Mass dampers are designed to counteract the swaying of a skyscraper as it’s buffeted by strong winds or earthquakes. But it’s incredibly rare to see one of these huge devices moving more an a few inches. Unless, of course, there’s a typhoon nearby. Read more…
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Watch the Incredible Force of a Typhoon Move a Skyscraper’s 720-Ton Mass Damper
Two months after Microsoft launched Skype’s Business edition , which integrates into MS Office Calendar and allows for group messaging/video chats/calls for up to 250 people, the video conferencing company announced on Tuesday that a mobile version for both iOS and Android devices is in the works. The mobile app will feature a central dashboard from which the user can search for contacts, check for and RSVP to upcoming meetings and dig through past archived conversations. Additionally, actually contacting people will be easier thanks to larger onscreen buttons and a full-screen video chat option. The apps aren’t ready quite yet though. Skype is currently recruiting businesses to participate in its preview program. Corporate IT managers can sign to eight employees (four for iOS, four for Android) up for the preview at www.skypepreview.com before August 17th. Once the apps actually go live “later this year, ” users will need to have Lync 2013 , on which this system is built, installed on their device in order to use them. [Image Credit: shutterstock] Filed under: Internet , Mobile , Apple , Microsoft , Google Comments Source: Microsoft Office Blog Tags: android, apple, calendar, google, ios, messaging, microsoft, mobiledevice, mobilepostcross, office, skype, video, VideoConferencing
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Skype for Business is coming to your mobile device
3D printing isn’t just for making unique stuffed animals or weird fake meat . It allows us to fabricate objects we never could with traditional manufacturing. Here are some of the incredible things we can print now, which were nearly impossible to make before. Read more…
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Objects That Couldn’t Be Made Before 3D Printers Existed
To appear young, use Emoji. We already knew that haha and hehe are indicators of age , but according to Facebook, lol is oldest of them all, spoken mostly by the truly decrepit: people over 25 .
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Old people say "LOL" on Facebook
An anonymous reader writes: Mozilla today launched Firefox 40 for Windows, Mac, Linux, and Android. Notable additions to the browser include official Windows 10 support, added protection against unwanted software downloads, and new navigational gestures on Android. Firefox 40 for the desktop is available for download now on Firefox.com, and all existing users should be able to upgrade to it automatically. As always, the Android version is trickling out slowly on Google Play. Changelogs are here: desktop and Android. Read more of this story at Slashdot.
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Firefox 40 Arrives With Windows 10 Support, Expanded Malware Protection
Bioengineers are developing methods to grow new arms for monkeys using human progenitor cells that can become blood cells, vessels, and other tissue. Read the rest
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Scientists growing new arms for monkeys
Even the most hardened of Valve fans would be hard pressed to call the company’s Steam Machine initiative particularly exciting. After all, with the exception of Alienware’s Alpha or Asus’ ROG, most of them are simply glorified tower PCs, rather than innovative pieces of console-like design. Today, however, that all changes with the Smach Zero, an x86-based portable Steam Machine that promises access to the 1000+ SteamOS games in Valve’s library. The Smach Zero is powered by an AMD G-Series SoC named Steppe Eagle, which features a Jaguar-based CPU paired with a GCN-based GPU. We don’t know which G-Series SoC is actually being used, but presumably it’ll be one of the 6W or 9W TDP parts (PDF). The CPU is probably clocked somewhere around 1GHz, and the GPU between 200-300MHz (roughly equivalent to an HD 8210E). Along with the SoC, there’s 4GB of RAM, 32GB of storage (expandable via an SD card slot), a 5-inch 720p touchscreen, HDMI output, WiFi, and Bluetooth. On the front of the Smach Zero there are “configurable tactile gamepads,” which look suspiciously like the ones that Valve initially had on the Steam Controller before its redesign. Read 5 remaining paragraphs | Comments
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Smach Zero: A portable x86 Steam Machine for $300
It’s not only Chrysler drivers that have to worry about hackers taking control of their cars from afar. UC San Diego researchers have found that you can control features on cars of many makes by exploiting vulnerabilities in cellular-capable dongles that are sometimes plugged into the vehicles’ OBD-II ports, such as insurance trackers and driving efficiency tools . In the example you see above, the security team compromised a Corvette touting a Mobile Devices dongle (one of the most common varieties) through everyday text messages — they could turn on the wipers or even cut the brakes. That same device is also set to allow remote tunneling using a universal ‘private’ key, making it easy for an intruder to get complete control over the adapter and its unfortunate host car. You’ll be glad to hear that Mobile Devices has already patched its hardware in response to the findings, and that the phone numbers for these dongles aren’t normally public. You’d have to use brute force guesses to find a viable target. However, the concern is that other brands’ dongles still have holes, and that many of these gadgets aren’t getting updates in a timely fashion. It’s feasible that an intruder could cause chaos by either forcing vulnerable cars off the road or making life miserable for their occupants. Filed under: Transportation Comments Via: Wired Source: Mrlanrat (YouTube) Tags: car, chevrolet, chevy, corvette, metromile, mobiledevices, obd-II, obd2, security, sms, transportation, ucsandiego, video
Kali Linux is an incredibly powerful tool for testing network vulnerabilities and today it’s getting a lot easier to use with a new new interface, automatic updates, and more. http://lifehacker.com/how-to-hack-yo… Read more…
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Kali Linux 2.0 Is Here with a Redesigned Interface, Easy Updates, and More
Verizon has announced that it has successfully completed field tests of its new super-fast fiber optic technology, dubbed the next-generation passive optical network (NG-PON2). It could offer users connectivity speeds anywhere from 10Gbps to 80Gbps some point “in the future”, according to a Verizon press release. The new system utilizes an optical line terminal (OLT) capable of generating four wavelengths of light, each of which is able to transmit at an eye-watering 10Gbps down and 2.5Gbps up. Interestingly, the network can actually transmit both the current GPON (Gigabit-capable Passive Optical Network) signal as well as this new NG-PON2 simultaneously. What’s more, should one of the wavelengths fail (due to, say, equipment failure), the system can reportedly switch over to one of the other three wavelengths to quickly restore the 10Gbps connection, a redundancy that should help improve the FIOS network’s reliability. The company sees its implementation as a necessary step for the upcoming shift to 4K video streaming. As such, Verizon will begin issuing “requests for proposals” for the hardware and software needed to upgrade its FIOS service later this year. There’s no word yet on when the service will actually come online but it will likely only be available to businesses at first. And even then, potentially only on the East Coast . By comparison, Comcast offers 2Gbps for $300 a month , and Google offers 1Gbps service for $70, both of which are already deployed throughout the country and available to personal and commercial users alike. [Image Credit: Associated Press] Filed under: Internet Comments Source: Verizon Tags: 10gb, fios, NG-PON2, opticallineterminal, verizon
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Verizon tests new fiber system that hits 10Gbps speeds