An anonymous reader sends this news from the CBC: “Using a Samsung Galaxy SIII — one of the most popular smartphones available in Canada — and a free app downloaded from the Google Play store, CBC was able to read information such as a card number, expiry date and cardholder name simply holding the smartphone over a debit or credit card. And it could be done through wallets, pockets and purses. … Although the NFC antennas in current smartphones need to be very close to a card in order to work — no farther than 10 cm — that could change with the next generation of Android smartphones. Legary said the Samsung Galaxy S4, set to go on sale this spring, might have a much more capable NFC antenna, which could not only read credit cards from a greater distance, but could also be able to read the chips embedded in enhanced driving licenses and passports.” Read more of this story at Slashdot.
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Smartphone Used To Scan Data From Chip-Enabled Credit Cards
Haiti has been battling a massive cholera outbreak since, roughly, around the time international aid groups arrived in the country following the 2010 earthquake. Now, genetic evidence links the strain of cholera in Haiti to a rare strain native to Nepal — further proof that it was Nepalese UN Peacekeepers who brought cholera to Haiti . This news comes two months after the UN claimed immunity from any financial liability relating to the outbreak, writes Stacey Singer at the Palm Beach Post. 
Streaming service adds more than 3 million streaming subscribers around the world in the aftermath of the debut of its “House of Cards” miniseries. [Read more] 
Microsoft may be moving toward bringing back the Start button and allowing users to boot straight to the desktop with its coming Windows 8.1 release later this year. [Read more] 
The Internet phone and messaging service shares an impressive statistic and shows it remains a powerhouse when it comes to communications. [Read more] 
Twitter is lighting up with a backlash against the choice from prominent Christians. [Read more] 
The new E6 Series Super Komachi has a sleek design and a top speed of nearly 200 mph. Operators hope it will help the quake-ravaged north. [Read more] 
The search giant says it inadvertently removed Digg, in its entirety, from its search engine. [Read more] 
Formed in 2009, the joint partnership of STMicro and Ericsson was never profitable as top customer Nokia lost market share to Apple and Samsung. [Read more]