Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

drag2share: United activates ViaSat's blazing fast satellite WiFi on select 737s

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/02/26/united-satellite-wifi/

JetBlue's Fly-Fi satellite internet has been online since November, but while a handful of United's 737s have been equipped with the necessary components to launch its own version of the service for the same period of time, that legacy carrier has kept passengers in the dark. Until this week. According to travel blogger Wandering Aramean, United has since flipped the switch on its latest WiFi effort. But unlike the Gogo available on its transcontinental 757s and the Panasonic satellite-based service aboard select A319, A320 and 747 aircraft, this latest version connects to the ultra-fast ViaSat-1 satellite, letting you surf at 30,000 feet with speeds you'd normally only find on the ground. We t! ested th e same connection aboard a JetBlue A320 in November, and unlike United's existing connectivity options, which are often sluggish and spotty, this service flies.

Unfortunately it's not clear where to find the Ka-band equipped aircraft today, but if you're on a United 737 with DirecTV, there's a small chance it'll also have ViaSat satellite WiFi onboard. We're also not sure of pricing -- JetBlue is charging an introductory rate of $9 per hour for faster service, with basic connectivity available for free for the next few months, but United has yet to confirm its own fee structure. Based on the airline's current satellite WiFi pricing, we'd expect the new service to run between $10 and $15, depending on the length of your flight. We're of course eager to get onboard, so if you happen upon a United 737 with super-fast internet, please mark the tail number and give us a holler.

Filed under: Transportation, Wireless, Internet

Source: Wandering Aramean, United (Twitter)

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drag2share: Samsung details the Exynos processors inside the Galaxy S5 and Note 3 Neo

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/02/25/samsung-exynos-5422-and-5260/

Samsung Exynos 5 Octa 5422 processor

Samsung has been hinting at new Exynos processors for both a Galaxy S5 variant and the Galaxy Note 3 Neo, and today it's detailing the two CPUs in earnest. The GS5's expected chip, the Exynos 5422, is primarily a speed bump of the eight-core Exynos 5 Octa we saw last July; it boosts the clock speeds of the Cortex-A15 and Cortex-A7 cores to 2.1GHz and 1.5GHz respectively. The processor also delivers support for running all eight cores at once, and can handle both 2,560 x 1,600 displays as well as 4K video recording.

The Exynos 5260 (aka Exynos 5 Hexa) destined for the Note 3 Neo isn't quite so glamorous, dropping to two 1.7GHz Cortex-A15 cores and four 1.3GHz Cortex-A7 cores. However, it still has many of the features of its bigger sibling -- it can run all six cores at once and use the same screen resolutions. Not surprisingly, it doesn't have the horsepower to record 4K video. Both of the new Exynos designs are either in production or will be by the end of the first quarter, so you can expect to see them in shipping smartphones relatively soon.

Samsung Exynos 5 Hexa processor

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung

Source: Samsung Tomorrow

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drag2share - drag and drop RSS news items on your email contacts to share (click SEE DEMO)

drag2share: Samsung's new Gear watches are now open to third-party support

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/02/26/samsung-gear-sdk/

Among the many frustrations we had with Samsung's first smartwatch, the Galaxy Gear, was the limited number of apps available for it. While the company offered premium access to select partners, it never came out with a software development kit (SDK) for anyone and everyone to submit their own app. When the Gear 2 was announced earlier this week, Samsung also promised that it would deliver an SDK for its latest series of wearables. At the company's developer keynote at MWC this morning, that's finally changed -- Samsung has announced the "immediate availability" of kits for the Gear 2, Gear 2 Neo and Gear Fit, as well as another SDK for S-Health.

There's a bit of a difference between the Gear and the Gear Fit kits, however. The Tizen-based Gear SDK will make it possible for developers to create applications that run on both Gear 2 watches (using both Android apps and web apps), while the Gear Fit version offers an emulator and the ability to control the device from an Android app. We'll continue to update you as we get more information at this morning's keynote.

Update: we're not seeing the kits live on the site quite just yet, but Samsung just stated that it'll be available today.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Samsung

Source: Samsung Developer Portal

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drag2share - drag and drop RSS news items on your email contacts to share (click SEE DEMO)

drag2share: Goophone took just two days to rip off the Galaxy S5

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/02/26/goophone-s5-galaxy-knock-off/

Goophone's a bit like a covers band that just happens to make knock-off smartphones. Not content with just plundering better artists' catalogs, the company has apparently managed to copy the Galaxy S5 in under two days. The Goophone S5, yep, has a 5-inch, 1,920 x 1,080 display, paired with a 2GHz octa-core MediaTek chip and 2GB RAM. Keep looking, and you'll find 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, dual-SIM slots, 32GB storage and a 2,800mAh battery, in addition to 13-and-5-megapixel rear and front cameras. It's available in white, black, gold or blue and is priced at $300, making it the ideal companion for your Lucci bag, Tammy Hilfinger shirt and Seanheiser headphones.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung

Source: Goophone

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drag2share - drag and drop RSS news items on your email contacts to share (click SEE DEMO)

drag2share: Dual-lens smartphone cameras are coming, and this is why we want one

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/02/26/corephotonics-dual-lens-smartphone-camera/

One camera. Two separate lenses. That's the conundrum raised by leaked images of HTC's forthcoming M8 smartphone, which is rumored to bring some interesting new imaging features that go far beyond mere 3D. But what could those features be? For an answer, we turned to a startup called Corephotonics, which is currently pitching precisely such a dual-lens concept to smartphone makers. The company's representatives told us that they're not behind the specific module in the M8 -- that camera must be coming from some other rival or from within HTC itself -- but they were keen to show us what their module could do for image quality, if it was ever put to work inside a smartphone or compact camera.

The big trick here is Corephotonics' use of two lenses with two different focal lengths. One lens is wide-angle, while the other is at 3x zoom. This means you can switch lenses to magnify more distant subjects without resorting to digital zoom. In the test set-up shown in the video above, which compared the dual-lens system side-by-side with a traditional smartphone camera (with both modules pointed at a test card around a foot away), the Corephotonics system outputted a clear 13-megapixel image regardless of whether it was at 1x or 3x zoom.

By contrast, Nokia's PureView cameras rely solely on digital zoom such that outputting a 3x magnified image entails a drop in resolution down to five megapixels. Corephotonics' system can also deliver smooth zooms, for example during video recording, by employing a mix of digital zoom and lens-switching.

Eran Kali from Corephotonics

The second benefit to using two parallel lenses, each with its own sensor, is improved low-light performance. Corephotonics' software works in real-time to match each pixel from one lens with the corresponding pixel from the other lens, and it uses scene analysis to detect which pixel is likely to be closer to the truth. As a result, noise is reduced and we end up with a cleaner picture -- just as we would if we had one big imaging sensor instead of two little ones.

The third and final advantage is one we've touched on very briefly already: Having two lenses enables a degree of depth analysis. Although "3D" has become something of a dirty word of late, depth analysis allows for extra control over images, such automatically blurring out of backgrounds in portrait shots, quicker autofocus and augmented reality.

Add all these things up and you get a technology with real promise, which could well explain why HTC has drilled an extra hole of the back of the M8 -- even if it's not a Corephotonics-sized hole just yet.

Filed under: Cellphones, Cameras, Mobile

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drag2share - drag and drop RSS news items on your email contacts to share (click SEE DEMO)

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

drag2share: Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies compromised by Pony botnet

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/02/25/bitcoin-cryptocurrency-compromise-pony-botnet/

It looks like the Pony botnet that stole two million passwords in December has an even more egregious sibling galloping around. According to security firm Trustwave, this more advanced botnet has compromised 700,000 various online accounts up to date (it's been active since September), including 85 Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency wallets mostly from Europe. In the months since the equine-loving hackers got the wallets' private keys, a total of $220,000 have been transferred into and out of the accounts.

Because anyone can take over a wallet with the appropriate private key (and cryptocurrencies' transactions go through anonymously), it's unclear whether that much money was actually stolen. Some of those transactions could very well be performed by the original owners themselves. Still, add this incident on top of the $1.2 million Input.io Bitcoin heist in 2013, and it's clear users need to start using (strong) transaction passwords and store their wallets offline. Those who've sadly been negligent in the security department can use Trustwave's Bitcoin tool to check if they own one of the 85 accounts. Considering popular Bitcoin exchange website Mt. Gox just went dark, as well, we hope nobody's retirement funds got wiped out.

Filed under: Misc

Source: Reuters, Trustware

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drag2share - drag and drop RSS news items on your email contacts to share (click SEE DEMO)

drag2share: Freescale makes the world's smallest ARM controller chip even tinier

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/02/25/freescale-kinetis-kl03/

Freescale Kinetis KL03 microcontroller

Apparently, Freescale didn't think the diminutive Kinetis KL02 was tiny enough -- it just unveiled the KL03, the new world's smallest ARM microcontroller. At 1.6mm by 2mm, the Cortex-M0+ chip is 15 percent smaller than its ancestor. That's miniscule enough to comfortably fit inside the dimple of a golf ball, folks. Despite the shrunken profile, it's both easier to program and more energy-efficient. The size isn't just for bragging rights, of course. Freescale sees the KL03 helping out the internet of things, where a fraction of a millimeter can make a big difference. Companies can't start using the chip in earnest until it enters full production this June, but it may lead to very compact smart appliances and wearables once it arrives.

Filed under: Household, Wearables

Via: CNET

Source: Freescale

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drag2share - drag and drop RSS news items on your email contacts to share (click SEE DEMO)

drag2share: China's Allwinner also has an octa-core chip, touts powerful graphics

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/02/25/allwinner-ultraocta-a80-octa-core-powervr/

Samsung, MediaTek, Huawei and even Qualcomm are now in the octa-core SoC game, but there's always space for more. The latest member is China's Allwinner Technology, who's best known for making the chipsets inside many low-end devices. Much like most of its competitors, Allwinner's UltraOcta A80 silicon -- pictured above on a development board -- uses ARM's big.LITTLE heterogeneous multi-processing design, meaning it can simultaneously run on all eight cores -- four low-power Cortex-A7 and four high-end Cortex-A15. The chip also features Imagination Technologies' 64-core PowerVR G6230 GPU, which promises to deliver "a twofold increase in graphics" performance when compared to the PowerVR SGX544MP2 (as used by Allwinner's previous flagship SoC, the A31 series).

We'll spare you from all the nitty-gritty, but you can learn more in the source links below. Expect to see the UltraOcta A80 in affordable markets "in the next few months."

Filed under: Misc, Mobile

Source: Allwinner, Imagination Technologies

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drag2share - drag and drop RSS news items on your email contacts to share (click SEE DEMO)

Article: Akvis OilPaint transforms your photos into works of art

Sometimes a photo doesn’t seem like enough—or even much of anything—at least not to the disinterested observer. But to the photographer, each frame has a special meaning. Software like Akvis OilPaint seeks to provide visual artists with the tools to effectively convey a message directly from thei...

http://thenextweb.com/creativity/2014/02/24/review-akvis-oilpaint-transforms-photos-works-art/

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Article: Hands-on with Handy Photo, a mobile app that lets you tweak photos to perfection

Look out Photoshop Touch and Google SnapSeed—there’s another contestant in the ring vying for the title of full-service mobile photo editor. With the release of Adva Soft’s Handy Photo 2.0 for the iPhone, iPad, and Android, mobile photographers just got another reason to shake up their routine. E...

http://thenextweb.com/creativity/2014/02/24/hands-handy-photo-2-0/

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Monday, February 24, 2014

Article: Acer's Liquid series: hands-on with the new E3 and Z4

Last week, Acer announced its latest budget smartphones ahead of Mobile World Congress, and as expected those devices are making an appearance at the show. We guessed that the €199 ($275) Liquid E3 is looking to go toe-to-toe with the Moto G in terms of specs, while the €99 Liquid Z4 ($135 or so)...

http://www.engadget.com/2014/02/23/acer-liquid-e3-z4-hands-on/

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Article: LG G Pro 2 sports a 5.9-inch screen, Snapdragon 800, and front-facing flash (hands-on)

BARCELONA, Spain -- Unveiled earlier this month at a special press event in Seoul, Korea, LG's newest high-end handset, the LG G Pro 2, was also showcased this week during Mobile World Congress. Strutting Android 4.4 and compelling software features from LG, this successor to the Optimus G Pro in...

http://reviews.cnet.com/smartphones/lg-g-pro-2/4505-6452_7-35835017.html?autoplay=true

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Article: The first available Tegra 4i smartphone will cost around EURO 200 (hands-on)

Sorry LG: you may have trotted out the G2 mini yesterday, but yours won't be the first Tegra 4i device to hit store shelves. NVIDIA says that distinction belongs to the Wax, a newly-revealed handset from French phone maker Wiko that should launch in Europe "within weeks" for around €200. We just ...

http://www.engadget.com/2014/02/24/wiko-wax-hands-on/?ncid=rss_semi

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Friday, February 21, 2014

Article: Report: LTE speeds drop in US over the last year

Download rates dropped 32 percent in the United States, according to data from 6 million people using OpenSignal's network-monitoring app. 4G looks better in South Korea, Japan, Sweden. The download speeds of 4G LTE networks dropped in the US over the last year, according to measurements from net...

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13970_7-57619251-78/report-lte-speeds-drop-in-us-over-the-last-year/

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Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Article: Voxeet goes WebRTC with major sound improvements for conference calls

Tired of not being able to hear everyone, or even knowing who is trying to speak, on a conference call? So are the folks who make Voxeet, a cross-platform group conferencing platform for Windows, iOS and Android. Voxeet 2.0 launched on Wednesday, bringing a number of improvements — including a We...

http://gigaom.com/2014/02/19/voxeet-goes-webrtc-with-major-sound-improvements-for-conference-calls/

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Article: Glove for Android finds you the best carrier in your location

You can shop for a phone carrier by cost if you want, but I always recommend the real estate rule of “location, location, location”. What good is a cheap mobile broadband or voice plan if you can’t get service where you use your phone the most? That’s why Glove for Android jumped out at me: The f...

http://gigaom.com/2014/02/19/glove-android-find-best-carrier/

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Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Article: TrackDuck - A Tiny Web Site Build Tracking Startup - Appears To Be On A Roll

Web development can be a complicated process which can go on too long because so much of the time is spent on really poor communication and mis-understandings. Project managers, designers and developers have to approve lots of detail while also incorporating feedback. TrackDuck is a visual feedba...

http://techcrunch.com/2014/02/17/trackduck-a-tiny-web-site-build-tracking-startup-appears-to-be-on-a-roll/

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Article: HTC's next flagship will launch on March 25

The successor to the well-regarded HTC One will make its debut in events in New York and London. HTC will unveil its next flagship smartphone, the successor to its HTC One, on March 25. Invitations are being sent out, and a company representative confirmed the event to CNET. As with last year's e...

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57619018-94/htcs-next-flagship-will-launch-on-march-25/

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Article: Fujitsu tap-and-wave glove works where touchscreens don't

Combining NFC, gesture recognition, and a wireless link could give people access to computing operations in areas where keyboards and touch screens aren't practical. Touch screens were just the start. User interface experimentation is blossoming as new sensors liberate computing devices from keyb...

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13970_7-57619015-78/fujitsu-tap-and-wave-glove-works-where-touchscreens-dont/

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Friday, February 14, 2014

Article: Report: Asus plans two new Chromebooks, the C200 and C300

Following the recent release of a Chromebox, Asus is planning to offer a pair of Chromebooks, the company’s first such devices. The plans are shown on a reported Asus strategic document found by VR-Zone and spotted by Liliputing. No details about the Chromebooks are available in the document exce...

http://gigaom.com/2014/02/14/asus-chromebook-c200-c300-tablet/

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Article: Apple Files Patent For Automated Disposable Email Addresses To Help Handle Spam

A new Apple patent application published today (via AppleInsider) details a system for heading off email spam and tracking its source. The tech automates a process many people now use manually, setting up temporary email addresses to be used for web service signups, which can then be thrown away ...

http://techcrunch.com/2014/02/13/apple-files-patent-for-automated-disposable-email-addresses-to-help-handle-spam/

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Thursday, February 13, 2014

Article: Humans Account for Less Than 40% of Global Web Traffic

If you own or manage a website, you probably refer to analytics to track performance, and help you strategize. It may surprise you, however, that 61.5% of all web traffic around the world comes from bots — both good and bad. According to a recent report from Incapsula, a cloud-based application d...

http://mashable.com/2014/02/12/human-bot-web-traffic/

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Article: Why Traffic To These Google Alternatives Is Soaring

What you look for on the Internet reveals a lot about you, which is why a growing number of people are turning to services that do not track their searches and offer greater privacy protections than Google. “The consciousness is only slowly building on the dangers,” says Robert Beens, CEO of Dutc...

http://www.forbes.com/sites/adamtanner/2014/02/10/why-traffic-to-these-google-alternatives-is-soaring/

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Article: Google and VMware team up to put your Windows desktop on Chromebooks

So, your bosses have replaced most of the office computers with Chromebooks, but you need those old Windows apps to keep you sane. If the IT folks aren't on top of it already, you may want to tell them about a remote access solution developed by Google and VMware called Horizon Desktop as a Servi...

http://www.engadget.com/2014/02/13/google-vmware-chromebooks-windows-remote/?ncid=rss_truncated

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Article: LG's Tone Ultra Bluetooth stereo headset rocks, but price disappoints

The good: The LG Tone Ultra HBS-800 is a Bluetooth stereo headset that improves on the design of the previous Tone models and is comfortable to wear. It also offers better sound (more bass, better clarity) and decent battery life, particularly when you turn the noise-canceling off. The bad: Expen...

http://reviews.cnet.com/headphones/lg-tone-ultra-hbs/4505-7877_7-35834976.html?subj=cnet&tag=title

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Wednesday, February 12, 2014

SanDisk's U3 SDXC card supports 250MB/s write speeds, 4K video

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/02/12/sandisk-u3-sdxc-card/

With affordable 4K cameras from Panasonic and Sony set to ship soon, it's time for flash memory manufacturers to begin readying stockpiles of high-speed SD cards. Today, SanDisk is announcing its latest flagship, the Extreme Pro SDHC/SDXC UHS-II. It exceeds the new UHS Speed Class (U3) spec, supporting continuous write speeds of up to 250MB/s. While the card is most appropriate for folks shooting 4K video, it'll also come in handy when you're snapping continuous RAW stills at high frame rates, letting you unload the camera's buffer just as quickly as you can fill it. The new cards will ship in April in 16GB to 64GB capacities, with prices ranging from $120 to $300. There's also a new U3 card reader that's designed to let you take full advantage of the SDXC card's 280MB/s transfer speeds. That device will also be available in April, with a $50 MSRP.

Filed under: Storage

HTC's next flagship phone spotted with on-screen buttons, familiar design cues

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/02/11/htc-m8-leak-flagship/

We hope you're ready for a rather interesting month for smartphones. Judging from the teasers, announcements and leaks, nearly all the major mobile players have something big to show in Barcelona next week. What you're looking at above is HTC's own next big thing, a new flagship smartphone that's doing the rumor rounds under the codename of M8. Looks familiar, right? However, there's already some notable changes, including an increase to three Android buttons, which are all now part of the screen. Having said that, according to mob.hr's leak, a bar with HTC branding means the screen will still takes up the same proportion of the phone's surface. Thankfully, the M8 appears to be made of metal just like last year's One, with the same micro-drilled holes for the speakers. According to this leak, expect a flip-top cover to go along with it too -- presumably with peep-holes for both of those rear-facing cameras.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, HTC

Source: Mob.hr

Canon PowerShot SX700 HS ships in March with 30x lens, WiFi, $350 price tag

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/02/11/canon-powershot-sx700-hs/

In the market for a compact superzoom? Canon's new PowerShot SX700 HS is definitely worth a look. This SX280 HS replacement includes a 16.1-megapixel CMOS sensor paired with a DIGIC 6 processor, an f3.2-6.9 25-750mm (30x) zoom lens and a 3-inch 922k-dot LCD. The camera's small enough to tuck away in a jacket pocket, but it still includes a new extended hand grip on the front, making it comfortable to hold with the lens extended. It also supports 1080/60p video capture, and has WiFi and NFC on board, for remote app controls and wireless uploads to the web. Expect the SX700 to hit stores next month in black and red for $350.

Filed under: Cameras, Canon

Head 82 feet below the surface with Canon's waterproof PowerShot D30

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/02/11/canon-powershot-d30/

It's a very busy CP+ for Canon. The camera maker has a handful of new models for the show, including one of the waterproof variety. The PowerShot D30, which replaces 2012's D20, boosts the waterproof rating from 33 feet to 82 feet, making it a suitable choice for all but the deepest scuba dives. There's a 12.1-megapixel CMOS sensor, a DIGIC 5 processor and support for 1080/30p video. The 5x 28-140mm lens isn't as fast as we'd like for dim underwater shoots, with an f/3.9-4.8 maximum aperture, but with the ISO bumped up a bit, it should perform decently. You can frame shots on the 3-inch 461k-dot LCD, which sports a sunlight mode for use in brighter conditions. The camera is shockproof and cold-resistant as well, and while there's no WiFi on board, it does include GPS. The PowerShot D30 is expected in stores by mid-April with a $330 MSRP.

Filed under: Cameras, Canon

Sony's VAIO Flip 11A convertible is now available for $799

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/02/11/sony-vaio-flip-11a-now-available/

Even though the VAIO Flip 15 and 13 are both pretty solid PCs, some people might find one to be too big and the other too expensive. To alleviate this, Sony introduced the VAIO Flip 11A, an 11.6-inch laptop with the same Yoga-like design as the other, larger Flips. Available now for $799, Sony' newest convertible ships with Windows 8.1 and is powered by Intel's 2.16GHz Pentium N3520 CPU. What's more, there is also that included copy of Adobe Photoshop Elements 12, a 1,920 x 1,080 IPS screen, NFC support and 128GB of solid-state storage alongside 4GB RAM. It appears Sony is only selling its Flip 11A in the US at this time; that said, let us know in the comments if you see it up for grabs elsewhere. Or maybe it's all part of the company's new business plan.

Filed under: Laptops, Tablets, Sony

Source: Sony

HTC's leaked 'Desire 8' mid-ranger looks big and beautiful

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/02/12/htc-new-desire-8-series-leak-china/

Despite HTC's recent blast of Desire phones, the company admitted that it still needs to push harder in the lower price tiers. Lo and behold, here's a leak of an upcoming "New Desire 8" series mid-range device, courtesy of Chinese site MyDrivers and with confirmation from our own sources. This dual-SIM phone will reportedly pack a 5.5-inch display of unknown resolution, which will make it the largest non-flagship HTC phone since the Desire 700. There will also be a 13-megapixel main camera (not UltraPixel), along with a 5-megapixel front imager with beautification mode. We're assuming that this is a plastic body -- available in white, red, yellow, orange and cyan -- with stereo front-facing speakers, which is now a signature feature on many HTC phones. But where are the Android buttons? ! Chances are this Desire model is joining the M8 flagship to embrace on-screen keys, despite their absence in this render.

The screenshot mentions "March 18th" plus Beijing, so unless Peter Chou is messing with us here, we'll be making ourselves available that day for the launch event in China. Having said that, we might also get to see it at MWC in two weeks' time, so stay tuned.

Update: A reliable tipster sent in the original image, so we've updated this article with it.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, HTC

Source: MyDrivers

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Make 'business connections' with Virgin America's new in-flight social network ;)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/02/11/virgin-america-in-flight-social-network/

Haven't had much luck buying alluring strangers a drink on your last few Virgin America flights? What you need, my friend, is a service to expand your circle of potential prospects and make the in-flight connection you deserve. At least that's what the airline must be thinking with its announcement of the "first-ever" in-flight social network, developed with Gogo Wifi and the Here on Biz geo-location app.

Once you've downloaded Here on Biz from the App Store (sorry, no Android types need apply) and connect through Gogo, the service lets you register via Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter to contact fellow travelers at the gate, on your plane and even on other Virgin America flights. But don't think the social network is all about helping you get lucky at 35,000 feet (the sexy skies are the furthest thing from Richard Branson's mind, after all); Virgin America says the service is targeted at business travelers who want to "take advantage of downtime in-flight to build or renew their professional connections." It's unclear, though, whether Virgin will claim rights to any startup ideas hatched on board.

Filed under: Transportation, Internet

Source: Virgin America, Here on Biz (iTunes)

Sophisticated malware finally discovered after 7 years, likely created by a nation-state

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/02/11/the-mask-careto-malware/

Security firm Kaspersky Labs recently released a research paper that uncovers the existence of a piece of highly complex malware that's been in circulation for almost seven years. It's called "The Mask," which is a rough English translation of Careto, a Spanish word for "ugly face" that was found in the malware's code. Aimed at high-level targets such as government institutions, embassies and large energy corporations, Kaspersky says "The Mask" has already claimed nearly 380 unique victims (with more than 1,000 IPs) in 31 countries that include China, France, Germany, the UK and the US. Kaspersky first spotted it in a spear phishing email campaign that entices the recipient over to malicious websites disguised as news sites like The Guardian and the Washington Post.

Kaspersky reports that the malware is extremely sophisticated, with a set of tools that include a rootkit, a bootkit, versions that'll affect 32- and 64-bit Windows, Mac OS X, Linux and possibly even mobile operating systems like Android and iOS. Once it gets its hooks into your system, it can be used to hijack all your communication channels and snatch everything from Skype conversations to sensitive encryption keys. It's also very difficult to detect. Due to the level of finesse found in the malware, Kaspersky concludes that "The Mask" was very likely created by a nation-state, much like Stuxnet and Duqu. As to which nation-state that is, the security firm doesn't know, but says it's probably one that is Spanish-speaking based on the code's language. Intrigued? Go on and hit the PDF link here to get the full rundown of what Kaspersky discovered.

Via: Vice

Source: Kaspersky Labs, (PDF)

With an Android search update, you can tell your phone to 'call Mom'

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/02/11/android-search-update-lets-you-call-mom/

One of Siri's cleverer tricks is its support for terms of endearment -- you can tell an iPhone to "call Mom" rather than saying your mother's name every time. Today, that handy shortcut is reaching Android through a Google search update. You can now rely on shorthand when using the search app to call or text family members. If you haven't already established the appropriate relationship in your contacts, Android will ask you to clear things up. The feature is already live, so you can test it out right away -- we're sure your folks would be glad to hear from you.

Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, Mobile, Google

Source: Google (Google+)

drag2share: More Snapchat Security Concerns

source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/businessinsider/~3/nzRKfz4NSZU/the-facebook-publisher-dynamic-is-becoming-clearer-2014-2

MORE SNAPCHAT SECURITY CONCERNS: A security researcher found that he could run a program that sends so many messages to a Snapchat user that it crashes the recipient's iPhone (it doesn't appear that he tested other mobile devices). The security hack is what's known as a denial of service (or, DoS). DoS attacks attempt to overload a server with thousands of requests in seconds, which can cause the entire service to crash. Twitter used to be a target of this type of hack in its early days. Snapchat needs to fix this vulnerability, and prevent future DoS attacks if it wants to mature into a reliable service for users. (The Guardian)

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Article: Google Chrome Now Tells You When It's Been Hijacked

Google Chrome is helping its users fend off browser hijackings. Linus Upson, Google's vice-president of engineering, announced a new protection in a blog post last week that asks users to reset their account if Chrome's system detected a potential hacker. The tech giant revealed that Chrome users...

http://mashable.com/2014/02/11/google-chrome-protection-hijacked/

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Article: Record-breaking DDoS attack struck on Monday, according to reports

Somebody out there was getting hit hard by a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack on Monday, according to multiple reports. And it looks like this one was even harsher than last year’s Spamhaus incident, at the time the biggest known DDoS attack in the history of the internet. According to...

http://gigaom.com/2014/02/11/record-breaking-ddos-attack-struck-on-monday-according-to-reports/

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With ARM's Cortex-A17 processor, midrange smartphones and tablets will be much faster

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/02/11/arm-cortex-a17/

We already have a hard time finding fault with processing power in the midrange smartphones and tablets currently on the market, but that doesn't mean they couldn't be even snappier. That's the goal of ARM, which has announced the latest Cortex processors, known as Cortex-A17, to address not only mobile devices in the midrange market, but Smart TVs and Over-the-Top devices as well. The 28nm A17 comes with big.LITTLE (the architecture used in Samsung's latest octa-core Exynos chips) support, and promises a 60 percent boost in performance over Cortex-A9. It's also paired with a Mali-T720 GPU, which offers OpenGL ES 3.0 support and plenty of optimizations for low-end Android devices. While ARM doesn't specify an actual timeframe for release, it says that we should expect a huge push for the A17 in 2015; in a separate release, MediaTek also tells us that its newest octa-core processor comes with Cortex-A17 tech inside and will be available in the second half of this year.

Filed under: Cellphones, Home Entertainment, Tablets, Wireless, HD, Mobile

Source: ARM

MediaTek's new octa-core processor to compete with Qualcomm over the premium LTE smartphone market

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/02/11/mediatek-octa-core/

MediaTek, a chipset manufacturer based out of Taiwan, has been making some huge moves lately. Just over two months ago, it came out with the "world's first true octa-core" processor, which consisted of eight Cortex-A7 cores capable of operating simultaneously. Now that ARM has announced Cortex-A17 technology, however, MediaTek is ready to start sampling a new octa-core chip that consists of four 2.2-2.5GHz A17 cores and four 1.7GHz A7s, and comes with a Rogue PowerVR Series6 GPU to take care of any graphical needs you might have.

As an aside, the A17 cores come with a 60 percent improvement in performance over the current-gen A9s, and are primarily designed to make midrange smartphones and tablets even faster. That said, MediaTek tells us that its new chips, known as the MT6595, are actually meant to be featured in premium devices and will square off directly against Qualcomm's Snapdragon 800 and 805. And it's certainly got a few noteworthy features: first, the chip will use ARM's big.LITTLE architecture and Heterogeneous Multi-Processing, which means you can use all eight cores for the most intense tasks, or you can use just one or two at a time for incredibly basic activities. The company claims that this chip will be faster and more power efficient than the octa-core Exynos options, which feature four A15 cores and four A7s at lower frequencies.

Additionally, the MT6595 claims to be the first octa-core LTE system-on-chip with an H.265 Ultra HD Codec built-in to the platform, which offers 4K2K video recording and playback capabilities. In much the same way that most manufacturers don't enable all of a chip's features, however, it'll be up to each individual company to add it in. The chips will begin sampling to phone makers and carriers in the first half of this year, and it's expected to arrive in products during the second half. And while it should find its way into smartphones and tablets around the world, MediaTek wants the MT6595 to enjoy a huge presence in the US.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile

Monday, February 10, 2014

LG cuts the price of its curved OLED TV to a vaguely reasonable $7,000

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/02/10/lg-cuts-the-price-of-its-curved-oled-tv-to-7000/

The US price of LG's first curved OLED TV dropped from $15,000 to a slightly less stratospheric $10,000 late last year, but that five-digit sticker was still bound to scare away all but the richest buyers. It's a good thing, then, that LG has cut the 55-inch set's price a second time. You can now pick up the curved screen for $7,000 -- or rather, $8,000 plus an instant $1,000 rebate. It's not a great bargain when you can buy a larger 4K display for less, but those who insist on having an exotic-looking TV in the living room will likely appreciate the savings.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, LG

Via: CNET

Intel's new low-power graphics could boost battery life in your next laptop

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/02/10/intel-low-power-graphics-core/

Graphics hardware can rapidly drain a laptop's battery -- there's a good reason why many Ultrabooks ship with nothing more than basic integrated video. If Intel brings a new low-power graphics core to market, though, high-performance visuals and long battery life won't be mutually exclusive concepts. The experimental design boosts the voltage of those components it needs the most, letting it aggressively reduce the voltage of unused circuits; it can even put the entire core to sleep for brief moments. The result is a GPU that's 40 percent more efficient than what you'd otherwise get. The company isn't saying just what it will do with its discovery, but it notes that the part could either extend the longevity of a mobile PC or improve its performance without sapping any more energy. If you can eventually buy an ultra-thin laptop that easily runs Crysis all day long, you'll know who to thank.

Filed under: Laptops, Intel

Via: PC World

Source: Intel Labs

Here's Why Instagram Is The Best Media Acquisition Of The Last Five Years And Tumblr Is The Worst

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/instagram-acquisition-best-tumblr-worst-2014-2

Instagram-Halloween

Mark Zuckerberg might be a lot happier about spending $1 billion on Instagram than Marissa Mayer is about shelling out the big bucks for Tumblr.

According to research by the think-tank L2 Intelligence, Instagram is the best media acquisition of the last five years and Tumblr is the worst.

Since Facebook bought Instagram for $1 billion in April 2012 and Yahoo purchased Tumblr for $1.1 billion in May 2013, the two social networks have seen extremely different rates of growth as well as interest and adoption rates from brands and advertisers.

"Prestige brands have abandoned Tumblr, and the adoption rate has declined," the report says. "Instagram’s 2014 revenues are forecast at $250 million-$400 million, while mention of Tumblr was noticeably absent from parent company Yahoo’s recent earnings announcement."

Ninety-three percent of prestige brands — basically, the brands that companies want as advertisers — are on Instagram, and, since December 2013, those brands have increased their engagement on Instagram by 1.53%. At the same time, Instagram also had the highest year-over-year increase in unique visitors than any of the other top-10 mobile apps.

If you compare the growth of active usage between Instagram and Tumblr over the second half of 2013, Instagram's usage increased by 23%, whereas Tumblr's only increased by 6%.

Check out L2's chart ! of diffe rent social networks' brand engagement in relation to their size:

L2 Intelligence

Instagram has had amazing year-over-year growth: L2 Intelligence

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Hackers Can Take Over A Car For About $20

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/hackers-can-take-over-a-car-for-about-20-2014-2

CTH

Two security researchers have recently created a device that can effectively hack a car.

Although cars function as a closed network, Javier Vazquez-Vidal and Alberto Garcia Illera have taken it upon themselves to show just how easily a hacker can gain control of a vehicle.

The two are planning on presenting their findings at the Black Hat Asia security conference in Singapore.

Andy Greenberg describes the invention for Forbes:

... Spanish security researchers Javier Vazquez-Vidal and Alberto Garcia Illera plan to present a small gadget they built for less than $20 that can be physically connected to a car’s internal network to inject malicious commands affecting everything from its windows and headlights to its steering and brakes. Their tool, which is about three-quarters the size of an iPhone, attaches via four wires to the Controller Area Network or CAN bus of a vehicle, drawing power from the car’s electrical system and waiting to relay wireless commands sent remotely from an attacker’s computer. They call their creation the CAN Hacking Tool, or CHT.

John Hanson, safety manager of Toyota, dismissed these security concerns and told Forbes, “Our focus, and that of the entire auto industry, is to prevent hacking from a remote wireless device outside of the vehicle."

This report comes not long after hackers managed to use a refrigerator to hack a business. As everyday appliances become more technical and outfitted with computer chips, consumers are exposing themselves ever more to cyber vulnerability.

The capability to hack cars seems to take the dangers of hacking to an entirely new and more immediate level.

Vazquez-Vidal and Garcia Illera, like most other security experts, said they ! are not trying to empower the hacking community through their work. Instead, they hope that by addressing such glaring insecurities, car manufacturers will start to pay attention and reinforce the networks present in all cars.

SEE ALSO: A Flaw In Snapchat Lets Hackers Crash Your Phone Remotely

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