Tag: internet

L.A. TV Stations Free Up Some Spectrum For Wireless Broadband

alphadogg (971356) writes An effort to free up some of the airwaves used by TV broadcasts and make them available for wireless broadband took a big step forward this week in the U.S. Two TV stations in Los Angeles, KLCS and KCET, have agreed to share a single frequency to deliver their programming freeing up a channel that can be auctioned off to wireless carriers next year. The change, which the Federal Communications Commission calls “repackaging, ” is possible because digital TV broadcasts don’t need the full 6MHz of broadcast spectrum that was used for analog TV. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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L.A. TV Stations Free Up Some Spectrum For Wireless Broadband

Ozone Layer Recovering But Remains Threatened

First time accepted submitter i kan reed writes in with some good news from the ozone report of the United Nations. The Earth’s protective ozone layer is on track to recover by the middle of the century, the United Nations today reported, urging unified action to tackle climate change and curb continued fluctuations to the composition of the atmosphere. That is according to the assessment of 300 scientists in the summary document of the Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion 2014, published by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO). “International action on the ozone layer is a major environmental success story, ” WMO Secretary-General Michel Jarraud said in a news release. “This should encourage us to display the same level of urgency and unity to tackle the even greater challenge of climate change.” Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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Ozone Layer Recovering But Remains Threatened

The Exoplanets That Never Were

StartsWithABang writes In 1992, scientists discovered the first planets orbiting a star other than our Sun. The pulsar PSR B1257+12 was discovered to have its own planetary system, and since then, exoplanet discoveries have exploded. But before that, in 1963, decades of research led to the much-anticipated publication and announcement of an exoplanet discovered around Barnard’s star, the second-closest star system to Earth. Unfortunately, it turned out to be spurious, and it took years to uncover, an amazing story which is only now fully coming to light. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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The Exoplanets That Never Were

The iPhone 6’s New M8 Chip Makes It a Truly Badass Fitness Tracker

Among all the other goodies being packed into the brand new iPhone 6 and 6 Plus , the phone comes bearing the newest generation of Apple’s M chip—the M8. And it might finally turn the iPhone into the fitness tracker we’ve been waiting for. Read more…

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The iPhone 6’s New M8 Chip Makes It a Truly Badass Fitness Tracker

GM To Introduce Hands-Free Driving In Cadillac Model

cold fjord notes that drivers will be able to switch a new Cadillac model to partial auto-pilo. General Motors Co. (GM), the largest U.S. automaker, will introduce a Cadillac model in two years that can travel on the highway without the driver holding the steering wheel or putting a foot on a pedal. The 2017 Cadillac model will feature “Super Cruise” technology that takes control of steering, acceleration and braking at highway speeds of 70 miles per hour or in stop-and-go congested traffic, Chief Executive Officer Mary Barra said yesterday in a speech at the Intelligent Transport System World Congress in Detroit. GM declined to release the name of the model that will carry the feature. Barra also said GM in two years will become the first automaker to equip a model with so-called vehicle-to-vehicle technology that enables the car to communicate with other autos with similar abilities to warn of traffic hazards and improve road safety. GM will make the V2V feature standard on its 2017 Cadillac CTS sedan, debuting in the second half of 2016, she said. The Super Cruise feature will be on a different Cadillac model and goes beyond similar technology available on some Mercedes-Benz models that operates only at low speeds. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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GM To Introduce Hands-Free Driving In Cadillac Model

Deadmau5 Accuses Disney of Pirating His Music

An anonymous reader writes After Disney objected to musician Joel Zimmerman [aka Deadmau5]’s trademark application in the U.S. (his logo is already properly trademarked in many other countries), a battle of trademarks and copyrights ensued. Apparently, Disney was (URL has since been disabled, as per DMCA law requires) hosting a video containing a remix of music which Zimmerman claims ownership of. Not only that, but the Deadmau5 logo was prominently displayed next to said video. The mouse fight was on and a few hours ago Deadmau5 retaliated with a rather surprising counter attack. As it turns out, Disney is hosting a Deadmau5 video on their website, without permission. “Disney prominently features the deadmau5 Mark next to the Infringing Video. implying a non-existent endorsement by Zimmerman, ” the letter reads. “Again. we are unaware of any license allowing you the right to reproduce, distribute or otherwise exploit the deadmau5 Mark or to exploit Zimmerman’s name and likeness in connection with same.” At the time of writing Disney hasn’t complied with the request, but it seems that they have no other option than to comply. Whether it will change anything in their stance towards the DJ’s mouse ear trademark application is doubtful though. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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Deadmau5 Accuses Disney of Pirating His Music

Hackers Break Into HealthCare.gov

mpicpp is one of many to point out that hackers broke into the HealthCare.gov website in July and uploaded malicious software. “Hackers silently infected a Healthcare.gov computer server this summer. But the malware didn’t manage to steal anyone’s data, federal officials say. On Thursday, the Health and Human Services Department, which manages the Obamacare website, explained what happened. And officials stressed that personal information was never at risk. “Our review indicates that the server did not contain consumer personal information; data was not transmitted outside the agency, and the website was not specifically targeted, ” HHS spokesman Kevin Griffis said. But it was a close call, showing just how vulnerable computer systems can be. It all happened because of a series of mistakes. A computer server that routinely tests portions of the website wasn’t properly set up. It was never supposed to be connected to the Internet — but someone had accidentally connected it anyway. That left it open to attack, and on July 8, malware slipped past the Obamacare security system, officials said. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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Hackers Break Into HealthCare.gov

Get Lost in This Map of 170,000 Photos From Depression-Era America

Some of the most haunting images of the U.S. were captured from 1935 to 1945, as the country emerged from the depths of the Great Depression and rallied for World War II. A team from Yale has collaborated on one of the most visually stunning interpretations of the era, called Photogrammar : 170, 000 photos from the period, plotted on a map of the country. Read more…

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Get Lost in This Map of 170,000 Photos From Depression-Era America