26, 2001. It allows the government to seek "any tangible things" in connection with an authorized investigation and is often known as the "business records" provision of FISA.

Section 215 allows for secret court orders to records that are "relevant" to a government investigation – a far lower threshold and more expansive reach than a warrant based on probable cause. The list of possible "tangible things" the government can obtain is seemingly limitless, and could include everything from driver’s license records to Internet browsing history.

We've long suspected that the government has been using Section 215 to conduct dragnet surveillance.

Story Continues (https://supporters.eff.org/civicrm/mailing/view?reset=1&id=427)

[calikid]

The lighter side of a serious subject.

Internet laughs about being spied on
By Doug Gross

News that government agencies have been collecting phone data, and apparently tapping into popular Web services, has sparked a predictable amount of anger and apologists, political charges and counter-claims.

But the Web being the Web, it's also gotten its share of snark.

There's fairly delicious irony to people taking to the Internet to joke about the government monitoring the Internet. So as not to be alarmist, we don't have any reports of tweet-related drone strikes as of this report. Story Continues (http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/07/tech/social-media/snooping-web-reaction/index.html)

#NSACalledToTellMe that some of my text messages are decidedly unladylike. Also, they prefer my purple suede boots over my black boots.

After all the Google image searches I've done for "Obama Mom Jeans"... I'm probably screwed. #WatchingForDrones

#NSACalledToTellMethat next time a politician says "I am listening to YOU" they really mean it.

#NSACalledToTellMe What Happens in Vegas, stays in our Utah data center.

#NSACalledToTellMe that after 4 trial memberships on eHarmony I probably should just give up

Maybe we just need to think of this as the ultimate in cloud backup.

:lmao:

[calikid]

.... and the hits keep on rolling. What is happening to "Reasonable Suspicion" in this country? Fishing expeditions should NOT be sanctioned.

Bill would force you to give police phone after accident

New Jersey legislators propose allowing police to examine your cell phone without a warrant in the event of being stopped. This is in response to texting and driving incidents.
by Chris Matyszczyk

You may feel that everyone wants to peek inside your cell phone just at the moment.

Please, therefore, allow me to make you a little more insecure.

State legislators in New Jersey would very much like to make it easier for the police to go through your cell phone, should you be in any way involved in an accident.

The wording of their proposal -- Bill S 2783 (PDF) -- is quite precise in its breadth:


Whenever an operator of a motor vehicle has been involved in an accident resulting in death, bodily injury or property damage, a police officer may confiscate the operator's hand-held wireless telephone if the officer has reasonable grounds to believe that the operator was operating a hand-held wireless telephone while driving.

So imagine that you are driving west over the George Washington Bridge, past Fort Lee (where "dangerous" walking while texting is banned) and you're heading for the joys of Hackensack when, say, someone hits you from behind.

Even if only the person who hit you is injured and the accident was not your fault, it seems that your cell phone still might be taken by police without a warrant.

Well, you might have been driving too slowly because you were texting and somehow caused the car behind to hit you.

As CBS New York reports, some drivers believe that this proposal is wise. Others wonder about its slightly tangential relationship with the Constitution.

Republican State Sen. James Holzapfel introduced the bill as an attempt to curb the rampant progress of texting and driving.

Yet the Fourth Amendment does offer protection against unreasonable search and seizure.

It's one thing to want to seize an object in obvious view. It's quite another not only to take a cell phone, but then to pore through it in search of alleged evidence. Story Continues (http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-57588855-71/bill-would-force-you-to-give-police-phone-after-accident/)

[calikid]

It's so much easier to protect this great country if you will only allow us to treat EVERYONE like criminals.
Wrong answer General.

NSA chief drops hint about ISP Web, e-mail surveillance

A secret interpretation of the Patriot Act led to the National Security Agency vacuuming up all of Verizon's phone logs. The NSA may be doing the same for e-mail and Web-browsing logs too.
by Declan McCullagh

The head of the National Security Agency hinted yesterday that logs of Americans' e-mail and Web site visits may be secretly vacuumed up by the world's most powerful intelligence agency.

During a U.S. Senate hearing, NSA director Keith Alexander was asked specifically about whether "e-mail contacts" are ingested under the Obama administration's secret interpretation of the Patriot Act's surveillance powers.

"I don't want to make a mistake" and reveal too much, Alexander said, adding that disclosing details about such surveillance would cause "our country to lose some sort of protection." It would be appropriate, he said, to discuss e-mail and other metadata surveillance in a "classified session" that senators are scheduled to attend today.

Among the small circle of outsiders who closely follow the NSA, the agency's close, long-standing relationship with AT&T, Verizon, and other telecommunications providers is an open secret -- so it would come as little surprise to find they're serving up exabytes of daily e-mail and Web logs as well. The Wall Street Journal reported last week, citing former government officials, that the NSA "obtains access to data from Internet service providers on Internet use such as data about e-mail or Web site visits."

But yesterday's exchange between NSA director Alexander and Sen. Mike Johanns, a Nebaska Republican, appears to be the closest the Fort Meade, Md.-based agency has come to addressing the topic in a public setting.

"It would be odd [for the NSA] to focus entirely on telephony logs and exclude Internet traffic," says Julian Sanchez, a research fellow at the Cato Institute in Washington, D.C. who focuses on electronic surveillance topics. "I would assume they're vacuuming up IP logs and perhaps e-mail headers as well."

What prompted yesterday's Senate exchange was a disclosure last week by the Guardian newspaper of a top secret order from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. It allows the NSA to obtain daily records of all domestic calls made by Verizon customers. Subsequent reports said AT&T and Sprint are also involved.

The Justice Department obtained that order by claiming it was permitted by Section 215 of the Patriot Act, 50 USC 1861, better known as the "business records" portion. Section 215 allows FBI agents to obtain any "tangible thing," including "books, records, papers, documents, and other items," which some of the Patriot Act's supporters have said was never intended to cover every American's phone call logs. (Section 215 orders are far less privacy-protective, and therefore more legally problematic, than traditional search warrants backed by probable cause and signed by a judge.)

In an unusual move, however, the Justice Department has refused to disclose its secret interpretation of Section 215 -- despite complaints from multiple senators -- that would reveal just how far Patriot Act surveillance has extended. Story Continues (http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-57589078-38/nsa-chief-drops-hint-about-isp-web-e-mail-surveillance/)

[calikid]

Rather disappointing that Microsoft would "brief" government agencies on security vulnerabilities (for exploits), rather than warn the public of the dangers and fix the problems. Thank goodness for those "evil hackers" who publicize these bugs so the rest of us can guard against infiltration.
Kindly worded, isn't it? "That information can be used to protect government computers and to access the computers of terrorists or military foes." The government would never spy on it's own people. Oh wait, wasn't it just last week.... ?!?!

Thousands of firms reportedly swap data with U.S. agencies
Thousands of companies are providing intelligence organizations with data such as vulnerabilities and equipment specifications, sources tell Bloomberg.
by Steven Musil

In a twist on recent revelations about classified U.S. intelligence gathering, thousands of companies are reportedly supplying national security agencies with sensitive information in exchange for classified intelligence.

U.S. Internet and telecommunications companies are providing government agencies with information such as vulnerabilities and equipment specifications rather than customers' private communications, sources tell Bloomberg.

Software makers, Internet security providers, and telecommunications providers, among others, have agreements with the National Security Agency, as well as the CIA, FBI, and U.S. military to provide information that could be used not only to defend the nation's infrastructure but to infiltrate its adversaries' networks, Bloomberg reported, saying:


Microsoft Corp., the world's largest software company, provides intelligence agencies with information about bugs in its popular software before it publicly releases a fix, according to two people familiar with the process. That information can be used to protect government computers and to access the computers of terrorists or military foes. Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft and other software or Internet security companies have been aware that this type of early alert allowed the U.S. to exploit vulnerabilities in software sold to foreign governments, according to two U.S. officials.

In some cases, companies like Microsoft might tip off the government to bug in its software before publicly releasing a fix, a process a Microsoft spokesperson said was designed to be give government agencies "an early start" on assessing and mitigating the risk.

In other cases, Bloomberg reported that telecommunications companies provide access to offshore data and facilities, access that would normally require a judge's order in the U.S.

However, the report notes that the cooperation is legal and that no oversight...
Story Continues (http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-57589300-38/thousands-of-firms-reportedly-swap-data-with-u.s-agencies/)

[calikid]

Looks like fast internet connections and low prices are possible. But it is going to take competition from Google Fiber to motivate the Cable industry to implement.

Is cable holding back superfast broadband adoption on purpose?

The cable industry says it is more than ready to compete with Google Fiber, but adds that consumers are nowhere near ready for gigabit speeds. Is it cable's pricing schemes that are holding back adoption?
by Marguerite Reardon

The cable industry insists that it's ready and able to compete with Google Fiber when it comes to delivering ultra high-speed broadband.

Indeed, Comcast CEO Brian Roberts last week showed off a 3Gbps cable broadband connection at the industry's annual trade show in Washington, D.C. That's three times faster than Google Fiber, which itself is nearly 150 times faster than the current average broadband connection in the U.S. Armed with that capability, he confidently welcomed Google's challenge to deliver ultra high-speed broadband to consumers.

"I hope there's a demand for (Google Fiber)," he said during a keynote session at the Cable Show. "The more customers crave speed, the more the kids in the garage and the geniuses around the world can invent applications that require speed. That's the best thing that can happen to our industry. We have to embrace that competition."

But Roberts' words and one demo don't match up with the actions of his industry. The cable providers have been slow to make its speedier options broadly available, and when they do, they charge significantly higher prices that escalate as you move to faster tiers. Based on how the industry has chosen to price its service, it's clear that cable operators are not exactly encouraging adoption of ultra high-speed broadband. In comparison, Google is expanding Google Fiber to more markets, and offers a much faster connection at reasonable rates.

It's not a surprise that Google Fiber came up at the cable show. The service, which has generated a lot of buzz and piqued the interest of communities across the country, threatens to upend the cable Internet model, which has only needed to compete against one other competitor for home broadband, the similarly regulated telecom industry. The fact that Google is offering a 1Gbps connection for only $70 a month, while competitors are offering service with 20 times less capacity for roughly the same price, has spurred discussion among policy makers and consumers.

For now, Google Fiber remains more a curiosity than a legitimate threat. After Google announced plans to build its own gigabit-speed broadband network in 2010, it was seen more as a science experiment than a true challenge to the cable industry. But in recent months, it looks like Google plans to turn Google Fiber into a money-making business. It first launched in Kansas City, Mo., and Kansas City, Kan., last summer. And this spring the company announced plans to deploy in Austin, Texas, and Provo, Utah.

Roberts made sure to note during a speech at the Cable Show that cable is up to the task of matching and even exceeding Google's offering. He emphasized that gigabit-speed downloads are already possible today using current cable technology.

Higher speeds don't come cheap on cable broadband
While Roberts is talking about hypothetical speeds, Comcast's actual -- much slower -- service is still pretty pricey.

Comcast, the nation's largest cable provider, offers its 50Mbps service at a promotional price of $60 a month for the first six months. After that, depending on the market, prices range between $59 and $75 a month. The company's 105Mbps service, which is only available in some markets and is roughly 10 times slower than Google's 1Gbps service, costs $90 a month for the first six months of service. After that the price goes up to $115 a month.

Its fastest option is a 305Mbps service, but it's limited to only a few markets and is a hefty $320 a month.

Comcast also charges a one-time $500 installation fee for this service. For Google customers subscribing to the 1Gbps service for $70 a month, installation is free.
Story Continues (http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57589353-93/is-cable-holding-back-superfast-broadband-adoption-on-purpose/)

[calikid]

The ongoing saga. The Whistleblower vs. The President. Who ya gonna believe? Me or your lying eyes? You have to wonder if President Obama is "out of the loop". Have these agencies gone rogue? Better to lie/coverup than admit wrongdoing and change course toward more legal protocols?

Obama bristles at suggestion he's shifted on snooping
By Kevin Liptak

Critics who have compared President Barack Obama's stance on government surveillance to that of hawkish former Vice President Dick Cheney are missing his insistence on proper systematic balances, Obama said in an interview that aired Monday.

Defending at length the recently revealed government programs that gather information about phone calls and Internet usage, Obama said his focus has always been on allowing information to be gathered while ensuring necessary oversight.

"Some people say, 'Well, you know, Obama was this raving liberal before. Now he's, you know, Dick Cheney.'" Obama told PBS' Charlie Rose. "Dick Cheney sometimes says, 'Yeah, you know? He took it all lock, stock, and barrel.' My concern has always been not that we shouldn't do intelligence gathering to prevent terrorism, but rather are we setting up a system of checks and balances?"

Obama's administration has faced a litany of questions since the disclosure of government programs that allow the National Security Agency to collect millions of records from U.S. telecommunications firms and Internet companies in the name of preventing terrorism. The source of the information, former CIA employee Edward Snowden, said he was moved to leak the top-secret documents because he felt the government was far overreaching its constitutional bounds in collecting the data.

But Obama argued in the interview on Monday that the system in place includes steps to prevent Americans' rights against unlawful search and seizure from being violated.

"What I can say unequivocally is that if you are a U.S. person, the NSA cannot listen to your telephone calls, and the NSA cannot target your e-mails," Obama said.

"On this telephone program, you've got a federal court with independent federal judges overseeing the entire program," the president continued. "And you've got Congress overseeing the program, not just the intelligence committee and not just the judiciary committee, but all of Congress had available to it before the last reauthorization exactly how this program works."

Some members of Congress, including Senate Intelligence Committee members Jay Rockefeller and Susan Collins, have questioned the notion they were given proper briefings on the NSA's program, however, and many lawmakers have said they first learned of the programs when they were revealed in news reports two weeks ago.
Asked in the interview whether the NSA's process should be more open, Obama said, "It is transparent. That's why we set up the FISA court."

That body, however, operates in secret, and its locations are considered classified. It has approved the vast majority of the requests it has received for warrants, though those orders are also kept secret. STORY CONTINUES (http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/17/politics/obama-nsa-interview/index.html)

[calikid]

How to hide your data from Internet snoops
By Doug Gross

Let's face it: Most of us don't e-mail, tweet, text or post anything worthy of clandestine scrutiny.

But having concerns about NSA cybersnooping doesn't mean we must surrender all privacy -- what's left of it -- in our day-to-day online activities.

It's easy to forget that we're volunteering basic information about ourselves in return for free e-mail, social networking and other digital services. And let's remember that third parties -- from government agencies to cybercriminals -- can get their hands on even more personal stuff if they're actively trying.

So, whether it's due to a vague fear of Big Brother or a more specific desire to keep your bank information out of the hands of thieves, you might be considering ways to keep your communication more secure.

"So much that's geo-political, so much cybercrime, so many struggles of various types are being played out in terms of information security today," said Wade Williamson, a senior security analyst at Palo Alto Networks. "It's not just that people decided to get interested in encryption all of a sudden."

Specifically, encryption has come up a lot in recent days. For one, NSA whistleblower (some would say "traitor") Edward Snowden said Monday in an online question-and-answer session that e-mail encryption is an effective way of foiling government surveillance.

"Encryption works," he wrote. "Properly implemented strong crypto systems are one of the few things that you can rely on. Unfortunately, endpoint security is so terrifically weak that NSA can frequently find ways around it."

Encryption is a method of securing your files, including e-mail, by encoding it so that the intended recipient can read it, but anyone who may intercept the message along the way cannot.

An encryption tool turns your original message (called "plaintext") into a garbled mess (or "ciphertext") while it's flying from Point A to Point B. The system gives the approved recipient a decryption tool which makes the text readable once it arrives at its destination.

With all of the renewed interest in online privacy, we talked with Williamson about ways to help keep your data secure -- before, during and after sending it. Story Continues (http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/18/tech/web/how-to-encrypt-email/index.html?hpt=te_t1)

2min Video: How to hide from the NSA (http://money.cnn.com/video/technology/2013/06/17/t-ts-how-hide-nsa.cnnmoney/index.html?)

Recommended programs:
HTTPS Everywhere
TOR (The Onion Router)
PGP (Pretty Good Protection)
OTR (Off the record messaging)

[calikid]

Here I was about to ditch my 3G mobile phone for a 4G, guess I actually need to shop for a 4G/ac model!

Much faster Wi-Fi coming soon
By David Goldman

A new, faster version of Wi-Fi was officially rubber-stamped Wednesday.

The latest Wi-Fi technology, called "802.11ac," offers speeds of up to 1.3 Gigabits per second. That's fast enough to transfer an entire high-definition movie to a tablet in under 4 minutes, share photo albums with friends in a matter of seconds or stream three HD videos at the same time. It's more than double the top speed of the previous standard, known as 802.11n.

Those speeds are theoretical maximums -- very few people have anything close to 1 Gigabit speeds from their home broadband connection. Average speeds are less than 1% of that. But the faster speeds mean the new Wi-Fi standard will offer a much bigger pipeline for all those videos, songs and games that a growing number of people are streaming on multiple devices simultaneously.

The Wi-Fi Alliance, a global organization that ensures the interoperability of Wi-Fi technologies, began certifying so-called "ac" devices Wednesday. It kicked off the certification program by signing off on 19 routers, access points, microchips and smartphones. The shortlist of certified devices includes the Samsung Galaxy S4, Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and routers from Cisco and Netgear.

Shipments of ac Wi-Fi devices began last year, but they remain very hard to find. The Wi-Fi Alliance believes that the start of its ac certification program will get the ball rolling quickly.

"Usually, our certification programs serve as one of the contributing factors to widespread market adoption," said Kelly Davis-Felner, the Wi-Fi Alliance's director of program management. "But already, this feels like a much more accelerated adoption than in years past."

A recent ABI Research forecast predicts that 40% of smartphones will support the newer version of Wi-Fi this year. By next year, the Wi-Fi Alliance expects ac devices to make up the majority of the Wi-Fi market. Even Apple (AAPL, Fortune 500), typically a late adopter with new technologies, has announced that its future products will feature ac Wi-Fi connectivity.

The new Wi-Fi standard comes at a crucial time: The average number of Wi-Fi devices in U.S. households has doubled since 2008, with each home averaging four devices connected to the Wi-Fi network during peak usage times.

Related story: FCC hopes to avoid 'end of world' for cell phones

As the number of demands on the network grow, the need for more Wi-Fi capacity grows along with it. Also, as a growing number of consumers and businesses install Wi-Fi networks, interference is becoming a concern.

The new standard aims to solve those problems. It allows more devices to simultaneously connect to a network without a degradation in performance. It also features lower latency times for streaming music and gaming, where network hiccups and delays can ruin a user's experience. And the latest Wi-Fi standard helps deliver streaming videos more reliably, even when the network is being used by other devices.

As an added bonus, 802.11ac requires devices to have support for two bands of airwaves, which will help to reduce interference. And it requires less power consumption from smartphones, tablets and PCs when they're transmitting data. Story Continues (http://money.cnn.com/2013/06/19/technology/mobile/wifi-speeds/index.html)

[calikid]

I always did think it was unlikely my laptop was killing the on-board avionics, but I can understand why the FAA would want to error on the side of caution. Glad they finally realized it WAS an error and are moving toward more sane protocols.

FAA to loosen rules on in-flight electronic devices, says WSJ

The new rules would allow passengers more freedom to use certain devices at low altitudes.
by Lance Whitney

Airline passengers may be able to use their favorite electronic gadgets from takeoff to landing if new FAA guidelines come to pass.

The Federal Aviation Administration is expected to ease the restrictions on the use of certain devices at lower altitudes, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Citing "industry officials and draft recommendations prepared by a high-level advisory panel to FAA," the Journal reported on Friday that passengers would be spared from having to turn off all electronic devices, though cell phones may or may not remain on the banned list.

The FAA's current guidelines prohibit the use of mobile phones and other devices until planes reach an altitude of 10,000 feet. That prohibition has rested on concerns that certain devices could interfere with ground-based wireless networks, creating trouble for airlines flying at low altitudes.

But an advisory panel for the noted that aircraft are now much more tolerant of any potential interference, while today's mobile devices themselves use less power and send out weaker signals. In the past, the FAA has also left it up to individual airlines to decide which devices fall under the hit list, leading to a lack of a true standard.
Story Continues (http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57590415-94/faa-to-loosen-rules-on-in-flight-electronic-devices-says-wsj/)

[Doc]

Getting closer all the time:

Astronomers discover new planets, 3 are habitable Published June 25, 2013FoxNews.com



Excerpt:

"The Gliese 667C solar system is strikingly similar to ours and the three planets identified as habitable are confirmed to be super-Earths: planets that have more mass than Earth but less mass than larger planets like Uranus and Neptune.

The star is just 22 light-years away in the constellation of Scorpius (The Scorpion). This is quite close to our solar system, astronomers said -- within the Sun’s neighborhood, so to speak -- and much closer than the star systems investigated using telescopes such as the planet-hunting Kepler space telescope.
"This is the first time that three such planets have been spotted orbiting in this zone in the same system," astronomer Paul Butler of the Carnegie Institute for Science who participated in the study said."



Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/science/2013/06/25/astronomers-discover-new-planets-3-are-habitable/#ixzz2XK9zV5Ya

[calikid]

The future of gaming consoles?

OUYA gaming console sells out on Amazon
By Todd Wasserman

Well, that was quick. Just hours after going on sale in the U.S., Canada and the UK, the OUYA gaming console was already sold out Tuesday morning on Amazon, though other retailers still had it in stock.

Amazon, which was selling the device for $99, told customers that the item was temporarily out of stock. However, as of Tuesday morning, Target and Best Buy were still carrying OUYA. GameStop noted that the item was "currently unavailable."

SEE ALSO: 7 Gadgets for the Ultimate Connected Living Room

OUYA launched on Kickstarter as an open gaming console that anyone could develop for or hack as they see fit, all for a $99 price tag.
Story Continues (http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/25/tech/gaming-gadgets/ouya-amazon-sold-out/index.html)

[calikid]

Maintain some control over email you sent.
This e-mail will self-destruct in five seconds

Like a "Mission Impossible" tape, e-mails could disintegrate before unauthorized eyes get a chance to view them, according to an AT&T patent application.
by Tim Hornyak

Ever lose sleep over e-mails you've sent? Messages of an embarrassing nature that make you wish you hadn't clicked on "send"?

AT&T is thinking of you. It applied for a patent for self-deleting e-mail. Once sent, these missives won't hang around in some inbox waiting for someone to do what he pleases with them. They'll disintegrate, so to speak.

"Method, System, and Apparatus for Providing Self-Destructing Electronic Mail Messages" is U.S. patent application number 20130159436 and was recently made public.

The application outlines an e-mail client system and server application that can send and receive messages that self-delete.

The filing notes that e-mails, once sent, are outside the control of the sender. They can be copied, saved, printed, or forwarded.
"The inability to control the number and type of operations that may be subsequently performed on a sent e-mail message makes conventional e-mail systems unsuitable for sending confidential information for which absolute control of distribution is a necessity," the application states.

It goes on to say that some e-mail systems that allow users to set up their client so that messages are deleted after a certain period of time. Still, the power to destroy the message remains in the hands of the recipient.

The application describes how the client and application will destroy the message at a set time, with the option to do so regardless of whether it's been read or not. They will also limit what can be done with the message. Story Continues (http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-57591562-1/this-e-mail-will-self-destruct-in-five-seconds/)

[calikid]

Choice is good, maybe Firefox's new smartphone OS will drive down iPhone and Android pricing.

Firefox gets into the smartphone business
By Heather Kelly

A new smartphone operating system is joining the fray.

Mozilla released a phone running its new Firefox OS in Spain on Monday, joining leading mobile operating systems Android and iOS, as well as smaller players Windows Phone and Blackberry.

The ZTE Open and Alcatel OneTouch Fire are very basic phones with 3.5-inch screens, entry-level specs and appealingly low price tags. Telefonica will sell the ZTE Open in Spain starting July 2 for 69 euros, or about $90.

Nonprofit company Mozilla is trying to shake up the typical closed app ecosystems with the Firefox OS. Built using open Web standards, it will appeal to the estimated 8 million Web developers who can jump right in and start creating HTML 5 apps for the phones.

There is no timeline for when the phone will come to the United States. For now, Mozilla is focusing on emerging markets. Story Continues (http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/01/tech/mobile/firefox-os-phone/index.html)

[calikid]

Bug fixes to a preview? Let's hope Win8.1 is working better by the time SP1 get a general release. :bleh:


Microsoft rolls out first Windows 8.1 bug fixes

The new updates correct glitches in Windows Store apps and Internet Explorer 11, among other items.
by Lance Whitney

The Windows 8.1 Preview has received its first set of bug fixes less than a week after its debut.

Rolled out Tuesday, the six updates address several issues, two of which are rated important and four rated as recommended items.

One of the important updates is simply a virus definition update for Windows Defender, the default security program for Windows 8 and 8.1. The other update improves the compatibility between Windows 8.1 and several third-party programs, such as AutoCAD, Parallels Desktop, Norton security software, and AVG Internet Security. Story continues (http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-57592115-75/microsoft-rolls-out-first-windows-8.1-bug-fixes/)

[Doc]

Bug fixes to a preview? Let's hope Win8.1 is working better by the time SP1 get a general release. :bleh:


Microsoft rolls out first Windows 8.1 bug fixes

Good thing I like Windows 7 so much. :rolleyes:

[calikid]

I like the sound of that!

Pirate Bay founder creating surveillance-free messaging app

Looking to develop a way to block the government and private companies from monitoring people's messages, Peter Sunde is working on an app called Hemlis "where no one can spy on you, not even us."
by Dara Kerr

In the wake of people learning about the National Security Agency's massive surveillance program, it's become clear that phone records and text messages are not entirely private.

The Pirate Bay co-founder Peter Sunde and a couple of app developers have decided to do something about it. They are working on creating a messaging app that is spy-proof, according to GigaOM.

"All communication on today's networks is being monitored by government agencies and private companies. The politicians are not going to stop it, they're actually asking for more," Sunde said in a video about the app. "That's why we decided to build a messaging platform where no one can spy on you, not even us."

Naming it Hemlis, which is Swedish for secret, the iPhone and Android app is based on end-to-end encryption that allows only users and whoever they're messaging to read the conversation. Also, Sunde doesn't plan to use ads on the app or sell user data to advertisers.
Story Continues (http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57592992-94/pirate-bay-founder-creating-surveillance-free-messaging-app/)

[CasperParks]

I like the sound of that!

Pirate Bay founder creating surveillance-free messaging app

Looking to develop a way to block the government and private companies from monitoring people's messages, Peter Sunde is working on an app called Hemlis "where no one can spy on you, not even us."
by Dara Kerr

In the wake of people learning about the National Security Agency's massive surveillance program, it's become clear that phone records and text messages are not entirely private.

The Pirate Bay co-founder Peter Sunde and a couple of app developers have decided to do something about it. They are working on creating a messaging app that is spy-proof, according to GigaOM.

"All communication on today's networks is being monitored by government agencies and private companies. The politicians are not going to stop it, they're actually asking for more," Sunde said in a video about the app. "That's why we decided to build a messaging platform where no one can spy on you, not even us."

Naming it Hemlis, which is Swedish for secret, the iPhone and Android app is based on end-to-end encryption that allows only users and whoever they're messaging to read the conversation. Also, Sunde doesn't plan to use ads on the app or sell user data to advertisers.
Story Continues (http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57592992-94/pirate-bay-founder-creating-surveillance-free-messaging-app/)

I expect to see more of this type of stuff.

[calikid]

I expect to see more of this type of stuff.

Me too. I know encrypted phone also exist, wonder if they will ever be in the common man's price range?

[calikid]

Sounds like a very cool display, coming to a smartphone near you. :)

LG unveils world's thinnest Full HD LCD smartphone panel

Measuring 5.2 inches long and only 2.2 mm thick, new display panels being developed by LG could prompt the move toward slimmer and lighter mobile devices.
by Dara Kerr

As companies search for ways to make mobile devices ever-sleeker and lighter, LG Display announced Wednesday that it is coming out with what it claims to be the "world's slimmest full HD LCD panel for smartphones."

The panel is 5.2 inches long and only 2.2 mm thick. LG says that it is the narrowest full HD LCD panel to hit the mobile market. Using touch technology, dual flexible printed circuits, and a direct bonding system, LG says that the number of lines on the panel have been reduced by 30 percent and that this also allows for greater brightness.

"Today's introduction of the world's slimmest full HD LCD panel represents an exciting advancement for the high-end smartphone segment... Story Continues (http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57593208-94/lg-unveils-worlds-thinnest-full-hd-lcd-smartphone-panel/)

[calikid]

A new job for a new market. I wonder how you advertise your Zero Day Exploit "product" without letting the cat out of the bag?

Nations Buying as Hackers Sell Flaws in Computer Code
By NICOLE PERLROTH and DAVID E. SANGER

On the tiny Mediterranean island of Malta, two Italian hackers have been searching for bugs — not the island’s many beetle varieties, but secret flaws in computer code that governments pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to learn about and exploit.
The hackers, Luigi Auriemma, 32, and Donato Ferrante, 28, sell technical details of such vulnerabilities to countries that want to break into the computer systems of foreign adversaries. The two will not reveal the clients of their company, ReVuln, but big buyers of services like theirs include the National Security Agency — which seeks the flaws for America’s growing arsenal of cyberweapons — and American adversaries like the Revolutionary Guards of Iran.

All over the world, from South Africa to South Korea, business is booming in what hackers call “zero days,” the coding flaws in software like Microsoft Windows that can give a buyer unfettered access to a computer and any business, agency or individual dependent on one.

Just a few years ago, hackers like Mr. Auriemma and Mr. Ferrante would have sold the knowledge of coding flaws to companies like Microsoft and Apple, which would fix them. Last month, Microsoft sharply increased the amount it was willing to pay for such flaws, raising its top offer to $150,000.

But increasingly the businesses are being outbid by countries with the goal of exploiting the flaws in pursuit of the kind of success, albeit temporary, that the United States and Israel achieved three summers ago when they attacked Iran’s nuclear enrichment program with a computer worm that became known as “Stuxnet.”

The flaws get their name from the fact that once discovered, “zero days” exist for the user of the computer system to fix them before hackers can take advantage of the vulnerability. A “zero-day exploit” occurs when hackers or governments strike by using the flaw before anyone else knows it exists, like a burglar who finds, after months of probing, that there is a previously undiscovered way to break into a house without sounding an alarm.

“Governments are starting to say, ‘In order to best protect my country, I need to find vulnerabilities in other countries,’ ” said Howard Schmidt, a former White House cybersecurity coordinator. “The problem is that we all fundamentally become less secure.”

A zero-day bug could be as simple as a hacker’s discovering an online account that asks for a password but does not actually require typing one to get in. Bypassing the system by hitting the “Enter” key becomes a zero-day exploit. The average attack persists for almost a year — 312 days — before it is detected, according to Symantec, the maker of antivirus software. Until then it can be exploited or “weaponized” by both criminals and governments to spy on, steal from or attack their target. Story continues (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/14/world/europe/nations-buying-as-hackers-sell-computer-flaws.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0)

[CasperParks]

Me too. I know encrypted phone also exist, wonder if they will ever be in the common man's price range?

Wasn't the government pressing manufactures for backdoors into encrypted phones?

[calikid]

Wasn't the government pressing manufactures for backdoors into encrypted phones?

It would pay to research the vendor before buying such a phone. :yes:

[calikid]

Looks like B&N is looking at the long game. Get their reader into as many hands, as cheaply as possible. IMO, they might stand a chance of competing with Amazon's Kindle.

Get a Barnes & Noble Nook Simple Touch for $49.99

Best Buy's deal of the day shaves $30 off the price of this popular (and versatile) touch-powered e-reader.
by Rick Broida

Are you really going to take your tablet to the pool? The beach? The campground? Nah, for times like those, you want a simple e-reader, something that lets you read to your heart's content without all the typical tablet-powered distractions (I'm looking at you, Limbo).

And why not keep a dedicated e-reader in your beach bag when you can score a great one for just $50? Today only, and while supplies last, Best Buy has the Barnes & Noble Nook Simple Touch for $49.99 shipped (plus sales tax). It's new, not refurbished, and normally priced at $79.99.

Sale-savvy readers will point out that Radio Shack stores were clearing out these babies for even less a couple months ago, but availability was very limited.

There's not much I can tell you about the Simple Touch you don't already know. Gorgeous six-inch Pearl e-ink touch-screen, 2GB of storage, microSD slot, Wi-Fi, etc.
What you may not know is that you can root the reader to become a full-fledged Android tablet (as described by Lifehacker), thus opening the door to certain apps that might be useful -- like, say, the Kindle app.

Indeed, if you're already vested in the Kindle ecosystem, you can also use a utility like Calibre to convert your Kindle books for Nook viewing -- no rooting required.

So, yeah, for around 50 bucks out the door, this is a pretty versatile little e-reader, Story continues (http://news.cnet.com/8301-13845_3-57594097-58/get-a-barnes-noble-nook-simple-touch-for-$49.99/)

[calikid]

And the deals keep coming. Laptops for under $300? Not bad. But FREE 4G for 2 years? I can always use another email platform. Sounds like a bargain to me.

Get an HP laptop with two years of 4G service for $259.99 shipped

That's two FREE years of 4G service, though as you might expect, your monthly data allotment is on the low side. Still, gotta love free 4G.

by Rick Broida
Now here's something you don't see every day.

July 18, 2013. Through tomorrow, or until supplies run out, HP has the refurbished Pavilion DM1-4310NR 11.6-inch laptop for $259.99
shipped. Actually, that's not so unusual. But this is: It includes two years of 4G service via T-Mobile.

I know, right? Built-in 4G! And two free years of service! That's kinda awesome. Ah, but there is a catch of sorts: You're limited to just 200MB of data per month.

That, my friends, is not a lot of data. Forget streaming Netflix or even YouTube vids; you'll need to limit yourself to basic Web and e-mail activities. On the other hand, my current laptop comes with zero data per month; 200MB is a lot more than zero. I choose to look at this as a glass-half-full kind of situation.

In fact, there's no annual contract involved, no credit card required to activate service, and no overage fees if you hit the 200MB cap. If and when that happens, you simply purchase data passes to add more connectivity time.
Story Continues (http://news.cnet.com/8301-13845_3-57594305-58/get-an-hp-laptop-with-two-years-of-4g-service-for-$259.99-shipped/)

[Doc]

And the deals keep coming. Laptops for under $300? Not bad. But FREE 4G for 2 years? I can always use another email platform. Sounds like a bargain to me.

Get an HP laptop with two years of 4G service for $259.99 shipped

That's two FREE years of 4G service, though as you might expect, your monthly data allotment is on the low side. Still, gotta love free 4G.

by Rick Broida
Now here's something you don't see every day.

July 18, 2013. Through tomorrow, or until supplies run out, HP has the refurbished Pavilion DM1-4310NR 11.6-inch laptop for $259.99
shipped. Actually, that's not so unusual. But this is: It includes two years of 4G service via T-Mobile.

I know, right? Built-in 4G! And two free years of service! That's kinda awesome. Ah, but there is a catch of sorts: You're limited to just 200MB of data per month.

That, my friends, is not a lot of data. Forget streaming Netflix or even YouTube vids; you'll need to limit yourself to basic Web and e-mail activities. On the other hand, my current laptop comes with zero data per month; 200MB is a lot more than zero. I choose to look at this as a glass-half-full kind of situation.

In fact, there's no annual contract involved, no credit card required to activate service, and no overage fees if you hit the 200MB cap. If and when that happens, you simply purchase data passes to add more connectivity time.
Story Continues (http://news.cnet.com/8301-13845_3-57594305-58/get-an-hp-laptop-with-two-years-of-4g-service-for-$259.99-shipped/)

Really amazing! The price point for entering the world of computing and the internet drops almost $150 from the $400 level where it has been for a few years. This now puts it within the reach of many more lower income people. When I bought my first office computer, the price point for entry level setup was $1300.

[atmjjc]

Really amazing! The price point for entering the world of computing and the internet drops almost $150 from the $400 level where it has been for a few years. This now puts it within the reach of many more lower income people. When I bought my first office computer, the price point for entry level setup was $1300.

So cool I remember in the 70’s when computers first started to emerge eyeballing a 4k radio shack model for around $500 and you had to program it yourself and the most you were able to do with it was play tic tac toe.

I still have an IBM 5100 I bought in 1976 or 77 with a whopping 64kb, when a business was going belly-up in which I paid around $200 for a machine that was selling new between $5000 to $10,000 in its time and it had this really tiny monitor built in with the green font color letters. It is like a museum piece now.

I moved up to a Leading Edge dual disk computer in the 80’s you know with those large 5 inch disks I think I paid around $2,000 and used a 15� RGB monitor which was quite large for its time.

I once used that simple computer to turn the tables on a collection agency that got my name mixed up with somebody else and the jerk offs wouldn’t listen to me and kept bugging me. They were too lazy to check things out or thought I was lying to them or thought it was funny bugging me 20 times a day. B4 caller ID I had what was known as a ‘starwar dialer’ which was a computer phone dialer that would dial phone #’s within a number parameter to seek out other computers to hook up to by ringing the phone and waiting for a computer to answer (think of fax machines) so if a human would answer the computer would move on to the next number looking to interface with another computer. Since this department store collection people could bug me it would be perfectly legal to return their calls by using the starwar dialer set on their # parameter in the store of about 50 telephones to bug them. So I set the # parameters to the manager’s office the collection agency phones and to the cash register phones maybe ten phones at the most and set my starwar dialer loose on them. I didn’t do this on a 24 hr. basis but maybe a couple of business hours at a time just to aggravate them as they were doing to me and always after they called to harass me. I am sure they knew it was me but they couldn’t do much about it. They manager finally sent me a letter of apology so I shut down my starwar dialer and we all lived happily ever after. A disclaimer here, remember what I did back then was LEGAL but in today’s world it would be considered ILLEGAL so don’t try it at home folks.

PC’s were fun back then but were actually time consuming with limitations on what you could do with them. Even for business purposes the most you could do with them was store names and addresses.

[Doc]

atmjjc: I admire the guys like you who got in early and rode the tech wave. I was a stick-in-the-mud, resisting computers for a long time. I tried Windows 3.1 and never really got the hang of the GUI so I rejected the whole mess. Then two or three things changed my mind. I saw a commercial that showed a guy like me getting left behind in business. Windows 95 came out, which I could learn easily. I went to a big computer store to look around and two teenagers taught me how to play Doom. I was hooked right then. I had to have that game experience at my house. Once I got started I caught up quickly; first learning how to keep them running, then upgrading and building them. It's been a great ride and I really enjoy "embracing the tech". :biggrin2: (I still wait until it has been out for a year, though.)

[calikid]

I would go into my $2,800.00 i386-16 (16mHz NOT gHz!) system running DOS v3.0 on a 20MEG Seagate HD, 1meg RAM, with 2400baud modem & RGB CRT from back in 1988 .... but this IS after all the "Cutting Edge Tech" thread. :biggrin2:

[calikid]

Amazing the computing power crammed into these little game boxes, mostly video processor power. At $499.00 it is cheap when compared to a PC with a high end video card

Microsoft changes DRM policies, slates Xbox One for November at $499


Unless you've recently taken up residence under suitably large slab of earth, you're likely already aware of Microsoft's new Xbox One console. If not, buckle up, because there's an endless supply of details coming your way -- now.

The Xbox One will have a $499 starting price when it hits stores this November, and with a price that high, it's clear Microsoft is targeting the well-to-do consumer with the new device -- at least at launch. By comparison, the Sony PlayStation 4 will cost $399 -- although its optional PlayStation Eye camera and motion detector will be a $60 add-on, while the Kinect accessory will be bundled with every Xbox One sold.

Design and Hands-on impressions
The Xbox One is large, sleek, and black, and looks like a piece of AV equipment. The controller and Kinect unit are redesigned, too: the Kinect and Xbox One, in particular, sport sharp-angled, glossy-black boxy looks. As a set, the Xbox One really does feel like some elaborate piece of home theater gear -- and considering its mission to knit entertainment together into a modern all-in-one package, that's clearly intentional.

At the E3 show in Los Angeles, we got a chance to play both Ryse: Son of Rome and Crimson Dragon at Microsoft's booth, but if you were here to hear about games, you probably took a wrong turn at the corner of Giant Bomb and GameSpot. No, here we'll focus on the look and feel of the controller and system.

First of all, the new Xbox One controller feels a bit lighter than the 360's, and looks like a slightly more angular version of its older brother. It’s just as comfortable, if not more comfortable than the 360's, as it fits almost perfectly into my rather large hands.
Story continues (http://reviews.cnet.com/microsoft-xbox-one/)

[majicbar]

http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/sls/3dprinting.html

Hot-Fire Tests Show 3-D Printed Rocket Parts Rival Traditionally Manufactured Parts
July 24, 2013


What can survive blazing temperatures of almost 6,000 degrees Fahrenheit without melting? What did not break apart at extreme pressures? What is made by a new process that forms a complex part in just one piece? What takes less than three weeks to go from manufacturing to testing? What can reduce the costs of expensive rocket parts by 60 percent or more?

Answer: 3-D printed parts

Engineers know that 3-D printed rocket parts have the potential to save NASA and industry money and to open up new affordable design possibilities for rockets and spacecraft. But until recently, no one had tested rocket parts critical to engine combustion in a hot-fire environment.

NASA engineers at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., not only put rocket engine parts to the test but also were able to compare their performance to parts made the old-fashioned way with welds and multiple parts during planned subscale acoustic tests for the Space Launch System (SLS) heavy-lift rocket. In little more than a month, Marshall engineers built two subscale injectors with a specialized 3-D printing machine and completed 11 mainstage hot-fire tests, accumulating 46 seconds of total firing time at temperatures nearing 6,000 degrees Fahrenheit while burning liquid oxygen and gaseous hydrogen.

"We saw no difference in performance of the 3-D printed injectors compared to the traditionally manufactured injectors," said Sandra Elam Greene, the propulsion engineer who oversaw the tests and inspected the components afterward. "Two separate 3-D printed injectors operated beautifully during all hot-fire tests."

Post-test inspections showed the injectors remained in such excellent condition and performed so well the team will continue to put them directly in the line of fire. In addition to the SLS acoustic tests, Greene and her team tested a more complex assembly of a 3-D printed injector and thrust chamber liner made by Directed Manufacturing, Inc., of Austin, Texas. Marshall engineers transferred a second 3-D printed injector to NASA's Stennis Space Center in Mississippi, where it will continue to accumulate hot-fire time to test its durability.

"Rocket engines are complex, with hundreds of individual components that many suppliers typically build and assemble, so testing an engine component built with a new process helps verify that it might be an affordable way to make future rockets," said Chris Singer, director of the Marshall Center's Engineering Directorate. "The additive manufacturing process has the potential to reduce the time and cost associated with making complex parts by an order of magnitude."

Traditional subscale rocket injectors for early SLS acoustic tests took six months to fabricate, had four parts, five welds and detailed machining and cost more than $10,000 each. Marshall materials engineers built the same injector in one piece by sintering Inconel steel powder with a state-of-the-art 3-D printer. After minimal machining and inspection with computer scanning, it took just three weeks for the part to reach the test stand and cost less than $5,000 to manufacture.

"It took about 40 hours from start to finish to make each injector using a 3-D printing process called selective laser melting, and another couple of weeks to polish and inspect the parts," explained Ken Cooper, a Marshall materials engineer whose team made the part. "This allowed the propulsion engineers to take advantage of an existing SLS test series to examine how 3-D printed parts performed compared to traditional parts with a similar design."

View video of additive manufacturing inside Marshall's 3-D printer.

Since additive manufacturing machines have has become more affordable, varied, and sophisticated, this materials process now offers many possibilities for making every phase of NASA missions more affordable. The SLS injector tests are just one example of NASA's efforts to fabricate and test 3-D printed parts in relevant environments similar to those experienced during NASA missions. The SLS injector test series complements a series of liquid oxygen and gaseous hydrogen rocket assembly firings at NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, which hot-fire tested an additively manufactured, select laser melted injector developed through collaboration of industry and government agencies. A J-2X engine exhaust port cover made at the Marshall Center became the first 3-D printed part tested during a full-scale engine hot-fire test at NASA's Stennis Center. Marshall materials engineers are currently making a baffle critical for pogo vibration mitigation; it will be tested at Marshall and Stennis and is a potential candidate for the first SLS mission in 2017. Marshall engineers are finishing up ground tests with Made in Space, a Moffett Field, California company working with NASA to develop and test a 3-D printer that will build tools on the International Space Station next year. NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston is even exploring printing food in space.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4YVTtK9hk4&feature=player_embedded

"At NASA, we recognize ground-based and in-space additive manufacturing offer the potential for new mission opportunities, whether printing rocket parts, tools or entire spacecraft," Singer said. "Additive manufacturing will improve affordability from design and development to flight and operations, enabling every aspect of sustainable long-term human space exploration."

For more information about NASA, visit: http://www.nasa.gov

NASA is a leading partner in the National Network for Manufacturing Innovation and the Advanced Manufacturing Initiative, which explores using additive manufacturing and other advanced materials processes to reduce the cost of spaceflight. For more information about the National Network for Manufacturing Innovation, visit: http://manufacturing.gov/nnmi.html

[epo333]

Meet ATLAS!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkBnFPBV3f0&feature=player_embedded

[calikid]

May have a ways to go on this item. Wonder if the barrel is rifled (spiral grooves)?

3D-printed rifle, dubbed 'The Grizzly,' fires its first shot

A new YouTube video shows the first 3D-printed rifle, born and bred in Canada, taking its first round and then cracking along the barrel and receiver.

by Dara Kerr

It appears that spinoffs of the well-known 3D-printed Liberator handgun have already begun.

In a new YouTube video (see below), a user that goes by the name ThreeD Ukulele claims to have designed and 3D-printed a single shot .22-caliber rifle.

Dubbing the gun "The Grizzly," ThreeD Ukulele says he followed the designs of the Liberator by incorporating coiled mainsprings and keeping the gun entirely plastic except for the 1" metal roofing nail. He says the rifle was printed on a Stratasys Dimension 1200es 3D-printer.

The video shows the white plastic rifle clamped to an outdoor table. The person operating the gun has a string attached to the trigger; he steps back, pulls the string, and fires the gun.

"The barrel split along both sides and the receiver split along the top," the video says, "but it did fire the round."

The Liberator 3D-printed handgun, made by Defense Distributed, has gotten a lot of press over the past few months. The Liberator debuted in May as the world's first 3D-printed gun. It is capable of firing standard handgun rounds and is made entirely of plastic, except for a nail used as a firing pin and a six-ounce piece of steel designed solely to allow the gun to be detected by metal detectors.

The Liberator can be instantly downloaded and anonymously printed by anyone who has access to 3D-printing technology, which is has been a concern for lawmakers and gun-control advocates.

New York Reps. Steve Israel and Chuck Schumer have sponsored legislation that aims to add a 3D-printing provision to the U.S. Undetectable Firearms Act
Story continues (http://news.cnet.com/8301-11386_3-57595615-76/3d-printed-rifle-dubbed-the-grizzly-fires-its-first-shot/)

[norenrad]

People Zoo? Not very reassuring, to say the least.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ySljCcnq4o

[calikid]

Big Rez, on a small tablet.

New Nexus 7 display may offer preview of iPad Mini to come

The second-generation Nexus 7 has one of the highest pixel density displays for a tablet to date. Apple could opt for the same display technology in the iPad Mini Retina.

The new Nexus 7 may offer a sneak preview of the Retina display on a rumored update to the iPad Mini.

Google's 7-inch tablet's 1,920x1,200 display is not unlike what is expected to appear on the iPad Mini Retina, Richard Shim, an analyst at NPD DisplaySearch told CNET.

In short, the Nexus 7 boasts a pixel density of 323 pixels per inch -- one the highest yet for a tablet. That's almost exactly the same density of the 2,048x1,536 display expected to appear on the 7.9-inch iPad Mini Retina.

And Shim says the second-generation Nexus 7 uses Japan Display Inc.'s low-temperature polysilicon (LTPS) displays Story Continues (http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57595348-94/new-nexus-7-display-may-offer-preview-of-ipad-mini-to-come/)

[calikid]

Pick your next Wi-Fi router cautiously.

Wi-Fi routers: More security risks than ever

The research team that discovered significant security holes in more than a dozen home Wi-Fi routers adds more devices to that list at Defcon 21.
by Seth Rosenblatt

More major brand-name Wi-Fi router vulnerabilities continue to be discovered, and continue to go unpatched, a security researcher has revealed at Defcon 21.

Jake Holcomb, a security researcher at the Baltimore, Md.-based firm Independent Security Evaluators and the lead researcher into Wi-Fi router vulnerabilities, said that problem is worse than when ISE released its original findings in April.

The latest study continues to show that the small office and home office Wi-Fi routers are "very vulnerable to attack," Holcomb said.

"They're not a means to protect your network and your digital assets," he cautioned. Story Continues (http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-57596851-83/wi-fi-routers-more-security-risks-than-ever/)

[montalk]

A Cheap Spying Tool With a High Creepy Factor

Brendan O’Connor is a security researcher. How easy would it be, he recently wondered, to monitor the movement of everyone on the street – not by a government intelligence agency, but by a private citizen with a few hundred dollars to spare?

Mr. O’Connor, 27, bought some plastic boxes and stuffed them with a $25, credit-card size Raspberry Pi Model A computer and a few over-the-counter sensors, including Wi-Fi adapters. He connected each of those boxes to a command and control system, and he built a data visualization system to monitor what the sensors picked up: all the wireless traffic emitted by every nearby wireless device, including smartphones.

Each box cost $57. He produced 10 of them, and then he turned them on – to spy on himself. He could pick up the Web sites he browsed when he connected to a public Wi-Fi – say at a cafe – and he scooped up the unique identifier connected to his phone and iPad. Gobs of information traveled over the Internet in the clear, meaning they were entirely unencrypted and simple to scoop up.

Even when he didn’t connect to a Wi-Fi network, his sensors could track his location through Wi-Fi “pings.� His iPhone pinged the iMessage server to check for new messages. When he logged on to an unsecured Wi-Fi, it revealed what operating system he was using on what kind of device, and whether he was using Dropbox or went on a dating site or browsed for shoes on an e-commerce site. One site might leak his e-mail address, another his photo.

[...] He is presenting his findings at two security conferences in Las Vegas this week, including at a session for young people. It is a window into how cheap and easy it is to erect a surveillance apparatus.

Can individual consumers guard against such a prospect? Not really, he concluded. Applications leak more information than they should. And those who care about security and use things like VPN have to connect to their tunneling software after connecting to a Wi-Fi hub, meaning that at least for a few seconds, their Web traffic is known to anyone who cares to know, and VPN does nothing to mask your device identifier.

more: http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/08/02/a-cheap-spying-tool-with-a-high-creepy-factor/?_r=1

[calikid]

The downside to personal technology?
And you thought the "boob tube" was bad.
The Personal Television Revolution Is Horrifying — And Brilliant

By Ryan Tate
Students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign gather around a television in this undated photo. Photo: universityymca/Flickr
For decades, the world’s intellectuals lamented the rise of the family television, deriding it as a mentally enfeebling “boob tube,” a will-sapping “idiot box,” the inevitable tool of a “Big Brother” surveillance state.

But now that the shared TV experience is declining, many thinkers want it back. Only now can they appreciate its value and see what it gave us: The communal bonding that occurs when people sit down and watch the same thing.

We’ve begun a steady migration to personal screens, be they iPads, Android phones, or laptops — and to personalized programming, algorithmically selected content suggested to us on Hulu, iTunes, and YouTube. Just last week, Netflix announced a slick new tool that lets each member of your family establish a separate profile on a shared Netflix account, so that each of you can receive personal recommendations.

Netflix profiles are just one of the superpowers I’ve craved in my pursuit of perfectly customized TV. But I’ve begun to realize that overindulgence in personal television can leave me feeling isolated from those I care about most. Several times a week, my wife and I will share a couch but lose ourselves in different screens. We’re physically proximate, but to some extent, we’re off in our own worlds of personally chosen video games, sitcoms, documentaries, dramatic series, and so on.

We’ll visit friends for some big TV events –- the Super Bowl, a presidential debate, an awards ceremony, a series finale. But their children will be off in their own iPad bubbles, while several of us adults are heads down in our phones — if only for a few moments at a time — posting something clever to Twitter or shooting off a quick email.

It’s right and healthy that members of a family or other group indulge their own preferences. But the balance between individualism and communalism seems off, particularly in households saturated with mobile devices and digital media (which these days is a huge chunk of them).

I thought — hoped, really — that I was worrying too much about new technology, so I called Patricia Greenfield, Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles. I asked: Do tech-savvy people in healthy relationships (like, say, me) really need to worry that customized media and mobile devices will undermine our connections with others?

“I think you should worry,” Greenfield told me.

Oh. Damn.

Greenfield studies developmental psychology and specifically the role that media and culture play in this psychology. She says that the trend toward individualized media, as opposed to communal media, is a long one, going back at least 200 years and including such old-fashioned forms as the novel. But mobile digital media are accelerating the trend, at least according to several recent studies she has led or participated in.

The thing is, we’re not just interacting in an individualistic way with smartphones and tablets and the Netflix-style personalization systems attached to them. We’re also using these tools to displace two of the rare communal media spaces to rise during the electronic era: family televisions and movie theaters.

“When there was one television in the house, everyone would watch together,” Greenfield says. “In a way, television was the most collectivist media experience we ever had.”

The fall of family TV screen and the rise of personal television appears to be influencing people’s psychology in a lasting way, at least within the U.S. In a study released earlier this summer, Greenfield and two other scholars surveyed the attitudes of high school seniors and determined that during the most recent recession they developed a more inflated sense of self. Prior recessions, in contrast, had marked reversals in the long-term trend toward more individualism. Something changed by 2008, when the economic downturn began.

“If you look at what was going on from 2008 to 2010, it’s really the expansion of communications technologies, especially mobile technologies,” Greenfield says. “Our inference is that most likely the reason why the trend toward greater individualism wasn’t reversed in this recession but was in prior recessions is because of technology.”

It’s hard to hear that amazing devices like the iPad, and incredible services like Netflix, might be feeding our collective egotism. That’s doubly true if, like me and like many WIRED readers, you saw the promise of systems like Twitter, the MP3, and the open web (to take just a few examples) when they were derided as socially dangerous diversions for narcissists and pirates.

But handling new technologies rationally and effectively requires first understanding their downsides.
Story Continues (http://www.wired.com/business/2013/08/personal-television-horror/)

[Doc]

The above suggests that keeping watch over the watchers becomes not only ever more necessary but in effect the only way we have of protecting privacy. The tech is always going to be a step or two ahead of us.

[calikid]

The above suggests that keeping watch over the watchers becomes not only ever more necessary but in effect the only way we have of protecting privacy. The tech is always going to be a step or two ahead of us.

Seems odd hearing the lamentations for the good 'ol days when the family sat 'round the TV huddled together in a cozy social circle.

As I recall, the critics decried TV as a bane to personal growth, "go read a book" & "use your imaginaation" was more the order of the day.

The prisim of time does funny things to the memory.

[calikid]

Something to give the every rising cable bill some competition.
An $8/month cloud based DVD? Sign me up!


Aereo heads to Miami, Houston, and Dallas in September

The upstart company continues to expand its over-the-air television and DVR services beyond its New York base, in spite of legal challenges from ticked-off networks.
by Don Reisinger

Aereo, the cloud-based television provider that has drawn the ire of TV networks, is spreading further across the country.

The company announced on Thursday that it will offer its service to consumers in Miami, Houston, and Dallas starting next month. The Miami service will be available on September 2, while the Houston and Dallas offerings will launch on September 16 and September 23, respectively.

Aereo provides an extremely small antenna <think dime sized!> that allows customers to access over-the-air programming. The company also has a cloud-based DVR that lets users record over-the-air programming and watch it back on personal devices, such as tablets, PCs, and even the Apple TV. The cloud-based DVR acts the same as any hardware model, delivering recording, rewinding and fast-forwarding, and the ability to save a title for future viewing.

That Aereo is expanding to more cities might be more than a little upsetting to major TV networks. NBC, ABC, Fox, and CBS (the parent of CNET), have sued Aereo, claiming that the service violates their copyrights. The networks have requested that Aereo pay them retransmission fees.

The networks, however, might have an uphill battle in proving that case. In New York, they have already lost an early round, with the U.S. Court of Appeals...
Story Continues (http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57597541-93/aereo-heads-to-miami-houston-and-dallas-in-september/)

[calikid]

Popular Android productivity tools
7 great Android apps for notes and tasks

Organize your life with one of these incredibly useful Android applications for keeping track of notes, tasks, and to-do lists.
by Scott Webster

From day one, Android has provided a number of applications to help users stay more organized. We bought these expensive devices to keep us on track; it's a smart phone so we expect it to do things we can't always remember to do.

Thanks to the beauty of the app store, there are new and much more sophisticated tools popping up on a regular basis. But, with so many to choose from, how does one get started?

Catch Notes and Astrid are popular apps for managing such needs, but with the future of both services in the air (also " >here,) it's time to export your data or consider moving on to a different app.



I've put together a short list of my favorite Android apps for managing tasks, keeping notes, and more. If you've dabbled in smartphones for any length of time then you've likely encountered one or two of these. Some have been around for years, working as cloud-based services accessible from browsers while others are just sweet and simple apps from the last few months.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Google Keep

Evernote

Any.Do

Wunderlist

Todoist

Task List

GTasks

For Software details (http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19736_7-57597368-251/7-great-android-apps-for-notes-and-tasks/)

[calikid]

Greedy cable company makes hefty discount on I-net access for the poor.
Maybe Scrooge has a heart after all?


Comcast Expands $10-Per-Month Internet Offering and Increases Speed

The price is a big discount from a typical plan, which costs around $50 a month. The speed is good enough to watch online video.

Comcast Corp., the nation’s largest cable company, is expanding the number of low-income families that can automatically qualify for its $9.95-per-month Internet access. It’s also boosting download speeds on the service to 5 megabits per second (Mbps) from 3 Mbps to attract more subscribers.

The price is a big discount from a typical plan, which costs around $50 a month. The speed is good enough to watch online video.

“We don’t want this product to be perceived as a second-class product,” says Comcast executive vice president David Cohen. “Our goal is to make this product more attractive. We really want to keep moving the needle.”

Read more: http://techland.time.com/2013/08/13/comcast-expands-10-per-month-internet-offering-and-increases-speed/#ixzz2bwvplQw5

Comcast first began its Internet Essentials program in 2011 as a voluntary condition of its $13.5 billion takeover of NBCUniversal.

The Federal Communications Commission, which ultimately approved the deal, has been pushing for affordable high-speed Internet access across the country.

Read more: http://techland.time.com/2013/08/13/comcast-expands-10-per-month-internet-offering-and-increases-speed/#ixzz2bwvsxbml


Read more: (http://techland.time.com/2013/08/13/comcast-expands-10-per-month-internet-offering-and-increases-speed/#ixzz2bwvSkXKD)

[calikid]

I've owned laptops this big.
Size does matter.
Wonder if we will see the 17-inch tablet anytime soon.
You just know it's coming!

Samsung to release a 12-inch tablet, says Korea report

Tablets go large: Samsung is reportedly doing a 12-incher. Apple is also looking into larger tablets. Is this a trend?
by Brooke Crothers

Samsung will buck the trend toward small tablets with a 12-incher, according to the Korea Economic Daily.

The Daily speculates that it will be released in October sometime, citing industry sources.

The brief report adds that Samsung Electronics is still "engaged in development" of the device. The largest screen size on a Samsung tablet to date is 11.6 inches.

The report comes after series of rumors dating back to early in the year. One more recent July report claimed it packs a 12.2-inch display and may not necessarily be branded as a Galaxy Tab.
Story Continues (http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57599064-94/samsung-to-release-a-12-inch-tablet-says-korea-report/)

[CasperParks]

I've owned laptops this big.
Size does matter.
Wonder if we will see the 17-inch tablet anytime soon.
You just know it's coming!

Samsung to release a 12-inch tablet, says Korea report

Tablets go large: Samsung is reportedly doing a 12-incher. Apple is also looking into larger tablets. Is this a trend?
by Brooke Crothers

Samsung will buck the trend toward small tablets with a 12-incher, according to the Korea Economic Daily.

The Daily speculates that it will be released in October sometime, citing industry sources.

The brief report adds that Samsung Electronics is still "engaged in development" of the device. The largest screen size on a Samsung tablet to date is 11.6 inches.

The report comes after series of rumors dating back to early in the year. One more recent July report claimed it packs a 12.2-inch display and may not necessarily be branded as a Galaxy Tab.
Story Continues (http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57599064-94/samsung-to-release-a-12-inch-tablet-says-korea-report/)

I keep waiting for prices to drop on 10 inch tablets. Something that can handle formats for amazon, nook, i-Tunes and whatever.

[calikid]

I keep waiting for prices to drop on 10 inch tablets. Something that can handle formats for amazon, nook, i-Tunes and whatever.

I suspect when the 12" models hit the market there will be a fire sale on the 10" models. Seems to be the way of the world. Stay 1 generation behind.... if you want to save $$$.

[calikid]

I just recently upgraded to TiVO "Premier" box a few months ago, and it's already second class.
Tough out here on the bleeding edge :p

Are TiVo’s Pricey New Roamio Boxes Worth It?
By Roberto Baldwin

If you’re a TV power user who demands quality software on your DVR along with the ability to record six channels at once without worrying about running out of space, the TiVo Roamio Plus and Roamio Pro are worth the premium price. But it’s not just the ability to record hundreds of hours of content or the six tuners. It’s TiVo’s third-party app library and UI that make it a worthy successor to whatever you have under your TV right now.

Of course, when you’re talking about any DVR you have to factor in location and available services. The Dish Hopper and DirecTV Genie are both fine devices. But both require you to be a subscriber of those satellite services. That’s where TiVo shines. While it won’t work with Dish or DirecTV, you can use it with pretty much any cable provider.

Plus, the Roamio comes with streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Instant Video — something that a pay-TV provider might not be willing to add to its DVR offerings. Why give your customers a taste of what it’s like to watch TV without commercials? And while the Pro is a costly box ($600, ouch), it will mean you can forgo an $80-$100 streaming box from Roku and Apple. As you’ll see below, when you look at the monthly cost, TiVo is actually a cheaper option as long as you’re willing to stick it out for a few years. Story Continues (http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2013/08/is-the-tivo-roamio-worth-it/)

[calikid]

Looks like reduced power consumption is the main feature of the next gen Intel cpu.
Good news for battery life on laptops equipped with Haskell.

Don't buy a new PC or Mac before you read this

Is the laptop, desktop, or tablet you plan to buy stuck with a last-gen CPU? That may be a reason to wait -- or a way to get a great deal. Here's how to tell.

by Dan Ackerman
Before swiping your credit card on a new ultrabook, all-in-one, or convertible, you're going to want to dive a little deeper into the spec sheets. That's because the latest Intel CPU upgrade, introduced in June and code named Haswell (but officially known as "fourth-generation Core i series") offers significant battery life improvements in the laptops we've tested so far. So, unlike the more ho-hum Intel updates we've seen in years past, there's a real-world payoff in seeking out a Haswell-equipped laptop.

But, many popular laptops, such as the Lenovo Yoga 13 and Apple MacBook Pro with Retina Display, still use third-generation Intel CPUs, with no official upgrade plans yet announced. If better battery life isn't a big concern, for example if you're going for a desktop PC, or if you have a "desktop replacement" laptop that you don't tend to disconnect from the power cord, this could work in your favor, and you could score a nice discount as more pre-Haswell PCs make their way to the discount bin.

How do you tell which is which? That's the tricky part.

The current laptop landscape

As we move into the Haswell era, the market is in flux. Many "new" laptops and hybrids, such as the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11S or the Toshiba Kirabook, all still ship with processors from Intel's third-generation Core i series, the same parts that have been found in most PCs since spring 2012. On the bright side, some popular systems, including the Acer Aspire S7, have added Haswell parts.
Story continues (http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-3121_7-57591398-220/dont-buy-a-new-pc-or-mac-before-you-read-this/)

[calikid]

The return of the START button?!?!

Microsoft releases to manufacturing (RTM) Windows 8.1: Sources

Summary: Word is Microsoft has released Windows 8.1 to manufacturing. There's still no indication that developers or users are going to get the gold bits before October 18.
By Mary Jo Foley
They said they'd do it by the end of August. And as we head into the last stretch, it seems Microsoft has released to manufacturing (RTMed) Windows 8.1, its next release of Windows.

Windows SuperSite editor Paul Thurrott tweeted on August 23 that Windows 8.1 had RTM'd. Thurrott said the final RTM build number is 9600.16384.130821-1623.

I talked to another contact of mine who said the internal RTM e-mail made the rounds inside the Windows division on August 23. A third source close to the company confirmed Microsoft RTM'd Windows 8.1 on August 23, and announced internally that the quality metrics for Windows 8.1 were back in line with those of Windows 7. (The vast amount of changes in the Windows 8 code base resulted in an increased number of crashes and hangs for Windows 8, one of my contacts explained.)

I asked a Microsoft spokesperson if Windows 8.1 RTM'd on August 23 and was told the company had no comment.

Microsoft may have opted against announcing Windows 8.1's RTM on Friday so that the news wouldn't be overshadowed by the announcement that CEO Steve Ballmer is retiring some time within the next 12 months. As I blogged previously, my sources said Microsoft was targeting Monday August 26 as the day it would RTM Windows 8.1.

In June, officials said that Microsoft would be providing the final RTM bits to OEMs before the end of August.

The real question on some developers', IT pros' and other users' minds is whether Microsoft will make the RTM bits available to anyone early. In other words, will TechNet and MSDN subscribers get the Windows 8.1 gold bits in the next couple weeks or so, as Microsoft has done traditionally?

As I've noted previously, my sources said that Microsoft's game plan is to withhold the Windows 8.1 RTM bits until launch this year, which means almost no one outside (other than OEMs) would get officially released Windows 8.1 bits until October 18.

Microsoft may reverse that decision, but... Story Continues (http://www.zdnet.com/microsoft-releases-to-manufacturing-windows-8-1-sources-7000019819/)

[calikid]

Is it a PHone? Or is it a tABLET? Let's hear it for the 'tweener sized phablet.

An Apple phablet, anyone?

Should Apple consider making a phablet? New numbers from IDC say it's a category on fire in Asia.
by Brooke Crothers

Does Apple need a phablet? New figures from IDC make a compelling argument.

Devices with screen sizes of 5 inches to just under 7 inches, i.e., phablets, overtook shipments of portable PCs and tablets, overtaking each device category individually, in the Asia-Pacific region (excluding Japan) in the second quarter of 2013, IDC said Friday.

Device makers shipped 25.2 million phablets in the second quarter, compared with 12.6 million tablets and 12.7 million portable PCs, IDC said. That's almost more than both categories combined.

Need more proof? Phablet shipments in that market were up by 100 percent quarter on quarter, and a whopping 620 percent year over year, according to the market researcher.

And who has the largest share? Samsung. It has roughly 50 percent of the phablet market in the region.

Samsung recently announced the Galaxy Mega 6.3 and is expected to announce the Galaxy Note 3 at IFA in Berlin in the coming days.

So, does Apple need to be in this market? It seemed like a wacky tweener category (wait, is it an unwieldy, oversized phone or an undersized tablet?) Story Continues (http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57600912-37/an-apple-phablet-anyone/)

[calikid]

Remind anyone else of Dick Tracy?

Samsung Galaxy Gear: Android-powered smartwatch arrives later this month (hands-on)
BERLIN -- The Galaxy Gear is a rumour no longer.

Samsung today officially fired its first salvo in the wearable tech wars, unveiling its smartwatch at the IFA show in Berlin Germany. The product will be released around the world on 25 September at the same time as the new Samsung Galaxy Note 3 -- except for customers in the US and Japan, who will need to wait until October.

The Samsung Galaxy Gear is one of those gadgets that you have to have in your hands to like. Before and even after I'd seen it, I was plagued with questions Samsung has yet to answer: Will it be really expensive? How long will the battery really last? Are there enough apps? Is it, in fact, entirely pointless?

But when I actually strapped the Gear on my wrist, I was won over. The Gear is a smartwatch, a wrist-worn touch-screen timepiece that talks to your phone, so you don't have to be forever fetching your phone from purse or pocket. It sits on your wrist and happily controls your music, tracks your exercise, installs your favourite apps -- it even makes phone calls.
Story Continues (http://reviews.cnet.com/samsung-galaxy-gear/)

[calikid]

And Tim Cook tries to carry on Steve Jobs' successful traditions.

Apple unveils two new iPhones -- the 5S and 5C
By Heather Kelly

For the first time ever, Apple unveiled two new iPhones on Tuesday, a traditional upgrade of its iPhone 5 as well as a simpler, cheaper version.

Apple CEO Tim Cook said the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C are a reaction to a changing smartphone market.

"Business has become so large that this year we are going to replace the iPhone 5 and we're going to replace it with not one, but two new designs," Cook said. "This allows us to serve even more customers."

The iPhone 5C was the first phone demoed at Tuesday's event at Apple's Cupertino, California, headquarters.

"It has an incredible all new design, one that's more fun, more colorful than any iPhone we've made yet," said Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president for marketing. In a video, Apple design guru Jonny Ive described the 5C as "beautifully, unapologetically plastic."

The phone will sell for as little as $99, for a 16GB version, and $199 for one with 32GB of storage (each with a two-year mobile contract). In a departure, Apple will also be making its own cases for the 5C, selling them in a variety of colors for $29.

Then there's the iPhone 5S, which is the more traditional update to the iPhone 5.

"It is the gold standard in smartphones," Schiller said.

The 5S features a handful of performance upgrades, including what Apple calls a dramatic increase in processing speed.

It will have the first 64-bit chip in a smartphone -- Apple's A7 -- which Schiller said has tested at up to twice as fast as the iPhone 5's processor. Story Continues (http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/10/tech/mobile/new-iphones/index.html)

[calikid]

As go the desktops, so goes the smartphones. 64bit processors have been with us for the past few years. Looks like Apple is about to upgrade their smartphones to that platform, can Android be far behind?


Apple's 64-bit A7 chip (FAQ)

The company's move to a 64-bit chip is necessary. And it's meaningful that Apple got there first.
by Brooke Crothers

Apple is the first to get a 64-bit processor into a smartphone. So, what's all this 64-bit business anyway?

Is this the first 64-bit ARM chip for smartphones?


The Apple A7 is the first processor from any company to implement the new 64-bit ARMv8 instruction set.


Linley Gwennap, principal analyst at the Linley Group, a chip technology consultancy, supplied CNET with the quote above, answering that question.

The "ARM" in ARMv8 refers to the dominant chip technology used in smartphones and tablets worldwide. Apple, Qualcomm, Samsung, Nvidia, MediaTek, and others all license technology from ARM. That's how Android can run on a variety of smartphones with a variety of ARM chips.

The 'v8" part refers to ARM's 64-bit chip architecture. Current ARM chips from all of the above chip suppliers are 32-bit.

Apple is ahead of the pack. "To achieve this feat, Apple must have designed its own custom CPU," Gwenapp said, referring to the 64-bitness in the CPU or central processing unit. ARM's own 64-bit designs are not scheduled for commercial production until 2014 -- and that's probably later in 2014, not early in the year.

What does 64-bit get me?
Ah, there's the rub. This same question was asked when Apple introduced the 64-bit PowerPC G5 from IBM.

The short answer is a future iPad -- or whatever future newfangled iOS device Apple dreams up -- can address more memory. Let's just say more than the 4GB limitation in many cases for 32-bit processors.

The longer answer is that 64-bit allows data-intensive applications to handle large chunks of data more efficiently than 32-bit. Right now, ARM is aiming 64-bit chips at servers, not smartphones. Why? Because servers can benefit immediately in a big way -- for the reasons stated above.


Related stories
When will Samsung go 64-bit?
The real reasons Apple's 64-bit A7 chip makes sense

In fact, the only other ARMv8 chip that has even reached the sample production stage is AppliedMicro's X-Gene, a server processor expected to reach production late this year, according to Gwennap.

So, Apple will have to convince its own developers that it makes sense to develop 64-bit apps for consumers, like the Epic Games Infinity Blade 3 demoed at the Apple iPhone event on Tuesday.

Apple's Phil Schiller, speaking at the event, said Apple's iOS 7 has been "completely re-engineered for 64-bit...64-bit kernels, libraries, and drivers. And the apps that come with your iPhone 5S, they've been re-engineered to 64 bit as well."

"This will be an easy transition for developers, we've updated our tools...to support 64-bit," he added.

If you listen to Epic Games executives talk about the improvements that the 64-bit A7 made possible (the 38:40 mark) for their game, it's impressive. But at least some of that performance boost is coming from the richer OpenGL ES 3.0 graphics-acceleration interface and an improved graphics chip, not from the 64-bit design.

So, what does 64-bit get you? The upshot is the potential for faster apps that can juggle large amounts of data more efficiently. Story Continues (http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57602979-37/apples-64-bit-a7-chip-faq/)

[calikid]

Touchscreen? Nice. Maybe the best tablet for the job is a laptop.

Hands-on with Dell's budget touch-screen Inspiron 11

Dell plans to fight for the attention and dollars of on-the-go consumers who may be considering a low-cost tablet or even phablet. The company's new 11-inch Inspiron 11 laptop takes prices back to the Netbook era, starting at $349 for touch screen and AMD processor, in a body that's 21mm thick and weighs 3.15 pounds.

Intel-powered versions of the Inspiron 11 start at $379, and CPU options include Intel's latest Haswell fourth-generation chips, although it'll be interesting to see how different CPU choices affect the price.

In our brief hands-on time with the system, it was definitely a classic plastic clamshell, but I'd certainly call it upscale for a sub-$400 computer.

The interior is matte black, with a very large clickpad-style touch pad that looked like it could work on any of Dell's more expensive systems. The back of the lid, a dull matte gray in the version we saw, was inoffensive enough to work in an office or coffee shop.

Dell claims more than 8 hours of battery life, thanks to a 50Whr battery, and you can get up to 4GB RAM and a 500GB HDD, Story Continues (http://www.cnet.com/4505-3121_7-35827688.html?autoplay=true)

[calikid]

Don't know that I want to type a letter on a tablet, maybe Outlook would be a nice addition. Almost require a keyboard to be productive.

Ballmer strongly hints at Office for iPad, Android tablets
By Juan Carlos Perez

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer insinuated that the company is working on a version of Office for the iPad and for Android tablets when he addressed Wall Street analysts on Thursday.

Speaking about “upside opportunities” that exist for Microsoft, Ballmer talked about porting products to non-Windows platforms. “We don’t have our heads in the sand,” he said during the company’s meeting with financial analysts, which was held in a Bellevue, Wash., convention center and webcast live.

In this context Microsoft is “working on everything that you think we should be working on,” Ballmer said.

Windows is the preferred platform for Microsoft applications and remains supremely important, but executives have less “religion” than people think and keep their “eyes wide open” with regards to the opportunities for generating additional revenue by porting products like Office to other platforms, he said.

To be sure, Ballmer didn’t refer specifically to Office for iOS and Android, but it seemed clear that this is what he had in mind, Story Continues (http://www.pcworld.com/article/2049060/ballmer-strongly-hints-at-office-for-ipad-and-android-tablets.html)

[calikid]

Make it harder for the crooks to fence your stolen iPhone.

NYPD to iPhone owners: Hurry up and download iOS 7

Police in New York hand out fliers explaining to Apple faithful that iOS 7 brings with it Activation Lock, which makes it harder for a thief to turn off the "Find My Phone" feature.
by Chris Matyszczyk

When a policeman asks me to do something, I can be overcome with suspicion.

For example, when a policeman asked me to pull over at the next exit on the freeway, I had a feeling it was for his benefit, rather than mine.

So when the New York Police Department started handing out flyers outside the city's Apple stores on Friday, I had to wonder how this would help them.

Well, it would appear that the police in New York are entirely fed up of chasing after iPhone thieves.

In New York, iPhone and iPad theft leaped 40 percent in 2012. It's showing no signs of slowing.

So the NYPD would like all iPhone owners to download iOS 7 immediately.

As AllThingsD reports, the fliers explained: "Should your iPhone get lost or stolen, it cannot be reprogrammed without an Apple ID and password."

This is thanks to Activation Lock, which prevents a thief from deactivating your Find My Phone feature.
Story Continues (http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-57604053-71/nypd-to-iphone-owners-hurry-up-and-download-ios-7/)

[calikid]

Apple finger print ID system, not as secure as first thought. I wonder if the NSA is quietly collecting all those fingerprints! doh!

Hackers claim to have defeated Apple's Touch ID print sensor

Hackers in Germany say they bypassed the biometric security system by making a copy of a fingerprint photographed on a glass surface.
by Steven Musil

A day after the iPhone 5S hit the streets, a group of hackers in Germany say they have successfully bypassed the biometric security on the Apple's Touch ID fingerprint sensor by using "easy everyday means."

The Chaos Computer Club announced late Saturday that it defeated the security device by photographing an iPhone user's fingerprint from a glass surface and using that captured image to verify the user's login credentials. The sensor, which resides under the home button, replaces the four-digit passcode to unlock the handset and authorize iTunes Store purchases.

"This demonstrates -- again -- that fingerprint biometrics is unsuitable as access control method and should be avoided," the group wrote in a blog post detailing its bypass:


First, the fingerprint of the enrolled user is photographed with 2400 dpi resolution. The resulting image is then cleaned up, inverted and laser printed with 1200 dpi onto transparent sheet with a thick toner setting. Finally, pink latex milk or white woodglue is smeared into the pattern created by the toner onto the transparent sheet. After it cures, the thin latex sheet is lifted from the sheet, breathed on to make it a tiny bit moist and then placed onto the sensor to unlock the phone. This process has been used with minor refinements and variations against the vast majority of fingerprint sensors on the market.

"We hope that this finally puts to rest the illusions people have about fingerprint biometrics," CCC spokesperson Frank Rieger said in a statement. "It is plain stupid to use something that you can´t change and that you leave everywhere every day as a security token." Story Continues (http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57604067-37/hackers-claim-to-have-defeated-apples-touch-id-print-sensor/)

[calikid]

Small tablet, large performance.

New Kindle Fires get faster, add personal support
By Heather Kelly
Amazon on Wednesday announced three new Kindle Fire tablets: a 8.9- and 7-inch Kindle Fire HDX and a lower-end Kindle Fire HD. The tablets feature faster hardware, better screens, improved software and a subtle new look.

"We have always wanted to build hardware that disappears and gets out of the way," said CEO Jeff Bezos, who showed off the new products at Amazon's Seattle headquarters. "When you're reading a book you don't think about the glue and the stitching."

Making hardware that customers can successfully ignore requires a manufacturer pay a lot of attention to hardware. The Amazon team has spent the last year improving its Kindle line inside and out.

Faster guts by the numbers

The result is a Kindle Fire HDX that's a beefed-up, sped-up, slimmed-down upgrade to last year's Kindle Fire HD. The third generation of Kindle Fire, the HDX comes in two sizes: 8.9 inches for $329 and 7 inches for $229 (tag on another $100 if you want a 4G connection through Verizon or AT&T.)

High-quality screens are key for devices that are built to deliver content like movies and books. The new screens are much higher resolution than the previous Fires. The 8.9-inch tablet crams in 339 pixels per square inch with a 2560-by-1600 resolution screen; the 7-incher is 1920-by-1200 with 323 pixels per square inch. Rounding out the screen improvements, the colors are more accurate and the screen automatically adjusts the contrast depending on how much ambient light there is.

The tablet is also faster, elaborate visuals like the kind in video games are smoother and speedier and there shouldn't be any lag when navigating through menus, using apps or enjoying books or movies. The internal hardware making that possible includes a new 2.2 GHz, quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM and an improved graphics engine.

For some reason, people continue to take photos with their tablets. Amazon has added an 8-megapixel camera
Story Continues (http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/25/tech/gaming-gadgets/kindle-fire-upgrade/index.html)

[calikid]

Reminds me of the "Dish" hopper. Skip/hop over the ads.

The device that could change the Internet
By Dan Simon

Depending whom you ask, Chad Russell and Charles Butkus' invention is either a step forward for the Internet -- or a death knell for free content.

Their AdTrap device intercepts online advertisements before they reach any devices that access your Internet connection, allowing you to surf the Web -- even stream videos -- without those annoying ads.

Their inspiration? A conversation about the early days of the Internet.

"It was page, text and pictures -- and that's it," said Russell, 31.

In other words, there were zero ads. So, Russell and Butkus set out to recreate the past and they came up with AdTrap. The company's motto is, "The Internet is yours again."

While there are countless software and browser plug-ins that block online advertisements -- many of them free -- they are limited to the individual device or the specific browser.

AdTrap, a white rectangular box that resembles a wireless router and costs $139, intercepts the ads before they reach the laptop, tablet or mobile phone.

Interest and enthusiasm for Russell and Butkus' idea translated into $200,000, raised through a 30-day Kickstarter crowdsourcing campaign earlier this year. The funds are being used by parent company Bluepoint Security, a mobile antivirus software firm, to manufacture the AdTrap units. Story Continues (http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/28/tech/ad-trap-internet-ad-blocker/index.html?hpt=te_r1)

[calikid]

3D glasses by any other name. Maybe they should call it Goggles for Google. :)

Avegant's Virtual Retinal Display prototype takes Oculus Rift-style immersion to the next level
C/Net

It's a jumbled tangle of wires sitting on the table, seemingly enough HDMI cables to wire up the home entertainment section of a Best Buy. A few splitter boxes and other miscellaneous attachments are arrayed inline. One end of this mess leads to a MacBook Air. On the other, something rather more rare: an oversized pair of prototype glasses with exposed circuitry and some delicate 3D-printed components.

Somewhere within the tangled mass, hurriedly yet skillfully wiring this contraption together, is Ed Tang, CEO of a company called Avegant. Avegant has produced this device, a wearable prototype he simply calls the Virtual Retinal Display for now. It could be most closely compared to the Oculus Rift, a full-field wearable display that presents a 3D image to the wearer. However, where the Rift cunningly relies on a single LCD panel and some simple optics to work its magic, Avegant's product actually projects two discrete images directly onto the retinas of the wearer -- as is not-so-subtly implied by the name.

Everything connected, Tang hands over the device and helps get it adjusted. Retinal projection requires precise alignment and optical focusing, a major engineering challenge that has pushed other companies toward simpler technologies when creating wearable displays. (Including Google, which considered retinal projection for Glass.) Avegant seems to have solved that problem in two ways: a frame that expands to accommodate different face widths and high-quality optical elements that can be individually adjusted. Where most wearable displays have crude, fixed optics, Avegant's eyepieces wouldn't look out of place at an ophthalmologist's.

Once properly aligned, the resulting image is compelling. The device offers a separate WXGA (1,280 x 768) image for each eye, basically twice the effective resolution of current Oculus Rift developer kits. This means a crisp, clear image and, because of the nature of the projection's micromirror array, there's no screen door effect. Pixels seem to blend together seamlessly, creating an incredibly bright and vibrant image.

Most impressive, however, is how comfortable the device is to wear. Not physically -- it's heavy, and all that weight rests squarely on your nose -- but rather in terms of eye comfort. Traditional wearable displays use optical tricks to provide some degree of eye relief, but you're still trying to focus on a display that's fairly close to your eyes. With Avegant's prototype there simply is no display. Your eyes completely relax and let the optics do the work of focusing. After staring at an LCD for hours, it's actually refreshing to gaze into this prototype.

This was one of the core concepts of the device, which grew out of a military request years ago to create a display that provided thermal imaging in a wearable package
Story Continues (http://reviews.cnet.com/wearable-tech/avegant-virtual-retinal-display/4505-34900_7-35828603.html)

[calikid]

Bendy phone displays. What will that get us?

What you should know about flexible displays (FAQ)

What do Samsung and LG mean when they talk about flexible displays, and how is that different from a bendable phone? CNET breaks it down.

by Jessica Dolcourt and Shara Tibken

Samsung, LG, and others have been showing off flexible displays and even a prototype phone for years, but it's only now that flexible displays are going commercial.

Samsung's Galaxy Round raises a lot of questions about what a flexible display is and isn't, what the word really means, and just what kinds of benefits a bendable display would bring to a smartphone or any other gadget.

What is a flexible display anyway?
Colloquially, "display" means the thing you see when you look at your phone and navigate around. But more technically, display refers to the electronic material that sits beneath the glass or plastic cover (the part you actually touch) and is responsible for lighting up your phone.

So when Samsung (or LG, or anyone) talks about a flexible display, they're talking about the organic light-emitting diode, or OLED, layer -- located beneath the cover glass -- that's now made using flexible materials (like plastic) rather than rigid glass.

Companies like LG and Samsung have spent years demoing flexible displays that sit on their own outside of any device. These eye-catching products faithfully show off the interface you're supposed to see -- say a grid of icons -- without bending or breaking. Samsung's Galaxy Round represents the first time that a phone maker is bringing a flexible display to market.

How is the Samsung Galaxy Round different from the curved screen of the Galaxy Nexus?
The Samsung Galaxy Nexus (and Nexus S) boasted a slightly curved screen that was meant to more snugly hug your cheek. In this case, it was the glass top that contoured, not the OLED material below.

Does the Galaxy Round bend?
No. For the Galaxy Round, Samsung is using a 5.7-inch "full HD super flexible AMOLED" display, but that doesn't mean it's going to flex in your hands. The device is deeply curved, but the phone's body is rigid and will not bend when you move it.

Then why do people keep saying it's flexible?
Part of the confusion stems from the many definitions of what flexible means. Like we mentioned, the flexion can refer to just the OLED or LCD, to the glass, or even to both.

Beyond that, there are many forms that a flexible display can take. In the case of the Galaxy Round, the display is conformable, meaning it's not flat. "Contoured" is another word that's often used.

Companies making such devices bend the display at some point, say vertically in the case of the Round, but then fix the whole caboodle in place. Another type of flexibility is "bendable." Think of these sort of like credit cards. They flex a little bit, but don't completely fold in half.

Then there's a third category, foldable displays, which do just what you think. Finally, there are rollable displays, often called the holy grail of flexible displays. To picture this type, just think about a perhaps less extreme version of a scroll, or a Fruit Rollup, and you can see where the concept's going.

Why would anyone want a flexible display anyhow? What are the benefits?
As CNET has noted before, the benefits for a curved display like the Galaxy Round aren't immediately clear.

However, there are some pretty significant benefits for displays that can flex. For one, they could be more durable (especially when you drop them), largely because they might use plastic, which has some give, instead of glass. Plastic also can make the devices thinner and lighter, and it can allow for products in different shapes beyond the standard rectangular screen. Story Continues (http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57607171-94/what-you-should-know-about-flexible-displays-faq/)

[calikid]

T minus two days and counting. Win8.1 is on the way.... free as an update to Win8.0 users.

How to prepare your Windows 8 PC for Windows 8.1

Taking a few moments to prepare your Windows 8 PC for Windows 8.1 will help ensure that you'll have a smooth update.
by Ed Rhee

Windows 8.1 is set to arrive later this week as a free update to Windows 8 via the Windows Store. Windows 8.1 has several new features, including being able to boot directly to the desktop as well as the return of the Start button.

As with any major update, taking a few moments to prepare for it will go a long way to ensuring a smooth update. Here are a few steps you can take to make sure your update to Windows 8.1 goes without a hitch:

Back up your personal data

Make sure you have a recent backup of your files, just in case. Though a mishap involving your files is unlikely, there's no reason to risk losing your documents, photos, music, and other important data. If you've never backed up your data, go grab an external hard drive and learn how to automatically back up your personal files in Windows 8.

Create a system image

Now that your personal data is safe, you'll want to make sure that you can recover your system if you experience a major failure. A great way to recover from a major failure is using a system image Story Continues (http://howto.cnet.com/8301-11310_39-57607642-285/how-to-prepare-your-windows-8-pc-for-windows-8.1/)

[calikid]

Backed up yesterday.
Downloaded the 3.5GIG update, and installed Win8.1 today..... so far, so good!

Took about an hour to d/L at 20mbps
Rebooted about 3 times
At completion I ran windows update, ran an oddly long time & found 4 updates @54megs.

START button is back.
Everthing else looks the same (As Win8.0).
Still tweeking... not thrilled with way Windows wants to link to my Hotmail account for password security.
Have to find a tweek for that.....

[calikid]

Maybe the White House should hire the web designers away from Amazon or eBay?

To fix Obamacare website, blow it up, start over
By Julianne Pepitone

Experts say the major problems with the Obamacare website can't reasonably be solved before the end of 2013, and the best fix would be to start over from scratch.

After assessing the website, Dave Kennedy, the CEO of information-security company Trusted Sec, estimates that about 20% of Healthcare.gov needs to be rewritten. With a whopping 500 million lines of code, according to a recent New York Times report, Kennedy believes fixing the site would probably take six months to a year.

But would-be Obamacare enrollees only have until Dec. 15 to sign up for coverage starting at the beginning of 2014. Nish Bhalla, CEO of information-security firm Security Compass, said it "does not sound realistic at all" that Healthcare.gov will be fully operational before that point.

"We don't even know where all of the problems lie, so how can we solve them?" Bhalla said. "It's like a drive-by shooting: You're going fast and you might hit it, you might miss it. But you can't fix what you can't identify."

Several computer engineers said it would likely be easier to rebuild Healthcare.gov than to fix the issues in the current system. But it's unlikely that the government would toss out more than $300 million worth of work.

The sheer size of Healthcare.gov is indicative of a major rush job. Rolling the site out too quickly likely increased the number of errors, and that makes the fixes more difficult to implement.
Story continues (http://money.cnn.com/2013/10/23/technology/obamacare-website-fix/index.html)

[calikid]

A new challenge for the NSA?

Free online encrypted notepad keeps it simple

ProtectedText lets you store your text on the company's encrypted servers, which the company itself can't decrypt -- no registration or other ID sharing required.
by Dennis O'Reilly

he biggest knock on the encryption offered by many cloud storage services is that the company itself can decrypt the data. The free ProtectedText encrypted online notepad claims it can't decrypt the text you save on its servers.

In addition, ProtectedText requires no registration, and the company promises not to track you. Nor does it display any ads, which do their own tracking. Lack of a business model aside, the new service appears to have a lot going for it.

You devise the text file's URL: protectedtext.com/[anyURLnotalreadytaken]. This gives you a second level of protection atop your password. Someone wanting to read your text would have to know both the password and URL.

As an added touch, ProtectedText lets you examine the service's code. You can even open the file on multiple systems simultaneously without losing any data, according to the company. This lets you collaborate securely.

Add and delete text, but no formatting allowed
There's only one option on the ProtectedText home page: enter your preferred URL extension. If the name is available, you're prompted to click the "Create site" button. If the name is already taken, you're prompted to enter the password. Story Continues (http://howto.cnet.com/8301-11310_39-57609243-285/free-online-encrypted-notepad-keeps-it-simple/)

[lycaeus]

I thought this was cool...and ominous!

Brain-controlled Neuronauts combines retro looks with online multiplayer, introduces in-game neuro-advertising
BY NEUROGADGET – OCTOBER 24, 2013


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZWa1KlzilA

Neuronauts is a free Android game for MindWave Mobile, allowing two players to control the speed and actions of their in-game spaceships with the power of their minds. Developed by Personal Neuro Devices, the company who launched the first brain-controlled Android game, UpCake, and its sequel UpCake 2.0, as well as a meditation app called Transcend, this new retro-looking game is claimed to be the first ever mobile multiplayer game powered by neurofeedback.


Neuronauts has three gameplay modes: Solo, Local Multiplayer and Online Multiplayer. The latter is a mobile gaming first. It allows players to sign in with their Google account and get matched up with the next available opponent. Any two brains from anywhere in the world can compete brain to brain in a two-minute race, vying for the highest score.
As you focus your ship speeds up increasing your score and boosting you to the lead. As you fly you can collect Star Boxes for a fast 100 point boost. Powerups will also appear randomly to provide speed boost by flying over them and blinking. The MindWave Mobile doesn’t just measure your concentration, it can also detect when you blink and uses that feature to allow you to grab powerups and increase your score.

“We are very pleased to collaborate with Personal Neuro Devices to bring Neuronauts to market,� said Stanley Yang, CEO of NeuroSky, the company behind the MindWave headset. “It’s very exciting to be part of this whole new world of online mobile game play.�

Local Multiplayer mode is also available, allowing two players to compete with each other on the same mobile device, using two MindWave headsets – also the first time this capability has ever been available for a neuro app.

In-game neuro-advertising

Neuronauts is free to play and like many other free mobile games, it aims to gain revenue from in-game ads. However there’s a twist here: The game includes PND’s proprietary algorithms that enable in-game neuro-advertising. PND’s neuro-advertising technology allows ads to be tailored to an individual based on mood, emotional state and cognitive analysis. This system allows for information to be displayed to the player that is uniquely relevant to them. Ads appear only on the main menu and never interrupt game play.

The Neuronauts team is already hard at work on the next iterations of the game, which will include obstacles such as asteroids and rogue ships to shoot down, and online leader boards.

You can download Neuronauts for free from Google Play. An iOS version will soon be available, according to the developers.

Source: Personal Neuro Devices Inc.

http://neurogadget.com/2013/10/24/brain-controlled-neuronauts-combines-retro-looks-with-online-multiplayer-introduces-in-game-neuro-advertising/8826

[calikid]

I thought this was cool...and ominous!

Brain-controlled Neuronauts combines retro looks with online multiplayer, introduces in-game neuro-advertising
BY NEUROGADGET – OCTOBER 24, 2013

<snip>

Those advertisers... have a finger in everyone's pie!

[calikid]

First it was plastic guns, now guns without serial numbers.
Those 3-D printers are sure versatile!

Texas company makes metal gun with 3-D printer
By Doug Gross

A Texas company says it has made the first metal gun using a 3-D printer, taking the debate over people's emerging ability to create their own firearms to a new level.

Solid Concepts, a specialty manufacturing company, said in a blog post it has fired more than 50 rounds from the handgun, even hitting a few bull's-eyes at more than 30 yards.

The pistol is a version of an M1911, a handgun designed by John Browning and first used widely in the latter stages of combat stemming from the Philippine-American War. It's built from 33 mostly stainless-steel parts and has a carbon-fiber handgrip carved with a laser.

"The 3-D-printed metal gun proves that 3-D printing isn't just making trinkets and Yoda heads," the company said in the blog post. Story Continues (http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/08/tech/innovation/3d-printed-metal-gun/index.html?hpt=te_t1)

[calikid]

For you early adopters of Windows 8.1, here are some tips to enable (or disable) the enhancements Microsoft has delivered in the latest rendition.

How to eradicate Metro from your Windows 8.1 PC
From PCWorld


PC lovers rejoice! Windows 8.1 is here, and it’s chock full of refinements and fresh new features that make Microsoft’s finger-friendly, Live-Tile-spattered vision of the future more appealing—or at least less annoying—than ever before. But as helpful as those tweaks to Windows 8’s modern interface are, they won’t matter a lick to devout desktop diehards, who are no doubt muttering something about lipstick and pigs this very second.

Fear not! I said PC lovers rejoice, not just touchscreen lovers.

Windows 8.1 packs some new settings that make it a snap to spend the majority of your time in the traditional desktop. With a few more tweaks and an extra program or two, you’ll be able to shun the modern UI almost completely, while still basking in the glow of Windows 8’s faster boot times, overhauled Task Manager, and other under-the-hood improvements.

Desktop nirvana, here we come, step by glorious step.

Meet your new favorite menu

Let’s start with the latest additions.

Microsoft naturally wants you to spend time in its touch-tastic app land, and as such, Windows 8.1’s new desktop-centric options are buried deep in a submenu, where few would venture in their everyday computing. To find the treasure trove, you’ll need to right-click the desktop Taskbar, select Properties, and then open the Navigation tab in the window that appears.

Gaze upon the wonderful bounty. Go ahead—shed a tear of joy if you need to. I won’t judge.

Unchecking the options in the “Corner navigation” portion of the tab disables the “hot corner” functionality for the upper edges of your screen. Note that you’ll want to leave the upper-left hot corner enabled if you plan to use Windows 8.1’s App Switcher to fast-switch between modern-style apps—though if you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’ll be sticking to desktop software anyway.

The real meat, however, is in the “Start screen” options. “When I sign in or close all apps on a screen, go to the desktop instead of Start” is the option we’ve all been clamoring for: the ability to boot straight to the desktop. Check it now!

Now you have a decision to make.

Start me up

Windows 8’s exiled Start button returns in Windows 8.1, but it’s missing a crucial component: The Start menu. Instead, clicking it dumps you on the modern UI Start screen. That isn’t going to cut it in our quest for desktop purity.

If you’re the no-compromises sort of desktop user, you’ll want to install a so-called Start button replacement program. PCWorld recently rounded up the best options available, and some (like Stardock’s $5 Start8) even let you disable all charms—something Windows 8.1 doesn’t allow.

That’s not your only option, however. If you check the “Show the apps view automatically when I go to Start” option in the Taskbar Properties’ new (and awesome) Navigation tab, clicking Windows 8.1’s Start button will bring up a full-screen list of all the apps installed on your PC, rather than the modern Start screen. Even better, enabling the “List desktop apps first in the Apps view when it’s sorted by category” option will do just that.

It works well enough, but unlike Start button replacements, the All Apps view doesn’t let you search for individual files or folders. Fortunately, there’s always the trusty F3 button for that.

Fleshing out desktop functionality

Windows 8.1 includes software to meet virtually all of the average user’s everyday needs… but all of those baked-in goodies are modern-style apps, not proper desktop software. Story Continues (http://www.pcworld.com/article/2055381/how-to-eradicate-metro-from-your-windows-8-1-pc.html)

[calikid]

Some serious computing power. Coming to mobile devices soon. The Octa-Core. True 8-core? I'm jealous, even my desktop i7 needs to use hyper-threading to achieve that much computing power.

MediaTek outs 8-core mobile chip, promises longer battery life

The company's technology, dubbed the Octa-Core 6592, will be the first true eight-core mobile processor to hit the market.
by Don Reisinger

MediaTek, a processor maker, has partnered with ARM, a processor designer, to announce the first true eight-core mobile chip.

Dubbed the Octa-Core 6592, the chip enables all eight cores to work simultaneously. The processor, which is based on ARM architecture, supports up to 16-megapixel cameras and the full-HD video spec H.265. Ultra-HD support on the H.264 spec is also supported.

In addition to its higher power and stronger performance, the Octa-Core 6592 should deliver longer battery life, MediaTek said Wednesday. The chip uses the eight cores to reduce power consumption. MediaTek said that the power consumption can be cut to as low as 50 percent of the current needs of high-end chips already on the market. Story Continues. (http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57613142-94/mediatek-outs-8-core-mobile-chip-promises-longer-battery-life/)

[epo333]

Smart glasses let nurses see veins through skin
By Lucas Mearian
November 20, 2013

Computerworld - Epson and Evena Medical today unveiled smart glasses that allow nurses at the bedside to see "through" a patient's skin to the vasculature beneath.

The companies claim the new Eyes-On Glasses System technology makes even hard-to-locate veins easy to find for intravenous placement.

1104


Eyes-On
The Eyes-On Glasses System allows nurses to "see" veins beneath the surface of the skin.


The Eyes-On Glasses System is based on Epson's Moverio Smart Glasses Technology, an Android-based, see-through wearable display launched earlier this year that allows users to interact with apps and games.

Evena Medical, a maker of high-definition imaging for precise venous access, said the new glasses incorporate its multi-spectral 3D imaging and wireless connectivity.

The glasses work by using the multi-spectral lighting to see veins beneath the skin and two digital cameras that transmit images wirelessly using Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or 3G connectivity. On-board data storage allows documentation of a procedure, including videos and photos. The telemedicine capability allows images to be shared remotely and can even connect to hospital electronic medical records systems for automated documentation.

more at link below...

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9244205/Smart_glasses_let_nurses_see_veins_through_skin

[CasperParks]

Smart glasses let nurses see veins through skin
By Lucas Mearian
November 20, 2013

Computerworld - Epson and Evena Medical today unveiled smart glasses that allow nurses at the bedside to see "through" a patient's skin to the vasculature beneath.

The companies claim the new Eyes-On Glasses System technology makes even hard-to-locate veins easy to find for intravenous placement.

1104

Eyes-On
The Eyes-On Glasses System allows nurses to "see" veins beneath the surface of the skin.

The Eyes-On Glasses System is based on Epson's Moverio Smart Glasses Technology, an Android-based, see-through wearable display launched earlier this year that allows users to interact with apps and games.

Evena Medical, a maker of high-definition imaging for precise venous access, said the new glasses incorporate its multi-spectral 3D imaging and wireless connectivity.

The glasses work by using the multi-spectral lighting to see veins beneath the skin and two digital cameras that transmit images wirelessly using Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or 3G connectivity. On-board data storage allows documentation of a procedure, including videos and photos. The telemedicine capability allows images to be shared remotely and can even connect to hospital electronic medical records systems for automated documentation.

more at link below...

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9244205/Smart_glasses_let_nurses_see_veins_through_skin

Hope that is in use next time I go in for a blood test.

[epo333]

Hope that is in use next time I go in for a blood test.

I hope these get into service as fast as possible. There is a lot of discomfort among the elderly every day due to newbies having to learn by hunt and poke for IV's and blood samples ... These Eyes-On Glasses will be a blessing...!

[calikid]

Sounds like a nice B&W reader from Amazon. My father just purchased an upgrade last month, can't imagine he'll be to happy to hear another update is already on the horizon!

Amazon said to be working on new high-res Kindle Paperwhite

Company plans to release a new e-reader in the second quarter of 2014 that will feature a 300ppi screen, TechCrunch reports.
by Steven Musil

Less than two months after unveiling a new Kindle Paperwhite, Amazon is said to have another refresh in the pipeline for next year.

Sporting a high-resolution 300-pixel-per-inch screen, the new Kindle Paperwhite is expected to be released in the second quarter of 2014, TechCrunch reports. The new screen will put Amazon on technical par with the 265ppi Kobo Aura HD, which formerly boasted of the highest-resolution display available in an e-reader. The Kindle Paperwhite released in October features a 212ppi screen.

In addition to an improved screen, the new model will resemble the Kindle HDX and be lighter than the current model. Some hardware makeovers include a display that is flush with the front panel rather than recessed, reported TechCrunch, which said it examined a prototype of the device. Amazon will move from plastic to a matte glass for the new model, the tech site reported. Story Continues (http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57613575-93/amazon-said-to-be-working-on-new-high-res-kindle-paperwhite/)

[epo333]

Amazon Unveils Futuristic Mini-Drone Delivery Plan
Sunday, 01 Dec 2013 09:04 PM
By Newsmax Wires



Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos revealed Sunday that his company is looking to the future with plans to use "octocopter" mini-drones to fly small packages to consumers in just 30 minutes.

The US retail giant's ambitious project still requires additional safety testing and federal approval, but Bezos estimated that Amazon "Prime Air" would be up and running within four to five years.

A demo video posted on the company's website showed the tiny robotic devices picking up packages in small yellow buckets from Amazon's fulfillment centers and then whizzing through the air to deliver the items to customers just 30 minutes after they made their purchase on Amazon.com.

"I know this looks like science fiction. It's not," Bezos told CBS television's "60 Minutes" program.

"We can do half-hour delivery... and we can carry objects, we think, up to five pounds (2.3 kilograms), which covers 86 percent of the items that we deliver."

The mini-drones are powered by electric motors and could cover areas within a 10-mile (16-kilometer) radius of fulfillment centers, thus covering a significant portion of the population in urban areas.

They operate autonomously and drop the items at the target locations thanks to GPS coordinates transmitted to them.

"It's very green, it's better than driving trucks around," said Bezos.

Amazon said the octocopters would be "ready to enter commercial operations as soon as the necessary regulations are in place," noting that the Federal Aviation Administration was actively working on rules for unmanned aerial vehicles.

It projected a more optimistic timeline than Bezos himself for the project to be activated, saying the FAA's rules could be in place as early as 2015 and that Amazon Prime Air would be ready at that time.

Bezos hinted that part of the motivation behind the mini-drones was to make sure Amazon remains on the cutting edge of the retail industry.

"Companies have short life spans... And Amazon will be disrupted one day," he said.

"I would love for it to be after I'm dead."


http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/amazon-drones-delivery-bezos/2013/12/01/id/539363

[calikid]

What would a new global currency look like?

Ron Paul: Bitcoin could 'destroy the dollar'
By Jose Pagliery

Imagine a world in which you can buy anything in secret. No banks. No fees. No worries inflation will make today's money worth less tomorrow.

The digital currency Bitcoin promises all these things. And while it's far from achieving any of them -- its value is unstable and it's rarely used -- some have high hopes.

"There will be alternatives to the dollar, and this might be one of them," said former U.S. congressman Ron Paul. If people start using bitcoins en masse, "it'll go down in history as the destroyer of the dollar," Paul added.

It's unlikely that Bitcoin would replace the dollar or other government-controlled currencies. But it could serve as a kind of universal alternative currency that is accepted everywhere around the globe. Concerned about the dollar's inflation? Just move your cash to bitcoins and use them to pay your bills instead. Tired of hefty credit card fees? Bitcoin allows transactions that bypass banks.
Story continues (http://money.cnn.com/2013/12/04/technology/bitcoin-libertarian/index.html)

[calikid]

IMO, Here's one welcome new technology!

Crackdown successfully reduces spam

Nearly a decade in the works, Internet-wide projects designed to keep e-mail safe from scams, spam, and identity-thieving phishing attempts are paying off.

by Seth Rosenblatt

Efforts to put an end to e-mail phishing scams are working, thanks to the development of e-mail authentication standards, according to a pair of Google security researchers.

Internet industry and standards groups have been working since 2004 to get e-mail providers to use authentication to put a halt to e-mail address impersonation. The challenge was both in creating the standards that the e-mail's sending and receiving domains would use, and getting domains to use them.

Elie Bursztein, Google's anti-abuse research lead, and Vijay Eranti, Gmail's anti-abuse technical lead, wrote that these standards -- called DomainKey Identified Email (DKIM) and Sender Policy Framework (SPF) -- are now in widespread use.

"91.4 percent of nonspam e-mails sent to Gmail users come from authenticated senders," they said. By ensuring that the e-mail has been authenticated, the standards have made it easier to block the billions of annual spam and phishing attempts. Story Continues (http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-57614849-83/crackdown-successfully-reduces-spam/)

[calikid]

Here's a welcome item, a DVR designed for Over The Air (OTA) broadcast. Cable TV, 200 channels and nothing on worth watching!

Channel Master's DVR+ offers true subscription-free over-the-air TV recording
By Matthew Moskovciak
It's a familiar story. Cord-cutters give up their cable subscription to shed the ever-increasing monthly fee, only to find that the best alternatives to record free, over-the-air TV, such as the TiVo Roamio and Aereo, require -- you guessed it -- another monthly fee.

The new Channel Master DVR+ ($250) is looking to become the over-the-air recording solution for subscription-phobic cord-cutters. Most DVRs charge a monthly fee for electronic program guide (EPG) data, but the DVR+ provides that info, supplied by Rovi, for free.

The design is unlike any other DVR I've seen. It looks like a thicker, more rigid version of the Mohu Leaf flat antenna, but it's just a DVR -- you'll need to connect a separate (not supplied) antenna to receive over-the-air broadcasts. There's not much else to the slim gray box, although it's pretty deep (10.5 inches), so you'll need considerable room on your TV stand. On the other hand, it includes an IR extender, so you can hide it in a cabinet and still control the DVR+ with the include remote.

Inside, there's 16GB of built-in flash memory, which can record two hours of HD content, but it's really designed to be used with an external hard drive (not supplied), which can be connected via a USB port on the back. Unlike the original Simple.TV, the DVR+ has dual-tuner capabilities, so you can watch one program while recording another, or record two programs at once.

The DVR+ has an HDMI output on its backside, so it can connect directly to your TV. By contrast, competitors like Aereo and Simple.TV require a separate box, such as a Roku. (Aereo is available in nine US metropolitan areas at the current time, and remains the target of legal action from television giants including Disney's ABC, CBS -- the parent of CNET -- Fox, and Comcast's NBCUniversal, alleging that the service violates their copyrights and that Aereo must pay them.)
Story Continues (http://reviews.cnet.com/video-players-and-recorders/channel-master-dvr/4505-6463_7-35833139.html)

[Doc]

Here's a welcome item, a DVR designed for Over The Air (OTA) broadcast. Cable TV, 200 channels and nothing on worth watching!

Channel Master's DVR+ offers true subscription-free over-the-air TV recording
By Matthew Moskovciak
It's a familiar story. Cord-cutters give up their cable subscription to shed the ever-increasing monthly fee, only to find that the best alternatives to record free, over-the-air TV, such as the TiVo Roamio and Aereo, require -- you guessed it -- another monthly fee.

The new Channel Master DVR+ ($250) is looking to become the over-the-air recording solution for subscription-phobic cord-cutters. Most DVRs charge a monthly fee for electronic program guide (EPG) data, but the DVR+ provides that info, supplied by Rovi, for free.

The design is unlike any other DVR I've seen. It looks like a thicker, more rigid version of the Mohu Leaf flat antenna, but it's just a DVR -- you'll need to connect a separate (not supplied) antenna to receive over-the-air broadcasts. There's not much else to the slim gray box, although it's pretty deep (10.5 inches), so you'll need considerable room on your TV stand. On the other hand, it includes an IR extender, so you can hide it in a cabinet and still control the DVR+ with the include remote.

Inside, there's 16GB of built-in flash memory, which can record two hours of HD content, but it's really designed to be used with an external hard drive (not supplied), which can be connected via a USB port on the back. Unlike the original Simple.TV, the DVR+ has dual-tuner capabilities, so you can watch one program while recording another, or record two programs at once.

The DVR+ has an HDMI output on its backside, so it can connect directly to your TV. By contrast, competitors like Aereo and Simple.TV require a separate box, such as a Roku. (Aereo is available in nine US metropolitan areas at the current time, and remains the target of legal action from television giants including Disney's ABC, CBS -- the parent of CNET -- Fox, and Comcast's NBCUniversal, alleging that the service violates their copyrights and that Aereo must pay them.)
Story Continues (http://reviews.cnet.com/video-players-and-recorders/channel-master-dvr/4505-6463_7-35833139.html)

The alternatives to cable are getting better all the time. The monthly fees for most of them are cheap compared to cable/satellite and some are free. I haven't cut the cable cord yet--but soon!

[calikid]

Sounds like a real powerhouse. Love to get my hands on one, but in that long standing Apple tradition, a box for the wealthy (or a business).

Apple's radically reimagined Mac Pro is a powerhouse performer


The good: The Mac Pro's hardware is incredibly powerful, especially if you're using it for pro-level graphics and video tasks. It can output to up to three 4K displays simultaneously, thanks to six Thunderbolt 2 ports plus HDMI. The system is whisper-quiet, with a clever three-sided motherboard for efficient cooling and space savings.

The bad: Internal expandability is limited, and even the starting price is a hefty $3,000. While it's a very high-design product, the components inside are intended for professional use, and not especially suitable for Apple-loving home consumers.

The bottom line: Apple radically re-imagines the professional desktop with the new Mac Pro, featuring a design looks fantastic and offers genuine breakthrough advantages. But, consumer-level Apple enthusiasts should note that this product isn't specifically targeted at them and DIY upgraders will lament the loss of traditional desktop tower flexibility. Story Continues (http://reviews.cnet.com/apple-mac-pro/)

[calikid]

It will be funny to see that red shield without the "A" inside anymore. Feels like the end of an era.

Intel kills off McAfee Security brand

Intel takes branding ownership of McAfee's computer security suite and severs founder John McAfee's name from the security software that has borne it for more than 20 years.

by Seth Rosenblatt

Throughout the years of John McAfee's madman antics, the founder of computer security firm McAfee Security, always had his name associated with the shield logo of McAfee Antivirus and its variations.

But with a few sentences casually thrown out to the Consumer Electronics Show audience in Las Vegas on Monday evening, Intel CEO Brian Krzanich sounded the death knell for the McAfee brand, at least as far as it relates to consumer security.

The software will remain unchanged except for changing the name from McAfee Security to Intel Security. The iconic red McAfee shield will remain, for now, and some components of the mobile versions of the software will be free to use on iOS and Android devices. The rebranding is expected .... Story Continues (http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-57616756-83/intel-kills-off-mcafee-security-brand/)

[tomi01uk]

Sounds like a real powerhouse. Love to get my hands on one, but in that long standing Apple tradition, a box for the wealthy (or a business).

Apple's radically reimagined Mac Pro is a powerhouse performer


The good: The Mac Pro's hardware is incredibly powerful, especially if you're using it for pro-level graphics and video tasks. It can output to up to three 4K displays simultaneously, thanks to six Thunderbolt 2 ports plus HDMI. The system is whisper-quiet, with a clever three-sided motherboard for efficient cooling and space savings.

The bad: Internal expandability is limited, and even the starting price is a hefty $3,000. While it's a very high-design product, the components inside are intended for professional use, and not especially suitable for Apple-loving home consumers.

The bottom line: Apple radically re-imagines the professional desktop with the new Mac Pro, featuring a design looks fantastic and offers genuine breakthrough advantages. But, consumer-level Apple enthusiasts should note that this product isn't specifically targeted at them and DIY upgraders will lament the loss of traditional desktop tower flexibility. Story Continues (http://reviews.cnet.com/apple-mac-pro/)

Here is a comment that helps me make sense of this design style, otherwise I was shaking my head thinking.... why .. why .. why ... Just because Apple can doesn't mean it always should. Most of the time they are leading the market into tight confinement these days.

jfingas (http://www.cnet.com/profile/jfingas) 5ptsFeatured
Dec 20, 2013

@crazyspartan16 (http://www.cnet.com/profile/crazyspartan16) Partly for the cool factor, but there is a practical reason -- I know video production teams who will lug the *previous* Mac Pro to a remote location, simply because no laptop on Earth would crunch video quickly enough. Even with external drives in tow, the new model is much easier to bring to a movie set or a photo shoot.

[calikid]

Must has missed the new. Apple "Luggage Handle" feature!
:D

Really? Touting the portability of a desktop system?
The zillion dollar (about $100k with software) AVID systems I saw in post production didn't look too portable & the production techs had fits everytime I used it (about once a week back in the day).
I cannot imagine moving one as if it were a laptop.
Rough cuts in the field, final product package created in the studio.

I'm going with your first reaction.
Apple's reaching on this design with their cool factor.

[calikid]

Windows9 is on the horizon. And I was just getting used to Win8.1!

Microsoft to reveal Windows 'Threshold' plans in April, says report

Microsoft's Windows team may share its high-level plans for its next-generation Windows "Threshold" release at its upcoming Build developers show, according to a new sourced report.
by Mary Jo Foley

It looks like those Threshold tipsters were right on the money about Microsoft's next-generation Windows release.

According to a January 11 report from Windows SuperSite's Paul Thurrott, Microsoft Threshold looks to be a spring 2015 release wave. Specifically, if Microsoft sticks to schedule, Threshold should crest around April 2015, Thurrott said he's been told by his own sources.

Microsoft is going to disclose its Threshold plans at a "vision" level at its Build conference in San Francisco in April 2014, Thurrott said. If this happens, it'll be a back to the future moment -- and one that will be welcomed by many in Microsoft's developer and user communities. Microsoft's Windows division finally will begin sharing at least some details about its future Windows plans publicly again. Story continues (http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-57617090-75/microsoft-to-reveal-windows-threshold-plans-in-april-says-report/)

[atmjjc]

The Operating Room of the Future



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfJemqkby_0

[calikid]

Full access to your Apple OS X system. Might want to brush up on your Unix first.

Two ways to enable the root user in OS X

While rarely needed, the root user can be enabled to give full and unrestricted access to an OS X system for troubleshooting purposes.

by Topher Kessler


Besides the user account you use to log into the system, OS X contains a number of other accounts, most of which are hidden, but are used for running specific background tasks and system features. One of these accounts is called the "root" account, which is the main overarching system account that has unrestricted access to all system resources. Most of the system's background tasks are run under the root account, as can be seen if you open the Activity Monitor utility and choose "All Processes" from the View menu.

When a program or process is run under the "root" account, it will not be restricted by the permissions settings that prevent a normal user account from accessing potentially critical parts of the system. Where you might normally be met with an access warning, the root account will not and will be given direct and full access to all aspects of the system.

Because of this, the root account can be used to make system-level changes, that would otherwise require you to run special commands in Terminal, or otherwise authenticate when running within your user account. If you are in a situation where you might need to make extensive changes to your system, enabling and logging into the root account might make these changes far easier to do, and you might be specifically instructed to use this account by the troubleshooting resources you are using.

You can use two methods to enable and use this account in OS X:

Directory Utility
The tool "Directory Utility" that is relatively hidden in the Macintosh HD > System > Library > CoreServices folder, is the default way to enable the root user. Go to this folder and open the program, then click the lock to authenticate. After you have done this, you can choose "Enable root user" from the Edit menu.
Terminal
The OS X Terminal application is more readily available than Directory Utility, and can be used to enable the root user by running the following command:

dsenableroot

After you have run either of these two options, you can log out of your account and use "root" as the username of an account to log into. This will then log you in with /private/var as your home folder (instead of a folder within the /Users directory), and you should be able to navigate the entire hard drive and make changes to files and folders without restriction.
Story Continues (http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-57617369-263/two-ways-to-enable-the-root-user-in-os-x/)

[calikid]

Not really new technology, but those of you using Microsoft's SkyDrive (Like me, integrated into my Win8.1 OS) are in for a few changes.

Microsoft ditches SkyDrive for OneDrive after BSkyB dispute

The sky isn't falling, but the SkyDrive name is. Nothing else changes about the cloud-based storage service, Microsoft says, just the branding.

by Don Reisinger

Microsoft's SkyDrive won't be around much longer -- at least, not by that name.

SkyDrive, the software company's cloud-based storage service, will soon be called OneDrive, Microsoft General Manager for Consumer Apps and Services Ryan Gavin announced Monday.

The move comes several months after a British court ruled that Microsoft's use of the SkyDrive name was infringing on a trademark owned by British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB) Group's Sky trademark. Rather than continue to battle it out in court, Microsoft decided it was time to change the service's name.

Gavin acknowledged that the BSkyB dispute played a role in the rebranding, but of course tried to put a brave face on the news:

"Why OneDrive?" he asked. His answer: "We know that increasingly you will have many devices in your life, but you really want only one place for your most important stuff.
Story Continues (http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-57617836-75/microsoft-ditches-skydrive-for-onedrive-after-bskyb-dispute/)

[calikid]

If you want to be on the (b)leading edge, you eventually need to leave the past behind. Upgrade time!

Microsoft is about to take Windows XP off life support
By Adrian Covert

On April 8, Windows XP's life is coming to an end. On that day, Microsoft will stop issuing security updates to the 12-year-old operating system, and it will end nearly all technical support as well.

You wouldn't think that killing off an operating system that debuted in the first year of the Bush administration would ruffle too many feathers. But an amazing 29% of computers across the globe are still running Windows XP, according to NetMarketShare. That makes it the world's second most widely used operating system, just behind Windows 7.

Microsoft's (MSFT, Fortune 500) plan to end support for XP doesn't mean that a third of the world's PCs will just stop functioning on April 8. But there are some very real consequences of continuing to use the operating system.

After April 8, Windows XP computers will be more susceptible to malware and viruses beginning, since Microsoft will no longer address major holes in the software. Although antivirus software will continue to fend off some malicious attacks, Microsoft's security updates provide an essential line of defense. Story continues (http://money.cnn.com/2014/01/29/technology/enterprise/windows-xp/index.html)

[calikid]

Alas, after nearly 3 years my Samsung smartphone got dropped one to many times. The replacement I picked was manufactured by ZTE. Nice display with many features. I'll let you know how it turns out.


US buyers: It's time to consider ZTE

With its relentless outpouring of both mid- and high-end phones offered by well-known carriers, ZTE is steadily carving out its presence in the US market.
by Lynn La

ZTE may not be on the tip of everyone's tongue when it comes to popular mobile phone companies in the US, but in a few years, it just might be.

As the fourth biggest phone vendor in the world, ZTE continues to make incremental but noticeable strides when it comes to expanding its brand presence in the US. In addition, with Mobile World Congress kicking off at the end of February, I expect to see even more from ZTE than last year in terms of device quality and specs.

That's because in just a few short years, ZTE has been steadily carving a bigger space for itself in the US market. And as far as its products are concerned, the two factors attributing to ZTE's slow climb upward are its focus on premium smartphones, and its carrier relationships.

This foray into premium phones began with the launch of the Grand S, a sleek and chic 5-inch Android device. The Nubia 5 followed suit, sporting an austere aesthetic and several photo editing features.

Unfortunately, neither phone found a US carrier to partner with (they ended up being sold unlocked through Amazon), and they weren't anywhere near close to beating out the competition -- especially when considering the incredibly affordable Google Nexus 5.

However, both phones still had solid build quality and performance, and they indeed marked a new direction in ZTE's mobile unit. Without overreaching, ZTE proved that it can make a respectable marquee phone, and would continue to do so with the stylish Grand S II, Nubia 5S and 5S Mini, which premiered at this year's CES.

A bit of carrier love
Though the aforementioned devices weren't picked up by US networks (and none have been announced for the upcoming S II and Nubia sequels), that doesn't mean all other ZTE handsets are being ignored.

In addition to the plethora of mid-range phones available on small-time carriers like Cricket Wireless, U.S. Cellular, and Aio Wireless, users can purchase ZTE devices from the likes of Sprint (with the Sprint Vital, Force, and Flash), T-Mobile, and Boost Mobile. Story Continues (http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-6452_7-57618816/us-buyers-its-time-to-consider-zte/)

[calikid]

Out of CES recently.
At last an alternative to the lame touch screen keyboard for us touch typist.
Few things sadder than typing a 100 words a minute, and having to gear down to 10WPM because of thumb typing.

TREWGrip is a handheld “rear-type” keyboard and air mouse for your mobile technology, smart TV and desktop.


The next evolution in typing
By maintaining the QWERTY key layout, typists can quickly transfer their skills from a traditional keyboard to TREWGrip and begin typing more ergonomically.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeM6hKm1JBk

The standard QWERTY key layout is split and rotated so the hands gripping TREWGrip can effectively touch-type in a mobile setting. Story Continues (http://www.trewgrip.com/)

[calikid]

It would seem the virus free days for Apple are over!

iOS Users Are at Risk — Update Your iPhone ASAP!
by Nicole Nguyen

Bad news, ladies and gents: a flaw in Apple's desktop and mobile operating systems allows malicious attackers to see your every move. This defect exposes all of your data to hackers, including Gmail emails, what passcode you're typing into your lockscreen, and which websites you are visiting.

It's a security weakness that shouldn't be taken lightly — so iOS and Mac OS X users need to take every possible precaution, immediately.

Am I affected?

Both iOS and Mac OS X users are affected. Yes, Apple desktop and mobile device users are at risk.
What do I need to do?

Over the weekend, Apple released iOS 7.0.6 which should patch up the connection security bug. iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch users can update to this version over WiFi by heading to the Settings app > General > Software Update > tap "Install Now." If you can't update to the latest software because your device doesn't have enough memory, take a look at our tips on what to delete now.

For iOS 6 users, install 6.1.6 as soon as possible using the same Settings > General > Software Update process. This update is only available for iPhone 3GS and fourth-generation iPods. The fact that Apple even released an update for iOS 6 is indicative that this bug is major. The company has been hesitant to support iOS 6 to encourage users to adopt its latest operating system, iOS 7.

You can also update using iTunes.... Story Continues (http://www.geeksugar.com/How-Do-I-Update-My-iPhone-34165988)

[calikid]

Well.... the price is right.

Microsoft Can't Sell Windows 8, So It's Giving It Away

By Adam Levy

Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT ) is pulling a 180. After lambasting Google (NASDAQ: GOOG ) for collecting data on its users to sell ads, Microsoft is prepared to do the exact same thing. With weak sales of Windows 8, Microsoft is preparing to offer a free upgrade to Windows 8.1 for Windows 7 users. "Windows 8.1 with Bing," as the name implies, will feed users into Bing search and other Bing services as well as Microsoft's cloud-based services.

Free OS upgrades are something new to Microsoft, but not to the industry. Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL ) offered free upgrades to its newest Mac OS X last year, and Google offers free upgrades for Chromebooks and Android devices that support the update. The move is questionable for Microsoft, however, which has typically received $50 per device from OEMs to license Windows.

Nobody is upgrading?
Windows 8 is a strong departure from its predecessors, focusing more on touch devices than traditional mouse and keyboard inputs. So far, the new user interface has been a flop. Only 10.7% of PC users have Windows 8 or 8.1 installed, according to Net Applications. More telling is that fewer than half of Windows 8 users have installed the 8.1 update.

Comparatively, Windows 7 commands a 47.3% share of the market, and 12-year-old Windows XP still has 29.5% of the market. Even though Microsoft has scheduled April 8 as the final day of support for XP, about one-third of Windows users are still on the operating system. The anticipated rush to upgrade has yet to materialize, and it might never happen.

Will a sizable chunk of those XP users who are left without virus protection and Windows 7 users, offered a free upgrade, make the jump to Windows 8? If they haven't in a year and a half, there's not much reason to think they ever will.
Story Continues (http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/03/05/microsoft-cant-sell-windows-8-so-its-giving-it-awa.aspx)

[CasperParks]

Well.... the price is right.

Microsoft Can't Sell Windows 8, So It's Giving It Away

By Adam Levy

Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT ) is pulling a 180. After lambasting Google (NASDAQ: GOOG ) for collecting data on its users to sell ads, Microsoft is prepared to do the exact same thing. With weak sales of Windows 8, Microsoft is preparing to offer a free upgrade to Windows 8.1 for Windows 7 users. "Windows 8.1 with Bing," as the name implies, will feed users into Bing search and other Bing services as well as Microsoft's cloud-based services.

Free OS upgrades are something new to Microsoft, but not to the industry. Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL ) offered free upgrades to its newest Mac OS X last year, and Google offers free upgrades for Chromebooks and Android devices that support the update. The move is questionable for Microsoft, however, which has typically received $50 per device from OEMs to license Windows.

Nobody is upgrading?
Windows 8 is a strong departure from its predecessors, focusing more on touch devices than traditional mouse and keyboard inputs. So far, the new user interface has been a flop. Only 10.7% of PC users have Windows 8 or 8.1 installed, according to Net Applications. More telling is that fewer than half of Windows 8 users have installed the 8.1 update.

Comparatively, Windows 7 commands a 47.3% share of the market, and 12-year-old Windows XP still has 29.5% of the market. Even though Microsoft has scheduled April 8 as the final day of support for XP, about one-third of Windows users are still on the operating system. The anticipated rush to upgrade has yet to materialize, and it might never happen.

Will a sizable chunk of those XP users who are left without virus protection and Windows 7 users, offered a free upgrade, make the jump to Windows 8? If they haven't in a year and a half, there's not much reason to think they ever will.
Story Continues (http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/03/05/microsoft-cant-sell-windows-8-so-its-giving-it-awa.aspx)

Bought a new HP laptop yesterday, windows 8 is nerving racking. No easy path to disable junk like that narrator feature. Did manage to get that turned off, but it took awhile.

The continual jumping back and forth between the new and old desktop styles is frustrating. Would've been nice if they made it easier to figure out how to get rid of that new desktop style and use default older style menu, never to see the new style again. Search feature for the OS is worthless. Took over an hour to get the HDMI cable to work for TV monitor, another bad path design to find the method to do it.

Windows 8 is not user friendly.

[calikid]

Bought a new HP laptop yesterday, windows 8 is nerving racking. No easy path to disable junk like that narrator feature. Did manage to get that turned off, but it took awhile.

The continual jumping back and forth between the new and old desktop styles is frustrating. Would've been nice if they made it easier to figure out how to get rid of that new desktop style and use default older style menu, never to see the new style again. Search feature for the OS is worthless. Took over an hour to get the HDMI cable to work for TV monitor, another bad path design to find the method to do it.

Windows 8 is not user friendly.

Win8 or Win8.1?

[CasperParks]

Win8 or Win8.1?

It is windows 8.1

Wanted a laptop, and use my tower now mainly for writing. I watch a lot of TV and movies online using networks sites, hulu, amazon and recently history channel for MUFON's Hanger 1. Hanger 1 still buffers but not as bad as using the tower to watch it.

With time, will get use to using it. Still have to load word program onto it.

[calikid]

It is windows 8.1

Wanted a laptop, and use my tower now mainly for writing. I watch a lot of TV and movies online using networks sites, hulu, amazon and recently history channel for MUFON's Hanger 1. Hanger 1 still buffers but not as bad as using the tower to watch it.

With time, will get use to using it. Still have to load word program onto it.

Have a look at this article.
These settings/changes have made a big difference for many people I know.
IMO, all the changes mentioned in this short article are worth your time and effort.
Big improvement over stock default Win8.1 settings on your regular PC (non-tablet/non-phone).

How to eradicate Metro from your Windows 8.1 PC (http://www.pcworld.com/article/2055381/how-to-eradicate-metro-from-your-windows-8-1-pc.html)
PC lovers rejoice! Windows 8.1 is here, and it’s chock full of refinements and fresh new features that make Microsoft’s finger-friendly, Live-Tile-spattered vision of the future more appealing—or at least less annoying—than ever before.

[CasperParks]

Have a look at this article.
These settings/changes have made a big difference for many people I know.
IMO, all the changes mentioned in this short article are worth your time and effort.
Big improvement over stock default Win8.1 settings on your regular PC (non-tablet/non-phone).

How to eradicate Metro from your Windows 8.1 PC (http://www.pcworld.com/article/2055381/how-to-eradicate-metro-from-your-windows-8-1-pc.html)
PC lovers rejoice! Windows 8.1 is here, and it’s chock full of refinements and fresh new features that make Microsoft’s finger-friendly, Live-Tile-spattered vision of the future more appealing—or at least less annoying—than ever before.

They provide screenshots, and appears very helpful. Bookmarked the link and plan to use it in the next couple days.

Thanks...

[calikid]

As a 100WPM touch typist, I still have my doubts about using a tablet for business use.
The trade off of portability for speedy input doesn't balance in my book.

Microsoft, HP blaze business tablet trail

With tablet market growth shrinking, Microsoft and HP are well positioned in the one market that still has decent growth potential: business.
by Brooke Crothers


Hewlett-Packard and Microsoft think the tablet is more lean forward than lean back. Are they right?

The PC has one (at least) distinct advantage over Apple. Windows 8.1 isn't a mobile operating system like iOS. In other words, the same 64-bit Windows 8.1 that runs on a brawny desktop PC now runs on featherweight 8-inch and 10-inch tablets.

And that may be a good thing because the tablet is in dire need of new markets, with predictions that the rate of growth will drop sharply in 2014.

"As consumer shipments slow in many markets, commercial (business) shipments will grow as a percentage of the overall mix," IDC said earlier this week.

Enter new HP ElitePad 1000. The tablet design itself isn't especially unique, but the array of accessories that come with it, are.

All are aimed at making it a tablet for productivity -- aka doing work. Those add-ons (PDF) include a productivity jacket, a docking station, a security jacket, and expansion jacket, just to mention a few.

And it's one of the first to run 64-bit Windows 8.1 on Intel's quad-core Intel "Bay Trail" processor Story Continues (http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-57620086-75/microsoft-hp-blaze-business-tablet-trail/)

[Pandora'sParadox]

http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/motorola-google-patents-throat-tattoo-microphone/#!zdyBt

Didn't know if this was on here yet, but def worth a look over.

[CasperParks]

As a 100WPM touch typist, I still have my doubts about using a tablet for business use.
The trade off of portability for speedy input doesn't balance in my book.

Microsoft, HP blaze business tablet trail

With tablet market growth shrinking, Microsoft and HP are well positioned in the one market that still has decent growth potential: business.
by Brooke Crothers


Hewlett-Packard and Microsoft think the tablet is more lean forward than lean back. Are they right?

The PC has one (at least) distinct advantage over Apple. Windows 8.1 isn't a mobile operating system like iOS. In other words, the same 64-bit Windows 8.1 that runs on a brawny desktop PC now runs on featherweight 8-inch and 10-inch tablets.

And that may be a good thing because the tablet is in dire need of new markets, with predictions that the rate of growth will drop sharply in 2014.

"As consumer shipments slow in many markets, commercial (business) shipments will grow as a percentage of the overall mix," IDC said earlier this week.

Enter new HP ElitePad 1000. The tablet design itself isn't especially unique, but the array of accessories that come with it, are.

All are aimed at making it a tablet for productivity -- aka doing work. Those add-ons (PDF) include a productivity jacket, a docking station, a security jacket, and expansion jacket, just to mention a few.

And it's one of the first to run 64-bit Windows 8.1 on Intel's quad-core Intel "Bay Trail" processor Story Continues (http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-57620086-75/microsoft-hp-blaze-business-tablet-trail/)

For now, I went with that new HP laptop instead of a tablet. Pricing and features played a major role when deciding. I do want a tablet, just not at those outrages prices. I do not want a cheap tablet, however that my change in the near future.

[CasperParks]

http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/motorola-google-patents-throat-tattoo-microphone/#!zdyBt

Didn't know if this was on here yet, but def worth a look over.

An electronic barcode tattoo that works like a Bluetooth. No – thanks. :nono:

[Pandora'sParadox]

I came across this whilst surfing documentaries. This tech is about alternative propulsion systems and military tech. I would have put it in the "Lazar" thread, but that guy seemed to be harping rather than helping...the tech aspects seem to have similarities though. :das


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfGqINFNL40

[Pandora'sParadox]

Check the androids... o_O


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hcV422bQP0

[calikid]

Some see it as a good thing, others see it as a invitation for enemy states to jam up the internet.
What do you think?

US Government Ceding Control of Key Internet Body
By MICHAEL LIEDTKE

The U.S. government is relinquishing its control of the Internet's address system in a shift that may raise questions about the future direction of online innovation and communications.

The decision announced Friday begins a long-planned transition affecting the stewardship of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, or ICANN. That's a not-for-profit agency launched in 1998 by the Commerce Department to govern the system that assigns website addresses and directs Internet traffic.

The department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration, or NTIA, hopes to end its oversight of ICANN's Internet Assigned Numbers Authority by the time its contract expires in September 2015. The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority administers the technology that keeps computers connected to the Web and steers Internet traffic.

Proposals for a new ICANN stewardship will be accepted beginning next week at a conference in Singapore.

Although it's too early to tell how future oversight will be handled, the U.S. government appears determined to hand over the reins to an entity without political entanglements. Story Continues (http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/us-government-cede-control-key-internet-body-22920747)

[calikid]

We've come a long way... still remember my first 2400baud modem :bleh:

Happy Birthday: World Wide Web to Turn 25
By Keith Wagstaff

In 1989, Bart Simpson made his television debut, Danielle Radcliffe was born and Sir Tim Berners-Lee proposed an “information management” system that would allow people to access pages hosted on computers across the globe.

Yes, Harry Potter is (almost) the same age as the World Wide Web, which turns 25 years old on March 12. (Radcliffe turns 25 in July). Before Berners-Lee and the release of Mosaic, the first popular Web browser, the Internet was a very different place.

“If you weren’t technologically sophisticated, you couldn’t really use it, because you had to use all of these arcane tools and commands,” Donna Hoffman, co-director of the Center for the Connected Consumer at George Washington University, told NBC News.

The Web and Mosaic, she said, “opened up the world of the Internet to anybody who had a browser and a mouse.”

To be clear, the Internet existed before 1989. In-the-know people might connect through a bulletin board system (BBS) or, later, through an email or forum with a service like CompuServe, but the idea of pulling up a website was foreign.

Berners-Lee, who received a knighthood for his work, changed that. He released his code to the world for free in 1990, turning the “Internet from a geeky data-transfer system embraced by specialists and a small number of enthusiasts into a mass-adopted technology,” according to the Pew Research Center’s “The Web at 25” report, released on Thursday.

In 1993, Mosaic, the first popular Web browser, was born. Hoffman, then a business professor at Vanderbilt University, loaded it on her Unix-based workstation and immediately thought, “My God, this is going to change the world.”

“I turned my entire research career around to focus on it,” she said. “At the time, people thought I was insane."

She was, of course, right to get excited about the impact that the Web would have. Over the next two decades, the Internet grew at an amazing pace.

Fun fact: In 1995, 42 percent of Americans had never heard of the Internet. Of the 14 percent of Americans who had Internet access, only 2 percent were using the top-of-line modems that reached the then-blazing speeds of 28.8 bytes per second.

It would be hard for an 18-to-29-year-old to grasp that idea today, especially considering .... Story Continues (http://www.nbcnews.com/tech/internet/happy-birthday-world-wide-web-turn-25-n39571)

[calikid]

A price break for those last minute shoppers.....


Microsoft: Here's $100 if you drop Windows XP
Hey XP users, time to move on -- Microsoft is saying in no uncertain terms by offering $100 off a new PC.
by Brooke Crothers

Hey XP users, how about a Windows 8.1 machine and $100 off

April 8 is the day support for XP ends. So, Microsoft is reaching into its bag of discount tricks to get users to drop the decade-plus old operating system.

If you own a PC with XP and upgrade at the Microsoft Store, you get $100 off, 90 days of free support, and "free data transfer," as spotted by Neowin. Story Continues (http://www.cnet.com/news/heres-a-100-if-you-drop-windows-xp-microsoft-says/)

[calikid]

Looks like a healthy financial investment for facebook. Let's hope it pays off. So far, all the units I have tried (from other Mfg) have been bulky, low resolution, lack decent 3D, and induce dizziness. For that kind of money, could be the improvement we have been waiting for.


Facebook to buy Oculus for $2 billion

The social network is looking toward the future by buying the maker of the virtual reality headset, the Oculus Rift.
by Jennifer Van Grove

Facebook announced Tuesday that it has agreed to buy the virtual reality technology company Oculus VR, which makes the Oculus Rift headset, for about $2 billion in cash and stock.

The 18-month-old Oculus is at the forefront of the emerging VR industry, getting its start on Kickstarter, and has made an open-source sweetheart out of the Oculus Rift. The company just announced its final development kit for the Rift last week at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, ahead of its official release, the date of which is unknown.

Facebook said that with the acquisition, it plans to extend Oculus' virtual reality capabilities beyond gaming into areas such as communications, media, entertainment, and education. Facebook, according to CEO Mark Zuckerberg, views virtual reality as the next big thing in social.

"Mobile is the platform of today, and now we're also getting ready for the platforms of tomorrow," Zuckerberg said in a statement. "Oculus has the chance to create the most social platform ever, and change the way we work, play, and communicate." Story Continues (http://www.cnet.com/news/facebook-to-buy-oculus-for-2-billion/)

[Pandora'sParadox]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0Xzv9kuSTg#t=159

[calikid]

Time to check your SSL Certificates.
The two-side repair procedures sound problematic.
How many non-technical people with a shoe string budget reply on IT consultants? Can't see them staying on top of things.

The 'Heartbleed' security flaw that affects most of the Internet
Heather Kelly, CNN

A major online security vulnerability dubbed "Heartbleed" could put your personal information at risk, including passwords, credit card information and e-mails.

Heartbleed is a flaw in OpenSSL, an open-source encryption technology that is used by an estimated two-thirds of Web servers. It is behind many HTTPS sites that collect personal or financial information. These sites are typically indicated by a lock icon in the browser to let site visitors know the information they're sending online is hidden from prying eyes.

Cybercriminals could exploit the bug to access visitors' personal data as well as a site's cryptographic keys, which can be used to impersonate that site and collect even more information.

It was discovered by a Google researcher and an independent Finnish security firm called Codenomicon. The researchers have put up a dedicated site to answer common questions about the bug. They even gave it an adorably gruesome custom icon.

Heartbleed is the result of a small coding error but it could have far-reaching consequences and affect the majority of Internet users.

Researchers discovered the issue last week and published their findings on Monday, but said the problem has been present for more than two years, since March 2012. Any communications that took place over SSL in the past two years could have been subject to malicious eavesdropping.

What makes the bug particularly problematic is that there is no simple fix. Action needs to be taken by both the compromised sites and individuals who have visited them.

To protect their user data and encryption keys, sites must upgrade to the patched version of OpenSSL, revoke compromised SSL certificates and get new ones issued. Story Continues (http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/08/tech/web/heartbleed-openssl/index.html)

[Doc]

The upside is that once these things are discovered, action is taken quickly and the news spread far and wide.

[calikid]

Time to trash your old router and switch? Wonder what liability Cisco/Juniper will endure for selling compromised equipment. IT biz is gonna be busy with firmware updates real soon.

Heartbleed Bug Found in Cisco Routers, Juniper Gear
Encryption Bug Affects Equipment That Connects to the Web
By Danny Yadron

The encryption bug that has the Internet on high alert also affects the equipment that connects the Web.

Cisco Systems Inc. CSCO -2.03% and Juniper Networks Inc., JNPR -1.82% two of the largest manufacturers of network equipment, said Thursday that some of their products contain the "Heartbleed" bug. That means hackers might be able to capture usernames, passwords and other sensitive information as they move across corporate networks, home networks and the Internet.

Many websites—including those run by Yahoo Inc., YHOO -4.22% Amazon.com Inc. and Netflix Inc.—quickly fixed the hole after it was disclosed Monday. But Cisco and Juniper said the security flaw affects routers, switches and firewalls often used by businesses.
More on Heartbleed

Canada Disables More Online Services
Regulators Tell Banks to Plug Security Hole
How and Why to Change Passwords
Five Questions About Heartbleed

These devices likely will be more difficult to fix. The process involves more steps and businesses are less likely to check the status of network equipment, security experts said.

Bruce Schneier, a cybersecurity researcher and cryptographer, said, "The upgrade path is going to involve a trash can, a credit card, and a trip to Best Buy."

However, products available at retail stores now likely were shipped before the bug was revealed on Monday. That means they may also contain the defective software, from an encryption code known as OpenSSL.

Companies often use firewalls and virtual private networks to protect their computer systems. But if the machines that run the firewalls and virtual private networks are affected by the Heartbleed bug, attackers could use them to infiltrate a network, said Matthew Green, an encryption expert at Johns Hopkins University. Story Continues (http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303873604579493963847851346?mg=ren o64-wsj&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB1000 1424052702303873604579493963847851346.html)

[calikid]

For the SysAdmins among us, a selection of tools to test your server for Heartbleed vulnerabilities.


Test your servers for OpenSSL Vulnerability
by George Chetcuti

Collection of Heartbleed Tools

A checker (site and tool) for CVE-2014-0160: https://github.com/FiloSottile/Heartbleed

SSL Server Test https://www.ssllabs.com/ssltest/index.html

Nmap NSE script: Detects whether a server is vulnerable to the OpenSSL Heartbleed: https://svn.nmap.org/nmap/scripts/ssl-heartbleed.nse

Nmap NSE script: Quick'n'Dirty OpenVAS nasl wrapper for ssl_heartbleed based on ssl_cert_expiry.nas https://gist.github.com/RealRancor/10140249

Heartbleeder: Tests your servers for OpenSSL: https://github.com/titanous/heartbleeder?files=1
The Tool list continues (http://www.windowsecurity.com/blogs/chetcuti/utilities/tests-your-servers-openssl-vulnerability.html)

[calikid]

Whistle blowers everywhere, take note!
Anonymous OS reportedly used by Snowden reaches version 1.0

Tails, which leaves no trace of Internet activity on computers, was reportedly used by the NSA whistle-blower in discussions with journalists.
by Steven Musil

The operating system reportedly favored by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden to keep his conversations with journalists secret has graduated to 1.0 status.

The OS known as The Amnesiac Incognito Live System, or Tails, reached the milestone on Tuesday after nearly five years in development, according to the new version's release notes. Created by anonymous developers, the free software is intended to allow private, anonymous use of the Internet.

"Version 1.0 is often an important milestone that denotes the maturity of a free software project," the official announcement reads. "The first public version of what would become Tails was released on June 23, 2009, when it was called Amnesia. That was almost five years ago. Tails 1.0 marks the 36th stable release since then."
Story Continues (http://www.cnet.com/news/anonymous-os-reportedly-favored-by-nsa-whistle-blower-edward-snowden-reaches-version-1-0/)

[calikid]

Would you want Robocop in your neighborhood?

Ban killer Robocops before it's too late, rights groups say
Autonomous robots would lack proper judgment to use lethal force, according to Human Rights Watch
by Tim Hornyak

Serve the public trust, protect the innocent, uphold the law.

Those were RoboCop's directives in the 1987 film about a cyborg police officer who would shoot bad guys while quipping "Your move, creep."

But as science fiction inches closer to fact in the 21st century, rights groups are warning that armed police robots will threaten human rights instead of protect them.

Governments must impose a preemptive ban on fully autonomous weapons before it's too late, even though they don't yet exist, Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Harvard Law School said in a report released Monday.

The 26-page "Shaking the Foundations: The Human Rights Implications of Killer Robots" examines the implications of lethal autonomous robots, which would have the power to decide when to take a human life. It follows discussion about the use of such machines in warfare.

The document speculates that law-enforcement agencies could use killer robots in fighting crime and controlling riots, while governments could deploy them against political opponents and terrorists.

Robots would not be able to replicate human judgment and compassion in critical situations, it says, nor defuse a potentially deadly situation. Specifically, machines would be unable to decide what amount of force is necessary, when it constitutes a last resort and how to apply it in a proportionate manner.
Story Continues (http://www.itnews.com/government-use-it/78483/ban-killer-robocops-its-too-late-rights-groups-say?source=ITNEWSNLE_nlt_itndaily_2014-05-12)

[calikid]

Time to change that eBay password.


eBay hacked, requests all users change passwords

eBay confirms users' passwords were compromised but says there's no evidence any financial information was accessed.

eBay's morning just went from bad to worse. The e-commerce site confirmed Wednesday that its corporate network was hacked and a database with users' passwords was compromised. While eBay says there is no evidence that users' financial information was accessed in the hack, the company is telling all users to change their passwords.

eBay contacted CNET after this story was initially published, saying that it discovered "recently" that it was a victim of "a cyber attack on our corporate information network, which compromised a database containing eBay user passwords." The company's spokesperson told CNET, however, that there is "no evidence that any financial information was accessed or compromised."

The statement follows an odd stream of events this morning when eBay-owned PayPal posted a blog, entitled, "eBay, Inc. to Ask All eBay users to Change Passwords." That blog post had no content included, but quickly hit the Web after it was retweeted dozens of times. The page was taken down, causing even more confusion for users of the online auction house.

eBay has since posted a blog post on the hack, saying that it will ask all users to change their passwords starting later on Wednesday.
.
.
.
eBay says that it has been able to narrow down the attack to "a small number of employee login credentials" stolen by cyberattackers. That provided the attackers access to eBay users' names, encrypted passwords, e-mail addresses, physical addresses, phone numbers, and dates of birth.
.
.
.

Story Continues (http://www.cnet.com/news/ebay-hacked-requests-all-users-change-passwords/)

[calikid]

Anyone playing the new Wolfenstein?
Loved the original back in the day, I'm thinking of buying the new game release.
At $59.00 from Steam, love to hear a few Comments?

[calikid]

Now THAT's taking a bite out of crime. If only Russia will extradite the hacker mastermind.


U.S. takes out computer malware that stole millions
By Evan Perez
U.S. authorities said Monday they have disrupted two sophisticated types of computer malware used to steal millions of dollars from people all over the world.

The Gameover Zeus botnet, a network of virus-infected computers, targeted thousands of small businesses. And Cryptolocker, a software that encrypts files on computers, was used to extract ransom payments from computer owners who wanted access to their files.

Federal prosecutors also announced charges against 30-year-old Evgeniy Bogachev, who they say led a gang of cyber criminals in Russia and Ukraine that was running Gameover Zeus.

The United States is in talks with Russian authorities to try to secure Bogachev's arrest and have him sent to the U.S. for trial. But that remains an unlikely outcome at this point.

Related: How a celebrity hacker helped thwart 300 cyber-attacks

Gameover Zeus was responsible for more than $100 million in losses among U.S. victims, and up to one million computers worldwide were infected since 2011, according to the FBI.

Since emerging in 2013, Cryptolocker has been used to attack about 200,000 computers, half of which were in the U.S. In its first two months, criminals extorted an estimated $27 million from victims, Deputy Attorney General James Cole said Monday.

David Hickton, U.S. attorney in Pittsburgh, whose office filed the charges, said the action was intended to help "hundreds of thousands of computer users who were unwittingly infected and victimized."

Among the victims, Hickton said, was the police department in Swansea, Mass.; it paid a ransom to cyber criminals to restore access to its files after its systems were infected by Cryptolocker.

In the case of Gameover Zeus, one victim lost $6.9 million from a fraudulent wire transfer from a bank account.

Related: Inside the FBI's massive cybercrime bust

Victims' computers were most commonly infected when a user clicked on a link in an email that appeared to come from a trusted source. Victims of botnets often don't know their computers are infected until they've suffered losses.

The cases illustrate what is a fast-growing problem. While some criminals steal millions at a time from larger businesses, many more hope to evade notice by stealing relatively small amounts from small businesses and individuals. Story Continues (http://money.cnn.com/2014/06/02/technology/security/gameover-zeus-botnet/index.html)

[calikid]

Here's an innovation I'm sure many will appreciate.

Google testing super-secure email
By Jose Pagliery

Google is working on the ultimate security and privacy feature.

It's called "End-to-End" encryption, and it's the best way to stop anyone from snooping on your emails. Google would turn your emails into jumbled code, and the only person who can see the email in plain text is the trusted person on the other end.

Hackers don't stand a chance. In fact, neither does the National Security Agency. It's the kind of encryption ex-NSA contractor Edward Snowden used to communicate with journalists before he went public last year with damning documents proving the extent of U.S. government surveillance. It's what spies use -- it's that good.

But End-to-End is not available just yet. In a blog post, Google said the program is in a public testing phase. After that, you'll be able to download the app and add it to your Google Chrome Web browser. If you use the browser, it'll work with any Web-based email provider.

"We recognize that this sort of encryption will probably only be used for very sensitive messages or by those who need added protection," wrote Stephan Somogyi, a Google product manager who oversees security and privacy, in the blog. "But we hope that the End-to-End extension will make it quicker and easier for people to get that extra layer of security should they need it."

Here's how Google's super encryption would work: Imagine you want to send a sensitive letter by mail. You can't just lick the envelope shut. Postal workers might open it. But they can't open a lock.

Your friend buys a padlock, opens it and sends it to you. He keeps the key. You receive his lock, place your letter inside a box and close it with your friend's lock. You send it. Now only he can open it with his private key, which never left his possession.

Google will let you share locks -- but never keys. So far, End-to-End encryption has proven tamper-proof.
Story Continues (http://money.cnn.com/2014/06/03/technology/security/google-encryption/index.html)

[CasperParks]

Solar Roadways


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ep4L18zOEYI


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMhorNKMXVQ

[CasperParks]

If these solar roadways and parking lots worked, think of the fuel savings and fewer man hours plowing snow, and new jobs created.

[Pandora'sParadox]

I think of the vandalism that will occur in "not so great areas" to basically scrap the road for parts.
I also think...that this will provide a substantial amount of energy for our crude fuel driven econ. Almost to stop our increase in Co2 production. Maybe level the climate out a little bit on this side of the planet...I'm really hoping this new futuristic idea is the start of the "energy revolution".

[calikid]

For the on-the-go road warriors, a place to recharge.
Starbucks to hook up wireless charging stations in shops

The coffee shop chain will begin installing wireless charging pads in San Francisco before expanding to other big cities in 2015.
by Roger Cheng

Come for the java, stay for the wireless juice.

Starbucks said on Thursday that it would roll out Powermat's wireless charging station in its Starbucks and Teavana shops. The deployment will begin in the San Francisco Bay Area this year and expand to other metropolitan areas in 2015.

Starbucks' decision could go a long way toward bringing some clarity to the state of wireless power, which has been mired in a three-way battle of differing standards that has resulted in customer confusion. The coffee chain's early decision to supply Wi-Fi was instrumental in the adoption of that technology more than a decade ago, and Powermat Technologies is convinced history will repeat itself.

"This is the harmonization of the industry that consumers are clamoring for," Daniel Schreiber, president of Powermat Technologies, said in an interview.

A quick resolution, however, is still far from reach. A vast majority of the wireless power-capable smartphones -- such as high-end Nokia Lumia handsets -- operate on Qi, a standard led by the Wireless Power Consortium.

But Starbucks and Powermat plan to install "Powermat Spots," which will be located in designated areas such as tables and counters, that run on a different and incompatible standard championed by the Power Matters Alliance and Duracell Powermat Story Continues (http://www.cnet.com/news/starbucks-to-hook-up-wireless-charging-stations-in-shops/)

[Pandora'sParadox]

Tesla released specs to public to help support "energy movement" !!!

[Edward]

Tesla released specs to public to help support "energy movement" !!!


Awesome, Now for all the Contracted companies in the private sector and in the defense sector and the Government divisions that are public and not so public should follow suit. I wanna see craft that can go from 0 to 35 light years in 60 mins. Let's see the REAL STUFF boys and girls!!! As they say in poker, "Ship IT" :)

Edware

[epo333]

Awesome, Now for all the Contracted companies in the private sector and in the defense sector and the Government divisions that are public and not so public should follow suit. I wanna see craft that can go from 0 to 35 light years in 60 mins. Let's see the REAL STUFF boys and girls!!! As they say in poker, "Ship IT" :)

Edware

Eh, you'll be lucky to see this in the next 5 or 6 years...,

spaceX's fully reusable manned spaceship features 3D printed rocket engine

During a live launch event in california, founder and CEO elon musk unveiled the ‘dragon V2′, spaceX’s first manned commercial spacecraft. unlike the ‘dragon’, which was designed to deliver cargo to-and-from the ISS (internation space station), the latest vessel is capable of carrying up to seven astronauts to orbiting destinations in space. the ‘dragon V2′ has also made a leap in technology, including autonomous docking and landing with an innovating propulsion system. the fully re-usable spacecraft will also feature ‘superdraco’ thrusters, 3D printed titanium engines that produce approximately 32,000 pounds of thrust when paired together.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cf_-g3UWQ04

http://www.designboom.com/technology/spacex-dragon-v2-manned-spacecraft-3d-printed-engine-05-30-2014/

[Pandora'sParadox]

Just read an article about how this new propulsion is planning to go to mars and back, and they estimate it will only take 5-7 yrs.

"Zoom-Zoom"

[calikid]

So why would I want to pay for electricity to run Comcast's "public" WiFi?
Let them build/power their own public hotspot.

Comcast is turning your home router into a public Wi-Fi hotspot
By Jose Pagliery

f you're a Comcast cable customer, your home's private Wi-Fi router is being turned into a public hotspot.

It's potentially creepy and annoying. But the upside is Internet everywhere.

It's been one year since Comcast (CMCSA) started its monster project to blanket residential and commercial areas with continuous Wi-Fi coverage. Imagine waves of wireless Internet emitting from every home, business and public waiting area.

Comcast has been swapping out customers' old routers with new ones capable of doubling as public hotspots. So far, the company has turned 3 million home devices into public ones. By year's end it plans to activate that feature on the other 5 million already installed.

Anyone with an Xfinity account can register their devices (laptop, tablet, phone) and the public network will always keep them registered -- at a friend's home, coffee shop or bus stop. No more asking for your cousin's Wi-Fi network password.

Outsiders never get access to your private, password-protected home network (Famous last words?)
Story Continues (http://money.cnn.com/2014/06/16/technology/security/comcast-wifi-hotspot/index.html)

[calikid]

Let's hope the pranksters don't find a way to lock you out of your own phone.


'Kill Switch' coming to Google, Microsoft phones
By Gregory Wallace

Google and Microsoft will include a so-called kill switch in the next version of their smartphone operating systems, authorities announced Thursday.

The technology allows for a stolen Google (GOOG) Android and Microsoft (MSFT, Tech30) Windows Phone-powered Nokia (NOK) device to be disabled, making it useless to the thief.

With Google and Microsoft on board, kill switches will be available for 97% of the smartphone market, said New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who made the announcement.

Newer versions of Apple's iOS currently include a kill switch called Activation Lock and tracking software that requires a password before the iPhone or iPad is reset. Story Continues (http://money.cnn.com/2014/06/19/technology/mobile/smartphone-kill-switch/index.html)

[calikid]

Show me your hands.... in VR.
This could be fun!
Oculus to get hands on with new virtual reality gear
Facebook's virtual reality company is readying motion control prototypes for its headsets to offer a more immersive experience for consumers.

Virtual reality pioneer Oculus VR doesn't just want to get its products on your head, it wants them in your hands as well.

The headset maker has been quietly preparing motion controllers -- devices that let you drive the action and manipulate objects in games with hand and body movements -- to complement its forthcoming goggles, people familiar with the development process say. The result: a more immersive experience in video games and other simulations.

But it's the implications of this technology that may have broader impact in the real world. By marketing its own motion controllers, Oculus may upset developers on its platform.

More than a half-dozen companies are developing their own motion control devices to compliment Oculus's headset, called the "Rift." Investors, developers and early customers have already sunk millions of dollars into these technologies; meanwhile, the companies have formed partnerships with software makers to include specialized code to support their devices.

Industry insiders say it's natural for Oculus to begin work on motion controls, particularly because they've become popular among the many game developers. But by doing so, Oculus will also effectively compete against accessories makers who are among the most valuable and vocal champions of its products.

"Oculus's responsibility is to consumers at the end of the day," said Julian Volyn, co-founder of Trinity VR, a startup creating motion controllers. Like many other motion controllers being launched, Trinity is turning to users on the crowd-funding site Kickstarter to support its development.

It's unclear when Oculus will reveal its motion controllers to the public. The company has yet to announce a formal launch date for the "Rift" headset, though some industry watchers expect it to arrive next year. Following an agreement to be acquired by Facebook for $2 billion in March, Oculus has said it is creating new prototypes of its products with specialized parts to ensure higher quality.

Oculus isn't the first company to face the potential of creating a product that could hurt some developers on its platform. Apple was at times criticized for integrating popular functionality into its computer operating system that had been developed by outside software makers, effectively killing that third-party business. Microsoft has also been accused of such practices in the past; It recently raised the ire of some computer partners when it launched the Surface tablet, its first PC.

For Oculus, there is a lot of pressure to make the best possible product that attracts customers to its platform, Volyn added. "It makes sense for them to take matters into their own hands."

An Oculus spokesman declined to comment.
A new move

Nintendo popularized motion control technology when it became the primary way customers interacted with its Wii video game console, launched in 2006. In the box was a wand, often called a "Wiimote," and a sensor that was placed above or below a television, translating the remote's movements onto the screen.

Bobby Kotick, Activision Blizzard's chief executive, once recalled in an interview how impressed he was when Nintendo demonstrated a prototype of the Wii controller with a fishing game; players flicked the Wiimote to mimic the real-world movement of casting out a lure.

"The idea was expressed in three seconds with one gesture," he said. The controls and their corresponding games became a cultural phenomenon.

The way motion controls work is deceptively simple.

Developers combine specialized software and hardware to sense each move of a controller with painstaking detail, interpret its meaning, and then turn it into a command in the game. The controllers themselves usually have a compliment of sensors, such as a gyroscope that can understand its position and whether it's laying flat, standing upright or turning in a circle. Some emit light that is seen by a camera that analyzes the intensity, size and other details to determine how close or far a player is from the screen.

The result: Players can imitate motions like swinging a sword or pulling the string of a archer's bow in the real world, and see their movements displayed in the game.

"When you can see your hands in the VR world, and these hands correspond to what your actual hands are doing, it's a very powerful experience," said Jan Goetgeluk, head of Virtuix. The startup makes a platform called the "Omni," which can track players' movements as they walk. Story Continues (http://www.cnet.com/news/oculus-to-ge-hands-on-with-new-virtual-reality-gear/)

[calikid]

Remember the days when all it took was a library card to check out a book? Now you have buy a Kindle, and pay a subscription. Simpler times....


Kindle Unlimited: Good for customers, not so good for authors?

The terms of service for Amazon's new e-book subscription offering mean uncertainty for self-published Kindle authors, whose work is automatically rolled into the program.

Amazon's Kindle Unlimited e-book subscription service, unveiled Friday, raised new questions about how much the company pays its army of self-published authors and the methods it uses to do so.

Kindle Unlimited offers downloads on more than 600,000 e-books, as well as thousands of audiobooks, for $9.99 per month. But more than 500,000 of those titles are self-published works through Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing Select program, according to industry newsletter Publishers Lunch. That program requires authors to restrict the availability of their title to Amazon's Kindle platform for up to 90 days at a time in exchange for higher royalties on e-book sales -- sales ostensibly undercut by the availability of these books on Amazon's growing number of e-book lending services.

Amazon by some estimates controls as much as 65 percent of the digital book market. That's given CEO Jeff Bezos the freedom to flex his muscles when dealing with the traditional publishing industry, evidenced by the running dispute with French publisher Hachette. Story Continues
(http://www.cnet.com/news/amazon-kindle-unlimited-good-for-customers-not-so-good-for-authors/)

[calikid]

New MORE secure email? Sounds like a step in the right direction.


Dark Mail: Email that hides from the NSA
By Jose Pagliery

You can run from NSA surveillance -- but you can't hide. One way or another, the U.S. government will be able to snoop on your personal conversations.

But there's one tool that could make it much more difficult for the NSA to spy on you. Meet Dark Mail, your personal black box for email.

Like Google's (GOOGL, Tech30) Gmail and other email services with robust security tools, Dark Mail encrypts email content, shielding it from government spies.

But Dark Mail takes the extra step of cloaking your email's metadata, which includes the subject line and the 'To' and 'From' fields. That way, spies can't easily identify who's sending emails.

Why is that important? Even if the NSA can't read the body of your message, knowing who you email can trigger extra government scrutiny.

The NSA uses email metadata collected on millions of Americans to select specific people for closer surveillance of emails and phone calls. To appreciate how quickly this can balloon, consider that for every one target, nine of their connections get spied on too.

The NSA's bulk collection of metadata reminds Dark Mail co-creator Ladar Levison of the guilt-by-association of the 1950's Communist-hunting McCarthy era.

"I think we lost the freedom of association, and we didn't realize it," Levison said. "The fear now is that if I email you, and you're under surveillance... I will, in turn, place myself under surveillance."

Related story: Snowden asks hackers to protect whistleblowers

Dark Mail is not NSA-proof. The government can still target a person and follow each email's trail. But to do that, the government would have to trace every stop along an email's path -- device, server, server and device.

Using Dark Mail is like mailing an envelope that, on the outside, is only addressed to and from post offices. Finding the actual sender and recipient is not an unsolvable mystery, but it creates some drag for the dragnet.

"Done right, this should make it technologically impossible to conduct mass surveillance," Levison said.
Snowden gives pep talk to hackers
Snowden gives pep talk to hackers

This isn't Levison's first attempt at building a highly private communication tool. He created a similar email service called Lavabit, but he closed it last year when FBI agents demanded he silently give up information about one particular Lavabit user: Edward Snowden.

Levison refused to give up the encryption keys that would let the feds secretly monitor Lavabit, choosing instead to shut it down. For fighting the FBI demand, he's now saddled with federal fines.

Dark Mail and Lavabit have one important difference: Unlike Lavabit, Levison doesn't hold the keys to Dark Mail -- each individual user does. Emails are encrypted on users' devices, protected by their passwords. That means even he can't read Dark Mail users' emails, and he would have nothing to turn over to the feds should they come asking. Story Continues (http://money.cnn.com/2014/07/22/technology/security/dark-mail/index.html)

[CasperParks]

Remember the days when all it took was a library card to check out a book? Now you have buy a Kindle, and pay a subscription. Simpler times....


Kindle Unlimited: Good for customers, not so good for authors?

The terms of service for Amazon's new e-book subscription offering mean uncertainty for self-published Kindle authors, whose work is automatically rolled into the program.

Amazon's Kindle Unlimited e-book subscription service, unveiled Friday, raised new questions about how much the company pays its army of self-published authors and the methods it uses to do so.

Kindle Unlimited offers downloads on more than 600,000 e-books, as well as thousands of audiobooks, for $9.99 per month. But more than 500,000 of those titles are self-published works through Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing Select program, according to industry newsletter Publishers Lunch. That program requires authors to restrict the availability of their title to Amazon's Kindle platform for up to 90 days at a time in exchange for higher royalties on e-book sales -- sales ostensibly undercut by the availability of these books on Amazon's growing number of e-book lending services.

Amazon by some estimates controls as much as 65 percent of the digital book market. That's given CEO Jeff Bezos the freedom to flex his muscles when dealing with the traditional publishing industry, evidenced by the running dispute with French publisher Hachette. Story Continues
(http://www.cnet.com/news/amazon-kindle-unlimited-good-for-customers-not-so-good-for-authors/)

The Amazon 90 day exclusives has its ups and downs.

[majicbar]

Remember the days when all it took was a library card to check out a book? Now you have buy a Kindle, and pay a subscription. Simpler times....


Kindle Unlimited: Good for customers, not so good for authors?

The terms of service for Amazon's new e-book subscription offering mean uncertainty for self-published Kindle authors, whose work is automatically rolled into the program.

Amazon's Kindle Unlimited e-book subscription service, unveiled Friday, raised new questions about how much the company pays its army of self-published authors and the methods it uses to do so.

Kindle Unlimited offers downloads on more than 600,000 e-books, as well as thousands of audiobooks, for $9.99 per month. But more than 500,000 of those titles are self-published works through Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing Select program, according to industry newsletter Publishers Lunch. That program requires authors to restrict the availability of their title to Amazon's Kindle platform for up to 90 days at a time in exchange for higher royalties on e-book sales -- sales ostensibly undercut by the availability of these books on Amazon's growing number of e-book lending services.

Amazon by some estimates controls as much as 65 percent of the digital book market. That's given CEO Jeff Bezos the freedom to flex his muscles when dealing with the traditional publishing industry, evidenced by the running dispute with French publisher Hachette. Story Continues
(http://www.cnet.com/news/amazon-kindle-unlimited-good-for-customers-not-so-good-for-authors/)It still only takes a library card to check out a book! Or have public libraries been done away with where you live? Public libraries here in Minnesota have actually made great technological advances and added many e-books to their circulations. Some have lending for iPad and Kindle in the works too.

[calikid]

So, I need to hack my USB flash drive firmware before use to confirm it hasn't been compromised?
Those black hats, to much time on their hands.

Why the Security of USB Is Fundamentally Broken
By Andy Greenberg

Computer users pass around USB sticks like silicon business cards. Although we know they often carry malware infections, we depend on antivirus scans and the occasional reformatting to keep our thumbdrives from becoming the carrier for the next digital epidemic. But the security problems with USB devices run deeper than you think: Their risk isn’t just in what they carry, it’s built into the core of how they work.

That’s the takeaway from findings security researchers Karsten Nohl and Jakob Lell plan to present next week, demonstrating a collection of proof-of-concept malicious software that highlights how the security of USB devices has long been fundamentally broken. The malware they created, called BadUSB, can be installed on a USB device to completely take over a PC, invisibly alter files installed from the memory stick, or even redirect the user’s internet traffic. Because BadUSB resides not in the flash memory storage of USB devices, but in the firmware that controls their basic functions, the attack code can remain hidden long after the contents of the device’s memory would appear to the average user to be deleted. And the two researchers say there’s no easy fix: The kind of compromise they’re demonstrating is nearly impossible to counter without banning the sharing of USB devices or filling your port with superglue.

“These problems can’t be patched,” says Nohl, who will join Lell in presenting the research at the Black Hat security conference in Las Vegas. “We’re exploiting the very way that USB is designed.”

‘In this new way of thinking, you have to consider a USB infected and throw it away as soon as it touches a non-trusted computer.’

Nohl and Lell, researchers for the security consultancy SR Labs, are hardly the first to point out that USB devices can store and spread malware. But the two hackers didn’t merely copy their own custom-coded infections into USB devices’ memory. They spent months reverse engineering the firmware that runs the basic communication functions of USB devices—the controller chips that allow the devices to communicate with a PC and let users move files on and off of them. Their central finding is that USB firmware, which exists in varying forms in all USB devices, can be reprogrammed to hide attack code. “You can give it to your IT security people, they scan it, delete some files, and give it back to you telling you it’s ‘clean,’” says Nohl. But unless the IT guy has the reverse engineering skills to find and analyze that firmware, “the cleaning process doesn’t even touch the files we’re talking about.”
Story Continues (http://www.wired.com/2014/07/usb-security/)

[Wally]

From space.com
"'Impossible' Space Engine May Actually Work, NASA Test Suggests"
http://www.space.com/26713-impossible-space-engine-nasa-test.html
Would be cool if this pans out.

[calikid]

With all the password thefts in the news lately, good to see people taking a fresh approach.

Photos could replace passwords
By Jose Pagliery

An Australian teen thinks he's got a solution to the world's password problems: Use pictures instead.

Currently, most people make easy-to-guess passwords -- and they use the same one across several services. It's stupidly irresponsible, but the only alternative is remembering dozens of complex passwords.

But this week at the cybersecurity gathering PasswordsCon in Las Vegas, Sam Crowther unveiled another option. His app lets you pick a photo on your device as your password to a Web service, then transmits that as an incredibly long password.

It's 512-characters long, to be exact.

Crowther's logic: It's easy for you to remember a specific photo. But it's improbable that a stranger will get access to your device and know which photo you picked -- especially if you keep hundreds of them on your device.
Story Continues (http://money.cnn.com/2014/08/06/technology/security/picture-password/index.html)

[calikid]

Looks like this Windows critical update was "not ready for primetime".
On one of Microsoft's most popular product too!
Might want to uninstall this one folks, before it "bricks" your PC.

Microsoft urges customers to uninstall 'Blue Screen of Death' update
One of last week's security updates has bricked an unknown number of PCs running Windows 7
by Gregg Keizer

Microsoft on Friday quietly recommended that customers uninstall one of last week's security updates after users reported that it crippled their computers with the infamous "Blue Screen of Death" (BSOD).

The update, identified as MS14-045 in Microsoft's numbering, was one of nine released on "Patch Tuesday," Aug. 12, was designed to fix three separate flaws, including one related to a font vulnerability and another in the Windows kernel, the heart of the operating system.

Within hours of its release, however, users reported that MS14-045 had generated a Stop 0x50 error on some systems, mostly on Windows 7 PCs running the 64-bit version of the OS.
Story Continues (http://www.itnews.com/windows/82718/microsoft-urges-customers-uninstall-blue-screen-death-update?source=ITNEWSNLE_nlt_itndaily_2014-08-18)

[Garuda]

For those of you using Chrome as your browser, here are 19 hidden (and most of them useful) features.

http://www.pcmag.com/slideshow/story/323996/19-hidden-chrome-features-that-will-make-your-life-easier/

(Well, "hidden" may not be entirely accurate. "Features you're probably not aware of" is more like it).

[majicbar]

Looks like this Windows critical update was "not ready for primetime".
On one of Microsoft's most popular product too!
Might want to uninstall this one folks, before it "bricks" your PC.

Microsoft urges customers to uninstall 'Blue Screen of Death' update
One of last week's security updates has bricked an unknown number of PCs running Windows 7
by Gregg Keizer

Microsoft on Friday quietly recommended that customers uninstall one of last week's security updates after users reported that it crippled their computers with the infamous "Blue Screen of Death" (BSOD).

The update, identified as MS14-045 in Microsoft's numbering, was one of nine released on "Patch Tuesday," Aug. 12, was designed to fix three separate flaws, including one related to a font vulnerability and another in the Windows kernel, the heart of the operating system.

Within hours of its release, however, users reported that MS14-045 had generated a Stop 0x50 error on some systems, mostly on Windows 7 PCs running the 64-bit version of the OS.
Story Continues (http://www.itnews.com/windows/82718/microsoft-urges-customers-uninstall-blue-screen-death-update?source=ITNEWSNLE_nlt_itndaily_2014-08-18) The MS14-045 update has been removed from Microsoft's Download Centre and Microsoft recommends customers uninstall the update, found under the name 'Security Update for Microsoft Windows (KB2982791)' in your update history.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2982791

[Garuda]

Why AI could destroy more jobs than it creates, and how to save them

Automation may be destroying jobs faster than it's creating new ones, but all hope isn't lost. TechRepublic spoke to MIT economist Erik Brynjolfsson on changing the course of the future.

http://www.techrepublic.com/article/ai-is-destroying-more-jobs-than-it-creates-what-it-means-and-how-we-can-stop-it/

[Garuda]

The grandfather time travel paradox solved? (If you travel back in time and kill your grandfather before you were born, would you cease to exist?)

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/time-travel-simulation-resolves-grandfather-paradox/

[majicbar]

Why AI could destroy more jobs than it creates, and how to save them

Automation may be destroying jobs faster than it's creating new ones, but all hope isn't lost. TechRepublic spoke to MIT economist Erik Brynjolfsson on changing the course of the future.

http://www.techrepublic.com/article/ai-is-destroying-more-jobs-than-it-creates-what-it-means-and-how-we-can-stop-it/So technology is making the World a place where we could, if we so willed, be couch potatoes? And what is so wrong with that? Isn't the real problem the distribution of production, that we have to realize that "capitalism" as a paradigm is NOT the only possibility? A "Utopian" paradigm is indeed possible even if not desirable, eventually blended economies of various types will be constructed to fill niches filling actual human needs and others the wants of humans. There will as well have to be economies to tend to the cleanup of resource acquisition and the recovery of assets caused by human activity. We have to open our eyes and minds to see outside the box in order to step outside of it.

[calikid]

The grandfather time travel paradox solved? (If you travel back in time and kill your grandfather before you were born, would you cease to exist?)

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/time-travel-simulation-resolves-grandfather-paradox/
I may have to read this one twice....

[Garuda]

I may have to read this one twice....

Once now, and once in the future, obviously... ;)

[atmjjc]

Once now, and once in the future, obviously... ;)

LOL...only 2x... man-up, nothing stopping you from doing it 10,000x, even 100,000x, but there will be a lot of U's running around adding to the gene pool...:das

[atmjjc]

This article is a little on the geeky side, but shows how vulnerable we are if the good/bad guys single you out for information decimation.

A new Side channel attack-how to steal encryption keys by touching PCs

Researchers demonstrated a new side channel attack which allow them to steal encryption keys by simply touching a laptop.


“We demonstrated physical side-channel attacks on a popular software implementation of RSA and ElGamal, running on laptop computers. Our attacks use novel side channels and are based on the observation that the “ground� electric potential in many computers fluctuates in a computation-dependent way. An attacker can measure this signal by touching exposed metal on the computer’s chassis with a plain wire, or even with a bare hand. The signal can also be measured at the remote end of Ethernet, VGA or USB cables.� explained the researchers.

to read whole article...http://securityaffairs.co/wordpress/27724/hacking/side-channel-attack.html

[calikid]

This article is a little on the geeky side, but shows how vulnerable we are if the good/bad guys single you out for information decimation.

A new Side channel attack-how to steal encryption keys by touching PCs

Researchers demonstrated a new side channel attack which allow them to steal encryption keys by simply touching a laptop.



to read whole article...http://securityaffairs.co/wordpress/27724/hacking/side-channel-attack.html
People often forget physical security is as important as digital security. Good example.
Hands off my box!

[calikid]

Sounds like buying Android apps from 3rd party store, not such a good idea.

Android malware stash of text messages found
by Antone Gonsalves

Research on Android malware called KorBanker has uncovered a treasure trove of text messages that include authentication codes for Google and Facebook and VPN passwords.

How the thieves made use of the data is not known. However, FireEye researcher Hitesh Dharmdasani assumes cybercriminals have figured out a way to exploit it for financial gain.

"It is potentially bad that someone else apart from the intended recipient would have it," Dharmdasani said Thursday of the stolen data.

Dharmdasani knew Android malware was used to intercept message communications on smartphones. However, he did not know the kind of data collected until he found the MySQL database in a command-and-control server for KorBanker.

FireEye has known about the malware, found mostly in South Korea, for about a year. KorBanker's original purpose was to steal online banking credentials.

The malware is hidden in another app, such as a fake Google Play app, and offered for free on an online store. While most Android smartphone owners in the U.S. download apps from the official Google Play store, people in Asia regularly use less safe third-party stores, which often contain malware.

When the smartphone user installs the fake app, KorBanker overrides the online banking app. Clicking on the hijacked banking app launches a screen asking users if they want to install an update. Answering yes gets another screen asking for the username and password.

Over the last two months, the creators of KorBanker have expanded its thievery to text messages. The data collected by the app included VPN passwords and temporary authentication codes for Google, Korea Mobile, Facebook, Seoul Credit Rating & Information Co. and SK Telecom.
Story Continues (http://www.itnews.com/malware/83358/android-malware-stash-text-messages-found?source=ITNEWSNLE_nlt_itndaily_2014-09-05)

[calikid]

If you are using IE, may want to install this update soon.

Microsoft patch fixed IE flaw used against U.S. military
by Antone Gonsalves

Tucked within Microsoft's September patch release was a fix for a vulnerability that had been used this year in a sophisticated attack aimed at stealing U.S. military secrets.

A proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit for the XMLDOM vulnerability, which Microsoft labeled cve-2013-7331, was first released in April 2013. The PoC was then "re-repurposed and abused" in the February attack against the U.S. Veterans of Foreign Wars' website, Kurt Baumgartner, principal security researcher, Americas, for Kaspersky Lab, reported Thursday.

Experts believe the attackers were hoping to infect the computers of active military personnel visiting the site in order to eventually steal valuable information. The VFW has 1.4 million members, including 75,000 who are still active.

The sophisticated hackers had booby-trapped the site with a download exploiting XMLDOM and zero-day vulnerabilities within Internet Explorer, Baumgartner said. XMLDOM was used to determine if the Windows system was running Microsoft's Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit.

"If the parsed return code fails, it means EMET is not present and the attacker can proceed with the exploit," Microsoft wrote about XMLDOM.

If EMET was not present, the attackers downloaded a backdoor called "ZxShell," which exploited a zero-day vulnerability in stealing files from victims' computers, according to security vendor FireEye, which was the first to report on the VFW website attack.
Story Continues (http://www.itnews.com/data-protection/83656/microsoft-patch-fixed-ie-flaw-used-against-us-military?source=ITNEWSNLE_nlt_itndaily_2014-09-12)

[calikid]

The latest threat to our security.
Will my refrigerator and light bulbs need updates?

'Bash' bug could let hackers attack through a light bulb
By Jose Pagliery

Say hello to the bash bug, a lesson in why Internet-connected devices are inherently unsafe.

Computer security researchers have discovered a flaw in the way many devices communicate over the Internet. At its most basic, it lets someone hack every device in your house, business or government building -- via something as simple as your "smart" light bulb.

With this flaw, criminals can potentially break computers or steal private and government information.

The problem extends to lots of Internet-connected computers located anywhere -- from shops to hospitals to schools.

It's worse if you're one of those tech-embracing types who buys Internet-connected "smart" appliances. But keep in mind, that includes a rapidly growing number of businesses and governments that use smart devices -- like cameras -- within their internal networks.

Why fear the bash bug? Because it's so pervasive.

According to open source software company Red Hat, it affects any device that uses the operating system Linux -- which includes everything from calculators to cars. But it also affects Apple (AAPL, Tech30) Macs and some Windows and IBM machines. Google (GOOG) said no Android machines are susceptible.
Story Continues (http://money.cnn.com/2014/09/24/technology/security/bash-bug/)

[Edgar Fouche]

The Coming Era of Unlimited — and Free (Almost) — Clean Energy

Not so free, but very inexpensive for sure. I read at least 30 science related sites every day.
The scientific breakthroughs are massive and hard to keep up with.

We're already using solar panels on our ranches. 1 over unity may or may not happen.
But Parity with power companies and getting off the grid is coming soon. Less than four years.

Keep yourself informed. If you invest in current Solar and Wind Turbine, and you are in a city, there are often incentives and tax write offs, and being to sell your excess energy back to the power companies. Check out what your power company provider and state offer... Edgar Fouche

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/innovations/wp/2014/09/19/the-coming-era-of-unlimited-and-free-clean-energy

In the 1980s, leading consultants were skeptical about cellular phones. McKinsey & Company noted that the handsets were heavy, batteries didn’t last long, coverage was patchy, and the cost per minute was exorbitant. It predicted that in 20 years the total market size would be about 900,000 units, and advised AT&T to pull out. McKinsey was wrong, of course. There were more than 100 million cellular phones in use 2000; there are billions now. Costs have fallen so far that even the poor — all over world — can afford a cellular phone.

The experts are saying the same about solar energy now. They note that after decades of development, solar power hardly supplies 1 percent of the world’s energy needs. They say that solar is inefficient, too expensive to install, and unreliable, and will fail without government subsidies. They too are wrong. Solar will be as ubiquitous as cellular phones are.

Futurist Ray Kurzweil notes that solar power has been doubling every two years for the past 30 years — as costs have been dropping. He says solar energy is only six doublings — or less than 14 years — away from meeting 100 percent of today’s energy needs. Energy usage will keep increasing, so this is a moving target. But, by Kurzweil’s estimates, inexpensive renewable sources will provide more energy than the world needs in less than 20 years. Even then, we will be using only one part in 10,000 of the sunlight that falls on the Earth.

In places such as Germany, Spain, Portugal, Australia, and the Southwest United States, residential-scale solar production has already reached “grid parity� with average residential electricity prices. In other words, it costs no more in the long term to install solar panels than to buy electricity from utility companies. The prices of solar panels have fallen 75 percent in the past five years alone and will fall much further as the technologies to create them improve and scale of production increases. By 2020, solar energy will be price-competitive with energy generated from fossil fuels on an unsubsidized basis in most parts of the world. Within the next decade, it will cost a fraction of what fossil fuel-based alternatives do.

It isn’t just solar production that is advancing at a rapid rate; there are also technologies to harness the power of wind, biomass, thermal, tidal, and waste-breakdown energy, and research projects all over the world are working on improving their efficiency and effectiveness. Wind power, for example, has also come down sharply in price and is now competitive with the cost of new coal-burning power plants in the United States. It will, without doubt, give solar energy a run for its money. There will be breakthroughs in many different technologies, and these will accelerate overall progress.

Despite the skepticism of experts and criticism by naysayers, there is little doubt that we are heading into an era of unlimited and almost free clean energy. This has profound implications.

First, there will be disruption of the entire fossil-fuel industry, starting with utility companies — which will face declining demand and then bankruptcy. Several of them see the writing on the wall. The smart ones are embracing solar and wind power. Others are lobbying to stop the progress of solar power — at all costs. Witness how groups in Oklahoma persuaded lawmakers to approve a surcharge on solar installations; the limited victory that groups backed by the Koch brothers won in Arizona to impose a $5 per month surcharge; and the battles being waged in other states. They are fighting a losing battle, however, because the advances aren’t confined to the United States. Countries such as Germany, China, and Japan are leading the charge in the adoption of clean energies. Solar installations still depend on other power sources to supply energy when the sun isn’t shining, but battery-storage technologies will improve so much over the next two decades that homes won’t be dependent on the utility companies. We will go from debating incentives for installing clean energies to debating subsidies for utility companies to keep their operations going.

The environment will surely benefit from the elimination of fossil fuels, which will also boost most sectors of the economy. Electric cars will become cheaper to operate than fossil-fuel-burning ones, for example. We will be able to create unlimited clean water — by boiling ocean water and condensing it. With inexpensive energy, our farmers can also grow hydroponic fruits and vegetables in vertical farms located near consumers. Imagine skyscrapers located in cities that grow food in glass buildings without the need for pesticides, and that recycle nutrients and materials to ensure there is no ecological impact. We will have the energy needed to 3D-print our everyday goods and to heat our homes.

We are surely heading into the era of abundance that Peter Diamandis has written about — the era when the basic needs of humanity are met through advancing technologies. The challenge for mankind will be to share this abundance, ensuring that these technologies make the world a better place.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/innovations/wp/2014/09/19/the-coming-era-of-unlimited-and-free-clean-energy

[calikid]

Ok. So what happened to Windows 9? Welcome home start button.

Microsoft introduces Windows 10
By James O'Toole

No, it's not Windows 9 -- Microsoft (MSFT, Tech30) is going straight from Windows 8 to Windows 10.

Microsoft showed off the latest version of its flagship operating system at an event in San Francisco Tuesday. It wasn't a complete unveiling -- Microsoft focused on a handful of features that will benefit business customers.

Here's a quick rundown:

- Return of the Start menu. After being inexplicably removed from Windows 8, the Start menu is back, and includes a new personalizable space for favorite apps, programs and websites.
windows 10 start menu

- Apps in windows. With Windows 10, Microsoft has standardized the format for apps from the Windows Store and regular desktop programs. Both now run in traditional windows that can be resized and minimized from the bar at the top.
windows 10 apps

- Multiple desktops. A feature Mac users have enjoyed for years: the ability to create and swap between different desktops.
windows 10 multiple desktops

- A soup-ed Snap. The "Snap" feature, which allows users to work on multiple apps at once from the same screen, has been redesigned with a new quadrant layout to allow for up to four programs at once.
windows 10 snap

- New Task view button. A new button on the task bar takes you straight to a single screen that displays all your open apps and files (the old Alt + Tab trick).
windows 10 task view

One noteworthy aspect of Tuesday's announcement was the revelation that Microsoft will allow business customers to choose specific Windows features to upgrade one at a time, rather than being forced to transition all at once from an older version.

Windows 10 is a key part of new CEO Satya Nadella's effort to position Microsoft as a "mobile-first, cloud-first" company with a particular emphasis on productivity software. The goal is to make products like Office, Outlook and Skype staples for individual customers regardless of the device they're using, and to transform Windows from a desktop operating system to cloud computing platform that can be accessed from anywhere.
Story Continues (http://money.cnn.com/2014/09/30/technology/windows-10/index.html)

[Garuda]

Ok. So what happened to Windows 9? Welcome home start button.

Apparently Microsoft can't count to 10 properly yet... which explains soooo much! ;)

[majicbar]

Apparently Microsoft can't count to 10 properly yet... which explains soooo much! ;)You can not build on quicksand. Windows 9 was most likely an upgraded Windows 8 and with the amount of code shared with 8, Windows 9 was being built on quicksand. Microsoft probably abandoned the Windows 8 code and started over, so my question is which Microsoft engine did they use as the core of Windows 10? Could it be that Windows 10 was the follow-on code but of an entirely new concept that matured ahead of schedule and took all Microsoft products into new territory and promised profits that made exploitation of Windows 9 a waste of time?

http://lifehacker.com/windows-10s-keylogger-fiasco-has-been-blown-out-of-pr-1642931793

http://lifehacker.com/the-coolest-windows-10-features-microsoft-didnt-announc-1642802880/+ericlimer

[majicbar]

You can not build on quicksand. Windows 9 was most likely an upgraded Windows 8 and with the amount of code shared with 8, Windows 9 was being built on quicksand. Microsoft probably abandoned the Windows 8 code and started over, so my question is which Microsoft engine did they use as the core of Windows 10? Could it be that Windows 10 was the follow-on code but of an entirely new concept that matured ahead of schedule and took all Microsoft products into new territory and promised profits that made exploitation of Windows 9 a waste of time?

http://lifehacker.com/windows-10s-keylogger-fiasco-has-been-blown-out-of-pr-1642931793

http://lifehacker.com/the-coolest-windows-10-features-microsoft-didnt-announc-1642802880/+ericlimer

Here is a thirty year history of "Windows" development.

http://www.cnet.com/au/news/windows-10-is-here-so-lets-take-a-look-at-30-years-of-windows/

[calikid]

Wow. Let the insults fly. Apple vs Android.


You're an idiot if you like this phone
By David Goldman

Want to rile up an iPhone owner? Tell her you have an Android phone.

Smartphone owners are extremely protective of their gadgets. Any hint that they might not have the best of the best is akin to a declaration of war.

Unsurprisingly, most of the battles between owners of rival devices take place on the Internet: Online reviews and news stories about the latest smartphone are breeding grounds for disdainful comments.

Comments on smartphone stories typically go something like this: Apple (AAPL, Tech30) lovers are "iSheep." Android lovers have no taste. Windows Phone users must work for Microsoft (MSFT, Tech30). And the journalist who wrote the story is a paid spokesman for whatever gadget he or she is reviewing.

Just take a look at some recent comments on CNNMoney stories about the iPhone 6 and Motorola's Moto X Android smartphone:


On the Moto X: "is it an apple? No? Who cares." - @ReallyLaLa1

On Apple setting an iPhone sales record: "sheep following the herd" - @lincoln3_

On the iPhone 6: "Android users are so envious of the attention anything apple gets. ... Now go and Invest in some tissue and a waterproof case before your tears ruin your plastic phone." - Mike Jenkins

On the Moto X: "The iPhone caters specifically for girls, largely since they don't get tech--no offence. This is why you've noticed the change to the girly-bright-crayoned icons etc. Guys like tech, leading-edge stuff. You don't care that's it's 2012 so long as it works well." - Fiddle Castro

On the iPhone 6: "apple pays cnn ... whats great in apple pay? it was always there in paypal and google wallet ... why is this news?" - hollykick


iPhone 6 vs. Galaxy Alpha: Cost to make

Sure, we all know Internet trolls are horrible, and something about online comment forums brings out the absolute worst in people. But why do smartphones elicit as much vitriol as hot-button topics like immigration and Obamacare?

Story Continues (http://money.cnn.com/2014/10/10/technology/mobile/best-smartphone/index.html)

[Fore]

I have both and they both work good for different circumstances.

I prefer the android phone for flexible applications. The apple iphone only for speed and the safari browser. The iphone usually feels faster and has a better keyboard.

What I don't like about the iphone is the feeling you get from registering in their store. Cripes, feels like they want a blood sample too.

[calikid]

Have to hand it to Microsoft, they keep plugging away trying to find a niche in the mobile market.
Will this app be a winner?

Microsoft launches Skype Qik for video clip conversations

The company hopes the new video messaging app will be used more frequently than regular Skype and will give Microsoft more clout in the mobile market.
by Stephen Shankland

Skype on Tuesday launched a new app called Skype Qik that lets people send each other 42-second videos, a move the Microsoft division hopes will extend its communications clout from PCs to smartphones.

"Skype Qik is a lightweight, spontaneous, mobile-first video messaging app," said Piero Sierra, director at mobile for Skype, in an interview. It's a companion app to Skype's video and audio conferencing software, which with more than 300 million users is a strong force already in online communications.

The mobile-only Skype Qik app an important move for Microsoft, a company whose fortunes are tightly wedded to the personal computer but which is trying to tap into the mobile market where there's more growth. The Skype service has made the jump to mobile phones, but it's used infrequently. That's in strong contrast to competing products like Apple Facetime, Google Hangouts, Facebook Messenger, and countless text-messaging apps geared for frequent, quick missives.

More than half of new Skype users join with its mobile apps, but Skype wants a better showing in the mobile market. "It's a desktop service that migrated into mobile, so it's been challenging," Sierra said.

You'll likely recognize some Skype Qik features from other apps. People sign up for the service with their phone numbers, not usernames and passwords, an approach used by messaging apps such as Facebook's WhatsApp and Rakuten's Viber. The messages vanish after two weeks, a nod to the "ephemeral" design of Snapchat. The videos are limited in length, like Flickr's Vine, though they're seven times longer. And the videos are square, an aspect ratio familiar to anyone who spends time with the Instagram photo-sharing service.
Story Continues (http://www.cnet.com/news/microsoft-launches-skype-qik-for-video-clip-conversations/)

[Edgar Fouche]

.
Interesting how Plasma energy is breaking out everywhere. When I frist started talking about plasma fields in energy, propulsion and stealth, everyone said I was full of it!!!
Not so much anymore. Edgar Fouche

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/10/14/1413306308184_wps_5_image001_png.jpg


The Coming Era of Unlimited — and Free (Almost) — Clean Energy

Not so free, but very inexpensive for sure. I read at least 30 science related sites every day.
The scientific breakthroughs are massive and hard to keep up with.
We're already using solar panels on our ranches. 1 over unity may or may not happen.
But Parity with power companies and getting off the grid is coming soon. Less than four years.

Keep yourself informed. If you invest in current Solar and Wind Turbine, and you are in a city, there are often incentives and tax write offs, and being to sell your excess energy back to the power companies. Check out what your power company provider and state offer... Edgar Fouche
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/innovations/wp/2014/09/19/the-coming-era-of-unlimited-and-free-clean-energy

In the 1980s, leading consultants were skeptical about cellular phones. McKinsey & Company noted that the handsets were heavy, batteries didn’t last long, coverage was patchy, and the cost per minute was exorbitant. It predicted that in 20 years the total market size would be about 900,000 units, and advised AT&T to pull out. McKinsey was wrong, of course. There were more than 100 million cellular phones in use 2000; there are billions now. Costs have fallen so far that even the poor — all over world — can afford a cellular phone.

The experts are saying the same about solar energy now. They note that after decades of development, solar power hardly supplies 1 percent of the world’s energy needs. They say that solar is inefficient, too expensive to install, and unreliable, and will fail without government subsidies. They too are wrong. Solar will be as ubiquitous as cellular phones are.
Futurist Ray Kurzweil notes that solar power has been doubling every two years for the past 30 years — as costs have been dropping. He says solar energy is only six doublings — or less than 14 years — away from meeting 100 percent of today’s energy needs. Energy usage will keep increasing, so this is a moving target. But, by Kurzweil’s estimates, inexpensive renewable sources will provide more energy than the world needs in less than 20 years. Even then, we will be using only one part in 10,000 of the sunlight that falls on the Earth.

In places such as Germany, Spain, Portugal, Australia, and the Southwest United States, residential-scale solar production has already reached “grid parity� with average residential electricity prices. In other words, it costs no more in the long term to install solar panels than to buy electricity from utility companies. The prices of solar panels have fallen 75 percent in the past five years alone and will fall much further as the technologies to create them improve and scale of production increases. By 2020, solar energy will be price-competitive with energy generated from fossil fuels on an unsubsidized basis in most parts of the world. Within the next decade, it will cost a fraction of what fossil fuel-based alternatives do.

It isn’t just solar production that is advancing at a rapid rate; there are also technologies to harness the power of wind, biomass, thermal, tidal, and waste-breakdown energy, and research projects all over the world are working on improving their efficiency and effectiveness. Wind power, for example, has also come down sharply in price and is now competitive with the cost of new coal-burning power plants in the United States. It will, without doubt, give solar energy a run for its money. There will be breakthroughs in many different technologies, and these will accelerate overall progress.
Despite the skepticism of experts and criticism by naysayers, there is little doubt that we are heading into an era of unlimited and almost free clean energy. This has profound implications.
Read More:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/innovations/wp/2014/09/19/the-coming-era-of-unlimited-and-free-clean-energy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Zero-emission fusion reactor promises 'cheaper than coal' energy

Is this the holy grail of green power? Zero-emission fusion reactor promises 'cheaper than coal' energy?

Engineers have designed a concept for a fusion reactor.

When scaled up to the size of a large electrical power plant, it would rival costs for a new coal-fired plant with similar electrical output, they claim.>

Design builds on existing technology and creates a magnetic field within a closed space to hold plasma in place long enough for fusion to occur.

Engineers at the University of Washington claim the design is cheaper than building a coal power station - but warn a full-sized version is years away

Read more here:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2792848/is-holy-grail-green-power-zero-emission-fusion-reactor-promises-cheaper-coal-energy.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2792848/is-holy-grail-green-power-zero-emission-fusion-reactor-promises-cheaper-coal-energy.html

[calikid]

"Uhura, tie in the Universal Translator"..... to Skype!
Taking a cue from science fiction, Microsoft demos 'universal translator'
By Jacopo Prisco

Skype users will soon be able to conduct voice and video calls supported by a near-real time translation technology.

And while it can't yet guarantee that no fine detail will be lost in translation, Microsoft's new idea for its video chat platform surely feels like something straight out of science fiction.

No longer will our hopes for such a marvel be tagged to imaginary aquatic creatures -- the Babel fish from "The Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy" -- or improbable "telepathic fields", such as the one cast by Doctor Who's TARDIS to relay any alien language to its pilot in plain English.

It all sounds, in fact, quite similar to what Klingons in Star Trek use to make their generally belligerent intentions quite clear: an unseen, but ever-present, "universal translator".

"The idea that people don't understand each other, it's going to be a thing of the past," Gurdeep Pall, Corporate VP of Skype, told CNN's Richard Quest.

"In the same way it's hard to imagine a world before you were able to travel to different places and quickly, whether it be in a car or a plane, we'll never think about, wow, those were the dark ages where people couldn't understand each other. That's where we're headed."

Called Skype Translator, the add-on builds on the research done for Microsoft Translator, and uses a technology called Deep Neural Networks, which yields significantly better speech recognition results than previous methods.

It will be available as a Windows 8 beta app before the end of the year, but Microsoft is already showing off its English to German functionality, as you can see in the video above.

It is still unclear whether the service will be free for the 300 million Skype users, or will be extended to other platforms.

Microsoft is not alone in its quest for a universal translator. Google....
Story Continues (http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/16/tech/innovation/microsoft-skype-universal-translator/index.html)

[calikid]

Considering the bad customer service rep cable companies have demonstrated recently, it' s nice to see viable alternatives to their HSI.

Lowly DSL poised for gigabit speed boost

Internet service providers are getting a new option called G.fast that can extend the lifespan of existing copper phone lines yet again.
by Stephen Shankland

DSL was one of the first widely adopted technologies for bringing high-speed Internet access to homes and businesses, but it hasn't been the fastest.

That's all changing. At the Broadband World Forum in Amsterdam this week, several companies are announcing and demonstrating products that bring DSL -- or digital subscriber line -- into a future with a speed of 1 gigabit per second. That's about 1,000 times the data-transfer speed the technology offered when it arrived in the late 1990s.

The DSL upgrade comes through a new technology called G.fast. Among those making network equipment chips to enable the technology are industry giant Broadcom, China-based Triductor Technology and Israeli startup Sckipio. The technology itself should arrive in homes starting in 2016.

The reasons people want fast broadband are plentiful: video chat with friends, high-definition TV from services like iTunes and Netflix, online backup of family photos, streaming music from Spotify, and an easier adjustment to the new era when apps are updated frequently. You can multiply all these uses by the growing number of devices in homes that tap into the Internet -- laptops, mobile phones, tablets, game consoles, thermostats, TVs, security systems. With a maxed-out gigabit connection, you can download a 4GB high-definition movie in about half a minute.

In many countries, though, particularly the United States, cable TV wiring has led the way for high-speed broadband. And when Google decided it wanted to accelerate the arrival of this high-tech future, it picked an even faster fiber-optic lines for 1Gbps today. That's all given a bad rap to DSL, which uses the phone systems' twisted pairs of copper wires that are more susceptible to radio-frequency interference.

With G.fast, Internet service providers and carriers will get a new way to give a new speed boost to DSL...
Story Continues (http://www.cnet.com/news/lowly-dsl-broadband-poised-for-gigabit-speed-boost/)

[lycaeus]

This is a year old, but still news to me:

In Japan, The Matrix Is Now Reality As Humans Are Used As Living Batteries

"Japan's Fujifilm has created organic printed sheet that harvests energy from body heat, or in other words, converts body heat to electricity. Finally, at least one key part of the Matrix "reality" is now fully operational - the use of human beings as batteries."

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-02-25/japan-matrix-now-reality-humans-are-used-living-batteries

[calikid]

The Matrix is a computer-generated dream world built to keep us under control in order to change a human being into this.
~Morpheus

http://www.matrixeyewear.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Human-batteries.jpg

[calikid]

Some safety tips.... you can never be too safe!

This is how your Gmail account got hacked
By Jose Pagliery



The Cybercrime Economy
This is how your Gmail account got hacked
By Jose Pagliery @Jose_Pagliery November 7, 2014: 11:14 AM ET

How easy is it to steal your passwords?

TOTAL SHARES

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)
If your Gmail account got hacked, blame your friends.

You are 36 times more likely to get scammed if your contacts' accounts have been hacked, according to a study released this week by Google (GOOG).

It's rare. On an average day, only nine in 1 million accounts gets stolen. But when it happens, the operation is swift. These are professional criminals at work, looking through your email to steal your bank account information.

The criminals are concentrated in five countries. Most of them live in China, Ivory Coast, Malaysia, Nigeria and South Africa. But they attack people worldwide, duping them into handing over Gmail usernames and passwords.

Google has effective scans to block them and emergency options to get your account back. But criminals still manage to pull off the attacks.

Here's some more of what Google found in its three-year study.

Effective scams work 45% of the time. This number sounds huge, but well-crafted scams can be convincing. They send official-looking emails requesting your login credentials. And sometimes they redirect you to a page that looks like a Google login, but it's not.

Safety tip: Don't ever email your username or password -- anywhere. And always check the Internet address in the URL above to ensure you're at the actual Gmail site.

They usually steal your account in less than a day. Once they have your login credentials, the average criminal hijacks your account within seven hours. For an unlucky 20%, the bad guys do it in just 30 minutes. Then they change your password to lock you out.

Safety tip: Sign up for account alerts on your phone or a backup email. And move fast.

Related: Apps aimed at children collect a shocking amount of data

It takes only 3 minutes to scan your email for valuable stuff. They're looking for any email that shows your bank account information and images of your real life signature. They also search for login credentials for other accounts at Amazon (AMZN, Tech30) or PayPal. They use the email search feature, looking for phrases like "wire transfer," "bank" and "account statement."

Safety tip: Perform this search yourself. Go ahead and erase any email with this sensitive data. Don't leave this stuff lying around.

Expect your friends to get preyed on too. Criminals will send emails in your name asking friends for money. Typically, they.... Story Continues (http://money.cnn.com/2014/11/07/technology/security/gmail-account-stolen/index.html)

[calikid]

Default password? Not in my house! Glad the camera isn't located in my bedroom.

Website spies on thousands of people to shed light on security flaw
Insecam, which says it wants "to show the importance of the security settings," is broadcasting live feeds of thousands of people who didn't reset their security camera's pre-programmed password.
by Megan Wollerton

Here's something you probably already know: using a default password isn't at all secure.

Even so, well-known security camera companies like Foscam, Linksys and Panasonic pre-program simple logins for their users during the initial setup and leave it up to them to reset their passwords later -- or not.

And whether consumers forget or simply fall into "password fatigue" (which refers to the dread one feels when having to once again come up with a unique, complex alphanumeric code), many people continue to rely on "admin" or "1234" as the single line of defense between their security camera feeds and hackers.

Insecam, a site which says its mission is "to show the importance of the security settings," is taking itself very literally by broadcasting the live feed (http://www.insecam.cc/) of every absentminded/password fatigue victim in the world on its site -- except, of course, there's no indication that they've actually told any of these people that they're doing this.

The result is the creepy and potentially dangerous reality of security camera security. Insecam is streaming over 11,000 cameras in the US, nearly 2,500 in the UK, six in Tanzania and others everywhere in between, including offering latitude and longitude markers and a helpful link to Google Maps. There's footage of people hanging out in living rooms, kids sleeping in their beds, garages, neighborhoods, businesses and more. Story Continues (http://www.cnet.com/news/website-spies-on-a-lot-of-people-to-shed-light-on-security-flaw/)

[newyorklily]

Some Experiencers have said that the being's craft seemed alive. There are others who feel that UFOs are biological entities.

Are we beginning to create them?

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg22429952.400-biodrone-simply-melts-away-when-it-crashes.html?cmpid=RSS%7CNSNS%7C2012-GLOBAL%7Conline-news#.VGn4fsso5Aj

[majicbar]

Some Experiencers have said that the being's craft seemed alive. There are others who feel that UFOs are biological entities.

Are we beginning to create them?

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg22429952.400-biodrone-simply-melts-away-when-it-crashes.html?cmpid=RSS%7CNSNS%7C2012-GLOBAL%7Conline-news#.VGn4fsso5AjI remember that "Issac" in his story of CARET backengineering alien artifacts indicated all parts of the craft were involved in computer processing. To this extent it would be more like a living being than a craft of dumb material with a central processor and maybe a being of higher order.

[CasperParks]

Default password? Not in my house! Glad the camera isn't located in my bedroom.

Website spies on thousands of people to shed light on security flaw
Insecam, which says it wants "to show the importance of the security settings," is broadcasting live feeds of thousands of people who didn't reset their security camera's pre-programmed password.
by Megan Wollerton

Here's something you probably already know: using a default password isn't at all secure.

Even so, well-known security camera companies like Foscam, Linksys and Panasonic pre-program simple logins for their users during the initial setup and leave it up to them to reset their passwords later -- or not.

And whether consumers forget or simply fall into "password fatigue" (which refers to the dread one feels when having to once again come up with a unique, complex alphanumeric code), many people continue to rely on "admin" or "1234" as the single line of defense between their security camera feeds and hackers.

Insecam, a site which says its mission is "to show the importance of the security settings," is taking itself very literally by broadcasting the live feed (http://www.insecam.cc/) of every absentminded/password fatigue victim in the world on its site -- except, of course, there's no indication that they've actually told any of these people that they're doing this.

The result is the creepy and potentially dangerous reality of security camera security. Insecam is streaming over 11,000 cameras in the US, nearly 2,500 in the UK, six in Tanzania and others everywhere in between, including offering latitude and longitude markers and a helpful link to Google Maps. There's footage of people hanging out in living rooms, kids sleeping in their beds, garages, neighborhoods, businesses and more. Story Continues (http://www.cnet.com/news/website-spies-on-a-lot-of-people-to-shed-light-on-security-flaw/)

The reason that I like computer monitors without a built-in camera. My lap has one built-in, but not using it much as of late. Seen a number of people tape paper over built-in cameras.

[calikid]

Wouldn't this just be "anti-virus" software?

Amnesty anti-spyware app tells you if the government is watching you

Privacy campaigners have developed an app that scans your computer for surveillance spyware.

by Rich Trenholm

Ever feel like someone's watching you? Amnesty International has released an app to find out if governments are spying on you.

Detekt is a free and open source software that scans your computers for known surveillance spyware. The app was developed by German security researcher Claudio Guarnieri, and it's launched by Amnesty today in partnership with civil rights and consumer protection organisations Digitale Gesellschaft from Germany, Electronic Frontier Foundation from the US and Privacy International from the UK

The app searches Windows PCs for known spyware that could be monitoring journalists and activists, with Amnesty claiming that surveillance technology has been discovered in "dozens" of counties all across the world. Amnesty accuses "cowardly" governments of using "dangerous and sophisticated technology" to read activists and journalists' private emails and even turn on their computer's camera or microphone to secretly record their activities.

As an example of such spyware, Amnesty highlights FinSpy, software developed by German firm FinFisher that can be used to monitor emails and Skype conversations, extract files from hard drives, and even take screenshots and photos using a device's camera. According to information published by Wikileaks, FinFisher has been used to spy on human rights lawyers and activists in Bahrain.




Amnesty warns that spyware developers will probably react to the app, updating their software to avoid detection
Story Continues (http://www.cnet.com/news/amnesty-anti-spyware-app-tells-you-if-the-government-is-watching-you/)

[CasperParks]

Wouldn't this just be "anti-virus" software?

Amnesty anti-spyware app tells you if the government is watching you

Privacy campaigners have developed an app that scans your computer for surveillance spyware.

by Rich Trenholm

Ever feel like someone's watching you? Amnesty International has released an app to find out if governments are spying on you.

Detekt is a free and open source software that scans your computers for known surveillance spyware. The app was developed by German security researcher Claudio Guarnieri, and it's launched by Amnesty today in partnership with civil rights and consumer protection organisations Digitale Gesellschaft from Germany, Electronic Frontier Foundation from the US and Privacy International from the UK

The app searches Windows PCs for known spyware that could be monitoring journalists and activists, with Amnesty claiming that surveillance technology has been discovered in "dozens" of counties all across the world. Amnesty accuses "cowardly" governments of using "dangerous and sophisticated technology" to read activists and journalists' private emails and even turn on their computer's camera or microphone to secretly record their activities.

As an example of such spyware, Amnesty highlights FinSpy, software developed by German firm FinFisher that can be used to monitor emails and Skype conversations, extract files from hard drives, and even take screenshots and photos using a device's camera. According to information published by Wikileaks, FinFisher has been used to spy on human rights lawyers and activists in Bahrain.

Amnesty warns that spyware developers will probably react to the app, updating their software to avoid detection
Story Continues (http://www.cnet.com/news/amnesty-anti-spyware-app-tells-you-if-the-government-is-watching-you/)

App-ware freaks me out, always concerned it does more than what we realize. Has anyone checked this app out?

[calikid]

Wow, "Regin" is nasty malware that's been around 6 years and only now being outed by Semantic. Guess it shouldn't be a surprise somebody would build upon Stuxnet.

Regin: Top-tier espionage tool enables stealthy surveillance
An advanced spying tool, Regin displays a degree of technical competence rarely seen and has been used in spying operations against governments, infrastructure operators, businesses, researchers, and private individuals.

An advanced piece of malware, known as Regin, has been used in systematic spying campaigns against a range of international targets since at least 2008. A back door-type Trojan, Regin is a complex piece of malware whose structure displays a degree of technical competence rarely seen. Customizable with an extensive range of capabilities depending on the target, it provides its controllers with a powerful framework for mass surveillance and has been used in spying operations against government organizations, infrastructure operators, businesses, researchers, and private individuals.

It is likely that its development took months, if not years, to complete and its authors have gone to great lengths to cover its tracks. Its capabilities and the level of resources behind Regin indicate that it is one of the main cyberespionage tools used by a nation state.

As outlined in a new technical whitepaper from Symantec, Backdoor.Regin is a multi-staged threat and each stage is hidden and encrypted, with the exception of the first stage. Executing the first stage starts a domino chain of decryption and loading of each subsequent stage for a total of five stages. Each individual stage provides little information on the complete package. Only by acquiring all five stages is it possible to analyze and understand the threat.

Regin also uses a modular approach, allowing it to load custom features tailored to the target. This modular approach has been seen in other sophisticated malware families such as Flamer and Weevil (The Mask), while the multi-stage loading architecture is similar to that seen in the Duqu/Stuxnet family of threats.

Timeline and target profile
Regin infections have been observed in a variety of organizations between 2008 and 2011, after which it was abruptly withdrawn. A new version of the malware resurfaced from 2013 onwards. Targets include private companies, government entities and research institutes. Almost half of all infections targeted private individuals and small businesses. Attacks on telecoms companies appear to be designed to gain access to calls being routed through their infrastructure. Story Continues (http://www.symantec.com/connect/blogs/regin-top-tier-espionage-tool-enables-stealthy-surveillance)

Detailed Symantec White Paper (http://www.symantec.com/content/en/us/enterprise/media/security_response/whitepapers/regin-analysis.pdf)

http://www.symantec.com/connect/sites/default/files/users/user-1013431/fig1-architecture.png

[Garuda]

You no longer need Skype or Google Hangouts for your online chats.

Anybody with Firefox 34 (or higher) can now use 'Hello', the built-in chat app.

Read here how to activate it:
http://www.techrepublic.com/article/say-hello-to-firefox-hello/

(The article incorrectly states that it only works with the beta of Firefox 34. I've got the latest version installed [34.0], which is not a beta, and it works).

[Garuda]

For anybody who had NotScript installed in their Chrome Browser: the extension has been discontinued, but was taken over by a new developer and now goes by the name Scriptblock.

[WildMage]

Stanford engineers take big step toward using light instead of wires inside computers

Using a new algorithm, Stanford engineers can design and build a prism-like silicon structure that can bend light at right angles. The goal is to transmit data faster and more efficiently via optical rather than electrical signals.

By Chris Cesare

Stanford engineers have designed and built a prism-like device that can split a beam of light into different colors and bend the light at right angles, a development that could eventually lead to computers that use optics, rather than electricity, to carry data.

They describe what they call an "optical link" in an article in Scientific Reports. -- http://www.nature.com/srep/2014/141127/srep07210/full/srep07210.html

The optical link is a tiny slice of silicon etched with a pattern that resembles a bar code. When a beam of light is shined at the link, two different wavelengths (colors) of light split off at right angles to the input, forming a T shape. This is a big step toward creating a complete system for connecting computer components with light rather than wires.

"Light can carry more data than a wire, and it takes less energy to transmit photons than electrons," said electrical engineering Professor Jelena Vuckovic, who led the research.

In previous work her team developed an algorithm that did two things: It automated the process of designing optical structures and it enabled them to create previously unimaginable, nanoscale structures to control light.

Now, she and lead author Alexander Piggott, a doctoral candidate in electrical engineering, have employed that algorithm to design, build and test a link compatible with current fiber optic networks.

Creating a silicon prism

The Stanford structure was made by etching a tiny bar code pattern into silicon that split waves of light like a small-scale prism. The team engineered the effect using a subtle understanding of how the speed of light changes as it moves through different materials.

read more @ http://news.stanford.edu/news/2014/december/optical-silicon-algorithm-120214.html

[CasperParks]

Stanford engineers take big step toward using light instead of wires inside computers

Using a new algorithm, Stanford engineers can design and build a prism-like silicon structure that can bend light at right angles. The goal is to transmit data faster and more efficiently via optical rather than electrical signals.

By Chris Cesare

Stanford engineers have designed and built a prism-like device that can split a beam of light into different colors and bend the light at right angles, a development that could eventually lead to computers that use optics, rather than electricity, to carry data.

They describe what they call an "optical link" in an article in Scientific Reports. -- http://www.nature.com/srep/2014/141127/srep07210/full/srep07210.html

The optical link is a tiny slice of silicon etched with a pattern that resembles a bar code. When a beam of light is shined at the link, two different wavelengths (colors) of light split off at right angles to the input, forming a T shape. This is a big step toward creating a complete system for connecting computer components with light rather than wires.

"Light can carry more data than a wire, and it takes less energy to transmit photons than electrons," said electrical engineering Professor Jelena Vuckovic, who led the research.

In previous work her team developed an algorithm that did two things: It automated the process of designing optical structures and it enabled them to create previously unimaginable, nanoscale structures to control light.

Now, she and lead author Alexander Piggott, a doctoral candidate in electrical engineering, have employed that algorithm to design, build and test a link compatible with current fiber optic networks.

Creating a silicon prism

The Stanford structure was made by etching a tiny bar code pattern into silicon that split waves of light like a small-scale prism. The team engineered the effect using a subtle understanding of how the speed of light changes as it moves through different materials.

read more @ http://news.stanford.edu/news/2014/december/optical-silicon-algorithm-120214.html

Tech is moving along now by leaps and bounds.

[calikid]

Stanford engineers take big step toward using light instead of wires inside computers

Using a new algorithm, Stanford engineers can design and build a prism-like silicon structure that can bend light at right angles. The goal is to transmit data faster and more efficiently via optical rather than electrical signals.

By Chris Cesare

Stanford engineers have designed and built a prism-like device that can split a beam of light into different colors and bend the light at right angles, a development that could eventually lead to computers that use optics, rather than electricity, to carry data.

They describe what they call an "optical link" in an article in Scientific Reports. -- http://www.nature.com/srep/2014/141127/srep07210/full/srep07210.html

The optical link is a tiny slice of silicon etched with a pattern that resembles a bar code. When a beam of light is shined at the link, two different wavelengths (colors) of light split off at right angles to the input, forming a T shape. This is a big step toward creating a complete system for connecting computer components with light rather than wires.

"Light can carry more data than a wire, and it takes less energy to transmit photons than electrons," said electrical engineering Professor Jelena Vuckovic, who led the research.

In previous work her team developed an algorithm that did two things: It automated the process of designing optical structures and it enabled them to create previously unimaginable, nanoscale structures to control light.

Now, she and lead author Alexander Piggott, a doctoral candidate in electrical engineering, have employed that algorithm to design, build and test a link compatible with current fiber optic networks.

Creating a silicon prism

The Stanford structure was made by etching a tiny bar code pattern into silicon that split waves of light like a small-scale prism. The team engineered the effect using a subtle understanding of how the speed of light changes as it moves through different materials.

read more @ http://news.stanford.edu/news/2014/december/optical-silicon-algorithm-120214.html

In the world of networking, fiber (light) is better known for enhanced data transmission over great distances, rather than fatter bandwidth pipes.
Ethernet=300meter limit,
Single mode fiber=50miles.
Not sure about the claims of lower power consumption, but might be worth pursuing in light conservation of battery consumption.

[calikid]

About time Microsoft launched a passable mobile phone. All the pain they put users through with the launch of Win8 and "Tile Computing". Will it bear fruit? You be the judge.
Microsoft's first Lumia phone tries a bit too hard to be cheap

The Good The Microsoft Lumia 535 is very cheap, it has a fun design with interchangeable cases, a 5-megapixel front camera and software features found on higher-end Lumias.

The Bad It doesn't have 4G LTE, its under-powered processor results in a sluggish interface, the touchscreen can be unresponsive and the screen is neither sharp nor particularly vivid.

The Bottom Line The Lumia 535's cheap price, big screen and colourful body earn it plenty of points, but its lack of 4G LTE, unimpressive display and sometimes sluggish interface mean this phone isn't suitable for anything more than the basics.

Now the ink is dry on Microsoft's buyout of Nokia, the Nokia name is now a thing of the past on Lumia phones. Say hello, then, to the Microsoft Lumia 535. Name aside, it's business as usual for a Lumia. It has that familiar plastic body, with rounded replaceable covers. But instead of celebrating the Microsoft takeover with an all-singing, all-dancing flagship, the Lumia 535 is an ultra-budget phone. Story Continues (http://www.cnet.com/products/microsoft-lumia-535/)

[CasperParks]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBum40uRTxc#t=35

Cicret, the company is working on prototype and warns anyone seeing one for sale that it is fake. (http://www.cicret.com/wordpress/)

Company is asking for donations and trying to get Google's attention. The donation thing throws me off. I believe their bracelet will hit the market as well as copycats.

[Garuda]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBum40uRTxc#t=35

Cicret, the company is working on prototype and warns anyone seeing one for sale that it is fake. (http://www.cicret.com/wordpress/)

Company is asking for donations and trying to get Google's attention. The donation thing throws me off. I believe their bracelet will hit the market as well as copycats.


More on that Cicret bracelet:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9J7GpVQCfms

I wouldn't mind having one...

[Longeyes]

Someone these are a little disturbing science magazine top ten breakthroughs this year a team has created another two base pairs for DNA is just one worth a watch


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3o9rsq3TYQk

[calikid]

A WiFi enabled doorbell. With audio/Video, video clip storage, and push alerts to your smart phone, not to mention a weather station feature. Could be fun.

Is Ring a better smart buzzer for your buck?
The Good/ Ring's audio quality is much better than Doorbot's and its 180-degree field of view lets you see a whole lot more.

The Bad/ I experienced occasional lag times and spotty video feeds.

The Bottom Line/ Ring is a significant step up from Doorbot and its upcoming motion- and weather-sensing features show promise, but I'm still a little concerned about its ability to stream a consistently decent video.

BOT Home Automation left behind a Doorbot-sized hole when it stopped production on its poor-performing connected video buzzer. But instead of scrapping the endeavor entirely, the team poured all of its knowledge into a second generation product, cleverly rebranded as the $199 Ring Video Doorbell. (Ring is available in 83 countries including in Australia for AU$244 and in the UK for £127, plus additional shipping charges).

Ring is a major departure for BOT Home Automation. It doesn't look like Doorbot, its camera boasts a better resolution and an expanded field of view, and the audio is markedly improved. It also has a handful of fresh features, including motion-sensing capabilities for non-doorbell-related activity detection, optional cloud recording and storage and a built-in humidity, barometric pressure and temperature-sensing "weather station."

Sadly, none of those nifty additions will be available until 2015, so I was left to compare Doorbot and Ring in terms of present-day features alone. Here's the gist: Ring is better than Doorbot, but some glitchy Wi-Fi moments still made it hard to distinguish one front door guest from another, and the lag time between ringing the doorbell and receiving a push alert varied from 2 to 30 seconds. Get it if you're sure of your Wi-Fi connection; everyone else should be a bit wary.

Judging a book
I didn't really mind Doorbot's aesthetic, but Ring is noticeably smaller. Someone will still notice that you have a fancy, camera-equipped doorbell, but Ring makes is less intrusive. It's much less, "HEY, LOOK! I'm a $200 camera/doorbell!" and much more, "Psst...you do know that I'm recording you, right?"

Where Doorbot was limited to a brushed aluminum finish, you can snag a Ring unit in satin nickel, antique brass, venetian bronze and polished brass. It's nice to have options, but I liked the silvery Doorbot as much as I like Ring's similarly-silvery "satin nickel."

Ring speaks up
The Ring app works on Android (4.0 or newer) and iOS (7 or newer). I used an iPhone 6 Plus and found the app very simple to navigate. It walks you through all of the basics....
Story Continues (http://www.cnet.com/products/bot-home-automation-ring/)

[calikid]

I can just picture a hydrogen powered cars that never needs a fill-up.
Sign me up!

Wonder material could harvest energy from thin air

By Peter Shadbol

Bold claims for new battery technology have been around since the invention of the lead-acid battery more than 150 years ago.

But researchers at Manchester University in the UK say their latest discovery involving the new wonder material graphene could be the most revolutionary advance in battery technology yet.

According to a study published in the journal Nature, graphene membranes could be used to sieve hydrogen gas from the atmosphere -- a development that could pave the way for electric generators powered by air.

"It looks extremely simple and equally promising," said Dr Sheng Hu, a post-doctoral researcher in the project. "Because graphene can be produced these days in square metre sheets, we hope that it will find its way to commercial fuel cells sooner rather than later."

Pencil power

At the heart of the technology is the remarkable physical properties of graphene -- a substance with the same atomic structure as the lead found in the humble household pencil.
Story Continues (http://www.cnn.com/2014/12/23/tech/innovation/tomorrow-transformed-graphene-battery/index.html?iref=allsearch)

[majicbar]

I can just picture a hydrogen powered cars that never needs a fill-up.
Sign me up!

Wonder material could harvest energy from thin air

By Peter Shadbol

Bold claims for new battery technology have been around since the invention of the lead-acid battery more than 150 years ago.

But researchers at Manchester University in the UK say their latest discovery involving the new wonder material graphene could be the most revolutionary advance in battery technology yet.

According to a study published in the journal Nature, graphene membranes could be used to sieve hydrogen gas from the atmosphere -- a development that could pave the way for electric generators powered by air.

"It looks extremely simple and equally promising," said Dr Sheng Hu, a post-doctoral researcher in the project. "Because graphene can be produced these days in square metre sheets, we hope that it will find its way to commercial fuel cells sooner rather than later."

Pencil power

At the heart of the technology is the remarkable physical properties of graphene -- a substance with the same atomic structure as the lead found in the humble household pencil.
Story Continues (http://www.cnn.com/2014/12/23/tech/innovation/tomorrow-transformed-graphene-battery/index.html?iref=allsearch)
Two hundred times stronger than steel, wow. And they say in the article that graphene might be used in condoms, that is hard up.

[calikid]

Two hundred times stronger than steel, wow. And they say in the article that graphene might be used in condoms, that is hard up.



Maybe. But with that kind of protection, no reason to get scared stiff.

[calikid]

With CES 2015 in full swing, hopefully we will see a few technical innovations announced we can't live without!
Just the other day, I was thinking how sad more computers don't have the very useful USB3 installed, and here they are announcing USB Type C (aka USB3.1)!

USB Type-C hands-on: It's here and it's great
by Dong Ngo

At CES 2015, USB Implementers Forum demoed USB Type-C, while MSI announces its first gaming laptop and motherboard that support this new connection standard.

LAS VEGAS -- At CES 2015, folks at USB Implementers Forum and Intel showcased a quick, yet impressive, demo of what USB 3.1 Type-C is capable of.

If you haven't heard of USB Type-C, I laid out its details here. To quickly recap, apart from the fact that with Type-C there's no need to worry about which side of the cable to plug in (it works either side up), it also packs the USB 3.1 standard, which comes with a top speed of 10Gbps, twice the current speed of USB 3.0.

And the best part is, after having had hands-on experience with it, I found the new connection standard totally exciting.
Story Continues (http://www.cnet.com/news/usb-type-c-hands-on-its-here-and-its-great/)

[Wally]

From Newsweek: Two Planets Larger Than Earth May Exist Beyond Pluto
http://www.newsweek.com/two-planets-larger-earth-may-exist-beyond-pluto-300329

From space.com: Mysterious Planet X May Really Lurk Undiscovered in Our Solar System
http://www.space.com/28284-planet-x-worlds-beyond-pluto.html

Another story
http://www.freep.com/story/news/world/2015/01/17/two-planets-beyond-pluto/21912521

If there are more planets the size of Earth or larger orbiting in our solar system beyond the Kuiper belt how would we be able to detect them?

[CasperParks]

From Newsweek: Two Planets Larger Than Earth May Exist Beyond Pluto
http://www.newsweek.com/two-planets-larger-earth-may-exist-beyond-pluto-300329

From space.com: Mysterious Planet X May Really Lurk Undiscovered in Our Solar System
http://www.space.com/28284-planet-x-worlds-beyond-pluto.html

Another story
http://www.freep.com/story/news/world/2015/01/17/two-planets-beyond-pluto/21912521

If there are more planets the size of Earth or larger orbiting in our solar system beyond the Kuiper belt how would we be able to detect them?

Agree that depending on orbit, it is possible to not see something further-out.

US has a probe nearing Pluto, perhaps after that study they could turn cameras and sensors outward.

Years ago, a probe craft left the solar system. I think it had cameras - depending on length of power source we could get another departing glimpse.

[Garuda]

Major memory corruption vulnerabilities have been discovered in the open-source VLC project:

http://www.zdnet.com/article/vlc-vulnerabilities-exposed/

[calikid]

Major memory corruption vulnerabilities have been discovered in the open-source VLC project:

http://www.zdnet.com/article/vlc-vulnerabilities-exposed/

Good program, bad news.
Looks like the current verison is the one they refer too in the article.
Hopefully an update is in the pipeline!

[calikid]

Free is a good price!


Microsoft to give away Windows 10 as free upgrade



Microsoft Corp will give away its upcoming Windows 10 operating system as a free upgrade to users of the most recent versions of Windows and Windows Phone, as the world's largest software company tries to hold onto customers in the new mobile era that has largely bypassed it.

The announcement by Terry Myerson, who runs Microsoft's operating systems group, is a marked change for Microsoft, which has charged for new versions of Windows, one of its main profit drivers.

The new 'free' strategy is aimed at establishing Windows on as many devices as possible, and then trying to make up for lost revenue by selling valuable services such as Office over the internet, or cloud.

"It's a necessary evil as CEO Satya Nadella and Microsoft have recognized the 'golden goose' and major revenue opportunities will happen after the upgrades have taken place" said Daniel Ives, an analyst at FBR Capital Markets.

"Microsoft needs to lay seeds for its cloud-centric strategy and Windows 10 is the epicenter of that strategy. It's all about making it attractive for the ecosystem to upgrade onto this next-generation platform."

Windows 10, expected on the market this autumn, will be available for one year as a free upgrade to users of Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone 8.1, Myerson said. Story Continues (http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/microsoft-to-give-away-windows-10-as-free-upgrade/ar-AA8rgy9?ocid=mailsignout)

[WildMage]

Free is a good price!


Microsoft to give away Windows 10 as free upgrade



Microsoft Corp will give away its upcoming Windows 10 operating system as a free upgrade to users of the most recent versions of Windows and Windows Phone, as the world's largest software company tries to hold onto customers in the new mobile era that has largely bypassed it.

The announcement by Terry Myerson, who runs Microsoft's operating systems group, is a marked change for Microsoft, which has charged for new versions of Windows, one of its main profit drivers.

The new 'free' strategy is aimed at establishing Windows on as many devices as possible, and then trying to make up for lost revenue by selling valuable services such as Office over the internet, or cloud.

"It's a necessary evil as CEO Satya Nadella and Microsoft have recognized the 'golden goose' and major revenue opportunities will happen after the upgrades have taken place" said Daniel Ives, an analyst at FBR Capital Markets.

"Microsoft needs to lay seeds for its cloud-centric strategy and Windows 10 is the epicenter of that strategy. It's all about making it attractive for the ecosystem to upgrade onto this next-generation platform."

Windows 10, expected on the market this autumn, will be available for one year as a free upgrade to users of Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone 8.1, Myerson said. Story Continues (http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/microsoft-to-give-away-windows-10-as-free-upgrade/ar-AA8rgy9?ocid=mailsignout)

Microsoft has just announced that they have released an early Technical Preview of Windows 10. Upgrade To Windows 10 Free Download Full Version:
http://www.techhacks.org/windows-10/

Please keep in mind the following:

This is the Technical Preview, and you can't go back to an old version unless you have the recovery or installation disk. The Technical Preview is supposed to stop working at some point but I can't find when that is and I don't see any information about if you'll automatically be able to upgrade to the final version for free.

USE AT YOUR OWN RISK AND MAKE SURE YOU BACKUP ALL YOUR DATA UNLESS YOU INSTALL THIS ON A SEPERATE DRIVE OR PARTITION!

Unexpected PC crashes could damage or even delete your files, so you should back up everything. Some printers and other hardware might not work, and some software might not install or work correctly, including antivirus or security programs. You might also have trouble connecting to home or corporate networks.

Also, if your PC runs into problems, Microsoft will likely examine your system files. If the privacy of your system files is a concern, consider using a different PC. For more info, read our privacy statement.

https://insider.windows.com/

[calikid]

Microsoft has just announced that they have released an early Technical Preview of Windows 10. Upgrade To Windows 10 Free Download Full Version:
http://www.techhacks.org/windows-10/

Please keep in mind the following:

This is the Technical Preview, and you can't go back to an old version unless you have the recovery or installation disk. The Technical Preview is supposed to stop working at some point but I can't find when that is and I don't see any information about if you'll automatically be able to upgrade to the final version for free.

USE AT YOUR OWN RISK AND MAKE SURE YOU BACKUP ALL YOUR DATA UNLESS YOU INSTALL THIS ON A SEPERATE DRIVE OR PARTITION!

Unexpected PC crashes could damage or even delete your files, so you should back up everything. Some printers and other hardware might not work, and some software might not install or work correctly, including antivirus or security programs. You might also have trouble connecting to home or corporate networks.

Also, if your PC runs into problems, Microsoft will likely examine your system files. If the privacy of your system files is a concern, consider using a different PC. For more info, read our privacy statement.

https://insider.windows.com/
Didn't we used to call these a BETA release? :D

I run 8.1, will setup a Hyper-V virtual machine to load up and learn Win10.

Wish I could get my hands on a set of new "MS Hololens" virtual glasses/monitor replacement. Looks like fun!

[majicbar]

http://aetherforce.com/electric-car-powered-by-salt-water-920-hp-373-milestank/

"The recent announcement that the Quant e-Sportlimousine, which is a salt water powered car, has been certified for use on European roads is a big sign that the Oil Cartels are losing the energy war.

Since the early 1900s, the Oil Cartels, which are controlled by the Controllers, have been harassing and silencing alternative energy inventors who pose a threat to the Oil Cartels. One of the greatest alternative energy inventors that they silenced was Nikola Tesla.

Unlike traditional cars that run on gasoline, the Quant e-Sportlimousine runs on an electrolyte flow cell power system made by NanoFlowcell that has the ability to generate an astonishing 920 horsepower (680 kW).

This salt water powered car can go from 0-62 mph (100 km/h) in 2.8 seconds and has a top speed of 217.5 mph (350 km/h). The Quant e-Sportlimousine is built by the German company Quant."

[calikid]

Would you give this product a "thumbs up? :doh:

Severed-thumb USB thumbdrive is disgustingly literal

A promotional USB drive in the guise of a detached thumb is both gross and magnificent at the same time.
by Amanda Kooser

When you look at a USB thumbdrive, you have certain expectations about its appearance. You probably expect to see a rectangular piece of plastic with a metal USB bit protruding from the end. Maybe it's fancy with an LED light or a sliding mechanism that pushes the connector out of sight. What you don't expect is a literal thumb that looks recently removed from a donor.
Anatomy of a severed-thumb USB drive

Canadian photographer Justin Poulsen went there. He created an eye-catching set of thumb-shaped thumbdrives to use in a promotional mailer campaign. Poulsen used a mold of his own thumb and embedded working USB drives in the flesh-colored models. A careful paint job added a finishing touch to each one, making the thumbs look frighteningly realistic, complete with a bloody area on the back.
Story Continues (http://www.cnet.com/news/severed-thumb-usb-thumbdrive-is-disgustingly-literal/)

[calikid]

Not matter how well intentioned, government regulation never seems to end well.

FCC Chairman Wheeler Backs Regulating Internet As Public Utility
By Elise Hu

Today is the day net neutrality watchers had been waiting for, according to numerous reports. After months of debate, discussion and the culling of nearly 4 million public comments on the matter, the Federal Communications Commission appears poised to decide how it will regulate the Internet.

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler laid out his proposal in a first-person essay Wednesday in Wired. He proposes using the FCC's authority to regulate the Internet as a utility, writing:

"I am proposing that the FCC use its Title II authority to implement and enforce open internet protections.

"Using this authority, I am submitting to my colleagues the strongest open internet protections ever proposed by the FCC. These enforceable, bright-line rules will ban paid prioritization, and the blocking and throttling of lawful content and services. I propose to fully apply—for the first time ever—those bright-line rules to mobile broadband. My proposal assures the rights of internet users to go where they want, when they want, and the rights of innovators to introduce new products without asking anyone's permission."

The FCC issued more details of Wheeler's proposal Wednesday afternoon.
The FCC had to essentially start over on its net neutrality rules after its old rules were struck down by a federal court in January 2014. Net neutrality is the concept that your Internet provider should be a neutral gateway to everything on the Internet, not a gatekeeper deciding to load some sites slower than others or impose fees for faster service.

At issue now is how to ensure this concept. Wheeler originally floated a proposal last summer that received wide backlash from Silicon Valley companies, open-Internet supporters and even the White House. So the new proposal would "fundamentally change the way it oversees high-speed Internet service," The Wall Street Journal reports. It would do so by proposing to regulate the Internet as a public utility, like telecom companies.
Story Continues (http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2015/02/04/383520623/after-months-of-debate-fcc-poised-to-unveil-internet-rules)

[CasperParks]

Not matter how well intentioned, government regulation never seems to end well.

FCC Chairman Wheeler Backs Regulating Internet As Public Utility
By Elise Hu

Today is the day net neutrality watchers had been waiting for, according to numerous reports. After months of debate, discussion and the culling of nearly 4 million public comments on the matter, the Federal Communications Commission appears poised to decide how it will regulate the Internet.

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler laid out his proposal in a first-person essay Wednesday in Wired. He proposes using the FCC's authority to regulate the Internet as a utility, writing:

"I am proposing that the FCC use its Title II authority to implement and enforce open internet protections.

"Using this authority, I am submitting to my colleagues the strongest open internet protections ever proposed by the FCC. These enforceable, bright-line rules will ban paid prioritization, and the blocking and throttling of lawful content and services. I propose to fully apply—for the first time ever—those bright-line rules to mobile broadband. My proposal assures the rights of internet users to go where they want, when they want, and the rights of innovators to introduce new products without asking anyone's permission."

The FCC issued more details of Wheeler's proposal Wednesday afternoon.
The FCC had to essentially start over on its net neutrality rules after its old rules were struck down by a federal court in January 2014. Net neutrality is the concept that your Internet provider should be a neutral gateway to everything on the Internet, not a gatekeeper deciding to load some sites slower than others or impose fees for faster service.

At issue now is how to ensure this concept. Wheeler originally floated a proposal last summer that received wide backlash from Silicon Valley companies, open-Internet supporters and even the White House. So the new proposal would "fundamentally change the way it oversees high-speed Internet service," The Wall Street Journal reports. It would do so by proposing to regulate the Internet as a public utility, like telecom companies.
Story Continues (http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2015/02/04/383520623/after-months-of-debate-fcc-poised-to-unveil-internet-rules)

I've been keeping an eye on this, and must say I am surprised.

[epo333]

Well here is some "Cutting Edge Technology".

Meet ZANO the world's most sophisticated nano drone - aerial photo and HD video capture platform.

It's autonomous. It's intelligent. It swarms. It takes selfies?

1319

ZANO is an ultra-portable, personal aerial photography and HD video capture platform, Small enough to fit in the palm of your hand and intelligent enough to fly all by itself! ZANO connects directly to your smart device (iOS or Android) via onboard WiFi and enables you to instantly begin capturing and sharing moments like never before.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYMxnYzPieo

http://www.flyzano.com/about-zano/

[calikid]

This looks very cool. An invisible keyboard for your iPad.
http://www.cnet.com/products/tactus-phorm/

Being a touch typist, all about hate poking at on screen keyboards.
Hope they come out with one for other flavors besides Apple.

[newyorklily]

"Could the NSA turn your computer into a cyber spy?"

http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2015/02/17/could-nsa-turn-your-hard-drive-into-cyber-spy/?cmpid=NL_SciTech

I wonder if they could also use it to plant other things on your computer (like porn) .

Sent from my LG-LS720 using Tapatalk

[CasperParks]

"Could the NSA turn your computer into a cyber spy?"

http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2015/02/17/could-nsa-turn-your-hard-drive-into-cyber-spy/?cmpid=NL_SciTech

I wonder if they could also use it to plant other things on your computer (like porn) .

Sent from my LG-LS720 using Tapatalk

If there was an attempt to shut-down, discredit or silence a person, planting something on a computer would do the trick.

[Garuda]

"Could the NSA turn your computer into a cyber spy?"

http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2015/02/17/could-nsa-turn-your-hard-drive-into-cyber-spy/?cmpid=NL_SciTech

I wonder if they could also use it to plant other things on your computer (like porn) .

Sent from my LG-LS720 using Tapatalk

That's what Stan Romanek claims: that child pornography was installed on his computer without his knowledge in order to frame him.

[newyorklily]

That's what Stan Romanek claims: that child pornography was installed on his computer without his knowledge in order to frame him.
Yes. It kind of makes one wonder but, I don't think he's that important.

Sent from my LG-LS720 using Tapatalk

[pontificator]

"Could the NSA turn your computer into a cyber spy?"

http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2015/02/17/could-nsa-turn-your-hard-drive-into-cyber-spy/?cmpid=NL_SciTech

I wonder if they could also use it to plant other things on your computer (like porn) .

Sent from my LG-LS720 using Tapatalk

I can assure you that they could do whatever they wanted to. I actually had a student who brought a laptop to me, which had been compromised and "astroturfed" with rather a lot of pornography; of the normal kind, if there is such a thing. The remote hacker had been rather busy trying to blackmail them, a matter that soon vanished after I wiped the laptop concerned.

The point being, setting someone up is very easy to do when the adversary is determined, and you only method of avoiding this is to have a parallel set of devices that you only use in public locations, and which do not store anything. I would point to "tails" as a good enough anonymity system, or "kali" if you are feeling very adventurous.

[calikid]

I can't help but think the NSA let the genie out of the bottle when Stuxnet was revealed. It was only a matter of time before such "useful" tools would be turned against us.

Super-sneaky malware found in companies worldwide

A shadowy hacking group has infected computers at companies, universities and governments worldwide with the sneakiest malware ever.

That's according to a report Monday by Internet security company Kaspersky, which described a hacking campaign "that exceeds anything we have ever seen before." The mysterious group, which researchers nicknamed "the Equation group," uses malware that's unusually quiet, complex and powerful.

And in some cases, it planted spyware on computers' firmware, the programming that lives permanently on hardware. It's an unheard-of move that means the malware can avoid detection by antivirus software. Reinstalling a computer's operating system or reformatting the hard disk won't even fix the problem.

If you've got this, you might as well throw your computer away.

What's even more interesting is that Kaspersky's researchers say that the Equation group uses a hacking tool called "GROK." That's a tool used exclusively by the NSA's elite cyber-warfare unit, Tailored Access Operations, according to classified NSA documents released by former contractor Edward Snowden last year.

Kaspersky says the Equation group also appears to have ties to Stuxnet, the computer worm that sabotaged Iran's nuclear enrichment program in 2010 and was later revealed to be a joint U.S.-Israeli project.

The NSA declined to comment specifically on the Kaspersky report. But the agency noted that its efforts are focused on foiling terrorist plots from al-Qaeda and ISIS, stemming the flow of weapons of mass destruction and blocking aggression from foreign rivals.

"The U.S. government calls on our intelligence agencies to protect the United States, its citizens, and its allies," NSA said in a statement to CNN.



Kaspersky research director Costin Raiu said the Equation group hacked into hospitals in China; banks and aerospace companies in Iran; energy companies and government offices in Pakistan; and universities, military facilities and rocket science research institutions in Russia.
Story Continues (http://money.cnn.com/2015/02/17/technology/security/malware-nsa/index.html?iid=SF_T_Lead)

[Garuda]

Bought a Lenovo computer on 2014 or 2015? Stop using it now:

http://www.zdnet.com/article/superfish-stop-using-your-lenovo-laptop-now/

Short version: it comes with spyware preinstalled.

Go to this site to check whether you are at risk: https://filippo.io/Badfish/


I've run some tests on the one I had bought half a year ago. At first Chrome and FF were OK. Then I tried the Maxthon Cloud Browser, which was infected, AND REMAINED IN MEMORY after I shut it down, to infect Chrome and FF as well. Meaning, after you've run Maxthon Cloud Browser, check Chrome and FF as well.

My advice: remove the Maxthon Cloud Browser immediately.

UPDATE: if you have a program called 'visual discovery', remove that one as well.

Here is more info on how to remove it: http://www.zdnet.com/article/how-to-remove-superfish-adware-from-your-laptop/

[pontificator]

Further to the above from slashdot (http://it.slashdot.org/story/15/02/19/1924207/superfish-security-certificate-password-cracked-creating-new-attack-vector):


In a followup to today's news about junk software included with Lenovo computers, an anonymous reader writes
"Robert Graham at Errata Security has published an article announcing (http://blog.erratasec.com/2015/02/extracting-superfish-certificate.html) his success in extracting the SuperFish self-signed security certificate (http://thestack.com/superfish-password-komodia-self-signed-190215) from the adware which has caused Chinese computer manufacturer Lenovo such embarrassment in the last day. Since SuperFish is already capable of carrying out man-in-the-middle attacks over secure connections on the Lenovo machines which use the certificate, the disclosure of the certificate's password presents hackers with a 'a pre-installed hacking environment' which would be difficult to arrange by other means. The password, "komodia," is also the name of the Komodia Redirector framework (http://www.komodia.com/products/komodia-redirector), which allows its clients to manipulate TCP/IP network sessions "with a few simple clicks.""

Saying this has become a severe problem is somewhat like saying that a train crash is an inconvenience. So, follow the removal advice posted previously, do not pass go, do not collect $200...

[calikid]

Bought a Lenovo computer on 2014 or 2015? Stop using it now:

http://www.zdnet.com/article/superfish-stop-using-your-lenovo-laptop-now/

Short version: it comes with spyware preinstalled.

Go to this site to check whether you are at risk: https://filippo.io/Badfish/


I've run some tests on the one I had bought half a year ago. At first Chrome and FF were OK. Then I tried the Maxthon Cloud Browser, which was infected, AND REMAINED IN MEMORY after I shut it down, to infect Chrome and FF as well. Meaning, after you've run Maxthon Cloud Browser, check Chrome and FF as well.

My advice: remove the Maxthon Cloud Browser immediately.

UPDATE: if you have a program called 'visual discovery', remove that one as well.

Here is more info on how to remove it: http://www.zdnet.com/article/how-to-remove-superfish-adware-from-your-laptop/



Reminds me of the hidden Sony copyright protection scheme from a few years back.
Better known as a Root Kit.

[calikid]

What a novel idea. BUY a computer without tons of preloaded advertisements.

Security experts call for halt to PC 'crapware' after Lenovo debacle
Security professionals want Lenovo -- and other PC makers -- to stop the practice of loading third-party software on new PCs after one such app was found to be vulnerable to abuse by cyber criminals.
by Gregg Keizer

Well, the crapware certainly hit the fan.

That was the take by security professionals Thursday, who called on Lenovo -- and other PC makers -- to stop the practice of loading third-party software on new PCs.

"Bloatware needs to stop," said Ken Westin, security analyst from security firm Tripwire, in an interview. "Companies like Apple, which sell their products on their own merits, they don't sell out their customers with this adware crap."

The practice of pre-installing software on new machines is so widespread, and has been going on so long, that it has well-worn labels, like Westin's "bloatware" or the cruder but more descriptive "crapware." Device OEMs (original equipment manufactures) load such software for financial reasons, cutting prices on the hardware so drastically -- usually in an effort to keep pace with rivals -- that the money earned from software makers is sometimes the difference between profit and loss.

OEMs are paid to load the software onto their PCs -- developers fork over money to get their programs in front of users -- and earn revenue when consumers pony up to extend the trial periods of those pre-loaded applications that come with expiration dates.

But with the latest Lenovo fiasco, crapware-as-a-security-threat has triggered a blowback much greater than the contempt and ridicule formerly assigned it by consumers. And that's going to hurt the China-based PC maker.

"We need to be able to trust our brands," said Westin. "But that's very difficult here. What else have they deployed on their PCs? When they pull this kind of stuff, I know I don't want to buy a Lenovo."

Westin and others were reacting to the stance Lenovo initially took Thursday when it denied that Superfish Visual Discovery, a pre-loaded adware program billed as an image search tool that would "help customers potentially discover interesting products while shopping," was a security threat.

"We have thoroughly investigated this technology and do not find any evidence to substantiate security concerns," Lenovo said in a Thursday statement that was subsequently altered to drop that line.

By the end of the day, Lenovo had backtracked, with its CTO, Peter Hortensius, admitting to IDG News Service -- like Computerworld>, a part of IDG -- that the company had "messed up badly."
Story Continues (http://www.itnews.com/antispam/89985/security-experts-call-halt-pc-crapware-after-lenovo-debacle?phint=newt%3Ditnews_daily&phint=idg_eid%3Db340307be68555c13e9d42511c505679#t k.ITNEWSNLE_nlt_itndaily_2015-02-20)

[calikid]

Speaking of security breaches.
I'm a customer of Chase bank.
They were hacked recently, and details like my name address and email were leaked.

This past week, I have had a number of phishing emails that look VERY legit, supposed to be from eBay and Craigslist.
"Your account is suspended, need to update credit card info, click HERE".
VERY convincing format, addressed me by name with official logos.
Don't be fooled friends.
"Click HERE" is the road to Perdition.

[CasperParks]

Speaking of security breaches.
I'm a customer of Chase bank.
They were hacked recently, and details like my name address and email were leaked.

This past week, I have had a number of phishing emails that look VERY legit, supposed to be from eBay and Craigslist.
"Your account is suspended, need to update credit card info, click HERE".
VERY convincing format, addressed me by name with official logos.
Don't be fooled friends.
"Click HERE" is the road to Perdition.

One of the reasons I started using a pre-paid card for internet when paying online. I use my bank debt card sparingly at physical stores.

[calikid]

The future of quantum computing?
Scientists capture the first image of light behaving as both a particle and a wave
Researchers have achieved the first ever pictorial evidence that light can simultaneously behave as a particle and as a wave.

by Michelle Starr

The concept of photons -- that is, particles of light -- has been around since 1905, explained by Albert Einstein as the "photoelectric" effect. This effect occurs when light hits a metal surface, causing that metal surface to emit photoelectrons. However, the behaviour of these electrons could not be accounted for if the light was a wave -- it only made sense if the light was made up of particles.

The achievement has been made by researchers at the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne, led by Fabrizio Carbone -- employing a novel technique that uses electrons to image light.

"This experiment demonstrates that, for the first time ever, we can film quantum mechanics -- and its paradoxical nature -- directly," Carbone said.

To take the photo, the team used special apparatus, firing a pulse of laser light at a tiny metallic nanowire, which contained charged particles. The laser energised those particles, inducing them to vibrate. Light waves were then sent along the wire in two opposite directions, meeting in the middle and creating a third wave -- a standing wave.

But the electrons also showed the standing wave contained particles.
Story Continues (http://www.cnet.com/news/this-is-the-first-photograph-showing-light-as-both-a-particle-and-a-wave/)

http://www.nature.com/ncomms/2015/150302/ncomms7407/images/ncomms7407-f1.jpg

Original detailed scientific paper (http://www.nature.com/ncomms/2015/150302/ncomms7407/full/ncomms7407.html)

[calikid]

Let's hope the patch comes quick for this Windows security vulnerability!

FREAKING WINDOWS

Recently discovered FREAK vulnerability that apparently went undetected for more than a decade is reportedly affecting all supported versions of Microsoft Windows, making the flaw more creepy than what we thought.

FREAK vulnerability is a disastrous SSL/TLS flaw disclosed Monday that allows an attacker to force SSL clients, including OpenSSL, to downgrade to weaken ciphers that can be easily broken and then supposedly conduct Man-in-the-Middle attacks on encrypted HTTPS-protected traffic passing between vulnerable end-users and Millions of websites.

Read our previous post to know more about FREAK vulnerability.

FREAK IN MICROSOFT RESIDES IN SECURE CHANNEL
Microsoft issued an advisory published Thursday warning Windows users that Secure Channel (Schannel) stack — the Windows implementation of SSL/TLS — is vulnerable to the FREAK encryption-downgrade attack, though it said it has not received any reports of public attacks.

When the security glitch first discovered on Monday, it was believed that the Windows system was immune to FREAK attacks. But now if you're the one using Windows, attackers on your network could force the software using Schannel component such as Internet Explorer to use weak encryption over the web.

"Microsoft is aware of a security feature bypass vulnerability in Secure Channel (Schannel) that affects all supported releases of Microsoft Windows," the company said in a security advisory. "The vulnerability facilitates exploitation of the publicly disclosed FREAK technique, which is an industry-wide issue that is not specific to Windows operating systems."
Story Continues (http://thehackernews.com/2015/03/freak-openssl-vulnerability_5.html)

[calikid]

Better, faster, and here I was just getting used to USB3. And what ever happened to firewire?
Three things you should know about USB Type-C

A new standard of USB is coming to market this year, and it's hard to not be impressed with the progress made since the version that was released in 2008. Here are the things you'll want to know about USB Type-C.

by Nicole Cozma


Whether you're excited about today's news from the Apple event, or you are looking toward the future of USB technology, there's a handful of exciting new features packed in this tiny cable. The MacBook is the first notebook to use the connection, but it's likely we'll see many other devices following suit this year. In the meantime, here are a few things you should know about USB Type-C (also known as USB 3.1) connections:

It's easier to plug in

No more fiddling with the cord to make sure it's plugged in the correct way every time, because both ends are the same and there is no "upside-down." Hopefully this means fewer scratches all over your device's charging port area from trying to plug it in with the lights off.

Data transfer and power capability have greatly improved

USB Type-C offers a transfer rate of 10Gbps, which is double the transfer speed of USB 3.0 (5 Gbps). Additionally, the cable offers 20 volts and 5 amps of power, compared with the 5 volts and 1.8 amps of its predecessor. This means less waiting around for devices to transfer data or for their batteries to charge.

USB dongles are going to be your new friends (for now)

The Type-C standard hasn't reached widespread adoption (yet). In the meantime, you'll need to collect some dongles to connect your favorite things together (like an HDMI screen, or a device with an older USB version).
Story Continues
(http://www.cnet.com/how-to/three-things-you-should-know-about-usb-type-c/)

[calikid]

So how does Microsoft punish all those who ripped off their software?
I know, let's give them free upgrades.
Makes me feel foolish for paying out my hard earned money to buy what other have stolen.

Windows 10 targets current pirates with free update

Microsoft wants to bring pirated copies of current Windows software back into the fold. Plus, Windows 10's hardware requirements have been laid out.

by Rich Trenholm

Microsoft has laid out the minimum requirements for computers and mobile devices to run Windows 10 -- and has also revealed that pirated copies of Windows will be upgraded too.

Microsoft's operating systems unit Executive Vice-President Terry Myerson took to the stage to talk up the new software at the Windows Hardware Engineering Community (WinHEC) summit in Shenzhen, China. Having already confirmed that current users of Windows 7 and 8 would get a free upgrade to Windows 10, Myerson revealed that the free upgrade will be available to illegal copies of the software too.

The move is an attempt to bring pirate users back into the official Microsoft sphere, and is likely to have the greatest impact in China, where it's reported that the majority of software is not properly licensed. To tackle China, Microsoft has partnered with Chinese companies Tencent and Qihu 360.
Story continues (http://www.cnet.com/news/windows-10-launches-this-summer-targets-current-pirates-with-free-update/)

[CasperParks]

So how does Microsoft punish all those who ripped off their software?
I know, let's give them free upgrades.
Makes me feel foolish for paying out my hard earned money to buy what other have stolen.

Windows 10 targets current pirates with free update

Microsoft wants to bring pirated copies of current Windows software back into the fold. Plus, Windows 10's hardware requirements have been laid out.

by Rich Trenholm

Microsoft has laid out the minimum requirements for computers and mobile devices to run Windows 10 -- and has also revealed that pirated copies of Windows will be upgraded too.

Microsoft's operating systems unit Executive Vice-President Terry Myerson took to the stage to talk up the new software at the Windows Hardware Engineering Community (WinHEC) summit in Shenzhen, China. Having already confirmed that current users of Windows 7 and 8 would get a free upgrade to Windows 10, Myerson revealed that the free upgrade will be available to illegal copies of the software too.

The move is an attempt to bring pirate users back into the official Microsoft sphere, and is likely to have the greatest impact in China, where it's reported that the majority of software is not properly licensed. To tackle China, Microsoft has partnered with Chinese companies Tencent and Qihu 360.
Story continues (http://www.cnet.com/news/windows-10-launches-this-summer-targets-current-pirates-with-free-update/)

Back-in-the-day I disliked losing Windows95. For the most-part, seems updates for operating systems expire before the computer does.

[Garuda]

I'm not sure whether this had been reported before:

VASIMR Rocket Could Send Humans To Mars In Just 39 Days


A new type of rocket that could send humans to Mars in less than six weeks instead of six months or longer may be one step closer to reality.

NASA has selected Texas-based Ad Astra Rocket Company for a round of funding to help develop the Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket, or VASIMR. The new rocket uses plasma and magnets, not to lift spacecraft into orbit but to propel them further and faster once they've escaped the planet's atmosphere.

“It is a rocket like no other rocket that you might have seen in the past. It is a plasma rocket," Dr. Franklin Chang-DÃ*az, a former shuttle astronaut and CEO of Ad Astra said in a video describing the rocket. "The VASIMR engine is not used for launching things into space or landing them back but rather it is used for things already there. We call this ‘in-space propulsion.'"

More at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/06/vasimr-rocket-mars_n_7009118.html

There also is a short video:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4kJyqmSmg4

[CasperParks]

I'm not sure whether this had been reported before:

VASIMR Rocket Could Send Humans To Mars In Just 39 Days

More at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/06/vasimr-rocket-mars_n_7009118.html

There also is a short video:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4kJyqmSmg4

That does look promising.