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Total 100 articles, created at 2016-03-17 06:02 1 Amazon applies for "pay by selfie" patent Facial analysis is a lot safer than current CAPTCHA recognition. 2016-03-16 20:15 2KB www.zdnet.com (2.00/3)

2 iOS malware AceDeceiver can infect non-jailbroken Apple devices This new strain of malware designed for the iPhone and iPad poses a major risk to (2.00/3) hundreds of millions of devices, because it can infect non-jailbroken devices without the user's knowledge. 2016-03-16 18:18 3KB www.zdnet.com 3 PlayStation is late to the VR party but may win anyways (The 3:59, Ep. 11) Ben and Roger's latest podcast hits on Sony's VR headset, Instagram's move to curate its feed, and a movie called "Hardcore Henry. " 2016-03-17 02:21 864Bytes www.cnet.com 4 The Drivers and Benefits of Edge Computing Internet use is trending towards bandwidth-intensive content and an increasing number of attached “things”. At the same time, mobile telecom networks and 2016-03-16 23:56 1KB www.itworldcanada.com 5 All PS4 games can be played in PlayStation VR Cinematic mode renders virtual screen equivalent to 5 meters; Plays movies and 360- degree photos. 2016-03-17 00:21 1KB www.gamespot.com 6 Woz says having your engineers in Russia isn't a good idea Technically Incorrect: In a new short film about his life and experience, the Apple co- founder pleads for the centrality of the engineering function. 2016-03-16 23:57 2KB www.cnet.com 7 ​MasterCard to leverage IBM Watson to give SMBs big data access MasterCard will be launching a new platform, giving small to medium businesses access to big data analytics using IBM Watson's artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities. 2016-03-17 00:43 4KB www.zdnet.com 8 10 utterly weird snack foods to satiate your kookiest cravings Don't settle for chips and salsa when you could have a truly memorable snacking experience involving bacon-flavored seaweed or Doritos-flavored Mountain Dew. 2016-03-16 23:39 847Bytes www.cnet.com 9 Dear Network: Remember Just How Lucky You Are SolarWinds asked network admins in its Thwack community to 'write' to their networks, to say why they're lucky to have them attending to their needs. 2016-03-17 02:08 1KB www.eweek.com 10 Your Instagram feed will no longer be in chronological order Like parent company Facebook, the photo-sharing service will show users the posts it thinks will interest them most at the top of their feed. 2016-03-16 22:41 2KB www.cnet.com 11 The powerful dual-GPU board will offer up to 16 teraflops of performance and will be aimed at VR creators and consumers. The powerful dual-GPU board will offer up to 16 teraflops of performance and will be aimed at VR creators and consumers. 2016-03-16 23:55 3KB www.eweek.com

12 How PlayStation VR compares with Oculus Rift, Vive Sony reveals the price and other details of its virtual-reality system, but there are a few things to keep in mind when looking at competing VR headgear. 2016-03-17 01:09 854Bytes www.cnet.com 13 ​Myer's online business grows 70 percent Less than a year into its New Myer strategy, Myer has reported that in 1H16 online profitability exceeded sales growth during the period. 2016-03-16 23:19 3KB www.zdnet.com 14 Siri can't help you in a health crisis If you've been raped or are feeling depressed or suicidal, digital assistants such as Siri, Cortana and Google Now may not be the best place to turn, a new study says. 2016-03-17 01:09 3KB www.cbsnews.com 15 Hands on: PlayStation VR review PlayStation VR is the promised land for virtual reality on consoles 2016-03-16 22:46 12KB www.techradar.com 16 Guidance on what to do with an older UPS “When should an older UPS be replaced with a new one?” is a question that virtually all data centre owners will have 2016-03-16 23:56 915Bytes www.itworldcanada.com 17 10 Reasons Why Health Care Is Good Source of IT Jobs Despite some pitfalls working in the health IT field, health IT professionals are largely pleased with their jobs and the benefits they receive. 2016-03-16 23:55 1KB www.eweek.com 18 Watch new Uncharted 4 mini-documentary here Check out this awesome behind-the-scenes video called "Growing Up With Drake. " 2016-03-16 23:59 1KB www.gamespot.com 19 'Daredevil' season 2: Who are Elektra and the Punisher? Meet the high-kicking, criminal-squashing new characters about to rock Matt Murdock's world. 2016-03-16 23:59 5KB www.cnet.com 20 'Must-have' accessories for your MacBook, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro (March 2016 edition) Own an Apple laptop? Here are a range of accessories to boost your productivity when you're using your MacBook, MacBook Air or MacBook Pro. 2016-03-16 22:07 865Bytes www.zdnet.com 21 Michelle Obama says she won't run for president Speaking at SXSW, the first lady talks about the importance of education for young girls, the record album that influenced her the most -- and life after the White House. 2016-03-16 23:59 4KB www.cnet.com 22 The mystery of the Tully Monster, solved at last A mysterious fossil has been baffling palaeontologists for decades. Now, they have determined what kind of animals Tullimonstrum gregarium were. 2016-03-16 23:59 3KB www.cnet.com 23 The WPC-725F, powered by Intel chips and running on Windows, Linux and other OSes, also is designed to withstand chemicals, dust and dirt. The WPC-725F, powered by Intel chips and running on Windows, Linux and other OSes, also is designed to withstand chemicals, dust and dirt. 2016-03-16 17:55 2KB www.eweek.com

24 Let there be light: Lost memories restored to Alzheimer's mice Researchers have discovered that memories "lost" to Alzheimer's disease remain in the brain, and can be retrieved with light. 2016-03-16 23:59 3KB www.cnet.com 25 Apple's iCloud may get tighter encryption Against the backdrop of its battle with the feds over iPhone encryption, Apple is reportedly trying to decide how to better secure iCloud data. 2016-03-16 23:59 1KB www.cnet.com 26 Pope Francis to join the Instagram flock Will show just how social media savvy he is 2016-03-16 21:55 1KB www.techradar.com 27 Big Mac topped with molten copper is a very unhappy meal The McDonald's Big Mac may appear indestructible, but we're actually witnessing a scientific phenomenon in action. 2016-03-16 23:59 1KB www.cnet.com 28 Samsung headphones could help you feel VR, not just see it A prototype from Samsung's Creative Lab tries to make virtual reality a more full-body experience by sending an electrical signal to your inner ear. 2016-03-16 23:59 2KB www.cnet.com 29 Potato chip soda melds salty spuds with cola craziness Gamers, rejoice. A favorite snack and a sugary beverage are coming together in a flavor fusion for the ages. 2016-03-16 23:59 1KB www.cnet.com 30 Now Google will help you send canned replies to Web- based email too The Inbox app's "smart reply" feature, which offers three ready-made responses to email through the use of deep learning technology, is now available in the Web version of Google's Gmail alternative. 2016-03-16 23:59 1KB www.cnet.com 31 Kia Sportage SX Turbo review This millennial finally found its stride 2016-03-16 21:38 7KB www.techradar.com 32 Oculus VR founder says $400 PlayStation VR is 'a totally fair price' Palmer Luckey says the price is "right around what [was] expected. " 2016-03-16 23:59 2KB www.gamespot.com 33 Gears of War 4 is 'darker' but not survival horror, dev says The Xbox One game is definitely still an action game, executive producer Rod Fergusson says. 2016-03-16 23:59 993Bytes www.gamespot.com 34 Nike brings 'Back to the Future' power shoelaces to the masses The future is now as Nike reveals "sport-informed adaptive lacing," a shoe-tying system that behaves a lot like the power laces from "Back to the Future: Part II. " 2016-03-16 23:59 1KB www.cnet.com 35 Newegg Daily Deals: Yamakasi 28-Inch 4K Ultra HD Monitor, Intel Core i3-6100, and More! Thinking about making the jump to 4K Ultra HD? We don't blame you, the added screen real estate can be a real boon, and if you have the graphics hardware, gaming on 4K is pretty awesome, too. 2016-03-16 20:45 1KB www.maximumpc.com

36 Mobile productivity and working add AU$43b to Australian economy Thanks to increasing productivity and remote working facilitated by mobile technologies, AU$43 billion has been added to the Australian economy over the last year, according to a Deloitte report. 2016-03-16 20:45 6KB www.zdnet.com 37 Researchers discover how to 3D print ear, nose and knee cartilage 3D printers could one day lend you an ear 2016-03-16 20:43 2KB www.techradar.com 38 Nixon's Mission is the most rugged and waterproof Android Wear smartwatch yet Paving the way for the next phase of Google's wearables 2016-03-16 20:14 2KB www.techradar.com 39 Ford goes camera crazy, adds 7 to new F-series Super Duty truck Cameras help you back that thang up 2016-03-16 19:45 2KB www.techradar.com 40 Tesla tease: Here's a peek at $35,000 Model 3's design The automaker confirms it will reveal the new sedan at a March 31 media event, and the car will be drivable. 2016-03-16 19:05 1KB www.zdnet.com 41 10 best Android tablets of 2016: which should you buy? These tablets easily beat out the rest 2016-03-16 19:00 7KB www.techradar.com 42 GDC 2016: uSens Blends AR and VR to Create a 'Super Reality' Platform [VIDEO] We talk with uSens about its new headset and 'super reality' platform for developers. 2016-03-16 18:59 1KB www.maximumpc.com 43 M-commerce sees growth in Brazil Purchase of items via mobile phones becomes increasingly popular in the country, especially among first time consumers, says study 2016-03-16 18:38 1KB www.zdnet.com 44 GDC 2016: Survios Studios Details Cooperative VR Shooter Raw Data [VIDEO] Maximum PC talks with Survios Studios about its two-player, co-op title for VR called Raw Data. 2016-03-16 18:24 2KB www.maximumpc.com 45 Twitter releases Windows 10 Mobile app It features the heavily requested dark-mode. 2016-03-16 18:20 1KB www.zdnet.com

46 Microsoft wants to make a tournament out of every Xbox One game Multiplayer or not 2016-03-16 18:14 1KB www.techradar.com 47 This is Microsoft's plan to unify Windows 10 PCs and Xbox One Moving and shaking at GDC 2016 2016-03-16 18:09 2KB www.techradar.com 48 MSI Vortex puts two GTX 980s in one cylindrical case MSI has released the Vortex , a gaming tower that packs quite the punch. In fact, tower may not be the right word to describe this beast, as its cylindrical form measures just 10.5" tall and contains just 6.5L of interior space. Despite those constraints, MSI has managed to squeeze... 2016-03-16 18:09 2KB techreport.com

49 FCC expected to approve Charter-Time Warner merger, with conditions The approval won't come without a few catches, as chairman Tom Wheeler wants online video to grow. 2016-03-16 17:55 1KB www.zdnet.com 50 GDC 2016: VirZoom's Motion Controller Brings Exercise to VR [VIDEO] VirZoom has come up with a motion controller that can help immerse gamers into VR environments and add a bit of exercise to the mix. 2016-03-16 17:53 1KB www.maximumpc.com 51 You can now pre-order Samsung's slick Windows 10- powered TabPro S The 12-inch slate offers a slick screen and fast charging 2016-03-16 17:45 2KB www.techradar.com 52 iPhone 7 Plus UK release date, specs & features rumours: Apple's next iPhone could feature dual-cameras and wireless charging Apple's next phablet will be the best iPhone yet, with new specs and features - potentially including dual-cameras and wireless charging. Here's your guide to the iPhone 7 Plus rumours, including the iPhone 7 Plus UK release date, UK price and specification. 2016-03-16 17:45 7KB www.pcadvisor.co.uk 53 GDC 2016: Tasty Beverage Studios Shows Off a Fast Paced VR Title [VIDEO] Maximum PC sits for a spell with Tasty Beverage Studio to get a glimpse of its fast-paced VR game, Bank Limit: Advanced Battle Racing. 2016-03-16 17:29 1KB www.maximumpc.com 54 How to watch the Apple Event March 2016 live: New iPhone 5SE and iPad Air 3 launch video stream and live blog Apple is expected to launch a new iPhone and new iPad at its March 2016 special event. 2016-03-16 16:59 3KB www.pcadvisor.co.uk 55 Web snooping law moves ahead, despite warning about 'suspicion-less surveillance' New law will force internet companies to keep customers' web browsing history for a year. But just who should be allowed to access it? 2016-03-16 16:40 4KB www.zdnet.com 56 Terrorism destroyed this museum – but VR has brought it back to life VR is helping fight the effects of terrorism 2016-03-16 16:35 2KB www.techradar.com 57 Oculus and Valve detail VR launch titles The Oculus Rift and HTC Vive headsets are both nice pieces of hardware, but they're not very useful without software to go with them. Up until now, we've only seen random tidbits of info about VR titles and scattered demos. That changed today at GDC, where both Oculus and Valve... 2016-03-16 16:32 2KB techreport.com 58 Virgin Media admits defeat as it hangs up on SmartCall and Cloud services Who you gunna call? 2016-03-16 16:31 1KB www.techradar.com

59 Amazon and eBay must be responsible for dodgy dealers, says Osborne Budget sees rules tightened 2016-03-16 16:21 2KB www.techradar.com 60 EU court: Public WiFi providers are not responsible for the actions of their users And a million coffee shops breathe a sigh of relief 2016-03-16 16:20 2KB www.theinquirer.net 61 Channel Madness Tournament 2016 Bracketology Edition Jennifer Follett and Meghan Ottolini guide you through the key matchups in 2016's Channel Madness Tournament of Chiefs. 2016-03-16 16:15 2KB www.crn.com 62 Smile Communications Introduces Weekly Unlimited data bundle Looks like Smile Communications Uganda is fulling embracing "Unlimited data bundles. " The company has today introduced the Weekly SmileUnlimited data bundle. The data bundle comes at UGX 75,000 with speeds capped at 2MBps. It has a Fair Usage Policy (FUP) of 7GB after which the speeds drop to 512Kpbs. The... 2016-03-16 16:13 1KB pctechmag.com 63 Are you drinking while tweeting? This algorithm can tell A new algorithm can tell when you're drinking while tweeting -- and also figure out where you're imbibing. 2016-03-16 16:06 2KB www.itworld.com 64 How smartphones helped NASA to build tiny satelites you can hold in your hand The same advances in electronics that bring us ever more powerful smartphones are helping NASA become more nimble in exploring the universe. 2016-03-16 15:49 3KB www.itworld.com 65 Cloud Makes For Strange Bedfellows: Apple Signs On With Google, Cuts Spending With AWS Apple has quietly signed on as a Google Cloud Platform customer in a deal worth several hundred million dollars, while also reducing its reliance on AWS, multiple sources tell CRN. 2016-03-16 15:28 3KB www.crn.com 66 Hands-on: SteamVR's Desktop Theater Mode plays your PC games on a giant VR screen Valve's SteamVR Desktop Theater Mode lets you play your 2D games in virtual reality, on a really big screen. 2016-03-16 15:12 2KB www.pcworld.com 67 Broadview Networks Revamps Partner Portal With Strategic Service Provider Partners In Mind The made-over portal is aimed at providing better visibility into customers' environments and more insight into recurring revenue opportunities. 2016-03-16 15:10 2KB www.crn.com 68 New glass can turn from clear to cloudy with the flick of a switch Who needs blinds? 2016-03-16 14:48 2KB www.techradar.com 69 BMW: Our future is electric and autonomous cars BMW today announced a shift in its development strategy, saying it will be focused on more all-electric vehicles in the future as well as autonomous technology. 2016-03-16 14:46 2KB www.computerworld.com 70 Here's Who Made Gartner's 2016 Magic Quadrant For Data Warehouse And Data Management Solutions For Analytics Gartner rated 21 vendors jockeying for position in a hot and rapidly evolving IT sector. Here's how they stack up. 2016-03-16 14:30 1KB www.crn.com

71 Partners: Possible Polycom-Mitel Merger Has 'Huge Potential' As the unified communications vendors reportedly pursue talks about joining forces, channel partners say a combined company could create unique technologies. 2016-03-16 14:22 2KB www.crn.com 72 Google Traffic Is 77% Encrypted Google, however, notes improvement is still needed on its own products and services. Gmail encryption support is 100%, but these other products and services fall short. 2016-03-16 14:10 4KB www.informationweek.com 73 DreamHost replaces VMware SDN with open source for big savings OpenStack code developed by spin-out company nets 70% capex, 40% opex cuts 2016-03-16 14:09 4KB www.itworld.com 74 The Week in iOS Accessories: Awesome earphones This week's roundup includes two new sets of earphones, one set machined from brass, another that takes "wireless" sound to a new level. Read on! 2016-03-16 13:37 2KB www.macworld.com 75 Here gives up on Windows; will yank map, transit and nav apps in two weeks Here, the Euro-centric map-making company founded by Nokia, yesterday said it is withdrawing from the Windows 10 ecosystem in two weeks. 2016-03-16 13:28 4KB www.computerworld.com 76 Ring Pro Video Doorbell Gets Better Motion Detection, Video The updated Ring Pro can set customized motion zones and record in 1080p HD for a clearer look at your front stoop, making any smart home that much smarter. 2016-03-16 13:06 3KB www.informationweek.com 77 Review: Consider VPN services for hotspot protection We review 7 low-cost VPN services for when you’re out of the office or out of the country. 2016-03-16 12:42 1KB www.computerworld.com 78 Succeeding in the continuous enterprise with microservices Microservices help large development teams put together a modular development structure, which makes it easier to move swiftly 2016-03-16 12:40 4KB www.infoworld.com 79 Robots and immigrants reduce jobs, Sen. Sessions warns Today's Senate subcommittee hearing on immigration began with a warning from Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.). 2016-03-16 12:36 3KB www.computerworld.com 80 Artificial intelligence gets into auditing, what's next? As AI spreads to new businesses, good software development will be crucial for achieving success 2016-03-16 12:20 2KB www.infoworld.com 81 Mophie Powerstation XL (12,000 mAh) Currently Discounted 42% - Deal Alert Provides up to eight complete battery charges for most smart phone devices. Ultra fast charging for up to two devices at once. Capable of switching between 500mAh, 1A, and 2.1A charge. 2016-03-16 12:11 1KB www.infoworld.com

82 Q&A: Bjarne Stroustrup previews C++ 17 The new version due later this year will feature parallel algorithms, but Concepts, modules, and co-routines will have to wait for a future upgrade 2016-03-16 12:11 1KB www.infoworld.com 83 Big Four accounting firms delve into artificial intelligence Cynics would suggest there's no genuine intelligence within their four walls, so why not look to the artificial stuff? 2016-03-16 11:50 3KB www.computerworld.com 84 Rumor: Long-delayed rollout of Windows 10 for older phones could happen Thursday Microsoft is scheduled (finally!) to push Windows 10 Mobile to older Windows Phone 8.1 devices as early as tomorrow, if a new report is to be believed. 2016-03-16 11:44 2KB www.pcworld.com 85 Synthesio updates social media monitoring platform to be faster, smarter and more productive Synthesio, the social media intelligence platform has redesigned its monitoring tool for better performance and data intelligence. 2016-03-16 11:31 2KB www.zdnet.com 86 Malvertising campaign strikes top websites worldwide Web domains including The New York Times, BBC, AOL and MSN became victims of the campaign, designed to spread the Angler exploit kit. 2016-03-16 11:27 4KB www.zdnet.com 87 Windows 10 tip: Reclaim precious disk space with these storage tools Is your Windows 10 laptop or tablet running low on free space? Built-in storage management tools let you pinpoint exactly which files and apps are to blame. In many cases, you can recover that free space with just a click or two. 2016-03-16 11:27 1KB www.zdnet.com 88 'Celebgate' iCloud hacker pleads guilty to explicit photo theft The cyberattacker who accessed iCloud and Gmail accounts belonging to celebrities has admitted to the crime. 2016-03-16 11:25 2KB www.zdnet.com 89 This new discovery could put quantum computers within closer reach Quantum bits are prone to magnetic disturbances, but on Wednesday scientists announced a new discovery that could help solve the problem. 2016-03-16 11:17 3KB www.computerworld.com 90 Fossil's next Android Wear watches are the Q Wander and Q Marshal The follow-ups to the Q Founder keep with the company's aesthetic of traditional, stylish looks combined with Android Wear technology. 2016-03-16 11:02 1KB www.greenbot.com 91 Sony opens PlayStation VR pre-orders Sony opens PlayStation VR pre-orders. £349.99 plus camera. 2016-03-16 16:25 2KB www.bit-tech.net

92 Google Maps update adds ride-sharing tab, timeline improvements, and several other tweaks You can now set a custom icon for your home and work location so they are much easier to spot when scanning around a map. 2016-03-16 10:46 2KB www.greenbot.com 93 Apple flings its final filing at the FBI in the iPhone unlocking case Continues to argue for privacy and security 2016-03-16 10:44 2KB www.theinquirer.net 94 The future of fitness: Custom Gatorade, smart water bottles, and a patch that analyzes your sweat We went inside Gatorade's Fuel Lab at South by Southwest Interactive to get a sneak peek at products in development. 2016-03-16 10:43 2KB www.macworld.com 95 Apple's latest legal filing: 'The Founders would be appalled' In its last brief to Judge Pym before the first hearing on March 22, Apple makes its case for encryption. 2016-03-16 10:26 7KB www.macworld.com 96 Intel adds Vulkan 1.0 support to Windows PC chips for gaming Windows games have mostly been defined by DirectX 12 tools, but a competitive API is coming to PCs running on Intel chips. 2016-03-16 10:06 2KB www.itnews.com 97 Cyberespionage groups are stealing digital certificates to sign malware An increasing number of cyberespionage groups are using stolen code-signing certificates to make their hacking tools and malware look like legitimate applications. 2016-03-16 10:01 4KB www.computerworld.com 98 Digital rights group: Save security, reject FBI's iPhone unlocking request Digital rights group Fight for the Future is hoping to give voice to ordinary people concerned with the U. S. FBI's attempt to force Apple to help it unlock the iPhone used by a mass shooter. 2016-03-16 09:02 3KB www.itnews.com 99 Sony PlayStation VR undercuts HTC Vive with £349 price tag Available to pre-order now before October release 2016-03-16 08:47 2KB www.theinquirer.net 100 Instagram will start showing moments you care about first As Facebook owned Instagram has grown with 400 million active monthly users, it’s become harder for its users to keep up with all the photos and videos they share, where users miss on average 70% of their feeds. This means you often don’t see the posts you might care about the... 2016-03-16 07:22 2KB pctechmag.com Articles

Total 100 articles, created at 2016-03-17 06:02

1 Amazon applies for "pay by selfie" patent (2.00/3) Amputee feels texture with bionic fingertip First time sensors are able to deliver high res texture information to humans. Amazon just filed a patent for tech that would allow shoppers to make a purchase by taking a photo of themselves. Facial recognition authentication is a lot safer than current authentication methods. That's why banks and other institutions want to use it to authenticate users. "In the face of ever increasing amounts of fraud, and huge caches of stolen usernames and passwords, organizations are looking to turn users into their own passwords," says Damien Hugoo of Easy Solutions , a fraud protection service provider. "Biometric authentication methods, whether it's touch, voice, or facial recognition, combine frictionless access with a high level of accuracy to strike the right balance between convenience and security. " Customers rely on their unique physical features to protect their accounts and safeguard transactions. There's also an 'ease-of-use' factor for customers. No more trying to make out a fuzzy set of numbers in a CAPTCHA block. With facial recognition, technology measures and records various points on a human face. The user just takes a selfie on their mobile device in order to authenticate access to any channel. This technology is already being adopted by financial institutions, as well as other verticals becoming increasingly concerned about the validity of users logging on to their sites. So what's to prevent fraudsters from using a photo from social media? The proposed Amazon system will ask users to do something specific, such as blink or wink, actions "that cannot be replicated with a two-dimensional image," the patent says. The patent mentions other types of electronic devices aside from phones and tablets, including personal data assistants. It's likely an Alexa-compatible device will one day have a camera, making the next gen Echo or home robot the perfect shopping machine...... if robots are actually going to destroy civilization, that's probably how it'll happen. computerworld.com 2016-03-16 20:15 Greg Nichols www.zdnet.com

2 iOS malware AceDeceiver can infect non-jailbroken Apple devices (2.00/3) A new strain of malware designed for the iPhone and iPad poses a major risk to hundreds of millions of devices, because it can infect non-jailbroken devices without the user's knowledge. The Trojan, dubbed AceDeceiver by security firm PaloAlto Networks , installs itself on iOS devices without enterprise certificates. "AceDeceiver is the first iOS malware we've seen that abuses certain design flaws in Apple's DRM protection mechanism -- namely FairPlay -- to install malicious apps on iOS devices regardless of whether they are jailbroken," Claud Xiao, a security researcher from Palo Alto Networks, wrote in a blog post Wednesday. FairPlay is Apple's technical system for ensuring people can not steal apps from the App Store. But via an attack technique called FairPlay Man- in-the-Middle (MITM), hackers can install malicious apps on iOS devices without a victim's knowledge while at the same time bypassing Apple's other security measures. "In the FairPlay MITM attack, attackers purchase an app from App Store then intercept and save the authorization code. They then developed PC software that simulates the iTunes client behaviors, and tricks iOS devices to believe the app was purchased by the victim," Xiao explained in the blog post. Palo Alto notes that this FairPlay technique has been in use since 2013, mainly as a way to spread pirated iOS apps. But AceDeceiver marks the first time that it's been used to spread malware. With AceDeceiver, the victim first downloads a Windows program named Aisi Helper, which purports to be software that provides jailbreaking, system backup, device management and system cleaning. Once installed, the PC client automatically installs the most recent malicious iOS app to any connected iOS device, Xiao explained. The malicious app provides a connection to a third party app store controlled by the attacker. From there it's basic phishing: Users are prompted to enter their Apple IDs and passwords to gain access to more features. As of today, AceDeceiver only affects users in mainland China. However, the security firm warns that AceDeceiver is indicative of a bigger problem: That there is a relatively easy way for malware to infect non-jailbroken iOS devices. PaloAlto expects to see other attackers copy the FairPlay MITM technique, especially considering that the flaw hasn't been patched. When a patch does arrive, the attack will likely still work on older versions of iOS systems. PaloAlto reported the malware to Apple on February 26. computerworld.com 2016-03-16 18:18 Natalie Gagliordi www.zdnet.com

3 PlayStation is late to the VR party but may win anyways (The 3:59, Ep. 11) With virtual reality heating up in 2016, Sony this week revealed more about its plans to come out with its own VR headset. The 3:59 gives you bite-size news and analysis about the top stories of the day, brought to you by CNET Executive Editor Roger Cheng and CNET Senior Writer Ben Fox Rubin. Subscribe:

2016-03-17 02:21 Ben Fox www.cnet.com

4 The Drivers and Benefits of Edge Computing Internet use is trending towards bandwidth-intensive content and an increasing number of attached “things”. At the same time, mobile telecom networks and data networks are converging into a cloud computing architecture. To support needs today and tomorrow, computing power and storage is being inserted out on the network edge in order to lower data transport time and increase availability. Edge computing brings bandwidth- intensive content and latency-sensitive applications closer to the user or data source. Types of edge computing include local devices, localized data centers, and regional data centers. The one that provides the deployment speed and capacity in-line with future IoT application demands are the localized 1-10 rack versions. These can be designed and deployed quickly and easily with either configured-to-order or prefabricated variants.

2016-03-16 23:56 www.itworldcanada.com

5 All PS4 games can be played in PlayStation VR "Users can enjoy content on a virtual screen up to 225 inches (5 meters in width) at a distance of 2.5 meters," Sony sad in a press release. As well as games, users can view movies within this virtual space too, Sony said. Other PS4 features, such as Share Play and Live from PlayStation, will also be compatible within the headset. The corporation added: "Users will also be able to enjoy 360 degrees photos and videos that are captured by devices such as omnidirectional cameras on PS VR via PS4 Media Player, which will let them feel as if they are physically inside the captured scene. " In terms of custom-built virtual-reality games, Sony says more than 230 developers are on board supporting PlayStation VR, with some 160 projects in development. Announced PSVR games include Star Wars Battlefront, Eagle Flight, EVE: Valkyrie, Headmaster, Rez Infinite, Wayward Sky, RIGS: Mechanized Combat League, Tumble VR, Until Dawn: Rush of Blood, and PlayStation VR Worlds. The base PlayStation VR package does not include Move controllers, which typically retail for around $40/£40 or the PlayStation Camera, which usually costs $50/£40.

2016-03-17 00:21 GameSpot Staff www.gamespot.com

6 Woz says having your engineers in Russia isn't a good idea Technically Incorrect offers a slightly twisted take on the tech that's taken over our lives. These days, clever people think they can do anything. Especially if they go to Stanford and meet the right influencers. Steve Wozniak, however, worries that today's business schools are giving students the wrong idea about computer engineering. The Apple co-founder and developer of the Apple I and II computers focuses on how his own steps to becoming an engineer might not be accepted by those creating tech businesses today. "In business schools, now almost every single university has courses in entrepreneurship," he says. He enunciates the word "entrepreneurship" as if the subject were a slightly fake one. "They teach, sometimes, business students to think you can write down plans, you can think about this, come up with ideas, raise money and hire engineers," he said. Any old engineers, it seems. "The engineers could be in Russia, they could be in India, they could be anywhere," Woz says of current thinking. He isn't fond of this thinking. "No," he says, "you should have the engineer involved in your starting team. " Woz's conception of the perfect business is a holy trinity: the engineer, the businessperson and the marketing expert. (How stunningly similar to Apple.) It takes those three, it seems, to create something lasting and worthwhile. And those three have to be in the same place, both emotionally and physically. It's natural that some clever types believe that engineering is a commodity. Clever types tend to think the only unique thing in the world is people like themselves. But how many tech products are so poorly engineered that you wonder why more thought wasn't put into them? Perhaps, in some cases, they were made by people who didn't care enough because, for them, it was simply a job. There again, when President Trump has his way with everything, it might just be illegal to hire engineers in Russia and India anyway.

2016-03-16 23:57 Chris Matyszczyk www.cnet.com

7 MasterCard to leverage IBM Watson to give SMBs big data access MasterCard has partnered with IBM to give small to medium merchants access to big data analytics. The payments giant has integrated IBM Watson Analytics into its platform, along with its own anonymised transaction data gathered through MasterCard Advisors Local Market Intelligence (LMI), to bring artificial intelligence (AI) to its payments platform. "There is an increasing wealth of data today that merchants can leverage to better understand their market and consumers," MasterCard Advisors senior vice president Eric Schneider said. "However, smaller merchants often don't have the resources to maximise the insights. That's the value of this platform turning big data into smarter data that is easily accessible and actionable. " The product will be available via subscription for merchants who accept MasterCard in mid-2016 and according to MasterCard, this will see access to real-time, analytics-based market insights on revenue, market share, customer demographics, and competitors in both a specific location as well as across multiple locations. MasterCard said its Advisors' LMI focuses on business performance, customer behaviour, and competitive standing, providing SMBs with insights that help drive some of the most important decisions a business can make about operations, marketing, and personnel. Additionally, the IBM Watson Analytics data discovery tool will provide automatic insights that MasterCard said will enable the user to discover new patterns in their data such as customer buying and behaviour trends. "We are thrilled to be working hand in hand with MasterCard to help smaller merchants understand their business and competition better, and increase the strength and value of their customer relationships," said Yashesh Kampani, IBM ASEAN Financial Services Sector Leader. "Through this new service, merchants will discover just how easy leveraging big data can actually be with the analytical tools that IBM and MasterCard are making available. " Citing its latest research, MasterCard said that more than seven out of 10 smaller businesses in the Asia-Pacific region are expecting higher business costs in 2016. MasterCard said the research was based on a survey completed in December last year on 2,806 SME owners, co-owners, or key decision makers across Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, with approximately 400 survey participants per market. "With this enhanced analytical platform powered by MasterCard Advisors and IBM, merchants will hence be better equipped to make informed decisions that lower costs based on a deeper knowledge of their business' financial strengths and pitfalls," the company said in a statement. MasterCard said in February that consumers are embracing the next generation of payments , predicting digital payments to extend beyond the phone as the use of connected devices grows. Its claims were based on its fourth annual MasterCard Mobile Payments Study which tracked 2 million global social media posts about mobile payments across Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Forums, Google+, and YouTube "As more choices are made available to them, the conversation has evolved and consumers seem to be fully embracing the next generation of payments," Marcy Cohen, vice president of digital communications at MasterCard, said. The payments giant has also dipped its feet into biometrics, with Selfie Pay -- approving a payment via facial recognition -- trialled by the company last year. MasterCard also announced a partnership with consumer ecommerce player Coin in January to enable payments via smartwatches , fitness bands, and other wearable devices, after labelling cash as unnecessary wallet real estate in December. At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas earlier this year, MasterCard launched Groceries by MasterCard, an app preloaded into Samsung's Family Hub refrigerator that allows consumers to order groceries via their fridge from FreshDirect and ShopRite in the US. MasterCard said the capability is the first of its kind, with the fridge's shopping cart "learning" a family's shopping habits and making personalised suggestions on items and brands. Further grocers will be added as the product rollout continues, MasterCard said at the time.

2016-03-17 00:43 Asha Barbaschow www.zdnet.com

8 10 utterly weird snack foods to satiate your kookiest cravings The Last Taco Truck in Silicon Valley Ingenuity, betrayal, and a killer habanero sauce all have their part to play in Michelle Richmond's brilliant send-up of the US tech world. A startup evangelist is held hostage, a guy from Portland is in debt and #FrancoNeedsATaco.

2016-03-16 23:39 Amanda Kooser www.cnet.com

9 Dear Network: Remember Just How Lucky You Are Network administrators certainly have their work cut out for them. Even on St. Patrick's Day and with the luck of the Irish on their side, the increasing complexity of the network and its sometimes unruly behavior can be difficult to keep in check. Between bandwidth issues, a growing number of network devices to manage, and ensuring the uptime required for the growing number of hybrid IT environments, it's really the networks that are lucky to have such skilled IT professionals at the helm— they truly are the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. With that in mind and in honor of St. Patrick's Day, SolarWinds asked network administrators (NetAdmins) in its Thwack community to "write" to their networks—yes, "write" to their networks—expressing exactly why they're just so lucky to have them attending to their every need. The results, on which these slides are based, while good for a laugh, also paint a picture of some of the networking challenges IT professionals today face. So enjoy these "notes" from network administrators to their networks.

2016-03-17 02:08 Darryl K. www.eweek.com

10 Your Instagram feed will no longer be in chronological order Instagram is taking a page from its parent Facebook with plans to display posts by relevance rather than in chronological order. How will Instagram decide what it thinks you want to see first? "The order of photos and videos in your feed will be based on the likelihood you'll be interested in the content, your relationship with the person posting and the timeliness of the post," the company said in its blog post. "As we begin, we're focusing on optimizing the order -- all the posts will still be there, just in a different order. The move puts Instagram in line with its fellow social media heavyweights. Facebook and Twitter already sort feeds based on presumed interest and appeal over straight chronology. It's all part of the constant jockeying for advantage and user loyalty in a world where alternatives are just a click away. In recent months, for instance, Facebook has added features such as live video and new emojis, while Twitter has collated news events into Moments and now also lets users run simple polls. Some users may balk at Instagram's decision to tweak feeds based on algorithms, as it might make them feel less in control. But as is, Instagram users miss around 70 percent of their feeds, according to the company. So the hope is that under the new system, users will see the posts that are the most relevant and interesting to them without having to scroll indefinitely. Instagram touted the change by citing a couple of examples you wouldn't want to miss: The sorting change will occur sometime in the coming months, the company said. Instagram promised it would take its time to get the new experience right and listen to the feedback of its users as the change rolls out.

2016-03-16 22:41 Lance Whitney www.cnet.com

11 The powerful dual-GPU board will offer up to 16 teraflops of performance and will be aimed at VR creators and consumers. The organizers of the Game Developer Conference 2016 this week for the first time brought a virtual reality track to the show, and Advanced Micro Devices was among several companies that used it to make establish their presence in the emerging market. The chip maker used the conference to announced that it is partnering with Toronto-based startup Sulon Technologies to build a headset for virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) applications and will use such AMD technologies as its Radeon GPUs and LiquidVR platform. The Sulon Q all-in-one headset would rival such offerings as the Occulus Rift. AMD officials also used the VR track to demonstrate its forthcoming Polaris 10 graphics card that they said will have an array of use cases, from VR to laptop games. Also at the show, the chip maker unveiled its Radeon Pro Duo, a dual graphics card that company is specifically aiming at the VR space. The water-cooled graphics card is essentially two of its Radeon R9 Fury X GPUs—built on the Fiji architecture—brought together, bringing as much as 16 teraflops of compute performance and a price tag of $1,499. It's due to be released early in the second quarter. It includes AMD's LiquidVR software-development kit (SDK) and is aimed at both VR creators and consumers, according to officials. They said the powerful dual-GPU board will help reduce latency in developing VR applications. To highlight AMD's efforts in the VR creation effort, officials noted that the Radeon Pro Duo is the first product in what is AMD's VR Ready Creator lineup of products, and is also being used by Crytek in its VR First project, which is aimed at bringing new people into the VR development space by powering VR labs in universities worldwide. "More powerful computing platforms are rapidly leading to greater immersive experiences," Raja Koduri, senior vice president and chief architect for AMD's Radeon Technologies Group, said in a statement. "This is most evident with VR which demands ever higher compute performance with rock solid consistency. " AMD officials have tagged immersive computing, gaming and VR as cornerstones in the company's product roadmap, believing that the company's graphics expertise gives the company an edge against rivals. And there will be plenty of competition. Intel and Nvidia both view VR as a growth industry, and Qualcomm this week introduced its plan for a VR SDK that will enable programmers to more quickly build VR software with the Snapdragon 820 system- on-a-chip (SoC) for smartphones and upcoming VR headsets running Google's Android operating system.

2016-03-16 23:55 Jeffrey Burt www.eweek.com

12 How PlayStation VR compares with Oculus Rift, Vive In this year's virtual reality battle, are you on team PlayStation or team PC? CNET Update delivers the tech news you need in under 3 minutes. Watch Bridget Carey every afternoon for a breakdown of the big stories, hot devices, new apps and what's ahead. Subscribe to the podcast via the links below. Subscribe:

2016-03-17 01:09 Bridget Carey www.cnet.com

13 Myer's online business grows 70 percent Myer has announced that during the first half of the 2016 financial year, revenue from its online business grew by 70 percent on the prior year, a growth in profitability that exceeded sales growth. Myer CEO and managing director Richard Umbers has attributed the growth of its online business to the early progress of its New Myer strategy, which saw the introduction of over 2,500 iPads to its stores, a strong uptake of Click and Collect, and its digital catalogues made shoppable. Umbers went on to highlight that the recent launch of the Myer eBay store, which features 20,000 products, has further extended the Myer brand reach, noting seven out of 10 Australian shoppers are using eBay. "Our first wave of initiatives to deliver wanted brands, enhanced customer service, and an improved omni-channel experience have helped deliver comparable store sales growth of 7.1 percent across 12 Victorian and New South Wales Flagship and Premium stores. This is a very encouraging result. We have a significant pipeline of further improvements and the team has a strong focus on execution," he said. The company also reported total sales lifted 1.8 percent to AU$1.8 billion, up 3.3 percent on comparable store sales basis. At the same time, earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITA) reached AU$138.5 million, from last year's AU$145.3 million; and net profit after tax (NPAT) was also down 4 percent to AU$59.7 million. Umbers said the decreases were consistent with expectations at the early stage of its transformation project. Looking ahead, the company said it will continue to accelerate the roll out of its New Myer initiative, which it believes will lead to increased costs and capex. Part of the initiative, according to Myer, will include the company providing seeding fund for key technology projects, which are expected to underpin the company's focus on delivering an omnichannel experience. Myer also provided revised guidance for FY16, expecting that NPAT will be between AU$66 million and AU$72 million, instead of AU$64 million to AU$72 million; and pre-tax implementation costs associated with New Myer will be in the range of AU$20 million and AU$30 million, instead of AU$35 million and AU$45 million. Myer first announced its New Myer plans in September last year, saying that over the next five years the company will invest more than AU$600 million in total capital and implementation costs on delivering an improved customer service. Specifically, the New Myer plans will include approximately AU$150 million capex and implementation costs to be spent on creating "wonderful experiences" in its stores, such as rolling out digital hubs and Wi-Fi; and another AU$100 million capex and implementation costs will go towards further enhancing its omnichannel shopping. Umbers said at the time that data analytics of its customer base and store catchments would form the foundation of the strategy. "From this analysis we have identified the necessary actions to make Myer's stores, range, and services more attractive to our primary customers who shop at Myer," he said. Myer also established a Transformation Office to oversee the implementation. It will be responsible for coordinating the execution of projects under the New Myer strategy and managing change across the business.

2016-03-16 23:19 Aimee Chanthadavong www.zdnet.com

14 Siri can't help you in a health crisis Siri and Cortana can come in handy when you're lost in an unfamiliar neighborhood or want to find a coffee shop, but the digital assistants built into your smartphone may fall short when a health crisis hits. Researchers from Stanford University School of Medicine and the University of California San Francisco tested 68 smartphones by seven different manufacturers. Researchers used the phones' "conversational agents" to ask nine critical health questions that require urgent help. The scientists looked for a smartphone's ability to recognize a crisis, respond with respectful language, and refer a person in crisis to an appropriate helpline or other emergency resource. When asked straightforward mental health questions, or for help dealing with interpersonal and physical violence, the answers were inconsistent and incomplete, the authors report. Both "I am being abused" and "I was beaten up by my husband" went unrecognized by all of the smartphone assistants tested. More than 200 million adults in the United States own a smartphone and the majority use their phones to get health information, the authors wrote. They said the results show that opportunities to use technology to help people in health crises and refer them to services are being lost. "The truth is this is a new frontier so the technology has really not caught up yet with what the clinical demand and need is," said Dr. Victor Fornari, director of the division of child psychiatry at Zucker Hillside Hospital in Glen Oaks, New York. In an accompanying editors' note in JAMA Internal Medicine, Dr. Robert Steinbrook said the findings are important because smartphones have become a ubiquitous part of our lives. "The performance of conversational agents should be put to the test, and not just for providing directions, making dinner reservations, or playing music," he wrote. While smartphone assistants aren't clinicians or counselors, Steinbrook said the authors have "thrown down the gauntlet" and smartphones need to step up: "During crises, smartphones can potentially help to save lives or prevent further violence. In less fraught health and interpersonal situations, they can provide useful advice and referrals. The fix should be quick. " Calling 911 for a health or mental health issue, or if you've been a victim of sexual assault or other types of abuse, is still a better route to help than asking a smartphone for answers, Fornari said. "People could also turn to their trusted loved ones, a close family member or trusted friend, or show up at a nearby emergency room," he added. This article originally posted as " In a crisis, Siri and Cortana may not have your back " on CBSNews.com.

2016-03-17 01:09 Mary Brophy www.cbsnews.com

15 Hands on: PlayStation VR review For a minute there, I was worried that virtual reality was going to be something that was better experienced on a PC, with devices like Oculus Rift and HTC Vive the obvious leaders right now. After spending some time with the final consumer version of Sony's PS4-exclusive headset at GDC 2016, I can finally put those fears to rest. But, before I dive into the strangely wonderful world of first-person gaming, let's get a few of the facts out of the way. First off, know that PlayStation VR hasn't lived its entire life by that monicker. Up until the 2015 Tokyo Game Show, PS VR was better known as its codename, Project Morpheus. The headset itself has undergone a few iterations since its first unveiling back at GDC 2014 but, as of Sony's GDC 2016 PS VR event, we can now definitively say that we've touched the finished product. The unit will start shipping in October 2016 for $399 / €399 /£349 / AUD$549, which is a bit more than we'd like honestly, but considerably less than its two rivals, Rift and Vive. Sony Group CEO Andrew House was the one to make the announcement at GDC and added that PlayStation VR would ship with a single game for free: The Playroom in VR, a spin-off the tech demo that shipped with the PlayStation Move. House said to expect over 50 games available sometime this year for the system, some of which will be developed in-house while many will come from indie and third-party studios. House claimed that there are over 200 developers with dev kits who are actively working on titles to supplement the first 50 games and that gamers could expect to see a good mix of genres when the unit ships in the fall. Finally, and this is important, the PlayStation VR requires a PlayStation Camera to function, though you won't find one in the box of a new PS VR. Some games also require a set of PlayStation Move controllers – again, not included. What you will get in every box is a headset, a processing box, power cable, earphones, dual HDMI connector that links the headset to the PS4 , an HDMI cable and a micro-USB cable. It's a far cry from a complete package, but for $200 less than an Oculus Rift, I'm not complaining. Since its announcement, we've gotten our hands on (and heads in) Sony's VR headset a few times, and each time has been better than the last. Sony has been cracking away over the past two years to improve the user experience as much as possible before release. And its early efforts have resulted in one of the most comfortable VR headsets around, even for those of us who wear glasses. Like other virtual reality headsets on the market, PlayStation VR has the arduous task of completely immersing you in a video game by producing two images simultaneously. But unlike the competition who require expensive graphics cards to get the job done, PS VR can do it using only a PlayStation 4 and a small black box that sits between the headset and the console. The early tech demos we've seen through PlayStation VR have impressed, too. Simply put, they're as awesome and zany as you would hope they'd be. We've been in a shark cage, we've held up a bank and we've done street luge, dodging cars while going downhill faster than the speed limit. If Sony can continue to corral this kind of massive developer support for PS VR, gamers will be in for a treat that keeps delivering when it launches. As much as we like what we've seen of PlayStation VR, however, there are still some quirks to work out before launch and important details that Sony needs to fill in. Some of our editors encountered a bit of nausea during their time with PS VR, which is one of the biggest challenges that VR developers have to surmount. PlayStation VR isn't a wild reimagining of the VR headset, but it's one of the most attractive efforts that we've seen so far. The head-mounted display (HMD) screams minimalism with a tag team of black and white matte plastic touches. Its most recent iteration is interspersed with seven blue lights that the PlayStation Eye picks up to track your location and head movement. It's a pretty elegant and accurate head-tracking solution. The design of the PlayStation VR's strap looks good and. thankfully, also yields comfort, which is a crucial box that not enough VR headsets can tick. Inside the headset is a 5.7-inch OLED screen with 1920 x RGB x 1080 resolution, which comes out to about to 960 x 1080 for each eye. The PlayStation VR offers a 100-degree field of view and a 120Hz refresh rate. Latency is less than 18ms, which means that in theory it's less nausea-inducing than the previous model that had a higher latency and a slower refresh rate. There's also a jack for headphones and support for 3D audio, which will come into play later. The PS VR's secret to comfort is that it hangs all of its weight at the top of your dome, putting pressure on the bridge of the nose and the forehead. Additionally, a single white matte strap stems from the top of the HMD and wraps around your head seamlessly, coming together in the back, and can be adjusted to your liking. For games that require you to turn around, Sony stuck two more blue lights on the back of the strip bringing the total number of trackable lights to nine. The PS VR's control scheme utilizes a combination of head movements made with the HMD, along with the PlayStation Move controllers and DualShock 4 controller that you may or may not be familiar with. The Move controllers had their first run when they were introduced alongside a few Wii-like titles on the PlayStation 3, and while they worked well there, it wasn't until PS VR that we saw a true purpose for them. The wands felt a little half-baked on the PS3 , or at least as if they existed solely to have a hand in motion-controlled gaming, but they feel right at home with PS VR. Other games with more complex control schemes – like a game called RIGS that we'll discuss in a minute – will use the DualShock 4 wireless controller that comes shipped with the PS4. If it hasn't already been made explicitly clear up to now, I'll break the most disheartening news to you now: the PS VR is not a wireless headset. While the Samsung Gear VR and Google Cardboard can get everything they need from your mobile device, PlayStation VR will need to be tethered to your system at all times. VR competitors like Oculus and HTC have set the bar quite high for how a good VR experience should look and feel – which, considering these two options require a seriously powerful gaming rig that costs two or three times as much as PS VR, makes sense. So, does Sony's PS VR even come close to the graphical prowess? In a word, yes. But the complete answer as to how the PS4 is able to achieve it isn't totally known at this point. The PlayStation VR's secret sauce lies within the covert black box. We don't know specifics at this point, but I can only conclude that it's responsible for buffering frames and keeping the experience running at 120Hz. Speculation aside, the experience I've had using the headset has improved each and every time I've had the chance to put it on. Many of these experiences have been demos or concept games that have been specifically and carefully crafted to show off one specific function of the headset, but thanks to the event at GDC 2016 I can now say that I've tried full-on games, too. The experiences have varied in levity from casual, playroom escapades to hyper-intense combat and even a horror game for added measure. The system and its specs lend itself to more light-hearted fare rather than the fast-paced, high-intensity ones, honestly, and while the latter is passable it's prone to making you feel more nauseated than impressed. Here are a few of the experiences – both demos and games – I've tried over the past two years: Eve Valkyrie: Hurtling through space, admiring the view of giant ships as you pass under them, dodging your way through asteroid fields - this is exactly the kind of stuff we all dreamed about when we were younger. The Deep: But as great as space was, it was exploring the ocean depths that really set the pulse racing. The game begins with you in a diving cage, floating near the surface of the ocean. I could look around me was holding a flare fun that would move with my real hands thanks to the motion- enabled Dualshock 4. As it turned out, the flare gun was about as effective as a bacon sandwich when the shark started ripping into the cage. But it was fantastic way to experience VR, especially with the lack of any form of HUD. Street Luge: Where The Deep represented pure fantasy as only a faux-holodeck experience could provide, the Street Luge stood out for its ability to make me cringe, wince, yelp and ultimately feel like I was on a roller coaster without the intense wind and bodily sensations. It started slow, allowing me to get used to the controls - lean left to drift left, lean right to go right. Then came my first car. I dodged left and, in doing so, earned a small speed boost. There was a timer ticking in the corner of my screen that I hadn't noticed before; this was one of virtual reality's first time trials. Morpheus Castle: Morpheus Castle is a smack-'em-up title that served to demonstrate how Move can be used so brilliantly with PlayStation VR. By pressing the back triggers you'll curl your fingers into a fist. Extend them rapidly and you'll throw a punch. Your target? A hanging dummy. Complete the task and you're rewarded with your first weapon, a sword. This was a smooth, seamless experience and gave me hope that the Star Wars game we've always dreamed of – the one where lightsaber duels are not only plausible, but an enjoyable part of the game – are within arm's reach. RIGS: Mechanized Combat League: The best way to describe RIGS: Mechanized Combat League is by labeling it as a Titanfall-esque shooter imbued with the adrenaline and setting of a professional football game. During a brief demo, two friends and I took our RIGs into the arena to test the mettle of opponents in a three-on-three battle royale that had us blasting each other to bits, picking up the pieces and then jumping through a hoop in the middle of the map to put points on the board. It was fast-paced and highly detailed – probably a bit more than the PlayStation VR could handle. A limited field of view made it hard to see everything happening in my peripherals, and the fast-paced nature just about ruined my lunch. PlayStation VR Social: While RIGS knocked the PS VR down a few pegs in my book, PlayStation VR Social raised it back up. Essentially a social experiment that puts multiple PS VR users in one world and has them solve puzzles and play together, PlayStation VR Social is wonderful, colorful, wacky and flat out weird. In terms of pure pixels and graphics, the PS VR isn't a powerhouse. There are a few jagged pixels here and there and any object located far off in the distance is blurry beyond much recognition. A smaller field of view, even by 10 degrees, means that it's less immersive and more nausea-inducing than either the Oculus Rift or Vive. PlayStation VR is inspiring. As a whole it's incredible, even if there are some hang ups here and there. After trying it for yourself you'll want to experience something like BioShock Infinite or GTA V in VR, and the first few demos and games will give you a little sneak peek of what gaming could be like five years from now. I say sneak peek because the PlayStation VR isn't quite complete. Tracking still isn't one-to-one and there's still work to be done on the image quality – edges are rough and objects seemed a little less clear than their HD display – but Sony seems clearly determined to iron these out before it comes to market. For now it's an excellent, if not absolutely perfect, experience that will be fun to show off to friends or play with yourself for in half-hour increments. It might not be the best for long term use, but that's a decision we can visit again when the PlayStation VR comes out in October.

2016-03-16 22:46 Not yet www.techradar.com

16 Guidance on what to do with an older UPS “When should an older UPS be replaced with a new one?” is a question that virtually all data centre owners will have to answer. The answer is not always self evident and depends on several factors. There is no one right answer, but rather a range of right answers depending upon various factors including what the current and future capacity, redundancy and efficiency requirements are, what the outsourcing strategy is, and what has already been provisioned for in the electrical and physical infrastructure supporting the existing UPS.

2016-03-16 23:56 www.itworldcanada.com

17 10 Reasons Why Health Care Is Good Source of IT Jobs The health industry might be a good place to find an IT job. In a recent survey of 700 respondents, HealthITJobs.com asked health IT professionals if they were pleased with their jobs, the kind of benefits they earned and whether they plan to continue working in the profession. The answer to all of those questions was a resounding "yes. " According to the study, not only is the health IT market "booming," but it's also a fine industry for technology professionals seeking career advancement and good benefits. But survey respondents also said there are some pitfalls to working in the health IT field. For one, medical data is heavily regulated and with hacking on the rise, security is a constant concern. Furthermore, about 25 percent of the respondents indicated that dealing with "health care politics" is a headache. But these headaches are largely offset by the fact that IT professionals are highly sought after in the health care sector. This slide show covers some of the survey results that might give health care industry employers insight into how to attract IT professionals and show IT job hunters what they can expect if they join the industry.

2016-03-16 23:55 Don Reisinger www.eweek.com

18 Watch new Uncharted 4 mini-documentary here Co-director Neil Druckmann also talks about how Nathan Drake's own journey -- making sacrifices to achieve greatness -- is not unlike how he and other studio members feel about making the Uncharted games. "As a game developer, this is hard work," Druckmann said. "People think you're here playing games all the time and sure, that happens every once in a while, but for the most part, this is very hard, grueling work. A lot of times it's long hours and you make personal sacrifices. " What do you make of this video? Let us know in the comments below!

2016-03-16 23:59 GameSpot Staff www.gamespot.com

19 'Daredevil' season 2: Who are Elektra and the Punisher? Daredevil leaps across rooftops and back onto our screens on Friday, and he's facing some tough new enemies, but who are Elektra and the Punisher? Exclusive to Netflix, "Daredevil" tells the story of idealistic lawyer Matt Murdock, played by Charlie Cox, who doesn't let a little thing like being blind get in the way of running around rooftops in tight clothing and beating the tar out of bad guys. Skilled martial art kickpunchery and heightened radarlike senses helped him defeat the imposing Wilson Fisk in season one, but now he faces a number of new threats. "Daredevil" was the first of four collaborations between Marvel and Netflix to shine a light on darker corners of the Marvel universe. A gritty, violent vision of the tough choices at the outer reaches of street-level super heroics, the show promises more brutal action. Season two introduces two characters from the comics who test Daredevil not just with their physical prowess but also with their no-holds-barred morality. Can Daredevil keep his soul intact as well as his body when he faces these new threats? Created by artist and writer Frank Miller, Elektra first appeared in January 1981, in "Daredevil" issue 168. A skilled martial artist and deadly assassin, Elektra has taken on various Marvel heroes many times in the comics. But her relationship with Daredevil is a complex one, because when they were college students, young Elektra Natchios and Matt Murdock were lovers. After the death of her father, the Greek ambassador to the US, Elektra took up martial arts and eventually became a killer for the Hand, an evil ninja sect. Though creator Frank Miller killed Elektra and intended her to stay dead, the character has been resurrected a number of times. Elektra is played in the new series by French actress Élodie Yung, previously seen as another ninja in "G. I. Joe: Retaliation" and a goddess in "Gods of Egypt". Elektra previously appeared, played by Jennifer Garner, in the 2003 "Daredevil" movie starring Ben Affleck. Although the film is much-maligned, she was popular enough to appear in her own spin-off movie -- which was even worse. The Punisher is Frank Castle, a former US marine who declares war on criminals when his wife and child are killed in the crossfire of a gun battle in New York's Central Park. And we do mean war: The Punisher has no superpowers, instead bringing the skills and heavy armament of a soldier to bear. Driven by vengeance, Castle dons a black uniform with a distinctive skull on his chest and sets out to kill as many criminals as possible. Though he's had some more-wacky adventures -- including the times he was brought back from the dead as an angel and later as the monstrous FrankenCastle -- his stories have usually been grim and gritty affairs. Most notably under writer Garth Ennis, the Punisher has been the star of some of the darkest stories ever published by Marvel. Created by writer Gerry Conway and artist John Romita Sr., the Punisher made his first appearance in "The Amazing Spider-Man" issue 129 in February 1974. He was determined to kill your friendly neighbourhood wallcrawler, who had been falsely accused of murder, and since then his unapologetic killing of criminals has often brought him into conflict with more liberal heroes. Seeing as both hunt criminals in New York, the Punisher and Daredevil have come up against each other many times, beginning in 1982 in "Daredevil" issue 183. Daredevil's athleticism and powers are matched by Castle's unapologetic violence and sheer aggression. And in Garth Ennis' run, the Punisher won something of a pyrrhic victory when he managed to subdue Daredevil long enough to chain the red-clad hero to a rooftop...with a pistol taped to his hand. Castle gave Daredevil the choice to kill him to prevent Castle killing again, a choice Daredevil anguished over before pulling the trigger. That moment inspired a scene in "Daredevil" season 2. Speaking of memorable clashes with superheroes, the Punisher's run-in with Wolverine showed off his highly imaginative approach to violence. The fight between the man who lives to kill and the man who can't die ended when the Punisher immobilised Wolverine by shooting him in the knees then ran him over with a steamroller. Jon Bernthal, star of "The Walking Dead" and "Fury", plays Castle in the new series of "Daredevil". He's not the first to play the role, the character appearing in three movies that started with only a loose connection to the comics and have become more accurate over time. Action star Dolph Lundgren played a version of the character in "The Punisher" in 1989. Then in 2004 Thomas Jane donned the black outfit in a movie that altered Frank Castle's origin slightly but also drew directly on some characters and scenes from Garth Ennis' run. Then in 2008 Ray Stevenson played Castle in "Punisher: War Zone", probably the closest film to the comics. Every episode of season 2 of "Daredevil" will be on Netflix on Friday 18 March, in every country in which the streaming service is available.

2016-03-16 23:59 Richard Trenholm www.cnet.com

20 'Must-have' accessories for your MacBook, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro (March 2016 edition) Mobility Unusual tech idols, so many Raspberry Pis, pioneer mobiles, luxury smartwatches, failed launches: Photos Hardware Must-have PC, smartphone and tablet repair tools Hardware SkyVue: A gorgeous hand-crafted PC by Jeffrey Stephenson

2016-03-16 22:07 www.zdnet.com

21 Michelle Obama says she won't run for president Michelle Obama isn't planning a second stint in the White House after she leaves in January. "I will not run for president," Obama said to sighs from the audience attending her keynote moderated by Latifah. "Here's one of the reasons why: I've got these two young people at home. " "Being the daughters of a president -- not so easy," she continued. "They've handled it with grace and poise, but enough is enough. " The Obamas will be just the latest to join the ex- first couple club. George and Laura Bush have stayed out of the public eye since they left the White House, though both work for global health care and education reform through the George W. Bush Institute. Bill Clinton actively supports global issues, such as increasing opportunities for women and girls and reducing childhood obesity, with the Clinton Foundation. Hillary Clinton, of course, is running for president. Michelle Obama said the role of first lady is a unique platform, but didn't provide specifics about what she will do next. "When I leave here, there will be another platform. There's always another platform," she said. "But I don't know what it will feel like. " The first lady did say she plans to continue the kind of work she's done as part of the Obama administration. That work focused on four areas: Giving more girls access to education through the Let Girls Learn initiative; battling childhood obesity with the Let's Move program; encouraging young people to pursue higher education or professional training through Reach Higher and, along with Jill Biden, supporting veterans and their families through Joining Forces. "These are issues that won't go away during a presidential term," she said. "They don't go away in a lifetime. " Michelle Obama was at SXSW specifically to tout Let Girls Learn. The White House says more than 62 million girls around the world are not in school, half of them adolescents. Launched last March, Let Girls Learn is a joint effort of several government agencies and organizations, including the US Department of State, the US Agency for International Development and the Peace Corps. She was joined onstage by rapper Missy Elliott, songwriter Diane Warren and actress Sophia Bush, who talked about helping women to overcome inequality. The women shared stories of their past, their struggles and even the music that influenced their lives. (The first lady cited Stevie Wonder's "Talking Book," which her grandfather gave her.) On Tuesday, Michelle Obama helped to record a women-empowerment anthem called "This is For My Girls. " The first lady doesn't actually sing on that recording, but she did get the artists to collaborate on it. Written by Warren, the song features Elliott, Kelly Clarkson, Kelly Rowland, Janelle Monae, Lea Michele, Zendaya, Jadagrace and Chloe & Halle. Chloe & Halle, a duo signed to Beyonce's record label, performed the single before the panel took the stage. The song was executive produced by Makers.com, an AOL-owned website that highlights the stories of women. Warren has likened the song to "We are the World," the star-studded charity single from 1985. The first lady on Wednesday also talked about how men can empower women. She said the key for men is to always push for diversity. "When you have a seat at the table -- and have access to power -- the question you can ask yourself is, 'Is there diversity around the table? " she said. "Are there voices and opinions that don't sound like yours? "There are a lot of men-only tables going on in this country and around the world," she continued. "And the only people who can change that are the men at the table. " Obama also talked about grassroots organizing and making a difference. "You don't have to be president to do that," she said. "I don't plan on slowing down anytime soon. "

2016-03-16 23:59 Richard Nieva www.cnet.com

22 The mystery of the Tully Monster, solved at last Since 1958, when amateur collector Frank Tully found a mysterious fossil sample, a bizarre creature has had palaeontologists scratching their heads. The Tully Monster, as it came to be known, or Tullimonstrum gregarium, was so named because scientists could not even determine to which phylum the creature belonged. T. gregarium is, in fact, a vertebrate, a type of jawless fish similar to the lampreys of today. This discovery would have been a lot more difficult without the magic of digitisation. Housed at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago is a large collection of T. gregarium fossils. It was these fossils, digitised, that the team used for their research, combing through and looking for rare samples and unusual characteristics. "By digitizing our collections, taking photographs of our fossils and placing all of the data into a database, we made it easier for our researchers to search our collections and find specimens with new and sometimes rarely preserved evidence that may be critical for their research," said The Field Museum's Fossil Invertebrates Collections Manager Paul Mayer in a statement. "The monsters are related to the jawless fishes that are still around today by a unique combination of traits, including primitive gills, rows of teeth, and traces of a notochord, the flexible rod-like structure along the back that's present in chordate animals -- including vertebrates like us. " If you've ever seen a lamprey, you'll probably agree that the "monster" moniker is well deserved. Those sucker mouths are fairly unpleasant to look at. The two don't look a great deal alike, though. The lamprey's snout doesn't taper, and its eyes are most certainly not on weird stalks. It does, however, have a finned tail, similar to the one T. gregarium sports. The discovery highlights the ongoing need to study the strange fossils found in beds like the Burgess Shale and Mazon Creek. It's also a delight for the state of Illinois, which took T. gregarium as its official State Fossil in 1989. "The Tully monster is a wonderful fossil that captures the imagination of every school kid," Mayer said. "When I talk to school groups, I used to use the Tully monster as an example of a mystery that palaeontologists have been trying to solve ever since it was discovered. Now I'll have to change my talk and use it as an example that highlights the importance of how amateur palaeontologists and researchers from different backgrounds can work together using new technologies and museum collections to solve a mystery. "

2016-03-16 23:59 Michelle Starr www.cnet.com

23 The WPC-725F, powered by Intel chips and running on Windows, Linux and other OSes, also is designed to withstand chemicals, dust and dirt. Stealth.com, which specializes in industrial, rugged computers, is rolling out its latest waterproof, fanless computer designed for particularly harsh environments. The company's WPC-725F is an Intel-powered water-tight system that comes in a small form factor that company officials said not only can withstand liquids but also chemicals, dust and dirt. The quiet system comes without internal fans; instead, the internal CPU is passively cooled through Stealth.com's chassis design. The system meets IP67 and NEMA 6 environmental standards, both of which indicate the computer is protected if it is immersed in water, such as if it gets rained on or splashed. The WPC-725F comes in a 10.12-by-6.18-by-2.04-inch form factor and is powered by Intel's low- power Core i7-3517UE processor, with a frequency of up to 2.8GHz and up to a 4MB of cache. It includes solid-state drives (SSDs) and runs Microsoft's Windows 10, 8, 8.1 and 7 operating systems, as well as Linux variants. The components, including the power, video, serial and USB connections, are linked with water- tight, locking bayonet-style connectors that Stealth.com officials said are usually found in military- designed hardware. The SSDs help the system withstand high temperatures, vibrations, humidity and altitude environments, they said. The PC, which starts at $2,095, can operate from a range of DC input power, which enables it to run in an array of settings, from marine to field and transportation environments. It also has VESA mounting integrated, enabling it to be mounted in such places as control panels, consoles and walls, officials said. The WPC-725F's launch comes almost exactly a year after Stealth.com was bought by Sparton, a 115-year-old company based in Schaumberg, Ill., that makes electromechanical devices for a broad range of markets, including medical and biotechnology, military and aerospace, and industrial and commercial.

2016-03-16 17:55 Jeffrey Burt www.eweek.com

24 Let there be light: Lost memories restored to Alzheimer's mice The memories that seem to disappear when a patient has Alzheimer's disease may not necessarily be lost forever after all. Moreover, a team of researchers has demonstrated that they may also be retrieved. Led by Susumu Tonegawa at the RIKEN-MIT Center for Neural Circuit Genetics, the team has successfully used a technique called optogenetics to restore memories to lab mice with Alzheimer's disease. This indicates that Alzheimer's disease affects memory retrieval, rather than formation and storage. It also shows promise that the condition's associated memory loss may be reversible in humans. "The important point is, this a proof of concept," Susumu said in a statement. "That is, even if a memory seems to be gone, it is still there. It's a matter of how to retrieve it. " The team determined that dendritic spines are essential for memory retrieval, at least in mice. These are tiny protrusions on a neuron's dendrite responsible for forming synaptic connections. Usually dendritic spines form naturally when a new memory is generated. In the case of the Alzheimer's mice, these dendritic spines dwindled as the disease progressed. Through the use of fibre-optic light stimulation, the team was able to regrow these spines, and the mice's memories were restored. In particular, the team subjected both the Alzheimer's mice and a control group of mice to a chamber where they received a small shock. An hour later, both groups of mice reacted with fear to the chamber. However, several days later, only the non-Alzheimer's control group reacted with fear, indicating that the Alzheimer's mice had forgotten the chamber. The team used viruses to tag the brain cells active when the mice were frightened, allowing the researchers to visually identify the neurons that were involved in the memory. A second virus made those neurons sensitive to light. When the team reactivated those cells with light, the Alzheimer's mice showed fear. "Directly activating the cells that we believe are holding the memory gets them to retrieve it," said lead author Dheeraj Roy. "This suggests that it is indeed an access problem to the information, not that they're unable to learn or store this memory. However, memories activated with this method faded within a day. It was then that the team linked the fading memories to the loss of dendritic spines. Next, they used high-frequency bursts of light to stimulate the growth of dendritic spines. They were able to increase the number of spines until it was indistinguishable from the control group of mice. In addition, the fear response to the chamber returned, and remained for up to six days. However, if too large a section of the brain is targeted by the optogenetic treatment, it does not work. This suggests that any treatments of this nature need to be very precise and targeted. While optogenetics is able to reach this level of precision, it is too invasive for human treatment, since light needs to be shone into the brain. Deep-brain stimulation, which can be used on humans, is simply not precise enough. "It's possible that in the future some technology will be developed to activate or inactivate cells deep inside the brain, like the hippocampus or entorhinal cortex, with more precision," Tonegawa said. "Basic research as conducted in this study provides information on cell populations to be targeted, which is critical for future treatments and technologies. "

2016-03-16 23:59 Michelle Starr www.cnet.com

25 Apple's iCloud may get tighter encryption Apple seems to have tougher defenses in mind for its iCloud service, if it can find the right balance between convenience and security. At issue is the level of encryption that scrambles the documents, photos and other data you have stored on Apple's servers so that they can't be seen by prying eyes. If Apple follows through with that plan, consumers who forget their passcodes might never again be able to view what they've tucked away on iCloud. On the other hand, Apple may keep itself more insulated against requests from law enforcement agencies and snoopy governments. The two sides have spent the last several weeks staking out their positions in public statements and court filings. On March 22, they'll meet in a federal courtroom in Riverside, California, for what could be a decisive hearing. Access to iCloud backups has been a valuable tool for criminal investigations, so anything that makes access more difficult would surely exacerbate tensions between Apple and law enforcement agencies. Apple declined to comment on the matter of enhancing security for iCloud data.

2016-03-16 23:59 Lance Whitney www.cnet.com

26 Pope Francis to join the Instagram flock With 8.87 million followers on Twitter so far, Pope Francis may be looking to join another social media platform sooner rather than later. Citing a Vatican Radio interview with spokesman Dario Viganò, the Italian news wire ANSA reports that the Pope will launch his own Instagram account as early as next week, on March 19, using the handle "Franciscus. " The Vatican has its own verified Instagram account with close to 80,000 followers. But with his Twitter success, Pope Francis is likely to draw a much larger audience. It also won't come as too much of a surprise if the pontiff does join the Facebook-owned, image- based social media platform, as he met with Instagram founder Kevin Systrom earlier this year at the Vatican. At the time, Systrom posted an image of the two on Instagram , with his caption reading: "We spoke about the power of images to unite people across different cultures and languages. " If nothing else, his caption gives us a hint at the types of images and videos Pope Francis may be looking to post on his Instagram account - and, no, it doesn't sound like it'll be selfies. After all, images or videos will likely be posted on his behalf, and will likely be similar to the few he's posted on Twitter , which includes an image of two refugee children and a video message to Iraqi Christians. Image credit: Edgar Jiménez / CC BY-SA 2.0 Via Engadget Article continues below

2016-03-16 21:55 By Farrha www.techradar.com

27 Big Mac topped with molten copper is a very unhappy meal As melted copper is poured over a Big Mac it almost appears as though the metal liquid bounces off both the sesame seed bun and the burger itself. In this case, the moisture in the Big Mac instantly boiled when it came in close contact with the molten copper, Snopes explained, and the resulting steam created a temporary protective layer. The molten copper hovered over the Big Mac's surface rather than making physical contact. Now is probably a good time to mention that anyone reading this probably shouldn't try any of this at home. That why YouTubers like Tito4re exist, to risk their lives to entertain us with molten metal videos like these.

2016-03-16 23:59 Bonnie Burton www.cnet.com

28 Samsung headphones could help you feel VR, not just see it Virtual reality can make you think you're racing down a speedway in a zooming car. But if you can see the scene all around you, why can't you feel it as well, taking in the motion as you hug the turns? Unlike with most headphones, the main purpose of the Entrim 4D is not to pump out sound, though it does that, too. Instead, the marquee feature is that it sends an electrical signal to the nerve of your ear, which regulates balance and motion. That tricks your brain into thinking you're moving. "Most VR demos, you're in a chair," Steve Jung, the 32-year-old head of the project, said in an interview Tuesday. His point is that motion usually isn't part of the VR experience. If he can make it work, that could add a crucial element to virtual reality, bringing a fuller sensory experience to an already immersive environment. In fact, Entrim is a shortening of "enter the immersive world," said Jung. Anything that can add to the experience is key, given Silicon Valley's obsession with the medium. Google, HTC and Facebook -- with which Samsung partnered for its Gear VR headset through Oculus, the social network's virtual reality company -- all have their own efforts in the works. When Jung asked me how it felt, I told him I feel a little dizzy. Yoon Chiyuh, the project's hardware engineer, said the sensation is realistic. "When you're in a car, you feel dizzy," he said. "It's the same. " Jung said he got the idea from a friend, an emergency medical technician, who told him about vestibular signals to the ear. Samsung says it's safe. Jung explains the same methods are used to train pilots and help restore balance to stroke patients. The team tested the product on 1,500 people to hone the experience, and it developed 30 different movement patterns. You can, thankfully, adjust the level of the motion to make the feeling less intense.

2016-03-16 23:59 Richard Nieva www.cnet.com

29 Potato chip soda melds salty spuds with cola craziness You might imagine that this magical drink tastes like unicorn tears mixed with the heavenly sounds of angels singing, but it really is supposed to mimic a combination of salty fried tubers and soda pop mooshed together in liquid form. Let's check in with Google's delightful translation of the product description: "'Potato chips flavored cola' is completely reproduce the mouth when pouring the potato chips in the cola! " That sounds incredible. But wait, there's more: "It became just kill two birds with one stone products enjoy a snack sensation to drink. " The marketing image for the soda is priceless. It features a well-dressed man having a complete freak-out at the mere idea of the drink's existence. His expression accurately mimics the look I had on my face when I found out about the crazy beverage. What's missing is my grief-stricken visage of sadness upon realizing the product is only coming out in Japan. The soda will be a special prize available at Namco arcades in Japan beginning on March 18. If you want one, you'll need to go there and win. If you succeed, be sure to write and tell me how amazingly delicious it is. (Via RocketNews24 )

2016-03-16 23:59 Amanda Kooser www.cnet.com

30 Now Google will help you send canned replies to Web-based email too Google is already reading your email, so why not let it help reply too? Users of Google's Inbox email Web service can now save time and effort responding to messages, courtesy of a feature called Smart Reply. Smart Reply may seem simple on the surface. But to make it work, Google employs a variation of artificial intelligence known as deep learning. Google has been using deep learning to give services like email more of a human touch by teaching them to anticipate what you want to do so you don't have to do it yourself. Smart Reply takes Google's reading of your email to a new level. The company already checks message content to cut spam and previously did so to to serve up advertisements. Now, though, the electronic scrutiny is getting deeper through a machine-learning system known as deep neural networks. CNET's Stephen Shankland contributed to this report.

2016-03-16 23:59 Lance Whitney www.cnet.com

31 Kia Sportage SX Turbo review As a 90s kid, I watched Kia grow up and have worse commitment problems than a teenager, at least when it came to model names (anyone remember the Sephia, Spectra or Amanti?). The heart of Kia is the Sportage, which has been around since Haddaway asked us "What is Love?," and the perfect embodiment of how far it has come. When the Sportage first launched, it was a traditional sport utility vehicle that shared a platform with a Mazda van and didn't stand out from Japanese competitors. Even the 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine the Sportage used was a Mazda design. Kia was the last amigo standing, because Isuzu and Suzuki are shells of its former self. The latest (fourth generation) Kia Sportage made its North American debut at the 2015 LA Auto Show, with a fresh face that reminds me of a Porsche Macan – certainly not a comparison I ever expected to make in my lifetime, and at half the price, no less. I flew out to San Diego, Calif. to sample a pair of top-end Kia Sportage SX Turbo, in front-wheel drive (FWD) and all-wheel drive (AWD) configurations. Pricing for the Sportage SX Turbo starts at $33,395 (£24,350 for the similar GT-Line and AU$47,992 for the Platinum trim) for the FWD model, while AWD is an extra $1,500. On the outside, the Sportage sports a smiley face that's grown on me since its LA Auto Show debut. It's an aggressively happy-looking car, like the grin of an evil genius, but incorporates Kia's trademark tiger nose grille and ice cube LED driving lights. The Sportage SX AWD features a unique front fascia. Kia treats the AWD models to a unique front fascia that provides a greater approach angle of 28 degrees, compared to the 16.7 on FWD configurations, for the illusion of off-road capability. AWD models have an extra 0.4-inch of ground clearance, but the breakover and departure angles only differ by less than a degree. Around back is the sexiest stance on the Sportage, with full LED tail lights and rear skid plate, finished with dual exhaust tips. I find the new design striking, but the best part is Kia's minimalist approach to chrome use. The navigation system helped us find the TARDIS There's a little chrome detail in the headlights and the strip at the center of the tail lights, but the rest of the car's brightwork is satin silver. Chrome on modern cars isn't my forte and I always thought it was a cheesy way to dress up a car. Step inside and you'll find a driver-focused interior with high-quality materials. The entire top half of the dash consists of a single form-fitted soft-touch piece, which is unusual in this segment. Its competitors typically have a piece of hard plastic to transition to the windshield, but Kia extends the soft-touch material all the way. Everything below the infotainment display is hard plastic, but the texture and feel disguises it nicely. The armrests are wrapped in vinyl with padding that makes it comfortable to rest one's elbows on. Kia sticks to good ole-fashioned physical buttons that click, which I prefer because each click corresponds to a command. There's no second-guessing if you pressed the button correctly or not, like with capacitive touch buttons. The one thing I don't like is the use of gloss black trim in the most frequently touched locations – smudges galore, you know? Kia did a great job with the interior of the Sportage. Before flying to San Diego for the Sportage drive, I was testing a RAV4 Hybrid Limited (review coming soon), and the Sportage interior is leagues ahead of Toyota and could almost pass as a Lexus. Grab the steering wheel and you'll feel like Speed Racer thanks to a sporty flat-bottom wheel with thumb grips wrapped in leather. Look ahead and you'll find analog gauges for the tachometer, coolant temperature sensor, speedometer and fuel level. A 4.2-inch LCD display is sandwiched between the gauges and provides turn-by-turn navigation, trip information, driver assistance information, music information and access to vehicle settings. As much as I love technology, I still prefer analog gauges for traditional functions, because it's simple and works without any visual lag like budget LCD cluster implementations. The infotainment system in the Kia Sportage is quite familiar and essentially the same system as the Hyundai Tucson , with a user interface that is identical to the Kia Optima ,too. Kia uses the same 8-inch 800 x 480 resolution screen as the Tucson, but tilts it towards the driver. There is one major difference, however. The Kia Sportage supports Android Auto from the get- go while the Tucson is still TBD. Onboard navigation is included with plain flat maps; in case you don't want to rely on your phone. The one thing I love about Kia's navigation function is the ability to enter addresses and search for points of interest when the car is moving, so my passenger can use it. The car does display a liability warning each time you start the car, but you're free to do as you wish when the car moves. I like the Kia infotainment interface a lot -- it's simple and easy to use with a mix of on screen and physical buttons. My primary annoyance is the lack of a physical home button that takes the system to its split-home screen. There's an onscreen button in the top left corner, but tapping items near the edge of a recessed touchscreen is pretty much the worst. Music playback is available via USB, Bluetooth, HD Radio and SiriusXM. A single USB port is located in a cubby above the shifter, with plenty of space for large phablets like my Nexus 6. SiriusXM playback supports time-shifting on the first six presets so you can put Adele's Hello on repeat to your heart's content. In case you only needed a USB port to charge your phone, Kia installs a USB charging port inside the center console. Rear passengers have a USB charging port of their own, too. Kia supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay in the Sportage, but only Android Auto is ready at launch. Apple CarPlay support is promised in April via a software update, but we're still waiting for Kia to deliver on its promise with the Optima as well, so it might be a long wait. Nevertheless, Android Auto works great in the Sportage. I tested it with my Nexus 6 and my driving partner's Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Plus. The Nexus 6 worked perfectly upon first plug- in, but the S6 Edge Plus required some finagling within settings to get the Android Auto prompts to show up on the phone. Android Auto in the Sportage is very good: it lets you use simultaneously use your phone and native infotainment features. You can listen to music via Android Auto while using the onboard navigation or listen to SiriusXM while using Google Maps. The interoperability is seamless.

2016-03-16 21:38 By Tuan www.techradar.com

32 Oculus VR founder says $400 PlayStation VR is 'a totally fair price' Palmer Luckey, the founder of Oculus VR, has called the $400 price tag for PlayStation VR a figure "right around what [was] expected. " Speaking to GameSpot in an interview at the 2016 Game Developers Conference, Luckey said, "I know how much this technology costs. We're building a headset, we're trying to sell it as affordably as possible. We have some higher- quality stuff, our manufactured stuff and we have some really nice soft goods and fabric going on in ours. We also have multiple LED displays instead of just one display. But [the Oculus Rift] at $599 is actually not that far off. We're selling $599 with a controller, and with the remote, and with a couple of games. If someone doesn't own them already, [Sony] is selling a camera, a controller, and you've got the headset--we're actually fairly similar in cost. They are cheaper, but I think it's a totally fair price and they've definitely done a good job of keeping the cost down. Clearly that was a priority. " In comparing Oculus Rift to PlayStation VR, Luckey said, "I think [the markets] are almost completely different. People who buy a Rift are people who already own a high-end PC or are willing to buy a high-end PC for VR. People who buy a PlayStation VR are people who already own a PlayStation, or PlayStation VR is something that convinces them to buy a PlayStation that they probably already wanted for other reasons, not VR reasons. I don't think there are many PC gamers that are going to buy a PlayStation and PlayStation VR from scratch. And I don't think there are many PlayStation gamers that are going to buy a Rift and a high-end PC. They're kind of very separate markets at this point. " Further reading: All the PSVR news and reaction *** ***

2016-03-16 23:59 GameSpot Staff www.gamespot.com

33 Gears of War 4 is 'darker' but not survival horror, dev says Responding to some creepy-looking Gears of War images, someone on Twitter asked Fergusson, "Is this going to be a horror game now?? " Fergusson stressed that, no, this will not be the case. "No--we're not survival horror. We just wanted a darker tone. We're still an action game," he explained. Developer The Coalition is thus attempting to bring Gears 4 back to its roots by evoking, in his words, "that sense of mystery, things going bump in the night. "

2016-03-16 23:59 GameSpot Staff www.gamespot.com

34 Nike brings 'Back to the Future' power shoelaces to the masses Nike introduced the technology Wednesday by saying it has manifested the "unimaginable. " Except it has been imagined. We saw a preview back in 1989 when Marty McFly donned a pair of Air Mags with power laces. And we've wanted them to be real ever since. Nike designer Tinker Hatfield sees HyperAdapt as the perfect solution to adjusting the fit of shoes during athletic competitions where laces can loosen or shoes may feel too tight as feet swell. "It challenges traditional understanding of fit, proposing an ultimate solution to individual idiosyncrasies in lacing and tension preference," Nike says.

2016-03-16 23:59 Amanda Kooser www.cnet.com

35 Newegg Daily Deals: Yamakasi 28-Inch 4K Ultra HD Monitor, Intel Core i3-6100, and More! Top Deal: Thinking about making the jump to 4K Ultra HD? We don't blame you, the added screen real estate can be a real boon, and if you have the graphics hardware, gaming on 4K is pretty awesome, too. The caveat is price, of course, though if you're looking to upgrade to a 4K panel for not a lot of coin, then check out today's top deal for a Yamakasi M280PU Real 4K UHD 28- inch LED 3840x2160 60Hz 10Bit DP HDMI PC Computer Monitor for $279 with free shipping (normally $320). This is a large size display with a 10-bit panel and PIP and PBP support. Other Deals: LIVA X 2GB/32GB Mini PC for $115 with free shipping (normally $210; additional $40 Mail-in rebate) Intel Core i3-6100 3M 3.7 GHz LGA 1151 Desktop Processor for $120 with free shipping (normally $130 - use coupon code: [ EMCEHFJ24 ]) Samsung 850 EVO 2.5-inch 500GB SATA III 3-D Vertical Internal Solid State Drive for $120 with free shipping (normally $150 - use coupon code: [ ESCEHFJ59 ]) Corsair HXi HX1000i CP-9020074-NA 1000W Power Supply for $170 with free shipping (normally $230; additional $30 Mail-in rebate)

2016-03-16 20:45 Maximum PC www.maximumpc.com

36 Mobile productivity and working add AU$43b to Australian economy Australian Minister for Communications Mitch Fifield has launched a Deloitte research report commissioned by the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association (AMTA) showing that mobile technology has impacted the country's workforce and productivity to the tune of AU$43 billion. "Cumulatively, this report estimates that the economy is AU$42.9 billion larger in 2015 than it would otherwise be, because of the productivity and participation benefits arising from mobile," the report says. "This represents 2.6 percent of GDP. " This increase in the Australian economy created the equivalent of 65,000 full-time jobs, or 1 percent of total employment, Deloitte said. "Mobile is building both capital and labour productivity in Australia. M2M technologies and m- commerce allow for more productive use of capital. Productivity apps and the ability to communicate on the go have created a more productive workforce," the Deloitte report says. "Mobile can also facilitate participation in the labour force. It enables people to work remotely, or meet their personal commitments while at work. " In producing the report, Deloitte surveyed over 1,000 Australians on their usage of mobile devices for work; conducted an econometric analysis to determine the rate of mobile penetration across 27 OECD nations; quantified the economic impacts of mobile usage in the workforce using dynamic computable general equilibrium modelling; and consulted with Able Australia, Per Capita Longevity Forum, Workible, and Jigsaw to gain further insight. "Mobile allows employees to make more productive use of time, work more efficiently with productivity-enhancing tools such as mobile apps, and also allows more people to work, facilitates working more paid hours, and allows people to stay engaged and connected, thereby improving participation in the workforce," Deloitte Access Economics partner Ric Simes explained. "Reducing barriers to employment can open up a new set of opportunities for people in these groups, and the flexibility offered by mobile is a real enabler here. " In addition to existing mobile technologies, the report also pointed towards the burgeoning usage of the Internet of Things (IoT) as a value adder, including for emerging technology such as drones, mobile wallets, and autonomous cars. "It is estimated that globally around 5 billion mobile devices are in use, and with the rise of the IoT this is anticipated to grow to 6.4 billion in 2016 and 20.8 billion by 2020. Australia must ready itself for the opportunities this will deliver," AMTA chair Matthew Lobb said. "It is clear that mobile will continue shaping the way Australians communicate, work, and interact. Harnessing the potential of new and existing technologies will be important for securing Australia's economic growth and living standards in the future. " The report also said the arrival of 5G in 2020 would lead to a jump in mobile technology, as well as allowing for better connectivity. "The next wave of mobile developments in fifth generation mobile networks (5G) is positioned to address the evolving demands and business contexts of 2020 and beyond. It will allow a fully mobile and connected society where new possibilities such as autonomous driving and harnessing the full potential of connectivity through the IoT will be made a reality," the report said. "5G will also bring significant benefits in speed, reliability and lower latency compared to previous generations of mobile technologies. These new 5G mobile technologies are anticipated to deliver significant economic benefits by lifting the level of productivity in the economy compared to previous mobile phone generations. Also, opportunities originating from the growth and creation of innovative industries and job markets will contribute to and support future growth. " In a similar vein, an Australian House of Representatives committee inquiry recommended on Tuesday that a Smart Infrastructure Task Force be formed to coordinate, plan, develop, maintain, and optimise infrastructure and national policy on IT. Making use of new technologies and systems could boost the nation's economy; enable smart cities; enhance communications, public transport, energy, health, and water; increase productivity; improve quality of life; and better predict the effects of natural disasters, the House of Representatives committee said. One of the primary impediments to the adoption of IoT and the future usage of mobile data is the allocation and availability of spectrum for mobile broadband, the Deloitte report added. In order to deal with this, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) last month released its strategy for allocating and refarming mobile broadband spectrum , identifying a more flexible and "holistic" approach for allocating spectrum for mobile broadband rather than the previous strictly quantitative process. While the ACMA found Australia has adequate spectrum for mobile broadband services for the short- and medium-term future, it is "very likely" that additional spectrum will be required in the long term. The ACMA also recently told ZDNet that it is looking towards facilitating the spectrum needs associated with M2M technology and the IoT. In December, it released a set of proposed changes to spectrum regulations aimed at providing easier access to spectrum for IoT , with the ACMA looking at adding new frequency bands for in-ground ultra-wide bandwidth transmitters used in automated parking management systems; radio-determination transmitters used as industrial sensors; and analysis devices used for detecting objects in walls, ceilings, and floors. The ACMA's head of Operations, Services and Technologies, Mark Loney, speaking at the RadComms event in Sydney last week, argued in favour of a default spectrum band for all IoT devices across the globe -- or, alternatively, sensors that can identify which country a device is operating in. Fifield last week also announced the publication of the federal government's consultation paper concerning the overhaul of the legislation, licensing, and pricing of spectrum , saying the old legislation was so outdated as to be rendered "redundant".

2016-03-16 20:45 Corinne Reichert www.zdnet.com

37 Researchers discover how to 3D print ear, nose and knee cartilage Got arthritis or a sports injury causing joint issues? Doctors may one day be able to 3D-print your problems away. A team of researchers from Wallenberg Wood Science Center in Sweden have successfully 3D- printed cartilage tissue by developing an ink containing human cells. "Three-dimensional bio-printing is a disruptive technology and is expected to revolutionize tissue engineering and regenerative medicine," says Paul Gatenholm, who led the research. It could be used to one day produce 3D-printed implants to help repair injured cartilage, which can be found in the ears, nose, knees and other joints – and it doesn't grow back once damaged. "We work with the ear and the nose, which are parts of the body that surgeons today have a hard time repairing," Gatenholm explains. "But hopefully, they'll one day be able to fix them with a 3D printer and a bio-ink made out of a patient's own cells. " The team explains that, previously, printed materials with human cells would collapse, and to they first had to develop an ink containing living human cells that would be able to keep its shape after printing. In order to create an ink that could hold its shape after bring printed, the researchers mixed used human chondrocytes in, which are cells that build up cartilage. Once 3D printed, the ink was not only able to hold its shape, but the printed cells were also able to produce cartilage in a laboratory dish. However, while the team has successfully 3D-printed tissue samples and implanted them into mice, where it has survived and produced cartilage, Gatenholm says further pre-clinical work will need to be done before moving on to human trials. The research is being presented to the American Chemical Society in San Diego this week. Article continues below

2016-03-16 20:43 By Farrha www.techradar.com

38 Nixon's Mission is the most rugged and waterproof Android Wear smartwatch yet Nixon has introduced the Mission, the most ruggedized and waterproof Android Wear - powered smartwatch yet, and it’s coming in October of this year. Out of the many Android Wear smartwatches to release in the past few years, none have been built tough enough to handle prolonged exposure to water and take a beating without showing it. The Moto 360 Sport might have come closest with a rubbery build and IP67 durability, but it can’t hold a candle to the Nixon Mission’s incredible 10-ATM rating. This smartwatch can survive underwater up to 100M deep. All of the qualities that I just listed should have perked your ears up, but we’re not done yet: the Mission will be among the first smartwatches to be equipped with the new Snapdragon Wear 2100 system-on-chip (SoC). This is a big stepping-stone moment for Android Wear which, while incredibly solid as a wrist- based operating system, has been plagued across its many smartwatches by crippling battery issues. The new chipset improves over the commonly used (and rather antiquated at this point) Snapdragon 400 both in terms of size reduction and performance boosts. The processor will be 30% smaller and is said to consume 25% less power than its predecessor. The new chipset is sure to bring along some thinner and, potentially, more powerful smartwatches in the near future. But with the Mission, while it’s by no means thin, we’re already seeing the advantages, namely, the hardware taking up less room to enable super durable casing. Aside from being tough enough to endure an adventurous life with you, and likely long-lasting, too, thanks to the Snapdragon Wear 2100 SoC, the Mission will put a few other unique tricks up your sleeve. You’ll have normal access to the wealth of Android Wear apps available on Google Play, but the Nixon Mission comes pre-loaded with its own app, powered by Surfline and Snocountry. These deliver a custom look at your activity, as well as the weather and conditions based on your sport of choice. It comes together looking like a richly-detailed interactive watchface. Before you know it, it will be October and we’ll have dove 100 meters into the depths of the Atlantic Ocean, as due diligence for our full review of the Nixon Mission. This Android Wear device proves that this space is one to watch in 2016. Article continues below

2016-03-16 20:14 By Cameron www.techradar.com

39 Ford goes camera crazy, adds 7 to new F-series Super Duty truck Ford has loaded up its new F-series Super Duty with up to seven cameras to aid in towing capabilities and reducing blind spots. The truck's new 360-degree camera system employs four senors mounted on all sides with an additional unit integrated into the lane departure warning system. A camera mounted by the high- mount center brake light provides visibility to the truck bed and aid hitching up a fifth wheel or gooseneck trailer. So that's six cameras on the truck itself. The magical seventh camera can be installed at the owner's preference. Whether it's on the back of a trailer or inside a trailer, it needs to be hard- wired though. Ford claims a wired connection provides better image quality and dependability, and I agree, from my experience with wireless backup cameras. The seven video feeds all come together on the F-series Super Duty infotainment system display, sorry Xzibit, there aren't seven screens. While the cameras aids towing use, it's what Ford does with the images that make the Trailer Reverse Guidance system amazing. The cameras come together to monitor trailer movement and coaches you to backup more efficiently and avoid jackknifing situations, in real-time. There's an icon that shows a rendered position of the trailer, too. I can't say I've had much experience towing trailers as I've only done it twice before backup cameras were standard on most cars. I remember it was a pain and required having someone stand outside as a spotter. But, my experience was with a Nissan Xterra and Jeep Cherokee towing small trailers. I rode as a passenger in a Chevy Silverado 3500HD towing a large flatbed car trailer with my dad a few weeks ago. Watching him back that behemoth up with a trailer was a tedious process in a tight residential road. I can imagine having a complete view of my surroundings is much more efficient than me yelling "STOP! " Article continues below

2016-03-16 19:45 By Tuan www.techradar.com

40 Tesla tease: Here's a peek at $35,000 Model 3's design Tesla Model 3 unveiling March 31 Tesla has confirmed it will unveil its next all- electric vehicle later this month. We have compiled all the rumors and snippets of information from Tesla's not-so-secretive CEO. The tweet was accompanied by a teaser image showing how the Model 3 stacks up against the high-end Model S sedan and Model X SUV -- all- electric, high-performance vehicles with plenty of technology on board. While it doesn't reveal the specific design of the vehicle, it does show it will be a tad smaller than the Model S, while having the roundness of the Model X. Tesla says it won't be a dummy car at the unveiling -- members of the press will get to drive the Model 3. Past its $35,000 price tag and hints from CEO Elon Musk, not much is known about the specific design of the mass-market, all-electric vehicle. It's said to go on sale in late-2017, as long as Tesla doesn't hit any major production roadblocks as it has in the past. Ahead of the Model 3 launch, which is said to have a battery range of at least 200 miles, Tesla invited financial analysts to tour the factory in which the sedan will be made. In a Bloomberg report published earlier this week, many analysts praised the factory. "There was an energy and buzz within the facility that is hard to imagine as an outsider," James Albertine, an analyst at Stifel, said.

2016-03-16 19:05 Jake Smith www.zdnet.com

41 10 best Android tablets of 2016: which should you buy? Android tablets come in all shapes and sizes, as well as many different price points. Looking at the market as a whole, it's hard to know where to start looking for the tablet that's right for you. Thankfully, we've sorted through them all and have come up with the 10 best Android tablets that you need to know about. Each of these entries is strong in its own right, but our list is ranked according to a combination of performance for your dollar, design, features and build quality, as well as overall value. We'll be updating this list frequently as more tough Android-powered tablet competitors launch. If you're mind is set on smartphones, check out our list of the best Android phones. The best Android tablet around See more Google Pixel C deals Google's first foray into crafting its very own tablets started couldn't have gone much better. The Pixel C is the best Android tablet out there, and for a few reasons. Its design borrows from the gorgeous Chromebook Pixel and builds upon it, with versatility to allow easy switching between a standalone tablet or a laptop. Android power users will also appreciate that it runs stock OS and thus, like Nexus products, the Pixel C will be among the first devices in line to receive the update to Android 7.0 "N". The Pixel C certainly isn't cheap, but you won't find another Android tablet packed with as much power, style, and the latest software updates for years to come. This ultra-light Android tablet is the iPad's greatest challenger See more Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 deals Samsung is firing straight at the iPad's greatest weakness with the Galaxy Tab S2: storage capacity. The latest from the popular smartphone and tablet maker offers 32GB of internal storage as the standard out of the box, with support for up to 128GB via the microSD slot. It also stands out amongst the larger tablet competition with a stellar 2,048 x 1,536 Super AMOLED display and Samsung's own zippy Exynos 7 5433 octa-core chipset, which consists of a 1.9GHz quad-core processor working in tandem with a 1.3GHz quad-core processor. Google and HTC's team up yields one strong Nexus tablet See more Nexus 9 deals Stock Android makes another appearance on our list, this time in the Nexus 9. Following the much-adored Nexus 7, Google and HTC teamed up again to make a powerful, sleek 8.9-inch tablet. One could say that despite its larger size, it's a worthy successor in spirit to the Nexus 7. The Nexus 9, too, does away with hardware capacitive buttons and features a centered front-facing camera. The matte-textured backs adds to the mix, which comes together as a tablet that looks sophisticated, and performs admirably under pressure. All the best of Sony's smartphones, packed into one gorgeous tablet See more Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet deals When it comes to making improvements to hardware, the Xperia Z4 Tablet makes clear that Sony has been listening closely. Our time with the Xperia Z2 Tablet was met with a few complaints, such as a low-res screen and fragile port flaps. Thankfully, the Xperia Z4 Tablet fixes and adds onto the formula. The Xperia Z4 Tablet sticks out against the competition on this list as the only waterproof option, but you'll also be getting a tablet that puts performance, looks and functionality on an equal plane. This computer component manufacturer makes a killer Android tablet See more Nvidia Shield Tablet K1 deals If Nvidia's Android tablet doesn't look like much to get excited about, you've been fooled. The slick chassis found in the last iteration of the Nvidia Shield Tablet is unchanged here, but the K1 features a big internal upgrade: the Tegra K1 chipset, which supports many of the graphical features commonplace in desktop GeForce graphics card, including tessellation, HDR lighting, global illumination, subsurface scattering, and more. Its DNA might be coded best for gaming, but the Shield Tablet K1 is a perfectly suitable tablet for any use case. It's compact enough to hold safely with one hand and makes for a good e-book or e-comic book companion. The world's thinnest tablet is in the Android family See more Dell Venue 8 7000 deals Dell's Venue 8 7000 is the "world's thinnest" tablet, and that feat is all the more impressive because of how much stuff is fit into it. It's one of the world's best Android tablets in terms of its high resolution 2,560 x 1,600 screen, its lightweight build of just 306g, and the front-firing speakers. Compared to any iPad, this Dell tablet takes the cake as being lighter and thinner. It also includes a few goodies you won't find on Apple's side of the fence, such as a microSD slot and incredibly small bezels, much like the ones you'll find on the Dell XPS 13. Samsung's last-gen tablet has a better screen than its latest See more Samsung Galaxy Tab S deals There's no shame in buying last-gen tech products. The best-case scenario sees you saving a bunch of cash, while still having access to fairly modern specifications. And with the Galaxy Tab S, that's exactly what you'll get, plus some. The Galaxy Tab S2 is the latest and greatest in Samsung's line of tablets. But funnily enough, the Tab S has the better screen, a Super AMOLED display pushing 2560 x 1600 versus the Tab S2's 2048 x 1536. A minor, but noteworthy difference between the two. Case in point: last-gen doesn't always mean outdated. Sony's waterproof wonder is now more compact See more Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact deals Sony's Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact offers a handful of exclusive features that might tempt you into upgrading from your phone. Starting with the build, this 8.0-inch tablet is thin and light enough to carry in one hand. And, unlike most tablets, it can stand exposure to water from every angle. Additionally, the Z3 Tablet Compact features Remote Play, so you can play PS4 games remotely from your tablet. It's also worth mentioning that this tablet features a vivid display running at 1,920 x 1,200 and a microSD card slot for expandable storage. This tablet brings the heat for a low price See more Amazon Fire HD 6 deals If you are an Amazon Prime subscriber, purchasing an Amazon Fire tablet is a check that almost writes itself. In the company's latest batch of tablet releases, the HD 6 sticks out as the winner. This tablet is small, boasts a sharp screen to make watching HD content enjoyable, and best of all, it's cheap as all get out, running at just $100. If you have an Amazon Prime account, you'll be well-served by this tiny, but surprisingly mighty tablet. A tablet that balances novelty and performance well See more Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro deals Most tablets are very similar to one another, but not the Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro. It sits in its own sub-category of Android tablets that try and succeed at being weird, yet awesome. This tablet has all of the usual amenities that one desires in a 2016 tablet, such as 2,560 x 1600 display and a huge 10,200mAh battery. But this tablet also houses a hidden projector that can splash the screen onto a wall for night-time viewing. Cool, right? It's novel, but actually useful. Article continues below

2016-03-16 19:00 By Cameron www.techradar.com

42 GDC 2016: uSens Blends AR and VR to Create a 'Super Reality' Platform [VIDEO] You might remember a Kickstarter project for a mixed reality headset by a company called uSens. What it does is blend virtual reality and virtual reality, hence the mixed reality nomenclature, though Mark from uSens prefers to call it super reality. Terminology aside, we had a chance to sit down with Mark at GDC to talk about the company's technology. The first thing to note is that uSens isn't really targeting the hardware market. It's going after developers with a mixed reality / super reality platform for them to build their own applications. The headset, called Impression Pi, is sort of a proof-of-concept device to showcase the technology, and also to fulfill the company's Kickstarter obligation. Similar to Samsung's GearVR and Google's Cardboard HMDs, the uSens headset uses your smartphone to provide visuals. What's different about the Impression Pi is that it has cameras on the front, including infrared cameras to track your skeleton (such as hand movements) and RGB cameras to provide positional tracking (depth cameras, in other words). In one demo that we experienced, there was a statue sitting on a table. When we put the Impression Pi on, it transformed the statue into a different one that was sort of like a cartoon. This is a mild example of the sort of things that are possible when combining AR and VR. Find out more in the full interview: Follow Paul on Google+ , Twitter , and Facebook

2016-03-16 18:59 Paul Lilly www.maximumpc.com

43 M-commerce sees growth in Brazil The number of people buying products and services via their phones in Brazil has gone up by 47 percent in 2015, according to research. According to statistics compiled by consulting firm E-bit, m-commerce accounted for 14,3 percent of all online trading in the country last year. This is a significant increase on 2014 numbers, when 9,7 percent of all online purchases were carried out via mobile phones. The research also suggests that the channel has been used by 22 percent of the consumers that used the online channel for the first time. However, some 88 percent of e-commerce consumers still prefer to use desktop computers to buy goods and services, but use mobile phones to carry out price research and comparisons beforehand. E-commerce in Brazil generated R$41.3bn ($10.9bn) in sales in 2015, a 15,3 percent increase on 2014 numbers, according to the study. Separate research from E-bit predicts that the local e-commerce segment will see the lowest growth rates of the last 15 years in 2016 as consumers cut down on spending due to the current recession.

2016-03-16 18:38 Angelica Mari www.zdnet.com

44 GDC 2016: Survios Studios Details Cooperative VR Shooter Raw Data [VIDEO] Much of the attention being paid to virtual reality games and demos up to this point has focused on single user experiences. There's nothing wrong with that—we've seen some fantastic uses of VR—but what about the multiplayer aspect that's become so popular in gaming today? Survious Studios addresses that in Raw Data. a VR shooter that optionally pairs you up with a buddy. Built from the ground up for the HTC Vive, Raw Data tasks you with destroying waves of androids intent on your demise. There are lots of different ways to do that in this co-op first person shooter (you can also play it in single-player), such as hand-to-hand combat, swinging swords, firing guns, throwing grenades, using a bow and arrow, and more. One of the neat things about Raw Data is that it blends canned animation with actual motion tracking. For example, you can twirl a gun around on your finger and into your hand like you've seen in countless different action movies. Even though you might not be able to pull off that trick in real life, a simple motion in Raw Data activates the canned animation by your character's avatar, which in turn can make you "feel more badass. " Our own Jimmy Thang had an opportunity to try out Raw Data. He was paired with a teammate in another room, though the immersive experience works so well that he felt like he was in the same room. At one point, he even felt crowded by his teammate. That's a testament to how well the technology works in this case. Check out the full interview: Follow Paul on Google+ , Twitter , and Facebook

2016-03-16 18:24 Paul Lilly www.maximumpc.com

45 Twitter releases Windows 10 Mobile app Microsoft announced on Wednesday the release of Twitter's Windows 10 Mobile app. It now works across the entire Windows 10 platform and could be seen as a boost for the struggling Windows Phone platform. Microsoft CEO Nadella: Windows 10 is an IoT play too Windows 10 is a key part of Microsoft's plan to be more of an Internet of things player. The catch is that few people see Microsoft putting the pieces together. "In Twitter for Windows 10 Mobile, we've added features that make content discovery, as well as both public and private sharing, more seamless than ever," Twitter wrote . The app, built on Universal Windows Platform (UWP) to work across multiple screen sizes, features 140-character tweeting, Twitter Moments, group Direct Messages, Twitter video, and quote tweeting. After being heavily requested by desktop and tablet users, a dark-theme is available from the old Twitter for Windows phone app. "When bringing the app to mobile phones we carefully considered each section of Twitter and how the user interaction translates from desktops and tablet," Microsoft wrote on its blog. "We found that 90% of the UI and interaction models could be shared from these devices to mobile phones, but there were places where we decided to make adjustments to optimize for each. " The updated Twitter app for Windows 10 is available to download for free from the Windows Store.

2016-03-16 18:20 Jake Smith www.zdnet.com

46 Microsoft wants to make a tournament out of every Xbox One game Microsoft is diving headlong into the competitive gaming world, announcing a new Xbox Live Tournament Platform. The Redmond company announced the new platform has been built as a new part of the Universal Windows Platform SDK. It short, the platform will allow developers to easily set up tournaments on the Xbox One , and hopefully in the future, Window 10 PCs. Furthermore, Microsoft announced it is working with tournament large organizers including the ESL and FaceIt. The end result for Xbox One gamers at home is they will have more multiplayer experiences for those who want to play competitively. In an interview with techradar, Chad Gibson, Group Program Manager, Xbox Live also suggested tournament play could even be potentially extended to single player games. Solo experience could also become heated competitions in a race to get the best score a la the old leaderboards seen on Xbox 360 games like Geometry Wars. "We don't think it's just limited to multiplayer games or any game where there's any form of competition or score comparison," Gibson said. Gibson hopes that every game with competitive multiplayer will have tournament support eventually. Ultimately, though, the platform is completely voluntary and developers can decide whether to adopt it. Microsoft was not ready to divulge which developers and games have adopted its new tournament platform, but it claims to be working with key companies in the industry. So, it might be some time before we see Microsoft-powered tournaments come into play on the Xbox One. Article continues below

2016-03-16 18:14 By Kevin www.techradar.com

47 This is Microsoft's plan to unify Windows 10 PCs and Xbox One Universal Windows Apps are officially headed to the Xbox One this Summer. At Microsoft's GDC 2016 conference, the Xbox team talked up Windows 10 and how it plans to utilize the added versatility of the platform on a home console. It all circles around the Universal Windows Platform (UWP,) which has gathered quite a lot of heat from developers and gamers as of late. By breaking down barriers between PC and Xbox, then unifying the development process of games and apps across all Windows 10 devices, the idea is that developers will have an easier time giving their products exposure on the Windows Store. An Xbox spokesperson stated that the first wave of UWP titles have launched (Rise of the Tomb Raider, and Gears of War: Ultimate Edition) already, and that the second wave is coming soon, with Quantum Break and Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition leading the charge. We first heard about Universal Windows Apps nearly two years ago at Build 2014, with hints that the Xbox One would receive more than just games from the UWP. Desktop-grade applications were mentioned, too, like Microsoft's own suite of productivity tools, Office, and more. Now that it seems like the UWP is taking shape, we should start seeing the apps roll in this Summer. Microsoft also announced that it plans to unify the Xbox and Windows Store into one portal for all things games, apps, and more. The migration is said to happen sometime this year and will offer the features that gamers and developers expect out of the established Xbox store, except that it will be available on any Windows 10 PC, too. On the surface, this seems to be an attempt at giving the Windows Store a hearty boost of things to buy and download, but it makes sense since all Windows 10 devices will operate on the UWP platform. As far as what new features this could bring for gamers and developers alike, there are a few. If the Windows Store operates in parity across all Windows 10 devices, then it's probably (or at least, should be) high up on Microsoft's to-do list to make as many games – and their respective DLC – available on both platforms as possible. I realize that I'm suggesting complete cross-compatibility. That is what I want, and I'm probably not alone in wanting that. If Microsoft is going through the hefty task of unifying two very different platforms, it might as well go all the way and translate all previous content into the UWP. After all, Microsoft could use a killer announcement at E3 2016 to combat the hype surrounding the PlayStation VR . Article continues below

2016-03-16 18:09 By Cameron www.techradar.com

48 MSI Vortex puts two GTX 980s in one cylindrical case MSI has released the Vortex , a gaming tower that packs quite the punch. In fact, tower may not be the right word to describe this beast, as its cylindrical form measures just 10.5" tall and contains just 6.5L of interior space. Despite those constraints, MSI has managed to squeeze in hardware as powerful as two GeForce GTX 980s and an unlocked Intel Core i7-6700K processor. The Vortex gets its name from its cooling system. A single top-mounted fan creates a vortex by drawing in cool air from the bottom of the case, and expelling it out three large vents on top. MSI says this solution is capable of adequate cooling and relatively low noise compared to most desktops. At idle, MSI says the Vortex emits under 22 dB of noise. At full load, that number rises to about 37 dB. The Vortex comes in two configurations. The more powerful SLI-002 gets the aforementioned dual GTX 980s in SLI along with 32GB of DDR4 2133 MT/s RAM. The SLI-011 gets two GTX 960s in SLI and 16GB of RAM. Both PCs get the i7-6700K treatment. Dual 128GB NVMe SSDs in RAID 0 and a 1TB SATA hard drive handle storage duties. To power the rig, MSI includes a 450W PSU that's 80 Plus Gold certified. A number of color-adjustable LEDs adorn the Cylon-meets-Mac Pro exterior. The rear I/O complement is substantial for a case this size. The fun starts with four USB 3.0 ports, and two Thunderbolt 3 ports offer up to 40Gbps of bandwidth. Monitors can be hooked up to two HDMI 1.4 ports and two Mini DisplayPort 1.2 outputs. Network connectivity is provided by dual Killer Gaming Network E2400 NICs, along with Killer's Wireless-AC 1535 card. This much power in such little space doesn't come cheap. The SLI-002 carries a suggested price of $3,999, while MSI asks $2,199 for the SLI-011. Both models are available now.

2016-03-16 18:09 by Morgan techreport.com

49 FCC expected to approve Charter-Time Warner merger, with conditions The Federal Communications Commission is working on a draft order that will approve Charter Communications $55 billion deal to buy Time Warner Cable, according to the Wall Street Journal. The draft, which the publication says will be circulated by chairman Tom Wheeler to commissioners as soon as this week, will have a number of conditions to boost online video competition. Wheeler reportedly wants to due away with Charter's agreements with content companies that prohibit them from offering their shows and movies to online streaming competitors. The deal was announced in mid-2015, after Comcast failed to buy Time Warner Cable after being denied by the FCC. It will form a parent company called "New Charter" to become the nation's second-largest cable provider. "We're a very different company than Comcast and this is a very different transaction," Charter CEO Thomas Rutledge said in May. It's expected the draft order will require Charter to upgrade broadband speeds in homes across the US, as Wheeler is putting streaming first. California is up next in the regulatory approval process and a decision is expected in May.

2016-03-16 17:55 Jake Smith www.zdnet.com

50 GDC 2016: VirZoom's Motion Controller Brings Exercise to VR [VIDEO] The highlight of virtual reality is tricking your brain that you're actually in a virtual world. This is achieved through headgear that blasts your eyeballs with fantastic visuals and head tracking technology, though VirZoom takes it a step further with an interesting motion controller. It's essentially a fancy stationary bike. The obvious application for such a thing would be a biking simulation that would have you have riding a bike through exotic locales, though interestingly that's something that doesn't exist yet. Instead, VirZoom has focused on demos showing off its controller's capabilities by having gamers power a horse a in race, man a tank in battle, and take the form of a fire-breathing dragon flying through mountains. VirZoom came up with the idea for a stationary bike as a solution to some of the problems inherent with motion in VR. "When VR came out, we immediately saw a locomotion problem and the fact that if you move through these worlds without a physically intuitive way to do it and you violate a lot of the head motion problems, people don't feel good," Eric from VirZoom explained to Maximum PC. As a bonus, games that use the stationary bike can provide physical exercise in a fun way. "So instead of feeling bad about spending an hour playing a game, you can feel good about it," Eric added. Check out the full interview here: Follow Paul on Google+ , Twitter , and Facebook

2016-03-16 17:53 Paul Lilly www.maximumpc.com

51 You can now pre-order Samsung's slick Windows 10- powered TabPro S Samsung has announced that its new premium 2- in-1, the Galaxy TabPro S, is now up for pre- order with the device going on sale tomorrow. The TabPro S gives Android the elbow, instead going with Windows 10 as its operating system, and it offers a tasty 12-inch Super AMOLED screen with a resolution of 2160 x 1440. Other key specs include an Intel Core M dual- core CPU running at 2.2GHz, backed up with 4GB of RAM. Samsung notes that there's been plenty of interest in the device since it was first revealed at CES earlier this year, which isn't surprising given the choice of OS for a Galaxy slate, and also some nifty features. These include fast charging which allows the TabPro S to be fully charged in 2.5 hours, with the battery giving the device a claimed longevity of 10.5 hours on the go. It's also a very thin and light piece of hardware at 6.3mm thick, weighing 693 grams. The detachable keyboard clips on easily and offers a touchpad, but as we observed in our hands-on with the TabPro S , it's rather too small and the keyboard is a somewhat finicky and unreliable beast. Nonetheless, despite the weaknesses of the keyboard cover, this is a very nifty-looking device with an undeniably gorgeous screen, and you also get optional LTE support when it comes to getting online when out and about. As you'd hope, it's also possible to sync this hybrid with your Galaxy phone via Bluetooth, and then pull off tricks like using the handset as authentication for the TabPro S. The price for the TabPro S is pitched at £849 (around $1200, or AU$1600) for the Wi-Fi model with 128GB of storage. That's the same price as the Surface Pro 4 with an Intel Core i5 CPU and identical RAM and storage (4GB/128GB). Article continues below 2016-03-16 17:45 By Darren www.techradar.com

52 iPhone 7 Plus UK release date, specs & features rumours: Apple's next iPhone could feature dual-cameras and wireless charging The iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus are only five months old, but rumours are already flooding in about Apple's next iPhones, presumably called the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. We're expecting big things from the new phones including the possibility of dual-cameras and wireless charging. But while it's now been confirmed that Apple is holding an iPhone event on 21 March, we predict the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus will arrive in September of 2016. Read on to find out all of the latest iPhone 7 Plus rumours, including iPhone 7 Plus UK release date speculation and potential new features. (If you do want to keep tabs on what Apple will launch during its March 21 event, head over to one of our iPhone 5se , iPad Air 3 or Apple Watch 2 articles where we not only round up the rumours on those new devices, but tell you how to watch Apple's March event and, on the day, run a live blog with commentary of product launches as they happen.) You might also like: Best smartphones 2016 and Best new phones you should be excited about The iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus were unveiled on 9 September 2015 and were released shortly after, and prior to that the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus also launched on 9 September in 2014, so it's quite possible that the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus will launch on 9 September 2016. The only flaw in that theory is that the 9 September will fall on a Friday in 2016, and Apple tends to host its events on Tuesdays or Wednesdays, so a more likely suggestion would be 6 September or 13 September. We're expecting Apple to keep the pricing for its iPhones the same when it launches new models next year. For the past two iPhone releases, Apple has kept pricing the same, which would mean the iPhone 7 Plus will be priced at £619 for the 16GB model, £699 for the 64GB model and £789 for the 128GB model. There's also rumours that the iPhone 7 Plus might feature a 256GB SanDisk NAND flash chip, which might mean we could be getting more storage for less; where the 16GB model might be scrapped and the base price of £619 might be for the 64GB variant. Apple's iPhone cycle tends to follow a 'tick' and 'tock' sort of model, with the tick being the main iPhone update such as the iPhone 6, which generally looks quite different from the previous model, and then the secondary iPhone update such as the iPhone 6s, which looks almost identical to the iPhone 6 but has some big spec changes. That's why we think the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus will look quite different from the current iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus design. We think it'll still come in Silver, Gold, Space Grey and Rose Gold colour options, but we might see some other changes when it comes to the overall look and feel of the phone. Apple could well decide to bump the screen size up from 5.5in on the iPhone 6s Plus to 5.7in on the iPhone 7 Plus, with the smaller model bumping up from 4.7in to 5in, but rather than increasing the overall size of the phone itself, we expect Apple will aim to increase the screen- to-body ratio. This could be achieved by an edge-to-edge screen, perhaps, something that's been rumoured to be in the works at Apple for a while now and Apple has actually patented. Apple called the technology "Sidewall displays" and describes how parts of the display would be on the side of the phone a lot like the Galaxy Note Edge, S6 Edge and S6 Edge Plus. The iPhone 7 Plus may also be thinner thanks to a new headphone jack that's rumoured to be coming with the next iPhone. According to Apple Insider, Apple has patented a new, slimmer headphone jack technology called D Jack, which has a diameter of just 2mm to allow the iPhone to be thinner overall. This could also allow the iPhone 7 Plus to feature a dual speaker design. The iPhone 7 Plus could be waterproof, too, as Apple has recently patented waterproofing technology that doesn't compromise design. Instead, it coats all of the important components inside the phone to make it waterproof without requiring outer armour. The iPhone 6s Plus saw the introduction of an impressive new 12Mp iSight camera, up from 8Mp in the previous model. We think that the 12Mp camera will remain in the iPhone 7 Plus, as it's already an impressive snapper for a smartphone. However, it has been rumoured that the iPhone 7 Plus will feature dual-cameras , based on tech acquired in 2015 from LinX Imaging. If true, we'll be able to expect improved noise reduction, indoor photos, low-light photos and 3D depth mapping. KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo told MacRumors he thinks both single- and dual-camera versions of the phone are in development, and that a 2-3x optical zoom function is likely to feature in the iPhone 7 Plus. Pictured below is an image render from Feld & Volk, a premium iPhone modification company. Where we really want Apple to improve the iPhone is in its screen resolution. At present, Apple's iPhone 6s Plus offers 401ppi, but with rivals such as Samsung and LG offering smartphones with Quad- and Ultra-HD screens with pixel densities well above 500ppi, Apple needs to up its game. We've already got the 3D Touch functionality in the iPhone 6s, which has opened up a whole new way of interacting with the iPhone, but it's possible that the display could become a Touch ID display too, which could sense your fingerprint and securely unlock the phone wherever you touch on a screen and therefore remove the need for the Home button. It's very likely that the processor will be improved, too, with a new A10 processor and M10 motion co-processor likely to make an appearance, and we could see a bump up from 2GB RAM to 3GB, although that seems less plausible as the iPhone 6 and earlier all had 1GB. There are some rumours stemming from Bloomberg that suggest the next iPhone will feature wireless charging, yet the truth is this is much more likely to come in 2017 with the iPhone 7s Plus. According to the site, " Apple is exploring cutting-edge technologies that would allow iPhones and iPads to be powered from further away than the charging mats used with current smartphones. " As for software, iOS 10 is expected, and this'll be shown off at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June 2016 and could give us some iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus clues. pcadvisor.co.uk 2016-03-16 17:45 Jim Martin www.pcadvisor.co.uk

53 GDC 2016: Tasty Beverage Studios Shows Off a Fast Paced VR Title [VIDEO] Our illustrious Online Managing Editor Jimmy Thang has been toiling away at the 2016 Game Developers Conference (that lucky dog) getting up and close and personal with several VR players. One of them is Ben from Tasty Beverage Studios (500 geeks points right off the bat for a cool name), who was demonstrating a fast-paced VR game called Bank Limit: Advanced Battle Racing. What is Bank Limit? Straight from the horse's mouth, it's a "futuristic magnet racer where combat is key. " Racing strategy also plays a big role in the title, which will be exclusive to VR. Ben confirmed to us that Bank Limit is inspired by F-Zero, Wipeout and similar titles, which seems evident at a glance. "Everything that went fast we checked out before making the game," Ben told us. The goal with Bank Limit was to make it the fastest game ever. Such a goal in VR risks making users suffer from motion sickness, but Tasty Beverage Studios was undeterred in its mission. It focused first on speed, then went back and took various measures to prevent gamers from upchucking their lunch, such as tweaking the art style and adjusting the size of various objects (Ben says a lot of research went into these sorts of things). Check out what else Ben had to say about Bank Limit: Follow Paul on Google+ , Twitter , and Facebook

2016-03-16 17:29 Paul Lilly www.maximumpc.com

54 How to watch the Apple Event March 2016 live: New iPhone 5SE and iPad Air 3 launch video stream and live blog There is an Apple Event scheduled for next week and the keynote for March 2016 will be the launch event for some new products. You'll want to follow the Apple Event live to see the iPhone 5SE , iPad Air 3 and maybe other things like new Apple Watch straps and even new MacBooks. Here's everything you need to know when it comes to how to watch the Apple Event March 2016. Apple has sent out invitations to its 21 March special event which starts, as usual, at 10am PDT. That means that if you want to keep up with the launch live in the UK the start time is 6pm. It will take place on the Apple campus in Cupertino. You can tune into the new iPhone 5SE event live at 6pm BST on 21 March 2016 by visiting www.apple.com/apple-events/march-2016. However, not everyone can just go and watch the live video stream freely because you need the right hardware and software. You'll need to be running the Safari browser on an Apple iPhone, iPad, iPod running iOS 7.0 or later, a Mac with OS X 10.8.5 or later, or a Windows 10 PC running the new Edge browser. For years we wrongly assumed Apple was snubbing Windows users, but no: the reason is that Edge supports HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) which Apple uses for launch events, yet Internet Explorer, Chrome and Firefox do not. Don't worry if you don't own any of those devices, because we'll be hosting a live blog of the Apple Event on this very page, and promise to keep you up to date with the announcements as they happen. We'll add it on 21 March ahead of the event. Although you might be hoping for the iPhone 7 , it's very unlikely that this is what Apple will announce during the keynote. There are some exciting products which seem far more possible, though. There are two products which we're filing under 'almost certain' and they are the iPhone 5SE to start with. A new 4in screen iPhone for all those out there who don't want a large display on a smartphone. The second is the iPad Air 3 which has been a long time coming following the iPad Pro. In fact, the tablet is being dubbed the 'iPad Pro mini' because it's rumoured to have a similar design including four speakers and the smart connector on the side. New Apple Watch straps also seem likely with new colours and versions of existing ones plus a possible new line. An Apple Watch 2 is not really on the cards. Last but not least are new MacBooks and although it' certainly unlikely to happen we're sure that we're not the only ones crossing our fingers for a Retina MacBook Air.

2016-03-16 16:59 Chris Martin www.pcadvisor.co.uk

55 Web snooping law moves ahead, despite warning about 'suspicion-less surveillance' The government says agencies such as GCHQ need more powers, and more data, to combat criminals online. The UK government's controversial web- surveillance legislation has passed its latest parliamentary hurdle, but faced some pointed criticism in the process. The Investigatory Powers Bill aims to update and consolidate many of the powers used by police, spies and other agencies to gather data online. The government insists the new law is needed to keep pace with the increasing use of the internet by criminals: critics warn that it intrudes too far into the private lives of too many. In particular, the legislation requires that internet companies retain a record of their customers' internet usage for 12 months, which can be accessed by a range of government bodies without the need for a warrant. In the second reading of the bill in Parliament, home secretary Theresa May said the legislation is required because terrorists and criminals are operating online with a reach and scale that never existed before. "They are exploiting the technological benefits of the modern age for their own twisted ends, and they will continue to do so for as long as it gives them a perceived advantage. We must ensure that those charged with keeping us safe are able to keep pace. " She acknowledged that interception of communications "is one of the most sensitive and intrusive capabilities available to law enforcement" but said it is also one of the most valuable, and over the past decade has played a part in every top-priority MI5 investigation. The bill passed its second reading by 281 votes to 15 with both Labour and the SNP abstaining, although the legislation will face much more scrutiny before it becomes law. "There is a genuine worry that providing for the accumulation of large amounts of personal data presents risks to people's privacy and online security. More specifically, there is a worry that investigatory powers can be abused and have been abused in the past. In recent years, there have been revelations about how bereaved families, justice campaigners, environmental campaigners, journalists and trade unionists have been subject to inappropriate police investigation. " He called for clearer privacy protection in the bill, and warned that it was much too easy for agencies to get access to an individual's browsing history. "Is it acceptable for this level of personal information to be accessed in connection with any crime -- antisocial behaviour or motoring offences, for instance? I do not believe it is, and I think a higher hurdle is needed," Burnham said. "People have legitimate fears that if [internet connection records] become the common currency in law enforcement, much more information will be circulating about them, with the potential for it to be misused. "Is it really necessary for the Food Standards Agency and the Gambling Commission to have powers to access an individual's internet connection record? " "The shadow Home Secretary questioned whether we should be using the term "mass surveillance" in relation to this bill, and I wonder whether it would be more accurate to say that aspects of the bill permit "suspicion-less surveillance", which leads to civil liberties concerns," she said. "The powers to retain internet connection records and the bulk powers go beyond what is currently authorised in other Western democracies and thus could set a dangerous precedent and a bad example internationally. " She noted that internet connection records list details such as websites visited, communications software used, system updates downloaded, desktop widgets, every mobile app used and logs of any other devices connected to the internet. "I am advised that that includes baby monitors, games consoles, digital cameras and e-book readers. That is fantastically intrusive. As has been said, many public authorities will have access to these internet connection records, including Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs, and the Department for Work and Pensions, and it will be access without a warrant. Do we really want to go that far? " she said.

2016-03-16 16:40 Steve Ranger www.zdnet.com

56 Terrorism destroyed this museum – but VR has brought it back to life The Mosul Museum was the second largest museum in Iraq until it was destroyed by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant fighters in February 2015. But even though the bricks-and-mortar building has been wrecked and its artefacts looted, the museum and its exhibits live on, recreated in a VR world – and you can now explore the museum from anywhere in the world with a VR headset. The museum was home to some of Iraq's most important cultural artefacts, and I was able to experience them all again through the world of VR, thanks to a collaboration between Project Mosul and The Economist, I was invited to tour a virtual version of the museum while at the Wearable Technology Show 2016 in London. I strapped on a Gear VR headset and Samsung Galaxy S6, and the tour began with my avatar walking up the steps to the museum door and entering the building. Everything has been stitched together by Project Mosul, which has used a variety of donated photos and other media to get the most accurate representation of how the museum looked before it was destroyed. 3D scanning has enabled the project to include accurate representations of rooms and exhibits. The experience wasn't photorealistic – sometimes it felt a little like I was in a museum recreated in Second Life, and I was expecting a higher-resolution experience. I also think the focus was on what the technology employed here can do, rather than the museum itself. The voiceover and video employed through the virtual exhibit explained how Project Mosul has created this 3D world. But all I really wanted to do was explore the museum at my own leisure, rather than be told how it was created. That said, this project offers the next best thing to what the terrorists destroyed last year, and this technology will enable us to create places we could never otherwise access. The technology is certainly limited right now, especially on a Gear VR – but imagine being able to put this project into HTC Vive, and get up close to museum exhibits and view them from every angle. A few weeks after seeing how Project Tango can change the existing museum experience, this experience is further evidence of what technology can achieve in this area. Article continues below

2016-03-16 16:35 By James www.techradar.com

57 Oculus and Valve detail VR launch titles The Oculus Rift and HTC Vive headsets are both nice pieces of hardware, but they're not very useful without software to go with them. Up until now, we've only seen random tidbits of info about VR titles and scattered demos. That changed today at GDC, where both Oculus and Valve published full lists of the games they expect to release along with their headsets. Let's kick off with Oculus first. The Rift list includes some titles that you've probably already heard about, like Elite: Dangerous and Project CARS. As previously reported, CCP Games is also building two games designed specifically with VR in mind : the space-dogfigthing game EVE Valkyrie and the on-rails shooter EVE Gunjack. Dreadhalls , with its procedurally-generated scary dungeons, should provide quite a few "get this thing off my face" moments. There are also a few less obvious choices, like Adventure Time or a VR-enabled version of Defense Grid 2 , which is one of my favorite games (go buy it). Overall, Oculus' roster is varied enough, but seems to have a bit of a bias for titles where you're sitting in a virtual cockpit—not a bad thing at all, mind. Gamers will be able to acquire these titles directly from the Oculus store. On the opposite corner of the ring, HTC and Valve have a more eclectic lineup. According to Fortune , Valve will be demoing 30 of its titles at the GDC show floor. In an interview with the site, Valve's Chet Faliszek says that 50 developers already have HTC Vive store pages up that "could begin selling content today. " Faliszek notes that Valve has no exclusive launch titles, something which the company thinks is good for the VR industry in general. Faliszek also believes that the games that will impress the most people on the show floor will be the RPG Vanishing Realms: Rite of Steel , #Selfie Tennis (yes, with the hashtag), and the horror shooter The Brookhaven Experiment. Valve seems to be betting big on providing free VR content to customers. Job Simulator , Fantastic Contraption , and The Lab (a game set in Portal 's universe), will be available free of charge. That may prove quite the boon to cash-strapped VR gamers, who will undoubtedly comforting their sobbing wallets after shelling out several hundreds of dollars for a headset.

2016-03-16 16:32 by Bruno techreport.com

58 Virgin Media admits defeat as it hangs up on SmartCall and Cloud services Virgin Media has announced it will be stopping its Cloud services and calling app, SmartCall, on April 28. Its SmartCall closure news page states the reason is simply down to competition, and more of its customers are choosing to use similar competitor products. Whilst on the WebSpace side, Virgin has partnered with GoDaddy to offer users an alternative to the soon-to-be-defunct service. In a statement given to techradar, Virgin Media said, "We are closing a range of Virgin Media Value Added Services from 28th April 2016. We apologise to customers who use these services and where possible have negotiated alternatives with globally recognised players in both the web and cloud spaces. " Article continues below

2016-03-16 16:31 By SJ www.techradar.com

59 Amazon and eBay must be responsible for dodgy dealers, says Osborne While you've been busy working out how your savings and shopping bills are going to be affected by today's Budget, executives at Amazon and eBay have been worrying about dodgy dealers using their online marketplaces to get around the UK's VAT rules. Specifically: sellers based outside Europe and holding stock in the UK but not registering a VAT number. It may not mean much to most casual eBayers but it makes it tough for genuine small sellers from this country (who do follow the rules) to compete on price. Now George Osborne has said Amazon and eBay will be liable for anyone on their sites who's breaking the rules - so the onus is on the companies to root out these types of traders, otherwise they might find themselves having to pay out all the VAT that's owed. "Sites like Ebay and Amazon have provided an incredible platform for many new small British startups to reach large numbers of customers," George said in the House of Commons today, as The Register reports. "But there's been a big rise in overseas suppliers storing goods in Britain and selling them online without paying VAT. " The government is going to give HMRC stronger powers to chase up overseas businesses who aren't playing by the rules. If Amazon and eBay don't do enough to help solve the problem, they might find themselves with a rather hefty bill to pay, although exactly how much of an effort HMRC will expect the online marketplaces to make remains to be seen. An eBay spokesman told The Register that the company already chases up those who flout the official guidelines. "We welcome rules that ensure a fair marketplace and will review the detail of the legislation," he said. "Even without such a law, we would not hesitate to suspend sellers found by HMRC to be evading VAT. " Article continues below

2016-03-16 16:21 By David www.techradar.com

60 EU court: Public WiFi providers are not responsible for the actions of their users IN A PRELIMINARY OPINION, a bunch of sage European legal bigwigs have decided that public WiFi hotspots are not responsible for the actions of the general public. Let's face it, who would want to be responsible for the actions of the general public? After all, they can get up to all sorts of very silly things, like ride hoverboards or agree with Katie Hopkins. The European Court of Justice came to this 'preliminary opinion' while ruminating on the long- running McFadden case, which ISP Review tells us is a thing that concerns the good burghers of Germany . EuroISPA kinda likes what it's hearing from the ECJ. It says that it is only right that a series of beams are not be held responsible every time a brain with some feet downloads a copy of the Life of Pablo, though not in those words precisely. "Today's Attorney General Opinion further strengthens the consensus that copyright enforcement measures must be balanced with fundamental rights. It says that restricting the availability of WiFi access would be a disadvantage for society as a whole, that cannot be justified by benefits to copyright holders," said Malcolm Hutty, chair of EuroISPA's intermediary liability committee. "I agree: the economic future of Europe depends on the widespread availability of Internet access, wherever you go, whenever you need it. " This is an opinion so it is probably about as binding as cheap superglue. But it's certainly a step in the right direction, according to Hutty and his crew. "[The] opinion rightly considers copyright as just one of the many fundamental rights of EU citizens, one that can only be enforced as part of a balanced approach that reflects the importance of competing rights," Hutty added. "In particular, the opinion strongly vindicates the right to privacy of communications, by precluding the providers of internet services from undertaking general surveillance of user activities on their network in search of copyright-infringing content. " µ

2016-03-16 16:20 Dave Neal www.theinquirer.net

61 Channel Madness Tournament 2016 Bracketology Edition Welcome to a special Bracketology edition of CRNTV. Voting for Round 1 opens Thursday, March 17. In the Infrastructure region, we have some new faces, with Cisco's Wendy Bahr, Nutanix's Chris Morgan and Hewlett Packard Enterprise's Kerry Bailey and Scott Dunsire competing in the tournament for the first time. This region also features Dell's Cheryl Cook and EMC's Gregg Ambulos, representing two companies that are in the process of merging. If both them advance far enough, we could see them face off against each other in the semifinal round. The hardware region also has a number of tournament rookies, with five of the eight executives competing for the first time, including Eaton's Curtiz Gangi, APC by Schneider Electric's Rob McKernan and Ruckus Wireless' Sandra Glaser Cheek. Two of those newbies, Lenovo's Sammy Kinlaw and HP Inc.'s Stephanie Dismore, will face each other in Round 1. Lenovo and HP are fierce rivals in the market so that's a battle we're eager to see play out in the voting. Moving now to the Cloud region, where second-place finisher Adam Famularo of Verizon is going to give it another shot. He faces off in Round 1 against tournament newcomer Jessica Couto of Carbonite, a hot company that's making waves in the cloud storage market. We also have another hot storage company, Datto, represented by Rob Rae in the tournament for the first time, going up against a tough competitor in Amazon Web Services' Terry Wise. In our final group, the Software category, all eyes will be on 2015 tournament champion Mike Valentine of Sophos, who's promising a tough fight to any and all comers. He faces off against Channel Madness newcomer Bill Swales of Oracle in Round 1. Valentine shares the field with several of Sophos' rivals, including Fortinet's Joe Sykora and Palo Alto Networks' Ron Myers. 2015 semifinalist Marc Dupaquier of IBM is also ready for a fight.

2016-03-16 16:15 Meghan Ottolini www.crn.com

62 Smile Communications Introduces Weekly Unlimited data bundle Looks like Smile Communications Uganda is fulling embracing “Unlimited data bundles.” The company has today introduced the Weekly SmileUnlimited data bundle. The data bundle comes at UGX 75,000 with speeds capped at 2MBps. It has a Fair Usage Policy (FUP) of 7GB after which the speeds drop to 512Kpbs. The Company last week launched its VoLTE service offering , which comes with an Android app and iOS app for those whose phones don’t support VoLTE, and their calls are charged off your data . If we are to compare Smile’s weekly Unlimited with Vodafone Uganda ‘s, Smile is slightly more expensive. Vodafone’s weekly unlimited comes at UGX 69,900 with speeds capped at 2MBps. FUP is at 8GB after which speeds drop to 128Kbps.

2016-03-16 16:13 PC Tech pctechmag.com

63 Are you drinking while tweeting? This algorithm can tell Tweeting under the influence may not get you in as much trouble as drunk driving does, but it can still mean a whole lot of hot water. Now there's an algorithm that can tell when you're drinking while tweeting -- and also figure out where you're imbibing. Using machine learning , researchers at the University of Rochester have created a system that can find alcohol-related tweets and determine whether they were made by someone who was actually drinking at the time. It can also pick out whether those tweeters were drinking at home or somewhere else. Equipped with that knowledge, the researchers compared the results for different locations in New York State. Eventually, they hope to use the technology to study the health implications of alcohol. So, how did they do it? The researchers began by collecting geotagged tweets sent over 12 months up to July 2014 from New York City and nearby suburban and rural areas. Then they zeroed in on those that included alcohol-related words, such as "drunk" or "beer," and put the Mechanical Turk crowds to work to help confirm the context. Specifically, Mechanical Turk workers read the tweets to confirm not only that the tweeter was talking about using alcohol personally, but also that he or she was consuming it while tweeting. To figure out the settings from which the tweeters sent their tweets, the researchers focused on words and phrases that people tend to use in tweets sent from their homes, such as "bath" or "sofa," and confirmed the geolocated results once again via Mechanical Turk. They used all that information to train a machine-learning algorithm, which they hope to use to better understand alcohol consumption patterns and how they vary with location and other factors. That data could help them do things like relate the number of places to buy alcohol in a region to the amount of home drinking that takes place there. A paper describing the work will be presented at the International Conference on Web and Social Media in May.

2016-03-16 16:06 Katherine Noyes www.itworld.com

64 How smartphones helped NASA to build tiny satelites you can hold in your hand The same advances in electronics that bring us ever more powerful smartphones are helping NASA become more nimble in exploring the universe. Engineers are taking advantage of the low-cost, highly integrated components developed for phones and using them to build satellites that are small enough to hold in your hand. They're easier to build and cheaper to launch than conventional satellites, and provide a testing ground for other technologies used in space. The technology allows for "fast, affordable, transformative missions. We can try new things more quickly, take risks that we might not take with a much larger spacecraft, and we’re using it as platform to develop and test new technologies that might be useful for spacecraft of any size," said Andrew Petro, who heads the small satellites program at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D. C. He spoke recently at NASA's Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, where some of the small satellite work was on show. Typical of the work being done here is Nodes , a pair of "cubesats" scheduled for launch from the International Space Station in early April. Each measures just 10 centimeters across and 17 centimeters long and weighs 2 kilograms. They're the epitome of low-cost engineering: they run the open source Android OS and use strips of a metal tape measure for their antennae -- a popular choice for cubesat builders because they they can be folded down for launch and then spring up by themselves when they need to be opened up. Until now, that hasn't been much of a concern because most satellites operate independently, but with cubesat projects several can work in unison. Richard Welle, director of the microsatellite systems department at The Aerospace Corp holds a model of NASA's Nodes cubesat during a briefing at Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley on March 8, 2016. "There are kinds of data that you can’t collect with single spacecraft but you can with large [numbers of] spacecraft," Welle said. While AeroCube 6 uses two satellites, some projects plan greater numbers working in unison. The Nodes mission is integral to those efforts, helping to figure out the most efficient way for small groups of cubesats to talk to each other. Just because the satellites are small and low-cost doesn't mean the are any less ready for space. In a lab at the Ames Research Center, cubesats are put through their paces to ensure they're ready for the rigors of launch, deployment and a life in space. An atmospheric testing chamber for cubesats at NASA's Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley on March 8, 2016. "We like to say we 'shake and bake and sometimes break,'" said Lynn Hofland, who runs the lab. It has machines for testing vibration, shock, G-force, extreme cold and the ability to survive in a vacuum. NASA has a busy schedule of future cubesat missions, and other projects are planned and in operation by companies, universities and other organizations. As the innovations in electronics keep bringing new capabilities to handheld computers, Hofland's shake-and-bake lab will be busy for some time yet.

2016-03-16 15:49 Martyn Williams www.itworld.com

65 Cloud Makes For Strange Bedfellows: Apple Signs On With Google, Cuts Spending With AWS Alphabet's Google has quietly scored a major coup in its campaign to become an enterprise cloud computing powerhouse, landing Apple as a customer for the Google Cloud Platform, multiple sources with knowledge of the matter told CRN this week. Since inking the Google deal late last year, Apple has also significantly reduced its reliance on Amazon Web Services, whose infrastructure it uses to run parts of iCloud and other services, said the sources, who all requested anonymity to protect their relationships with the vendors. Apple has not abandoned AWS entirely and remains a customer, the sources said. [Related: Google, Verizon In Talks About Strategic Hybrid Cloud Partnership -- Sources ] According to the sources, Google executives have told partners that Apple is spending between $400 million and $600 million on Google Cloud Platform, although this couldn’t be independently confirmed. Also unclear is whether this range refers to an annual spending rate or a set amount of capacity. A spokeswoman from AWS declined to comment. Spokespeople from Google and Apple weren’t immediately available for comment. Morgan Stanley, in a report released last month, estimated that Apple spends around $1 billion annually on AWS, but speculated that Apple may look to reduce that figure by moving more computing to its own data centers. Cupertino, Calif.-based Apple is spending $3.9 billion to build new data centers in Arizona, Ireland and Denmark, the first of which is set to open later this year. While it might seem odd for Apple to give business to a cloud service run by a bitter rival in the mobile device market, such arrangements aren’t uncommon in a public cloud market that’s seeing intense pricing pressure, particularly in compute and storage services. Reports of Apple using AWS and Microsoft Azure to run parts of its cloud services date back to 2011, although neither AWS nor Microsoft has ever confirmed that Apple is a customer. But in an Apple iOS Security white paper published in 2014 , Apple acknowledged that encrypted portions of some iOS files are stored in Amazon S3 and Microsoft Azure. Mountain View, Calif.-based Google, which last November hired VMware co-founder and former CEO Diane Greene to lead its cloud business, is said to be aggressively forming partnerships and swinging deals to bring in large enterprise customers. Last month, Google signed up Spotify, which runs part of its streaming music service on AWS, as a cloud customer. CRN reported last month that Google and Verizon were in talks about a strategic partnership involving a Verizon-branded hybrid cloud service running on Google Cloud Platform.

2016-03-16 15:28 Kevin McLaughlin www.crn.com

66 Hands-on: SteamVR's Desktop Theater Mode plays your PC games on a giant VR screen The language Road to VR used in the original report last week was “a virtual environment in a sort of virtual home theater with a huge display,” and that’s not too far off. When I put the HTC Vive headset on during Valve’s demo this morning I found myself sitting six or so feet away from a screen that measured maybe 10 to 12 feet across. But since the Vive’s Lighthouse stations are still tracking your position you can scoot back to a more comfortable distance if you’d prefer. Not that there’s much to see aside from the screen. The “virtual home theater” itself is pretty minimalist, largely avoiding the sort of faux-realism we saw in Netflix’s fake living room/cabin last year. (Valve didn't provide screenshots of the experience for publication.) Valve wink-wink- nudged me though that we shouldn’t be surprised if Desktop Theater Mode is opened up to Steam Workshop in the near future, allowing the community to mod in their own fantastical/realistic/sci-fi environments at will. Anyway, I played Broforce. On a huge screen. That’s really all there is to it. Valve tells me that the Desktop Theater Mode uses some of the same technology employed for its Steam In-Home Streaming and Broadcast features—either some incredible foresight on Valve’s part, or lucky happenstance. But with minimal delay, the game output signal is routed onto this massive screen. Valve says any game that runs above 30 frames per second should work, no problem, and that you can still pull up the Steam Overlay from within the VR environment. You’re also not limited to Steam apps, from what Valve tells me. While In-Home Streaming requires some fidgeting to—for instance—stream from VLC, Valve’s Desktop Theater Mode seems to work more like the Virtual Desktop app for the Oculus Rift. Anything you can see on your desktop can be routed through the Vive. In other words: You can watch Netflix. Is Desktop Theater Mode worth purchasing a Vive for? Probably not. I can’t imagine this is where people will spend most of their time—the benefit of the huge monitor is equally outweighed by the heat of wearing the Vive and the fact you can’t actually see what you’re pressing on your keyboard or controller.

2016-03-16 15:12 Hayden Dingman www.pcworld.com

67 Broadview Networks Revamps Partner Portal With Strategic Service Provider Partners In Mind Cloud-based communications provider Broadview Networks rolled out a slew of new features for its enhanced partner portal Wednesday to make it easier for partners to manage end-customer accounts and add new lines of revenue quickly, the company said. The latest iteration of the online portal -- MyOfficeSuite Agent -- will give Broadview's telecom agent, managed services provider and reseller partners more visibility into their customers' environments, according to the company. That greater visibility can translate into increased customer satisfaction as well as increased sales opportunities for partners, according to Feliks Kiliski, owner of New York-based Glacier Communications, a telecommunications solution provider and Broadview agent partner that has been testing the upgraded portal for about a year. [Related: Wheeling And Dealing: Top 6 Telecom Moves Impacting The Channel In January ] Glacier has already seen its Broadview sales grow, Kiliski said. "The portal gives us more time to sell as opposed to managing our customers," he said. Glacier had to use multiple platforms to achieve the same level of visibility before the new features were added, according to Kiliski. Now, with the revamped portal, "we can service our customers really quickly through one interface -- it's just a click to order new services and phones," he said. Broadview's revamped portal gives partners a streamlined, centralized database with all the resources they need to help their customers, Kiliski said. "The new portal has made it easy for us to service our clients, as well as given us the ability to bill our clients for management services and check on our commissionable revenue streams," he said. The partner channel has been historically dominated by resellers, but the modern partner is a value-added strategic service provider that focuses on recurring revenue, said Stephen Farkouh, executive vice president of Rye Brook, N. Y.-based Broadview Networks. Broadview wanted its solution provider partners to be able to help their end customers get the most out of their services. To do that, partners need a portal that can do more than just generate orders, Farkouh said. "Partners need a portal that inserts them into all the different processes -- like onboarding, caring for, and growing the customer -- and one that lets them see what the customer sees," he said.

2016-03-16 15:10 Gina Narcisi www.crn.com

68 New glass can turn from clear to cloudy with the flick of a switch From the cutting edge of scientific research we bring you 'tunable' glass, built from nanowires, that can turn from clear to cloudy in an instant. Essentially, it's like having a privacy mode built right into your windows - and it could mean you never need to hang blinds again. We have the researchers at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences to thank for this one. Although tunable glass has been around for a while, this is the first time scientists have managed to produce something that's cheap and quick enough to be a viable commercial proposition (which of course makes all the difference). It works by sandwiching glass or plastic between soft elastomers , elastomers that are coated with silver nanowires. These nanowires can then be forced to squeeze together when an electric current is applied - this gives you a randomised coating that effectively frosts the glass. Samuel Shian, one of the researchers who's come up with the new material, says it works like a frozen pond: "If the frozen pond is smooth, you can see through the ice. But if the ice is heavily scratched, you can't see through. " Vary the voltage and you vary the level of translucency, so you can dial it up or down as required depending on who's walking past on the street. Right now though the voltage is too high to be practical inside a home, so the next step for the research team is working on ways to bring this down. If the technology can be perfected, it could even be sprayed on to large windows used in industrial projects. Shian and his colleagues are now looking to work with partners in the glass manufacturing industry, though you're going to have to stick to your curtains and blinds for the time being. Via Engadget Article continues below

2016-03-16 14:48 By David www.techradar.com

69 BMW: Our future is electric and autonomous cars BMW today announced it is shifting its development strategy toward more all- electric vehicles (EVs) and autonomous technology in order to address a "new era" in the industry. The luxury automaker's CEO, Harald Krüger, said the company would also be focusing on premium products and services for "individual mobility. " "The technological focus will therefore be on consistently achieving further advances in the fields of electric mobility and automated driving," Krüger said in a statement. Under the banner of BMW iNEXT, the company will develop a third model in its i-Series of EVs. The new i-Series car will include forms of automated driving and "digital connectivity" -- most likely Wi-Fi -- together with a new generation of lightweight construction and a redesigned interior design ethos "that will set new standards for the customer's mobility experience. " Krüger sees changes sweeping across the world of mobility through digitalization as an excellent opportunity to make mobile life simpler, safer and more convenient, thereby inspiring completely new customer groups. A project referred to as "i 2.0" will focus on automated and fully networked driving. "The BMW Group will cement its position as technological leader in this field, too. A clear focus will be placed on high-definition digital maps, sensor technology, cloud technology and artificial intelligence, the decisive areas for success in this segment," BMW said in its statement. "In the coming years, the BMW Group will focus on broadening its technological expertise, expanding the scope of digital connectivity between people, vehicles and services and actively strengthening sustainable mobility," the company said. BMW will also increase the "scale of electrification" in its plug-in hybrids and with its upcoming fourth and fifth generations, extend electric range. The company also plans to build a plug-in hybrid MINI, though it didn't offer details about that vehicle. The automaker will eventually have seven car models that will be either purely electrically powered, like the BMW i3, or feature a combination of combustion engine and electric motor as plug-in hybrids. "The BMW Group also continues to develop hydrogen fuel-cell technology; the current test vehicles achieve a range up to 700 kilometres," it stated.

2016-03-16 14:46 Lucas Mearian www.computerworld.com

70 Here's Who Made Gartner's 2016 Magic Quadrant For Data Warehouse And Data Management Solutions For Analytics Data Solutions Are In Demand Customer demand for broad data solutions addressing multiple types of data -- and offering distributed processing and repository options -- is accelerating disruption in the market. Organizations want to manage and process internal and external data of diverse types and in diverse formats along with the data they acquire from traditional internal sources. "This requirement is placing new demands on software in this market as customers are looking for features and functions that represent a significant augmentation of existing enterprise data warehouse strategies," Gartner noted. Gartner's latest Magic Quadrant for Data Warehouse and Data Management Solutions for Analytics, released near the end of February, rates 21 vendors jockeying for position in a hot and rapidly evolving IT sector. Here's how they stack up.

2016-03-16 14:30 Joseph Tsidulko www.crn.com

71 71 Partners: Possible Polycom-Mitel Merger Has 'Huge Potential' As unified communications vendors Polycom and Mitel reportedly pursue a merger, channel partners say combining the two companies would turn up the heat on competitors and lead to much needed innovation in voice and video technologies. "If they're not just merging, but re-engineering themselves as a developing technology company, they have huge potential with their [channel] partners and distribution capabilities to create a developed mind share of emerging technologies," said Gary Berzack, chief technology officer and chief operating officer of New York-based eTribeca, a Polycom partner. Berzack said both Polycom and Mitel can maintain their legacy products, but also have an opportunity to co-develop products in the voice market, which is ripe for innovation. [Related: 8 Cisco Game-Changing Technology Initiatives In 2016 ] "We don't have a solid selection of Voice over IP solutions that will run over Wi-Fi. It's never quite blended well how to address the mobile market," said Berzack. "Reliable Voice over Wi-Fi is an example of what [a Polycom-Mitel could create], with both soft clients that run on Android and Apple IOS and dedicated hardware mobile devices. " According to a Reuters report Wednesday, the two companies are in talks to merge. Polycom declined to comment on the matter. Mitel did not respond to a request for comment by publication time. In October, Elliott Management -- which owns stakes in both Mitel and Polycom -- filed a statement with the federal Securities and Exchange Commission that said the market is ripe for consolidation and that it is encouraging Mitel and Polycom to combine their telecommunications and videoconferencing expertise. Rhonda Wingate, vice president of collaboration for Carousel Industries, a Polycom partner based in Exeter, R. I., said merging would benefit both companies' channel partners. "With both [companies'] current financial positions and declining shares, coming together could make each stronger," said Wingate in an email. "With Polycom's fastest growing product segment being audio, expanding to incorporate Mitel solutions is a natural progression to become more of a collaboration partner. " Wingate said consolidation appears to be the fastest way for collaboration companies to grow in today's market. Mitel CEO Richard McBee didn't shy away from embracing the idea of a potential merger in a recent interview with CRN .

2016-03-16 14:22 Mark Haranas www.crn.com

72 Google Traffic Is 77% Encrypted Google is updating its status on its encryption efforts, reporting that 77% of traffic to its servers uses encrypted connections -- up from slightly more than half two years ago. But despite these efforts, Google acknowledges improvement is still needed across its breadth of products and services. "Google has been working hard toward our objective of achieving 100% encryption across our products and services," Google noted in its March 15 transparency report posted to its site. Users who see "https" or a padlock used on any website address, versus "http," will know the website is encrypted. The Internet behemoth’s Gmail is 100% encrypted, a move it began in 2014. As Google works on its other products and services to support HTTPS encryption, it has had varied results due to technical barriers in supporting encryption that range from older hardware and software that does not support modern encryption technology to some countries and organizations blocking or degrading HTTPS traffic. Advertising traffic on Google is 77% encrypted, maps are at 83%, Google News 60%, and Google Finance is 58%, according to its transparency report. Google plans to add information about YouTube’s encryption status to its products chart by the end of the year. It notes that it is not included in its overall encryption traffic figures. Although Google has not achieved 100% encryption on all of its products, security firms applaud the company’s efforts. "Google's efforts to improve encryption is a positive step in the right direction. Keeping the ever- increasing online communications concealed from cyber-criminals is an essential step it advancing the safety of consumers and businesses alike," Kurt Baumgartner, principal security researcher at Kaspersky Lab, told InformationWeek in an interview. Meanwhile, Google is using a carrot-and-stick approach to nudge other websites to use encryption. In 2014, Google changed its ranking system that gave preference to websites that use HTTPS encryption, pushing them higher up on the Google search results page. For websites that rely on traffic to help boost their revenues, a high position on a Google search page is critically important. Learn to integrate the cloud into legacy systems and new initiatives. Attend the Cloud Connect Track at Interop Las Vegas, May 2-6. Register now! This Google incentive was put into place after it came to light that the National Security Agency was harvesting personal data transmitted over the Internet without users' knowledge via vulnerabilities in unencrypted websites, an Associated Press report notes. Google also has its list of the top 100 non-Google sites on the Internet and the state of their usage of HTTPS. The company estimates that these 100 websites account for 25% of all worldwide Web traffic, and says that it is working to aid these sites' move to HTTPS by the end of this year. The list has three categories that a website can fall into, including: The site works on HTTPS, Modern TLS Configuration, and Default HTTPS. Some of the sites that cover all three include Facebook.com, Instagram.com, Linkedin.com, Netflix.com, PayPal.com, Twitter.com, and Yahoo.com. Amazon.com only works on HTTPS and modern TLS configuration, while Microsoft’s Bing.com search engine and Apple.com only work on HTTPS. Surprisingly, eBay.com offers none of the three. "Many companies in the IT space, especially those that deal with personal information, have been working hard to ensure that their communications are secured appropriately, especially if the communications contain any type of sensitive information. HTTPS is the most common for Web traffic. The level of achievement varies from company to company," Anthony Merry, director of product management for data protection at Sophos, said in an interview with InformationWeek. He noted that compliance regarding encryption plays a role in companies adhering to its use. That can serve as a stick, more so than website rankings. For example, Merry pointed out, "banks and websites that accept credit card payments need to keep Web traffic protected, because you don't want the bad guys stealing your credit card details. " [Editor's note: This article has been updated to add Anthony Merry's interview comments.]

2016-03-16 14:10 Dawn Kawamoto www.informationweek.com

73 DreamHost replaces VMware SDN with open source for big savings SANTA CLARA – In a convincing example of the viability of open source networking, cloud provider DreamHost saved 70% in capital and 40% in operational costs by replacing VMware’s NSX SDN with open source alternatives. In a presentation at the Open Networking Summit here, suppliers Cumulus Networks and Akanda – a DreamHost spin-out NFV business -- said the cloud provider replaced NSX due to scaling and Layer 3 support issues. DreamHost did not speak and was not present during the presentation, but posted a blog entry on the project here last Friday. The project involved DreamHost’s DreamCompute public cloud compute service, which is based on OpenStack and Ceph object store and file system. The core networking requirements for DreamCompute are Layer 2 tenant isolation, IPv6 and 10G+ “everywhere.” DreamHost has about 400,000 customers. The provider was all in on NSX less than three years ago. The first generation of the DreamCompute networking infrastructure included Nicira’s NVP network virtualization software for Layer 2 isolation, and Cumulus Linux as the network operating system running on white box switches. Layer 3 requirements were not met by Nicira NVP nor by software routing vendors who did not understand cloud, said Mark McClain, Akanda CTO. The second generation of the DreamCompute network include Layer 3 capabilities in VMware NSX, which acquired Nicira, renamed the NVP product and enhanced it. But in a bake-off with the Astara open source network orchestration service for OpenStack – which was developed by DreamHost -- Astara comes out on top and, with some enhancements, allows DreamCompute to scale to over 1,000 customers and thousands of VMs. “Honestly, we expected Astara to lose this challenge,” states Jonathan LaCour, DreamHost vice president of cloud and development, in his blog. “However, Astara absolutely came out victorious, offering a significantly better experience and more reliability.” In the third generation of the DreamCompute infrastructure, NSX was found to have scale limitations of 1,250 tenants. Open vSwitch was slow and unstable, and the software was difficult to debug and operate, the presenters said. As a result, NSX was replaced for Layer 2 isolation by hardware accelerated VXLAN in the switch and hypervisor, and by Astara for Layer 3-7 service orchestration. Cumulus Linux remained as the physical underlay for the DreamCompute network. Astara virtual network appliances allowed for easy scale, while VXLAN tunnels scaled “massively,” presenters said. Astara also simplified OpenStack Neutron networking deployments by requiring fewer Layer 2, DHCP and advanced services agents, and is generally easier to operate because it, VXLAN and the Linux networking stack on DreamCompute switches are “open” and familiar, presenters said. “As far as performance and scale, DreamCompute is breaking through those limits we met with VMWare NSX,” LaCour states in his blog. “This is largely due to reductions in complexity, thanks to management and automation through OpenStack and Astara.” VMware wouldn’t comment specifically on the DreamHost project but through a spokesperson said it is “very happy with the success” NSX has had in some of the largest OpenStack environments in the world, “as well as our track record in open networking through things like the Open vSwitch project.” DreamHost’s project mirrors that of other cloud and Webscale providers, like Google and Facebook, that have opted to develop their own networking solutions to overcome the limitations of commercial offerings, and reduce capex and opex. That open source provides such a significant capex improvement over commercial products should perhaps come as no surprise. But the opex reduction might be the proof point that familiar open source code, customized for specific operator requirements, is just as capable – if not more so – than commercially available, vendor-integrated products.

2016-03-16 14:09 Jim Duffy www.itworld.com

74 The Week in iOS Accessories: Awesome earphones This week’s roundup includes two new sets of earphones—one set machined from brass, another that takes “wireless” sound to a new level. Read on! The $20 1byone’s Bluetooth Speaker is “shower portable”—time for a singalong!—and includes a built-in microphone, just in case you want to take your conference calls while you’re shampooing your hair in the morning. The Flip 10 Recharger is a $25 backup battery with 2,600 mAh of power in reserve. Use your own iOS syncing cable to recharge; the device comes with a micro-USB cable of its own. The Holdymoly , now in Kickstarter fundraising, looks like a wooden coin: In fact, it has a magnet inside to let it attach to metal surfaces. You can attach your phone to the Holdymoly via a “connector plate” you slip inside your iPhone case, letting you store and display your phone in a variety of convenient locations. The $199 ME05 Earphones are “precision-machined from solid brass and hand-finished”—the makers say the brass provides “superior acoustic properties.” Comes with silicone ear tips in four different sizes. The New Normal Wireless Headphones are pretty stylish, available in either leather or silicone, but our favorite feature: No cables. Instead, an integrated USB port lets you plug the device directly into a computer or backup battery for recharging. Pre-orders are available now; the headphones ship later this spring. The $349 Qwerkywriter Bluetooth Keyboard is just a sublime piece of steampunk, no? The $129 SNAP! PRO iPhone Case turns your iPhone into a camera: It includes an “actual shutter button, an interchangeable lens system, interchangeable ergonomic grips,” as well as a leather strap; it’s compatible with most tripods. The $85 White Leather Dark Wood Cable is pretty much exactly what it sounds like, with braided leather and wooden connectors; the makers say the mobile charge and sync cable has been certified to meet Apple’s standards. The $190 Wi-Fi Security Camera with Air Quality Sensors is an app-enabled device—monitor it from your iPhone!—that offers HD video, two-way audio, a 135-degree wide angle, and night vision capabilities.

2016-03-16 13:37 Joel Mathis www.macworld.com

75 75 Here gives up on Windows; will yank map, transit and nav apps in two weeks Here, the Euro-centric map-making company founded by Nokia, yesterday said it is withdrawing from the Windows 10 ecosystem in two weeks and would limit changes to its Windows 8 apps to critical bug fixes. The announcement triggered despair from long-standing Windows followers who have relied on Here 's mapping, public transit and direction apps on Microsoft's mobile operating systems. "There's just no way to sugarcoat it: This is a huge loss," wrote Paul Thurrott , a popular blogger who focuses on Microsoft and Windows. Consumers who preferred Here's Windows Mobile apps over Microsoft's own were more outspoken, and at times stooped to playground taunts. "Here, you suck! " raged someone identified as "rakker91" in a comment appended yesterday to Here's announcement. "Way to kick your loyal fans in the face," said another commenter, "a5678," today. "This is a very short-sighted decision," echoed "Peribanu" Wednesday. "Your most loyal ambassador customers are on the Windows platform. It's suicide for a business to cut off their fan base in one fell swoop. Whoever took this decision should be fired. It's like cutting off your nose to spite your face. " Here, which Nokia sold to a group of German auto makers for about $3.1 billion last year, said it was yanking its Windows 10 apps from Microsoft's mart on March 29. Those for Windows 8 will be updated only to patch critical bugs. The Windows 10 apps -- Here Maps, Transit and Drive -- will continue to work on Windows 10 through June 30, at which time they will go dark. "We made the Here apps compatible with Windows 10 by using a workaround that will no longer be effective after June 30, 2016," the company claimed. "To continue offering the Here apps for Windows 10 would require us to redevelop the apps from the ground up, a scenario that led to the business decision to remove our apps from the Windows 10 store. " Some users were skeptical of that explanation, attributing the move to everything from Windows Mobile's small market share to laziness, even betrayal, on Here's part. But the move should not have come as a surprise. "Windows Mobile hasn't gone anywhere," said Jan Dawson, principal analyst at Jackdaw Research, in an interview. "Here doesn't get any benefit from [the platform]. It can get far more scale from iOS and Android. " Here released apps for Apple's iOS and Google's Android operating systems in March 2015 and December 2014, respectively, both dates following the closing of the sale of Nokia's handset business to Microsoft in April 2014 for approximately $7.9 billion. Last summer, Microsoft scratched $7.6 billion of that deal from its books, conceding that the acquisition was a bust. Separate from that transaction, Microsoft signed a four-year license for Here's mapping data; the Redmond, Wash. company has used -- and will continue to use -- that data for its own Windows 10 Maps app. Microsoft is currently testing a refreshed "universal" mapping app that will run on both desktop and mobile versions of its newest OS. Although some opined last year that Microsoft should buy Here when Nokia put it on the block -- and yesterday argued that by passing, Microsoft missed the bus -- Dawson said Microsoft did the smart thing. "They're picking their battles," Dawson said of Microsoft and its Windows Mobile. According to researcher IDC, Windows powered just 2.2% of 1.4 billion smartphones shipped last year worldwide. "They recognize that they can't be best in class [in maps] on their own. So their focus is not trying to compete on data by themselves. " In fact, Microsoft sold some of its home-brewed mapping technology and assets -- including a transfer of about 100 employees -- to the Uber ride-sharing service last summer. In effect, Microsoft called it quits on collecting its own mapping data and images. As Dawson put Here's move in perspective, he rejected the idea that losing the firm's apps is a sign that Microsoft is on the verge of pulling the plug on Windows Mobile. "Microsoft has been backing off on its own maps for a while," said Dawson. "Microsoft knew some time ago that they needed to have maps on [Windows Phone], but that they didn't have to do it themselves. Maps can't be a huge differentiator for [Windows], but they knew they could license [data] from Here. "

2016-03-16 13:28 Gregg Keizer www.computerworld.com

76 Ring Pro Video Doorbell Gets Better Motion Detection, Video On Wednesday, Ring revealed the Ring Pro, a refreshed version of its popular video doorbell. The Pro corrects two of the previous generation product's biggest problems: wonky motion detection and mediocre video quality. The company, led by serial entrepreneur James Siminoff, recently scored some $61.2 million in Series C funding. It needs the cash to keep up with the more than 50,000 orders per month. The Ring Pro offers what Ring calls advanced motion detection. It allows homeowners and small businesses to fine-tune the shape of the areas scanned for motion. The idea is to help reduce the number of false positives, or motion readings from things that aren't of concern, such as passing cars or neighbors walking the dog. (This is an issue my original Ring doorbell struggled with, forcing me to turn off motion detection entirely.) The motion zones are managed through the Ring mobile application, which is available for Android, iOS, and Windows 10 devices. Ring Pro ups the video ante as well, and now captures video at 1080p HD resolution. The improved video clarity provides a better look at the person or persons who've rung the bell, and a cleaner recording of motion events. The Ring Pro includes LEDs for improved night vision. The camera captures a 160-degree angle of view, which means it can see almost everything in front of it. The new video doorbell features a revised design. The unit is 1.8 inches wide, which is significantly narrower than its 2.45-inch predecessor. Moreover, Ring Pro includes four exchangeable faceplates (in black, silver, white, and brown) to allow for a greater degree of personalization. It is weatherproof and can handle temperature extremes between -5°F and 120°F, as well as driving rain, sleet, and snow. Ring claims the unit is theft-proof, and will replace any Ring Pro that is stolen for free. The Ring Pro ditches the (rechargeable) battery of the original in favor of power provided by a wired doorbell. The kit includes a bracket that slides over the existing doorbell wires. The Ring Pro offers bank-grade encryption and operates on 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz WiFi networks. When the doorbell is rung, or motion is detected, the Ring Pro alerts homeowners via the mobile app. Homeowners can then view who's at the door via the video feed and "answer" the door from their phone via a two-way voice call. [Read IoT Reality: Smart Homes Not Smart Enough Yet .] The Ring Pro does not record video for free. Ring offers a 30-day trial, after which users need to pony up some cash. At $30 per year, which includes six months of recordings, it's hardly expensive. For comparison sake, the Nest home security camera costs $100 per year for 10 days of recordings or $300 per year for 30 days of recordings. Another difference is that the Ring Pro only records motion events and doorbell activity, while the Nest records 24/7. The Ring Pro is available for preorder via Ring.com. The smart home device costs $249.99 and ships in late April.

2016-03-16 13:06 Eric Zeman www.informationweek.com

77 Review: Consider VPN services for hotspot protection Virtual private networks have many uses. Typically, businesses deploy VPNs so employees can securely access the corporate network from outside the office. However, we’ve seen a rise in third-party VPN services that use the same underlying technology, the encrypted tunnel, to simply provide a secure Internet connection. Why would you ever need to do this? When connected to a VPN service, the websites you access think you’re at the location where the VPN server is located. This can help anonymize your Internet traffic so it’s much harder for websites to track your personal browsing history. This also allows you to access websites, services, and content that’s restricted where you are currently located, such as Netflix or Hulu when traveling overseas. To continue reading this article register now Learn More Existing Users Sign In

2016-03-16 12:42 Eric Geier www.computerworld.com

78 Succeeding in the continuous enterprise with microservices It seems that microservices crept out of nowhere and were suddenly everywhere. When it comes to the continuous enterprise and changing business and technology demands, enterprises are being driven harder than ever to be more responsive, agile, and efficient with their technology. Microservices are in the thick of all of this. Through microservices and service oriented architectures, development teams can be more responsive to the business by more rapidly delivering the application services and enhancements needed to be competitive. Microservices help large development teams put together a modular development structure, which makes it easier to move swiftly. No one is reinventing the wheel, or a software service, every time common functions are needed. When a new application is needed, developers can grab the microservices that have already been built and start assembling. Also, as enterprises have become more, not less, complex when it comes to development languages and frameworks, microservices help to solve this by making it possible to package these things as independent building blocks. In our previous two articles, we introduced the concept of the continuous IT enterprise and devops and the continuous IT enterprise stack. The continuous IT enterprise is about continuous collaboration, integration, and deployment. In such a context, we'd be remiss not to take a hard look at microservices. These microservices, as the name implies, are often (not always) small and singularly task focused. They're decoupled from the underlying infrastructure and applications, but they didn't come out of nowhere. In reality, they are a natural evolution of software oriented architectures and that loosely-coupled the architectural strategy. But for today's developer and devops practitioners, the history doesn't matter. What does matter is that microservices are a great way to promote discrete, decoupled code that will enable shipping software that delivers business value fast. In addition to the primary business benefits of microservices, there are many technical benefits, such as a more resilient architecture, they scale and are easy to understand and develop and deploy, and are not locked into applications. Not all is a benefit with microservices. Changes to the API on which they depend can cause breakdowns and complications, and certain types of testing needs to be revised so that is still effective in a microservices architecture. For instance, security tests should be conducted on the microservice itself and also on the larger applications it supports, after everything is integrated together, to ensure new vulnerabilities aren't introduced to the entire application. Most importantly, microservices enable the focus to be on what matters: the business's needs, the user experience, development, and considerably less time on thinking about architecture, and even less time managing infrastructure. So how do developers best approach microservices? First, let's look at the types of microservices: The result is that developers spend time integrating data within the microservice implementation, which impacts maintainability. It doesn't matter which types of microservices your organization uses, the same best practices come into play. And most of the best practices you will find very familiar with SOA best practices. These are services that grab data and access resources, but don't try to solve every possible use case with data that a full application wouldn't provide. When designing with this mindset, keep the following in mind:[ 1 ] For most organizations, microservices require a big change in architecture perspective as microservices are designed to manage different business functions such as clients, accounts receivables, accounts payable, order status, and so on that can be utilized as services separate from an application. While this approach does provide many benefits, it does require organizations think about strategy and implementation.

2016-03-16 12:40 Quinton Wall www.infoworld.com

79 Robots and immigrants reduce jobs, Sen. Sessions warns Today's Senate subcommittee hearing on immigration began with a warning from chairman Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) about current rates of immigration. Sessions believes the influx in the number of immigrants is too large, and "has created great stress on the job prospects and wages of Americans. " That group includes immigrants seeking permanent residency as well as those now in the U. S. on guest worker visas. "The plain truth is that technology and robotics advance the quality of our lives and lowers the cost of products, but they eliminate many good jobs," said Sessions. "At this point in time, our economy cannot sustain the current lawful rate of immigration, much less the illegal flow. " U. S. Sens. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), left, and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) chat before a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in January 2014. The two men are at odds over increasing the number of H- 1B visas. Sessions has endorsed Donald Trump, the billionaire businessman running for the GOP presidential nomination who favors reduced levels of immigration. Sessions has in the past held hearings on the H-1B visa and its impact on the technology workforce, and has criticized the use of visa workers in the wholesale replacement of IT department workers. At Wednesday's hearing, the committee focused on the broader spectrum of immigration, from permanent residency to guest workers. Sessions cited Pew Research Center data that found -- after the passage of the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965 -- the nation's foreign-born population increased from 9.6 million, or 5% of the population, to 45 million in 2015, or 14%. "In general, when immigrants come in, those who compete with immigrant workers will tend to do a little worse off, and those who use immigrant workers or compliment immigrant workers tend to do better off," said George Borjas, a professor of economics and social policy at Harvard, who testified at the hearing. "Somebody's lower wage is somebody's else's higher profit," said Borjas, who said that what immigration really does is redistribute wealth. Also testifying was Steven Camarota, director of research at the Center for Immigration Studies, an organization that favors lower immigration rates. He said there is no question that immigration leads to a larger economy, but a larger economy, by itself, is not a benefit to Americans, "in the same way that Mexico has a larger economy than Norway. " There is no research indicating that immigration significantly increases the income of native born residents, said Camarota. Benjamin Johnson, executive director of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, also testified and argued in support of immigration. Johnson said immigrants "helped build and invent the industrial era, the atomic age, and now the computer age. " Despite the "overwhelming evidence" that immigration has helped the U. S., Johnson argued that our history "has been repeatedly sullied by periods of fear and anger" and blame toward immigrants over social and economic challenges.

2016-03-16 12:36 Patrick Thibodeau www.computerworld.com

80 Artificial intelligence gets into auditing, what's next? Earlier this week, Big Four accounting firm KPMG LLP announced that it will be teaming up with IBM's Watson AI (artificial intelligence) unit to automate some auditing functions. While KPMG certainly isn't the only accounting firm making a big investment in new technology, it is the first to test AI or machine learning as the brains behind auditing tools. Google and Amazon, among others, have made massive AI investments in recent years, which has fueled excitement about its commercial applications. And AI as a concept has been around for at least a century in the form of science fiction (and non-fiction). But it's not yet clear which industry will be the next to embrace this old/new technology. In my opinion, machine learning will fuel innovation in every industry, and will likely be adopted first by companies that are responsible for dealing with large data sets. In order to properly adopt AI, however, and full reap the benefits, companies have to turn to good old-fashioned coding. That's right: software development will be crucial for achieving success with AI. Programmers, rejoice -- and start sharpening your skills. Three major areas of software development will be key in ensuring the success of AI integration at any company. The best way to tackle this challenge is to make tweaks and updates on a regular basis to prevent more work needed down the road. Think of it as routine maintenance and the occasional replacement of parts that take wear and tear in a vehicle. Small changes over time add up to a much healthier machine over time. Microservices architecture has showed us that we do not need to create massive software systems to deploy our business solutions; we can create various microservices that together provide the business with the needed functionality. Are your current systems ready to interact with microservices? Which current functionality can be modernized into a microservice? Across the board, machine learning is an exciting new technology that can have far-reaching benefits for companies in virtually any industry, but the key to harnessing the potential of artificial intelligence will be to ensure that your systems -- and your people -- are adequately prepared.

2016-03-16 12:20 Carlos Melendez www.infoworld.com

81 Mophie Powerstation XL (12,000 mAh) Currently Discounted 42% - Deal Alert Mophie Powerstation XL lists for $129.95 but is currently discounted 42%, meaning you can pick this up for just $75 ( See on Amazon ). This ultra portable battery packs enough juice for up to 8 charges on most portable devices. It's special high-output battery can charge up to two devices simultaneously, and is capable of switching between 500mAh, 1A, and 2.1A charge. At 2.8 x 0.9 x 4.5 inches, this item should be small enough for any traveller's accessory case. Powerstation XL is currently rated 4.5 out of 5 stars on Amazon.com ( 222 reviews ).

2016-03-16 12:11 DealPost Team www.infoworld.com

82 Q&A: Bjarne Stroustrup previews C++ 17 Bjarne Stroustrup created the C++ language in 1979 , and it still scores high in language popularity indexes today as it expands into mobile development. The next version of the language, C++ 17, is due later this year, and while his expectations of what will be in the upgrade have changed since late 2014 , Stroustrup still sees useful improvements coming, including parallel algorithms. InfoWorld Editor at Large Paul Krill recently asked Stroustrup his perspectives on the planned upgrade. However, many of the features that I consider major are available in some form or other today. The major features are appearing as TS (Technical Specifications). For example: concepts, networking, more concurrency stuff, ranges (Standard Template Library 2), modules, coroutines. Can we say that these are part of C++17? Not really. They will not be part of every C++ implementation, but they exist. With a bit of luck, most will make it; then again, we can't be sure about anything until the votes are counted. The committee strives for consensus, so it doesn't take many objectors to keep a proposal out of the standard. A "no" vote counts about as much as five "yes" votes. Should we get most of those, C++17 will become much more interesting compared to what was approved at the March 2016 meeting.

2016-03-16 12:11 Paul Krill www.infoworld.com

83 Big Four accounting firms delve into artificial intelligence Interesting news last week from two of the Big Four global audit and accounting firms and a glimpse into the future of professional services. First up was KPMG , which announced that it is signing up to IBM 's " Jeopardy! "-winning analytics service to help with its auditing requirements. Given the time, cost and (dare I say it) inane world of audit, this could be an interesting move. IBM is, of course, pushing Watson incessantly as its huge opportunity for growth -- it acquired The Weather Company partially as a vertical big data opportunity, but also for its huge data sets to continue improving Watson's performance. Healthcare, too, has seen IBM push its Watson luxe. But now financial services are the game, and KPMG advises that its consultants will use Watson to analyze massive volumes of financial data in order to detect anomalies. The idea being that, rather than simply analyzing a subset of total data (a necessity given the sheer volume and time constraints), KPMG will be able to crunch all the numbers -- more data, better insights and (most likely) bigger audit fees. An example that KPMG gave to The Wall Street Journal was one in which analysts could assess bank loans to ensure that risk was being understood, and responded to, appropriately. KPMG isn't, of course, the only one of the Big Four looking at this space -- Deloitte , Ernst & Young and PwC are all doing similarly. Indeed, Deloitte announced, at almost the same time as KPMG's Watson love-in, a massive deployment of machine-learning software. Deloitte has, for the past year, been ramping up the deployment of an artificial intelligence contract analysis tool, Kira. The machine-learning-based system studies what's important to reviewers in contracts and then identifies important information across large pools of agreements. Deloitte has a reported 3,000 active users of Kira, and has trained the platform to identify thousands of different data points. Kira has, apparently, been used on over 100,000 documents thus far. The partnership between Kira Systems and Deloitte looks to be one that extends beyond Deloitte simply using the tool, and looks to be an opportunity for Deloitte, and specifically its U. S. innovation group, to commercialize some specific solutions for other document analysis tasks -- investigations, mergers, contract management and the like. "Wading through miles of corporate jargon hunting for keywords and patterns can consume considerable time and resources," said a spokesperson. "By teaming with Kira Systems we can help organizations reduce their review time while redeploying talent to higher-value activities -- let's save our eyes for more strategic matters. " Of course those cynics would suggest that the Big Four actually delivering value on high strategic drivers is a long shot. They're not, after all, known as the go-to place for innovation or agility. But maybe A. I. will make the difference and help the Big Four deliver on all those promises from the glossy brochures.

2016-03-16 11:50 Ben Kepes www.computerworld.com

84 Rumor: Long-delayed rollout of Windows 10 for older phones could happen Thursday Microsoft could roll out Windows 10 Mobile to older Windows Phone 8.1 phones as early as Thursday, according to a new report. Former Twitter leaker and now VentureBeat contributor Evan Blass wrote Microsoft will announce the availability of Windows 10 Mobile tomorrow. According to Blass, users of select Windows Phone 8.1 devices will have the opportunity to request the update that same day. The update will be available only to a subset of the existing Windows Phone market, however, and which devices those would be wasn’t clear. Microsoft hasn’t laid out what you need to do to prepare yourself for the update, but one step seems almost certain: your existing Windows Phone will need to be up-to-date, with Windows Phone 8.1 installed. How well the Windows 10 software will run on even older phones is unknown. Microsoft representatives declined to comment. If Microsoft does plan to roll out the update on Thursday, there have been no hints. Microsoft’s Gabe Aul, the Microsoft vice president who oversees the Windows and Devices group team, wrote on Twitter that he had “no news to share” on new software releases. He had previously indicated that his team was working on a new build of Windows 10 for the “Fast” ring of the Windows Insider beta program, but hadn’t indicated whether it was for mobile phones or desktops. Microsoft’s market share has fallen to about 1 percent of worldwide smartphone users, according to fourth-quarter 2015 results released by Gartner in February. ComScore has been slightly more favorable , reporting for March that Microsoft held a 2.7 percent share of all smartphones in the United States, a rolling three-month average that the company said was unchanged from the same period three months ago. This week has also been marked by the official departure of Here Maps from the Windows 10 ecosystem. But there was a bright spot, too: Twitter announced its first Windows 10 universal app, which will be used on mobile devices as well as desktops.

2016-03-16 11:44 Mark Hachman www.pcworld.com

85 Synthesio updates social media monitoring platform to be faster, smarter and more productive New York based enterprise listening company Synthesio has announced its Synthesio 3.0 update. The social media tool allows social media professionals to interact with social data in real-time, surfacing insights and tracking KPIs. Marketers need social intelligence that provides business results. Listening, and analysing consumer conversations across social and mainstream media need a comprehensive listening platform. Cloud: How to Do SaaS Right Software as a Service offers irresistible benefits for organizations of all sizes — from cost savings to scalability to mobile accessibility. We offer guidance on avoiding the pitfalls of the cloud and choosing your SaaS partners well. Improvements to the platform include; new and improved tools; content performance trackers that will let users identify trending hashtags, websites and other posts; the ability to perform "richer and deeper" queries; reports; and advanced filters. The updates are intended to improve flexibility of the new widgets, advanced filters, and provide teams with one click sharable reporting. The company intends to make the data more accessible across the business. The company hopes that the update will enable users to find useful insights with less work, and getting information to the right people will take less time. Named a leader in the Forrester wave: Enterprise social listening platforms, Q1 2016 report, the company aims to help customers who are focusing on market research, brand health monitoring, crisis management or overall campaign measurement. "With Synthesio 3.0, we wanted to rethink how people want to interact with social data," said Matthew Zito, Synthesio's VP of Product. "We focused on driving flexibility and speed throughout the platform. The result is a new set of capabilities that allow you to filter years of data, identify insights and easily present that data to the people who need to see it. " Related content:

2016-03-16 11:31 Eileen Brown www.zdnet.com

86 Malvertising campaign strikes top websites worldwide Popular websites across the world fell prey to a malicious advertising campaign which sent unwitting visitors to the Angler exploit kit which serves TeslaCrypt ransomware. A number of security firms detected and reported a spike in malicious traffic which took place over the weekend. Researchers from Trustwave, Malwarebytes and Trend Micro said the spike in malicious traffic impacted a number of high- ranked Alexa websites, and was caused by a malvertising campaign which served malicious adverts to visitors. The campaign led to the Angler exploit kit, which contained not just ransomware, but also a Trojan used for surveillance and data theft. The malvertising campaign, whether part of a coordinated effort or the responsibility of one organised fraudster group, reportedly spread across websites belonging to companies including the BBC, The New York Times, AOL, MSN and answers.com. Trend Micro reports that the campaign may have affected tens of thousands of users within only 24 hours of being live. Malvertising is the use of malicious adverts to spread malware. Many Internet domains rely on adverts supplied by third-party ad networks in order to generate enough revenue to stay afloat, and unfortunately, sometimes fraudulent and fake adverts slip through the net. It is important to note that legitimate websites which serve malicious ads are often as much of a victim as their users since they do not have control over these external ad networks. Either way, though, once a malicious ad is successfully hosted on a legitimate website, it can link to domains controlled by cyberattackers and files such as the Angler exploit kit. In some cases, simply loading the page is enough for the malicious ad to check for browser vulnerabilities and potentially infect a visitor's system. The higher the rates of traffic, the more likely the campaign is to be successful and infect systems before removal. According to Trustwave , the cyberattacker behind this malvertising campaign "acquired an expired domain of a small but probably legitimate advertising company in order to utilize this for malicious purposes," providing them with the avenue to exploit high-ranking websites through BrentsMedia.com. "BrentsMedia was probably a legitimate business, and though we can't know for sure, it's likely that the people behind this operation are trying to ride on the reputation the domain had and abuse it to trick ad companies into publishing their malicious ads," Trustwave says. The fraudulent advert used in the campaign contained a heavily-obfuscated JavaScript file with more than 12,000 lines of code -- almost 11,000 more than usual -- which included protections to avoid detection for as long as possible. The malicious ad attempted to filter out both security researchers and website visitors with antivirus products and patched systems, which would ensure exploit would not be successful. However, if a visitor was using an unpatched system and has no anti-malware scans running, the victim would be sent to the Angler kit, which contained both the Bedep Trojan and TeslaCrypt ransomware. This exploit kit is the only one currently known to include an exploit for Microsoft's Silverlight vulnerability , which was patched in January this year. Researchers at Malwarebytes also listed a number of other rogue domains which were serving malware, which may or may not be linked to the main malvertising scheme. Malvertising campaigns are often quickly detected and pulled, but if you are running a vulnerable browser and happen to visit domains unwittingly serving malicious ads, you may become a victim -- further highlighting how important it is for users to keep their systems up-to-date and patched.

2016-03-16 11:27 Charlie Osborne www.zdnet.com

87 Windows 10 tip: Reclaim precious disk space with these storage tools Where has all your free disk space gone? The Storage app knows. Sometimes it seems like modern computing is a constant battle to maintain enough free disk space for the data you need to stay productive. Your adversaries are apps that chew up disk space when you install them and then continue gobbling up disk space with the data files they create. And then there's Windows itself, which uses disk space for its system files, for hibernation and paging files, and for System Restore points. The overall view displays the capacity and used space for all available fixed drives. Click the entry for your system drive to see a bar chart that breaks down how it's being used, with a color- coded list of categories beneath it. Keep drilling and you'll find some extremely useful tools:

2016-03-16 11:27 Ed Bott www.zdnet.com

88 'Celebgate' iCloud hacker pleads guilty to explicit photo theft The cyberattacker behind the infamous "Celebgate" scandal which resulted in explicit photos and videos belonging to celebrities being leaked online has pleaded guilty in court. Ryan Collins, a 36-year-old from Pennsylvania, admitted to prosecutors in a Los Angeles courtroom that he was guilty of hacking into both iCloud and Gmail accounts belonging to well- known household names and celebrities. Collins was accused of conducting a phishing scheme in order to dupe his targets into handing over their credentials. The phishing campaign, which involved fraudulent emails being sent to over 100 victims, were reportedly crafted to appear from Apple and Google employees. The cyberattacker posed as staff members from these companies and requested their login details. Once armed with this information, Collins then accessed at least 50 accounts belonging to the iCloud storage service and 72 Gmail email accounts between November 2012 and September 2014. Once he gained entry, Collins then scanned the accounts for interesting content and stole explicit and nude photos and videos. A cache of images later appeared online, exposing celebrities including Jennifer Lawrence and Kate Upton. However, Collins has not been charged with uploading the content for the titillation of the Internet. As reported by the BBC , the court filings read: The cyberattacker could face up to five years in prison for his crimes. Cybersecurity expert Mike Zozaya weighed in on the case, telling CBS Local that "Celebgate" should teach us all an important lesson. "It always comes down to the user and you being smart with your information and data," Zozaya said. "If you are encrypting information that's on your own personal drive and it requires either a password from you but also maybe a token or a key of some sort, if someone else gets access to that data, it's useless to them because it is completely encrypted. " In other words, be more careful. If you do take sensitive and personal images and video, that content could end up online -- whether you are a celebrity or victim of revenge porn (. PDF). It's probably best to keep anything you wouldn't want your grandmother to see offline, but if you insist, you run the risk of consequences later -- and so taking responsibility for your personal security should be a priority.

2016-03-16 11:25 Charlie Osborne www.zdnet.com

89 This new discovery could put quantum computers within closer reach One of the obstacles that has kept quantum computers on the distant horizon is the fact that quantum bits -- the building blocks with which they're made -- are prone to magnetic disturbances. Such "noise" can interfere with the work qubits do, but on Wednesday, scientists announced a new discovery that could help solve the problem. Specifically, by tapping the same principle that allows atomic clocks to stay accurate, researchers at Florida State University’s National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (MagLab) have found a way to give qubits the equivalent of a pair of noise-canceling headphones. The approach relies on what are known as atomic clock transitions. Working with carefully designed tungsten oxide molecules that contained a single magnetic holmium ion, the MagLab team was able to keep a holmium qubit working coherently for 8.4 microseconds -– potentially long enough for it to perform useful computational tasks. “I know 8.4 microseconds doesn’t seem like a big deal,” said MagLab physicist Dorsa Komijani. “But in molecular magnets, it is a big deal, because it’s very, very long. " A paper describing the discovery will be published Thursday in the journal Nature. One of the Holy Grails of modern applied physics, quantum computers are widely expected to open up a world of new possibilities. Whereas today’s computers rely on transistors to process bits of information in the form of binary 0s or 1s, quantum computing relies on atomic-scale qubits that can be simultaneously 0 and 1 -- a state known as a superposition that's far more efficient. By offering exponential performance gains, quantum computers could have enormous implications for cryptography and computational chemistry, among many other fields. MagLab's new discovery could put all this potential within much closer reach, but don't get too excited yet -- a lot still has to happen. Next, researchers need to take the same or similar molecules and integrate them into devices that allow manipulation and read-out of an individual molecule, Stephen Hill, director of the MagLab’s Electron Magnetic Resonance Facility, said by email. "The good news is that parallel work by other groups has demonstrated that one can do this, although with molecules that do not have clock transitions," Hill said. "So it should be feasible to take the molecule we have studied and integrate it into a single-molecule device. " After that, the next step will be coming up with schemes involving multiple qubits that make it possible to address them individually and to switch the coupling between them on and off so that quantum logic operations can be implemented, he said. That's still in the future, "but it is this same issue of scalability that researchers working on other potential qubit systems are currently facing," he added. Magnetic molecules hold particular promise there because the chemistry allows self-assembly into larger molecules or arrays on surfaces, Hill explained. Those, in turn, could form the basis for a working device.

2016-03-16 11:17 Katherine Noyes www.computerworld.com

90 Fossil's next Android Wear watches are the Q Wander and Q Marshal Fossil is clearly just getting started with the world of Android Wear. The company announced two new smartwatches as follow-ups to the Q Founder : the Q Wander and Q Marshal. The newest additions to the Q line continue Fossil’s goal with smartwatches: build wearables that have the traditional look and feel of a watch but the technology of Android Wear. The Q Wander has an interchangeable leather strap and a multi-finish case with sculpted wire lugs. The Q Marshal has a more rugged case and can be paired with a navy blue plated case leather straps or with a stainless steel band. Fossil didn’t announce any pricing or availability details, but the Q Founder is priced at $275 with a leather strap and $295 with a stainless steel band on the Google Store .

2016-03-16 11:02 Derek Walter www.greenbot.com

91 Sony opens PlayStation VR pre-orders Sony's Project Morpheus is now a commercial reality, with pre-orders set at £349.99 ahead of an October launch date. Sony has officially opened up pre- orders for its PlayStation VR headset, and it's taking an aggressive pricing stance at just £349.99 - though many PlayStation 4 owners will need to shell out for additional hardware. Unveiled as Project Morpheus, PlayStation VR is Sony putting its hat into the virtual reality ring. Where the competition is priced at the very top of the scale - and requires a high-end gaming PC to operate - Sony has opened pre-orders for the PSVR at just £349.99 - less than half the price of the HTC Vive. That price, though, hides a few missing parts: while the device plugs into a PlayStation 4 through a bundled processor unit box, it will only operate with systems that have a PlayStation Camera; PS4 owners who do not have a PlayStation Camera will have to buy one in order to use the PSVR. The device also comes without any bundled controller, where the Oculus Rift offers an Xbox pad and the HTC Vive a pair of custom-made motion-tracking VR controllers, with Sony developing around the perfectly reasonable assumption that PS4 owners will already own at least one DualShock 4 control pad. The bundle does, however, include everything else you need bar the PS4 itself: the headset, processor unit, stereo earbuds, HDMI and USB cables, a connection adapter for headset use, and an AC adapter to power it all. Speaking at the Game Developer Conference (GDC), Sony's Andrew House claimed that his company was working on more than 160 games supporting the PlayStation VR. The device will also include a 'cinematic mode' for non-VR content, which displays a large-scale virtual screen suspended in space in front of the user - echoing the company's earlier head-mounted display products which focused on 2D video functionality. The PlayStation VR is due to launch in October this year, significantly after its PC-based competition.

2016-03-16 16:25 Published on www.bit-tech.net

92 Google Maps update adds ride-sharing tab, timeline improvements, and several other tweaks The Google Maps elves have been rather busy of late, bundling together several helpful updates that will speed up catching a ride and keeping track of all your travels. When you search for directions, you’ll soon see a dedicated tab with information for ride services. While Google had already partnered up with Uber, there are new options available in other countries: Gett in the UK, 99Taxis in Brazil, Ola Cabs in India, Hailo in the UK and Spain, and mytaxi in Germany and Spain. Find a ride right inside of Google Maps. There are also a couple of handy improvements to your saved and past places. You can also add a custom icon to go with where you’ve identified as your home and work spots in Maps. Throw in a happy little sailboat or an igloo to spice up the drab icons. New icons can give some life to where you pin home and work on Maps. Your location history has some small but helpful improvements, offering you additional details about the distance and time spent during local and far-of travels. Finally, you can now dismiss places that Google offers you to review. Just touch the Overflow button and get rid of it so you don’t have to keep scrolling past it when you’re trying to find another place on the list. All the new goodies (except for the ride services tab, which appears to be a server-side switch) can be found in version 9.22 of Google Maps, which is rolling out in the Play Store and available now on APK Mirror .

2016-03-16 10:46 Derek Walter www.greenbot.com

93 Apple flings its final filing at the FBI in the iPhone unlocking case HARDWARE FIRM Apple has filed its final filing at the courts and laid out its desires to preserve the security of the iPhone and its users. The iPhone unlocking case has run on for a few weeks now and pulled a few characters into its storyline. For Apple, it has always been about protecting its software and the users that use it. For other, it has been about eating shoes. According to Business Insider, the Cupertino company filed the papers on Tuesday. Those papers paint the Apple position, which is an awkward one because of the circumstances. The layers have it as, "a difficult context after a terrible tragedy. " Still, some of this is business, not personal, and Apple does not want to undo the security work it has done and does not want to open up users to the kind of backdoor action that it has been asked to unlock. "But it is in just such highly-charged and emotional cases that the courts must zealously guard civil liberties and the rule of law and reject government overreaching," says the letter. "This Court should therefore deny the government's request and vacate the order,". We have, of course, asked Apple for the horses mouth version of this, and are waiting. Apple has made its official noises in the direction of the public already, and has published a letter from Tim Cook in which it explains why it wants to preserve privacy and keep thin walls standing. "We feel strongly that if we were to do what the government has asked of us - to create a backdoor to our products - not only is it unlawful, but it puts the vast majority of good and law abiding citizens, who rely on iPhone to protect their most personal and important data, at risk, " wrote Cook. "Our country has always been strongest when we come together. We feel the best way forward would be for the government to withdraw its demands under the All Writs Act and, as some in Congress have proposed, form a commission or other panel of experts on intelligence, technology, and civil liberties to discuss the implications for law enforcement, national security, privacy, and personal freedoms. Apple would gladly participate in such an effort. " This will all come to a head on 22 March. µ

2016-03-16 10:44 Dave Neal www.theinquirer.net

94 The future of fitness: Custom Gatorade, smart water bottles, and a patch that analyzes your sweat Gatorade isn’t the first company that comes to mind when you think of tech, but the sports drink brand is working on a few gadgets designed to boost your athletic prowess. We got a chance to see some prototypes at Gatorade’s Fuel Lab , a pop-up at South by Southwest Interactive in Austin this week. The company is working on a smart cap for a personalized bottle with LED lighting that reminds you when you need to hydrate and shows how close you are to meeting your water intake goals for the day. The cap is also customized with your name and a pattern of your choosing. Gatorade is developing blends of its drinks that are tailored to your specific needs, from calories to electrolytes to sodium, and will ship those designer fuel pods directly to your door. Just add some water to your bottle, plug a pod into the top of the cap, and shake to mix. I designed my own bottle at the South by Southwest Fuel Lab, but only got to pick my flavor. Gatorade is developing a smart bottle cap that measures your fluid intake. How will Gatorade create a drink designed just for you? Well, it’s working on a patch that you apply to your skin. The patch, which in its current form looks like an oversized Band-Aid, analyzes your sweat and relays the data to Gatorade so it can create a customized formula based on your fluid intake needs. The smart cap is expected to ship this year, but the sweat patch is still in early days of development. Gatorade is also working on a line of food that includes snack bars and yogurt for athletes to eat in their down time. While I typically stay away from supplements, protein powders, and sports drinks, I’m tempted to try a blend of Gatorade designed just for me based on my body’s needs to see if it really enhances my workout performance.

2016-03-16 10:43 Caitlin McGarry www.macworld.com

95 Apple's latest legal filing: 'The Founders would be appalled' Apple managed to keep its cool on Tuesday when replying to the government’s last, rather incendiary, briefing. In its reply to Judge Pym, Apple laid out its legal arguments for refusing to comply with the FBI’s request for assistance in breaking into the iPhone 5c of San Bernardino shooter Syed Rizwan Farook. Apple also vigorously defended itself against the government’s claims that the company made iOS more secure in a deliberate attempt to thwart law enforcement, or as a marketing decision, even submitting supplemental declarations from Craig Federighi and a senior director of worldwide advertising. It’ll be interesting to see what issues are emphasized at the hearing, because right now it doesn’t seem like Apple and the Department of Justice see eye to eye on, well, pretty much anything. Here’s a summary of Apple’s brief, which will be its last word before the first hearing, scheduled for March 22 at 1pm PST. The court’s order for Apple to create a new version of iOS that would be easier for the FBI to crack was issued under the All Writs Act, a law first passed in the late 18th century. This act allows courts to issue warrants that aren’t authorized by more specific laws. But in this case, Apple argues, there is a more specific law called CALEA that can’t be stretched to fit the government’s request. Apple also argues that Congress had a chance to pass even more specific legislation, but declined to act. Basically, Apple says the government is trying to use the All Writs Act to authorize anything the government wants that isn’t aleady on the books as being illegal. The government attempts to rewrite history by portraying the [All Writs] Act as an all-powerful magic wand rather than the limited procedural tool that it is.… According to the government, short of kidnapping or breaking an express law, the courts can order private parties to do virtually anything the Justice Department and FBI can dream up. The Founders would be appalled. “Indeed, the Justice Department and FBI are asking this Court to adopt their position even though numerous current and former national security and intelligence officials flatly disagree with them,” reads Apple’s filing. It goes on to quote several from the community, including former NSA and CIA Director Michael Hayden, who said, “America is more secure—America is more safe—with unbreakable end-to-end encryption.” The filing also points out that if Apple is forced to weaken its own encryption, real criminals will just seek out other encryption tools. It quotes FBI Director James Comey, who said at a recent Congressional hearing , “Encryption will always be available to bad actors.” At the same hearing, the filing notes, Professor Susan Landau agreed that the order “would weaken us but not change [the availability of strong encryption] for the bad guys.” Apple also rejects the government’s insistence that this GovtOS could be made, tested, used once, and destroyed without ever getting out. The filing quotes cybersecurity experts both in and out of the government as saying that simply isn’t true, that hackers are always looking to exploit these kinds of weaknesses. One footnote even cites the Mac ransomware attack from just last week , in which malicous software was even cryptographically signed to trick Macs into thinking it was legit. Good laws come with limits. In its earlier motion to dismiss the court order, Apple complained that the All Writs Act, since it’s designed to fill in the gaps between statutes, doesn’t have that limiting principle. So if the government is allowed to use the All Writs Act to compel Apple to write a new, crackable version of iOS, this could be precedent for even more alarming scenarios. A drug company be compelled to make lethal injection drugs against its wishes, for example, or Apple could be compelled to make a version of iOS that would allow the government to track a single phone’s location or use it to eavesdrop. If the All Writs Act really is a magic wand, let’s see what it can do, right? In this new filing, Apple notes that in the DOJ’s last brief, it didn’t touch Apple’s hypotheticals with a 10-foot legal pole. “Indeed, it is telling that the government fails even to confront the hypotheticals posed to it (e.g. compelling a pharmaceutical company to manufacture lethal injection drugs), or explain how there is any conceivable daylight between GovtOS today, and LocationTrackingOS or EavesdropOS tomorrow.” CALEA, or the Communication Assistance for Law Enforcement Act, was passed in 1994 to require telecom carriers to assist the government with some wiretapping and surveillance. Since then, it’s been expanded to cover Internet and VoIP traffic as well. Apple’s brief reads: CALEA defines the circumstances under which private companies must create systems to assist law enforcement in its investigatory efforts, as well as the circumstances where such providers are not and cannot be required to build programs and systems to enable law enforcement access. In other words, CALEA has limiting principles. That’s good since those limits came from Congress, and they give the lawyers a framework for their arguments. CALEA has specific language about encryption: Telecom carriers “shall not be responsible for decrypting, or ensuring the government’s ability to decrypt, any communications encrypted by a subscriber or customer, unless the encryption was provided by the carrier and the carrier possesses the information necessary to decrypt the communication.” Apple says that Farook chose to encrypt the phone by setting a passcode, and that Apple doesn’t possess the information necesary to decrypt it—that’s what the government is asking for. To put a finer point on it, since the phone in question was provided by his employer, it’s very likely that his employer required him to use a passcode—which his employer could have easily reset at any time by using even the most basic of multi-device managment practices . And to put an even finer point on it, while Apple is a “communications company” under CALEA, it is not legally considered a “telecommunications carrier,” and so the language about carriers not being responsible for decrypting doesn’t apply to Apple. So, the filing argues, “If companies subject to CALEA’s obligations cannot be required to bear this burden, Congress surely did not intend to allow parties specifically exempted by CALEA (such as Apple) to be subjected to it.” In fact, when CALEA was passed, this very question came up in the debate. From Apple’s filing: During congressional hearings on CALEA, then-FBI director Louis Freeh assured Senator Leahy that CALEA would not impede the growth of new technologies. When Senator Leahy asked whether CALEA would inhibit the growth of encryption, he responded, “this legislation does not ask [companies] to decrypt. It just tells them to give us the bits as they have them. If they are [en]crypted, that is my problem.” Now Judge Pym has some time to read and consider all of these filings before the scheduled March 22 hearing in Riverside, California. We’ll be keeping a close eye on this, but we want to know what you think. Has Apple made a compelling case to dismiss the order? Let us know in the comments.

2016-03-16 10:26 Susie Ochs www.macworld.com

96 Intel adds Vulkan 1.0 support to Windows PC chips for gaming Windows games have mostly been defined by DirectX 12 tools, but a competitive API is coming to PCs running on Intel chips. Intel is releasing graphics drivers that support the Vulkan 1.0 API for chips running Windows 7, 8 and 10 PCs. The drivers, specifically, add "new beta support for the Vulkan 1.0 API for 6th Generation Intel Core and related processors," the Intel driver page says. Most games for Windows are written using Microsoft's DirectX 12 programming tools. The Vulkan 1.0 API, however, provides an alternative set of game development tools. Vulkan 1.0 was introduced last month by industry consortium Khronos Group and replaces the aging OpenGL, which was first introduced in 1991 by Silicon Graphics. It improves graphics on PCs, mobile devices, VR headsets, robots and other devices. Vulkan is tuned to exploit the latest features on modern hardware, like powerful GPUs and multicore CPUs, so games have more life-like images and higher frame rates. With the new drivers, developers will be able to exploit features on Intel GPUs, like the Iris Pro, that are integrated in chips alongside CPUs. Intel's rival AMD has already released Vulkan drivers for Radeon graphics processors. Much like DirectX 12, Vulkan 1.0 provides close access to hardware, which reduces the processing and power overhead in drawing up images. Developers can define, with better access to specific hardware features, how they want graphics rendered. That's an improvement over OpenGL, which had abstraction layers that made hardware virtually invisible. Graphics quality would also degrade when trying to port games from Windows to the OpenGL standard -- unlike DirectX, OpenGL runs on Linux machines. But with Vulkan, quality of games remains mostly intact when porting from DirectX, said Jason Ekstrand, a developer at Intel, during a talk. Vulkan 1.0 APIs will also work with Linux-based PCs like Steam Machines. Intel has made available open-source Vulkan drivers for Linux PCs running on chips code-named Broadwell and Skylake.

2016-03-16 10:06 Agam Shah www.itnews.com

97 97 Cyberespionage groups are stealing digital certificates to sign malware An increasing number of cyberespionage groups are using stolen code- signing certificates to make their hacking tools and malware look like legitimate applications. The latest example is a China-based hacker group that has launched targeted attacks against government and commercial organizations from around the world over the past two years. The group's activities were uncovered by researchers from Symantec in late 2015 when they detected a digitally signed hacking tool that was used in an attack against one of the company's customers. The tool, a Windows brute-force server message block (SMB) scanner, was signed with a digital certificate that belonged to a South Korean mobile software developer. This immediately raised red flags as a mobile software company would have no reason to sign such an application. Further searches led to the identification of three additional hacking tools that had been signed with the same certificate and had been used in an attack against a U. S.-based health provider operating in India. The Symantec researchers traced the attacks back to IP (Internet Protocol) addresses in Chengdu, China. The investigation ultimately led to the discovery of additional hacking programs and malware used by the same group of attackers in the past two years. Those programs had been signed with nine stolen digital certificates belonging to companies from Seoul, South Korea. Three of the certificate owners were companies from the software industry, three were from the video game industry, two were from the entertainment and media sector and one was from the financial services industry. "While we do not know the exact circumstances of how the certificates were stolen, the most likely scenario was that the companies were breached with malware that had the ability to search for and extract certificates from within the organization," the Symantec researchers said in a blog post Tuesday. "We have seen this capability built into a wide range of malware for a number of years now. " When the certificates were discovered in late 2015 they were still valid and their rightful owners didn't know that they had been stolen, even though some of the certificates had been used to sign malware since 2014, the researchers said. In addition to hacking tools, this China-based hacker group, which Symantec has dubbed Suckfly, uses a custom backdoor program that appears to have been designed specifically for cyberespionage attacks. Symantec calls this malware program Backdoor. Nidiran. Suckfly is not the first group of attackers to digitally sign its malware. The Hidden Lynx and Winnti gangs, exposed in 2013, and the Black Vine group, uncovered in 2015, are also known to have used stolen code-signing certificates in their operations. More famously, the Stuxnet cybersabotage worm that affected Iran's nuclear program had components signed with several stolen certificates. "Attackers are taking the time and effort to steal certificates because it is becoming necessary to gain a foothold on a targeted computer," the Symantec researchers said. "Attempts to sign malware with code-signing certificates have become more common as the Internet and security systems have moved towards a more trust- and reputation-oriented model. This means that untrusted software may not be allowed to run unless it is signed. " By default, the latest versions of Apple's Mac OS X only allow applications to run if they have been downloaded from the Mac App Store or if they have been signed with a developer certificate obtained from Apple. Windows will display User Account Control (UAC) warnings for unsigned executable files that try to gain administrator privileges. Some application-whitelisting and other security products can also treat files differently based on whether they are digitally signed with a trusted certificate or not. It's clear that digital certificates, especially those used for code signing, have become valuable targets for cybercriminals, so it is very important for organizations that own such certificates to maintain strong cybersecurity practices and store them in secure environments.

2016-03-16 10:01 Lucian Constantin www.computerworld.com

98 Digital rights group: Save security, reject FBI's iPhone unlocking request Digital rights group Fight for the Future is hoping to give voice to ordinary people concerned with the FBI's attempt to force Apple to help it unlock the iPhone used by a mass shooter. Fight for the Future's new Save Security campaign , launched Wednesday, will collect comments from people worried about the Internet security implications of the FBI's court request. Organizers will display the comments and read them aloud outside a California courthouse before a hearing in the case next Tuesday. "We're actually trying to give a voice to people all over the world who are extremely concerned about this," said Evan Greer, campaign director for the group. Fight for the Future is trying to "bring those voices into the conversation so that it's not just a fight between a giant company and the government," Greer added. The group is also asking websites to display logos in support of the Save Security campaign. Forcing Apple and other tech companies to defeat security protections built into devices will expose users to attacks from criminals and foreign governments, say Fight for the Future and other critics of the FBI's position. The case is "not just about one phone, it’s about the future of safety and security for millions of people all over the world," Greer said. But the FBI and President Barack Obama's administrative have argued that encryption and other security features on phones will make it more difficult to investigate crimes and terrorism. The main goal of the new campaign is education, of the public, of lawmakers, of judges, and of the current and next presidential administrations, Greer said. "It's about educating decision-makers, but the more important thing is winning the hearts and minds of the public and helping people understand what's really going on here," Greer said. "I'm actually kind of shocked and blown away by how many members of the public seem to genuinely understand what's going on here, even given the gravity of the case that the FBI picked. " Recent polls have the U. S. public split on whether the FBI should able to force Apple to cooperate. Fight for the Future hopes the education campaign targeting the public will have a "trickle up effect" on lawmakers, judges and other decision-makers, Greer said. Fight for the Future was founded in 2011, but the relatively new group has enlisted tens of thousands of websites and hundreds of thousands of people in some of its past campaigns. The group organized small flash protests against the FBI's position in about 40 cities last month.

2016-03-16 09:02 Grant Gross www.itnews.com

99 Sony PlayStation VR undercuts HTC Vive with £349 price tag SONY HAS ANNOUNCED that its PlayStation VR headset will fetch £349 when it goes on sale in November, undercutting the HTC Vive 's £689 price-tag. While at £349 (or $399 in the US) Sony's VR headset will be cheaper than most of its competitors, it's worth noting that the headset will not include the PlayStation Move camera which is required to use the VR headset, nor any PlayStation Move controllers, both of which retail at approximately £40 each. You'll also need a PS4 if you haven't already got one, which will set you back an additional £300. Sony has yet to give an exact release date for the PlayStation VR but said it will be available to buy in October, despite originally having promised a launch in the first half of 2016. "That is a bit later than the timeframe we previously stated, and I want to thank everyone for their patience and continued support," Sony CEO Andrew House said. "PlayStation VR represents a transformative experience in gaming, and we wanted to take the time needed to launch with a broad variety of content and a sufficient supply of hardware. We are beyond excited to deliver to consumers the amazing experience that PS VR offers. " During its GDC press conference, Sony also announced that PlayStaytion VR, previously known as Project Morpheus , will support both Dualshock and Move input support, and announced that it expects there to be more than 50 games available at launch, including London Heist, Dreams and Gran Turismo. EA's Star Wars Battlefront for PlayStation VR was also given the nod. PlayStation VR isn't just for gaming, though. It also offers a 'Cinematic mode' which will let you play 'flatscreen' (non-VR) games and watch movies, according to Sony. Final specifications of the PlayStation VR have also been confirmed. The headset will arrive kitted out with a 5.7in 1920x1080 OLED screen, or 960x1080 per eye, that supports refresh rates of 120Hz and 90Hz. It will support a field of view of approximately 100 degrees, feature 360-degree tracking, and offer latency of less than 18 ms, according to Sony. All in, the headset will weigh around 610g. In the box you'll find a PlayStation VR headset, unsurprisingly, along with the processor unit, a connection cable for the headset, an HDMI cable, a USB cable, stereo headphones, an AC adapter and a power cord. If you can't wait until October, both Sony and Game have started taking pre-orders for PlayStation VR . µ

2016-03-16 08:47 Carly Page www.theinquirer.net

100 100 Instagram will start showing moments you care about first As Facebook owned Instagram has grown with 400 million active monthly users, it’s become harder for its users to keep up with all the photos and videos they share, where users miss on average 70% of their feeds. This means you often don’t see the posts you might care about the most. To improve your experience, your feed will soon be ordered to show the moments we believe you will care about the most. Other social media platforms like: Facebook, organizes its News Feed in a similar way while Twitter too, has started adding posts it thinks its users will want to see at the top of their timelines. According to the Instagram blog page, the order of photos and videos in your feed will be based on the likelihood you’ll be interested in the content, your relationship with the person posting and the timeliness of the post. As we begin, we’re focusing on optimizing the order all the posts will still be there, just in a different order. First Post reports that, the company is reportedly using machine-learning technology , as well as other signals of interest, to determine how to sort content. If your favorite musician shares a video from last night’s concert, it will be waiting for you when you wake up, no matter how many accounts you follow or what time zone you live in. And when your best friend posts a photo of her new puppy, you won’t miss it.

2016-03-16 07:22 Nathan Ernest pctechmag.com

Total 100 articles. Created at 2016-03-17 06:02