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New Bluetooth devices will connect directly to the internet

For all the talk of an Internet of Things , many Bluetooth devices aren’t very internet-savvy; they usually have to rely on WiFi (or another gadget entirely) to hop online. That’s going to change very shortly with the advent of Bluetooth’s new 4.2 spec . If a sensor, smart light bulb or other low-power device supports the new technology, it can connect directly to the internet (through a router or other access point, at least) without needing a go-between. That’s potentially huge for home automation — you could control all your appliances and light fixture from anywhere in the world without requiring special hubs. There’s a lot more going on besides this, of course. Privacy is now much more important; Bluetooth 4.2 makes it harder to track a device without your permission, so a store with iBeacons (as an example) can’t follow you around unless you’ve installed an app. The new wireless tech is also up to 2.5 times faster, and it should be both more power-efficient and reliable. The gotcha with all these updates? You’ll have to wait. The Bluetooth 4.2 standard is ready now (internet access is due within a month), but device makers will still have to implement it before you can see any benefit. You probably won’t get to use 4.2-capable devices until sometime in 2015 as a result, but there are enough heavy-hitting features that your patience may pay off. Filed under: Household , Peripherals , Networking , Internet , Mobile Comments Source: Bluetooth SIG

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New Bluetooth devices will connect directly to the internet

Stephen Hawking now uses SwiftKey suggestions to communicate faster

Stephen Hawking created some of the most revolutionary ideas in science, but he’s very conservative with his communication tech — right down to the ” copyrighted ” electronic American accent. He has worked with Intel since 1997 on the assistive computer system he relies on to speak and create documents, since motor neuron disease took his real voice decades ago. Hawking isn’t interested in new tech like eye-tracking, but he and Intel recently decided to bring his current text and voice system up-to-date. They ended up getting an assist from a company more familiar to smartphone users — SwiftKey . Intel’s goal was to “retain the familiar user experience, but make that experience more intuitive and powerful.” As a result, it recoded the system from scratch, with a key contribution coming from predictive keyboard maker SwiftKey. Based on its smartphone SDK, the software autocompletes words and remembers Hawking’s style, helping reduce the number of steps he needs to type. Intel also refined his workflow by creating contextual menus for documents or emails to improve ease-of-use. Hawking has been testing it for a few months, and when it’s done, Intel plans to make it available to the open source community. It’s hoping that others will improve the platform further to help folks with similar disabilities, while giving the assistive tech industry a push at the same time. Filed under: Science , Alt , Intel Comments Source: Intel

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Stephen Hawking now uses SwiftKey suggestions to communicate faster

FBI warns businesses over malware that can override hard drive data

A number of American security professionals must have quickly switched from lazy Thanksgiving mode to high alert on Monday after receiving a flash warning from the FBI. A five-page document was sent out to US businesses’ IT teams warning them against a highly destructive malware, which a group of hackers recently used to infiltrate several companies’ computers, reports Reuters . In order for the companies to take preventative measures, the report contained the lowdown on the malware’s technical details, such as its ability to override hard drives. The malicious code can apparently shut down and permanently disable computers, as well, making it impossible to retrieve files later on. The FBI issues “flash” warnings to businesses in order to update them about high-risk cyber threats. For this particular one, none of the malware’s victims were named, and the agency also wouldn’t confirm or deny when Reuters asked if Sony was one of them. If you recall, Sony Pictures was on the receiving end of a big cyber attack in late November that took down all its computers and led to the leak of several unreleased movies, including Annie and Brad Pitt’s Fury . Guardians of Peace (GOP), the group that launched the attack, threatened to unleash more internal data if their demands (which we still don’t know the details of) weren’t met. On Monday, we’ve received an email from someone who claims to be the GOP’s leader, linking to a public pastebin that contains download links to what he says is part of the data they stole. Since the FBI wouldn’t comment on Sony’s situation, it’s unclear if the company’s still investigating what happened, and whether North Korea was truly involved in the incident. [Image credit: Shutterstock / clarence s lewis] Filed under: Internet Comments Source: Reuters

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FBI warns businesses over malware that can override hard drive data

It turns out the world’s oldest ‘computer’ dates back to 205 BC

The device regarded the world’s first computer (analog, of course) could have been used even earlier than researchers thought. Inspection of a dial from the 2, 000-year-old Antikythera Mechanism and an examination of Babylonian eclipse records revealed the device’s origin to be 205 BC, 50-100 years before previous findings indicate. The new date offers a clue as to how Greeks predicted eclipses and planetary position, too. Until now, scientists thought the system was based on trigonometry, but that method didn’t exist yet, so instead, the mechanism relied on Babylonian arithmetic. Using a process of elimination, a pair of researchers compared records and recovered pieces of the dial that aided with eclipse prediction in order to arrive at the new calculation. The hunt continues for the rest of the Antikythera Mechanism, as a team is hoping to continue its search of the shipwreck where fragments have been found this spring. [Photo credit: Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP/Getty Images] Filed under: Misc , Science Comments Via: Phys.org Source: New York Times

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It turns out the world’s oldest ‘computer’ dates back to 205 BC

Seller of StealthGenie spyware app gets fined $500,000

A US District Judge in Virginia has ordered the man responsible for selling and distributing StealthGenie , an application used to spy on people, to pay a $500, 000 fine and hand over the software’s source code to the authorities. Hammad Akbar, who is originally from Denmark, last week pleaded guilty to the charges of a “sale of an interception device and the advertising of a known interception device, ” in what the Department of Justice is calling the first-ever criminal conviction of its kind . Akbar admitted that StealthGenie could take on many spying tasks once installed on an iOS, Android or BlackBerry smartphone, such as providing access to email, text messages and pictures, as well as intercepting any incoming and outgoing phone calls. “Make no mistake: selling spyware is a federal crime, and the Criminal Division will make a federal case out if it. Today’s guilty plea by a creator of the StealthGenie spyware is another demonstration of our commitment to prosecuting those who would invade personal privacy, ” an Assistant Attorney General involved with the case stated. As expected, the FBI was deeply involved in the takedown of StealthGenie. “This illegal spyware provides individuals with an option to track a person’s every move without their knowledge, ” a spokesperson for the bureau added. “As technology evolves, the FBI will continue to evolve to protect consumers from those who sell illegal spyware.” The moral of the story, people, is don’t make apps to creep on others — unless you’re willing to deal with the Department of Justice, FBI and pay quite a hefty fine. Filed under: Internet , Software Comments Via: ZDNet Source: Department of Justice

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Seller of StealthGenie spyware app gets fined $500,000

Pizza Hut’s eye-tracking menu knows what you want before you do

When scanning a menu, are you justifying that Dame Blanche sundae in your mind rather than actually choosing a dessert? Pizza Hut wants to help you skip your super-ego middleman and just let your id order that triple-cheese bacon pepperoni pie directly. It’s ” Subconscious Menu ” uses Tobii’s eye-tracking tech to figure out which of 20 different ingredients you’re looking at on a screen (see the video below). It then takes all of three seconds to identify the pizza you really want based on which you looked at the longest. Pizza Hut says its Subconscious Menu is still in trials, but after testing to a 98 percent success rate, it may eventually appear in restaurants. [Image credit: Lexis Agency/Pizza Hut] Filed under: Cameras Comments Via: Telegraph Source: Tobii (YouTube)

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Pizza Hut’s eye-tracking menu knows what you want before you do

DNA smeared on a rocket survives re-entry and tells of life’s origins

Well, would you look at that: scientists have discovered that DNA can make it through the hellish ordeal of atmospheric re-entry after all. German and Swiss researchers dotted a rocket’s grooves and screw heads with fragments of genetic blueprints to see how they’d fare in situations that could’ve led to the appearance of life on Earth. Scientific American notes that the 13-minute rocket trip might not perfectly represent how DNA might actually travel from one celestial body to the next (that’d be by meteor), but there is purpose here. What the experiment suggests is that even if the meteor’s been scorched, that the material can survive at higher temperatures than previously expected, and as such this paints a better picture of just how resilient DNA is. What’s next? Pushing the limits further and seeing exactly what it takes to kill the double helix — we’re pretty sure at least one rock band is itching to find out. [Image credit: Getty Images/OJO Images RF] Filed under: Science , Alt Comments Via: Scientific American Source: Plos One

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DNA smeared on a rocket survives re-entry and tells of life’s origins

Music labels sue Cox for not doing enough to stop piracy

Large American internet service providers these days tend to operate under a ” six strikes ” approach to piracy — they’ll warn you if they catch copyright violations, but it’s unlikely that you’ll get the boot. However, that isn’t good enough for BMG or Round Hill Music. The two music publishers have sued Cox Communications for allegedly refusing to forward notices demanding settlements for copyright violations. According to the claim, the cable giant went out of its way to treat these messages like junk mail, letting about 200, 000 “repeat infringers” go scot-free. If the court agrees that Cox knowingly looked the other way, it could be in trouble. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act requires that networks have a policy for cutting off unrepentant pirates, and the lawsuit suggests that Cox doesn’t respect that rule. With that said, there’s no certainty that the company is on the hook. A person isn’t necessarily violating copyright just because they’re supposed to get a notice — it may be up to a judge to decide. Also, the agency handing out the alerts on the labels’ behalf (Rightscorp) doesn’t have a sterling track record. Internet providers have previously ignored Rightscorp notices with little consequence, and the firm is in dire financial straits after its aggressive approach to demanding copyright settlements (which includes using robocalls ) didn’t pan out. Even so, this case could set an important precedent. BMG and Round Hill would have more ammunition for future lawsuits if they win, and other labels may consider suing when they don’t believe that ISPs are taking piracy seriously. [Image credit: Dustin Gaffke, Flickr ] Filed under: Internet Comments Via: Electronista Source: Ars Technica

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Music labels sue Cox for not doing enough to stop piracy

Unreleased Sony movies leak online following studio hack

There may now be some strong evidence that the Sony Pictures hackers came across a treasure trove of sensitive info when they broke into the movie studio’s networks. High-quality screener copies of Annie , Fury , Mr. Turner and Still Alice have reached torrent file sites well before you can get any of them at home — and, outside of Fury , before you can even see them in theaters. While there’s no direct evidence that the Sony Pictures attackers (the “Guardians of Peace”) are responsible, a tipster claiming to be the “boss of G.O.P.” has emailed many media outlets claiming that the group seeded the bootleg videos. That may be supported by the names of the torrents themselves, which start with “2014 Sony Movie” in a seeming attempt to highlight the source. If the GOP did pirate the movies, that suggests that there are far worse things to come. We’ve obtained a copy of the alleged email, and it claims that “under 100 terabytes” of data is going to reach the web in the near future. Suffice it to say that Sony doesn’t want to see that happen — it could reveal the personal information for legions of workers, not to mention production plans. If there’s any truth to the threats, the company could be dealing with the repercussions of the data breach for a long, long while. Filed under: Home Entertainment , Internet , HD , Sony Comments Source: TorrentFreak

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Unreleased Sony movies leak online following studio hack

James Cameron’s ‘Avatar’ sequels will stick to 48 frames per second

There was talk for a while that James Cameron would shoot the Avatar sequels at a brisk 60 frames per second, which is no mean feat when people aren’t yet sure about 48FPS movies . However, it now looks like the famed director is scaling back those ambitions. He tells Empire that he was considering 60FPS to accommodate home viewers (since it’s better-suited to TVs), but that he’s ultimately sticking with ‘just’ 48FPS; he’s plugging into a “more mature” system where the slower speed makes sense. The sci-fi sagas won’t push the boundaries of moviemaking technology quite as far as you might have expected, then, but the chances are that they’ll still be visual extravaganzas. Filed under: Home Entertainment , HD Comments Via: Comingsoon.net Source: Empire

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James Cameron’s ‘Avatar’ sequels will stick to 48 frames per second