Blog Tips

Simply click on the URL (http:// ...) link in each article to visit the article's page

To search this blog, try the Search Box on the right, or click on the Labels following each post entry

05 September, 2013

Sony QX ‘lens-style’ cameras for your smartphone: Is this the future of point-and-shoots?

http://www.extremetech.com/electronics/165675-sony-launches-qx-lens-style-cameras-for-your-smartphone-is-this-the-future-of-point-and-shoots

Vehicle-to-Pedestrian (V2P) Technology Honda R&D has successfully demonstrated the ability of a car equipped with Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) technology to detect a pedestrian with a DSRC enabled smartphone. This vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P) technology uses cooperative communication between an individual's smartphone and nearby vehicles and provides auditory and visual warnings to both the pedestrian and drivers. The system is designed to mitigate the potential for a collision between the vehicle and pedestrian.

http://www.honda.com/newsandviews/article.aspx?id=7352-en

Samsung Galaxy Gear: Android-powered smartwatch arrives later this month. The Gear is a smartwatch, a wrist-worn touch-screen timepiece that talks to your phone, so you don't have to be forever fetching your phone from purse or pocket. It sits on your wrist and happily controls your music, tracks your exercise, installs your favourite apps -- it even makes phone calls.

http://reviews.cnet.com/samsung-galaxy-gear/

Nymi wristband turns your heartbeat into an electronic key that unlocks your devices. After testing the device on 1,000 people, Nymi was found to be more accurate than facial recognition, and about as accurate as fingerprint authentication.

http://www.extremetech.com/computing/165537-nymi-wristband-turns-your-heartbeat-into-an-electronic-key-that-unlocks-your-devices

04 September, 2013

Microsoft buys Nokia’s phone business for $7.2 billion in an attempt to imitate Apple

http://www.extremetech.com/computing/165512-microsoft-buys-nokias-phone-business-for-7-2-billion-in-an-attempt-to-imitate-apple

Software brings eye contact to Skype, with a little help from Kinect. The new system, which is still under development, currently uses a Kinect to act as a depth sensor. Other than that the computer is fairly standard.

http://www.gizmag.com/skype-eye-contact/28843/

Coverity Scan service enables near perfect code quality for Python with .005 defect density

http://www.ciol.com/ciol/news/194520/coverity-python-sets-level-quality-source-software

Rotich explained that her nonprofit tech company, Ushahidi [Swahili for "testimony"], wanted to tackle the problem of connectivity in Africa and created a rugged portable device with a battery that could work for up to eight hours between charges, and switch between ethernet, WiFi, 3G and, if lucky, 4G.

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2013/07/201372484039912339.html

Intel’s former chief architect: Moore’s law will be dead within a decade

http://www.extremetech.com/computing/165331-intels-former-chief-architect-moores-law-will-be-dead-within-a-decade

A Melbourne man has done what Apple failed to do: turn the iPhone 5 into a full action camera capable of shooting 20 high-quality photos in one second.

http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/cameras/aussies-camera-app-brings-iphone-up-to-speed-20130903-2t3ci.html

Premier Weather reveals policy to publish credit card statements of government ministers as act of transparency

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/premier-weather-reveals-policy-to-publish-credit-card-statements-of-government-ministers-as-act-of-transparency/story-fni6uo1m-1226710108838

The online "fact-checker'' has been set up by welfare agency the St Vincent de Paul Society to help the needy. But it shows any household can save up to $500 on electricity bills and $200 on gas depending on which of nine retail companies they use and the fine print in each contract.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/st-vincent-de-paul-society8217s-online-tool-can-help-households-save-up-to-700-off-annual-electricity-bills/story-fni6uo1m-1226710139948

29 August, 2013

BitTorrent Sync For iPhone Now Available To Download. BitTorrent Sync is specifically designed to handle large files. File transfers are encrypted. Your information is never stored on a server in the cloud and your data is protected by private keys.

http://www.redmondpie.com/bittorrent-sync-for-iphone-now-available-to-download/

New Zealand bans software patents. "The patents system doesn't work for software, because it is almost impossible for genuine technology companies to create new software without breaching some of the hundreds of thousands of software patents that exist, often for very obvious work," Matthews said. "Today's historic legislation will support our innovative technology industry, and sends a clear message to the rest of the world that New Zealand won't tolerate the vexatious practice of 'patent trolls'."

http://www.zdnet.com/new-zealand-bans-software-patents-7000019955/

Bitcoin offers privacy -- as long as you don't cash out or spend it

http://www.itworld.com/security/370750/bitcoin-offers-privacy-long-you-dont-cash-out-or-spend-it

Violent Video Games May actually Curb Bullying In Vulnerable Children, Study Suggests

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/28/violent-video-games-bullying-children-study_n_3823490.html

15 August, 2013

According to the U.S. Department of State’s Foreign Service Institute, Chinese is a Class III language—the most difficult to master—and requires 2,200 hours of rigorous study to gain general proficiency. Luckily for procrastinators with tickets already booked to Beijing, a new design-focused learning system called Chineasy can teach students basic literacy in a matter of days. (Graphic cue cards)

http://www.wired.com/design/2013/08/chineasy-teaches-chinese-language-visually/

Encrypted email isn’t secure, but if you must use it, here are some Lavabit alternatives

http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/163698-encrypted-email-isnt-secure-but-if-you-must-use-it-here-are-some-lavabit-alternatives

While the Leap’s cameras seem to only use infrared light (provided by three infrared LEDs inside the unit), the Haptix can use ambient light and infrared. Ambient light enables the capturing of much more detail, which is a boon for accuracy, but it requires “a few tricks” for the computer vision algorithm to handle that much data in real time.

http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/163929-haptix-turns-any-surface-into-a-multi-touch-interface-for-70

08 August, 2013

Chrome’s insane password security strategy

http://blog.elliottkember.com/chromes-insane-password-security-strategy

THE Queensland government has blacklisted IBM from any future state contracts after a scathing report into the IT giant's part in the health payroll bungle. What began as a $6.19 million project is ultimately expected to cost taxpayers $1.2 billion.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/government/queensland-bans-ibm/story-fn4htb9o-1226692740865

Apple has finally run out of big cats by which to name its Mac operating system, OS X. Currently we are riding Snow Leopard, version 10.8.4. In September or thereabouts, we expect to be surfing on Apple's new wave, OS X 10.9, named Mavericks after California's famous surf beach.

http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/computers/apple-os-x-109-mavericks-moves-on-from-big-cats-20130807-2rdzs.html

MANUFACTURING heavyweight Siemens has confirmed it will move to the new Tonsley Park industry hub, creating 15 jobs and giving itself room for future expansion. The former Mitsubishi site has been taken over by the State Government and is planned to become an advanced manufacturing cluster for businesses, educational facilities and houses.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/business/siemens-to-spend-5m-on-new-development-at-tonsley-park-hub-joining-flinders-university-and-tafe/story-fni6uma6-1226692258868

01 August, 2013

DIY external Thunderbolt GPU turbo-charges MacBook Air graphics performance by 7X

http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/162652-diy-external-thunderbolt-gpu-turbo-charges-macbook-air-graphics-performance-by-7x

Intel’s x86 MinnowBoard ships, sets sight on Raspberry Pi

http://www.extremetech.com/computing/162698-intels-x86-minnowboard-ships-sets-sight-on-raspberry-pi

A UK court recently ruled that Microsoft's SkyDrive name infringed on a trademark owned by British Sky Broadcasting Group (BSkyB), and the software maker has agreed to change the name of its cloud-based service worldwide as a result.

http://www.theverge.com/2013/7/31/4574878/microsoft-skydrive-name-change-bskyb

How the NSA's XKeyscore program works. Collecting a wealth of Web activity from unencrypted Web traffic — typically, where a Web address starts with 'HTTP' instead of "HTTPS"

http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/how-nsas-xkeyscore-program-works-6C10812168

The Obama administration on Wednesday released formerly classified documents outlining a once-secret program of the National Security Agency that is collecting records of all domestic phone calls, as a newly leaked NSA document surfaced showing how the agency spies on Web browsing and other Internet activity abroad. Simultaneously, The Guardian published a still-classified 32-page presentation leaked by Snowden that describes the NSA's XKeyscore program, which mines Internet browsing information that the agency is apparently vacuuming up at 150 network sites around the world.

http://www.smh.com.au/world/us-declassifies-nsa-program-for-debate-as-a-further-disclosure-emerges-20130801-2r0ff.html

30 July, 2013

After analysing 133 submissions, the committee found a 50 per cent difference in the cost of professional software bought in the US and in Australia. RECOMMENDED COVERAGE IT price inquiry Australians pay 50pc more for tech It said Adobe software products showed an average difference of 42 per cent, Microsoft 66 per cent and Autodesk 51 per cent. In a comparison of 50 hardware products, Australian prices were 46 per cent more expensive on average than those charged in the US. The committee report was less critical about prices of Apple devices in Australia, with prices for Apple products much closer to parity – the majority of Apple’s iPad, iMac and Macbook lines were generally 10 to 15 per cent more expensive in Australia,

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/it-business/verdict-on-prices-nothing-but-a-rort-as-australians-hit-by-mark-ups/story-e6frganx-1226687739364

CODE contained in the latest beta iOS software shows that Apple could be turning the iPhone into a fingerprint scanner, making it possible for the smartphone to check someone's identity as they touch the screen.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/technology/new-iphone-set-to-id-people-through-fingerprints-code-shows/story-fni0bzkl-1226687871024

Australians should be able to buy technology goods and services from overseas websites when they are cheaper than those sold in Australia, a parliamentary inquiry has concluded.

http://www.smh.com.au/it-pro/business-it/allow-aussie-tech-buyers-to-buy-cheaper-overseas-inquiry-concludes-20130729-hv16y.html

12 July, 2013

UK's education secretary Michael Gove's efforts to revolutionise learning in England's schools will see five-year-olds studying fractions and writing computer programs in their first year of school, according to final versions of the new national curriculum

http://m.guardian.co.uk/politics/2013/jul/08/michael-gove-education-curriculum-fractions

Google brings calling back to Gmail with Hangouts and makes calls to US and Canada free (from US)

http://thenextweb.com/google/2013/07/09/google-brings-calling-back-to-gmail-with-hangouts-and-makes-calls-to-us-and-canada-free/

In his own words: Confessions of a cyber warrior A longtime friend working as a cyber warrior under contract to the U.S. government provides a glimpse of the front lines

http://www.infoworld.com/d/security/in-his-own-words-confessions-of-cyber-warrior-222266?page=0,1

Apple Inc and Amazon.com Inc have ended their lawsuit over who has the right to use the "app store" name, clearing the way for both companies to use it.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/07/09/us-apple-amazon-appstore-lawsuit-idUSBRE9680TT20130709

Australian Workforce and Productivity Agency’s ICT Workforce Study suggests the IT workforce needs to expand from the bottom up, if Australia is to benefit from technological innovation. The report recommends enhancing the quality of ICT teaching in schools and developing an online ICT module for secondary students.

http://www.smh.com.au/it-pro/business-it/more-people-need-to-study-it-report-20130710-hv0qe.html

08 July, 2013

Improving 3-D Printing by Copying Nature Biomimicry could make the technology less toxic, safer and better.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/07/130707-3d-printing-biomimicry-green-design-science/

Older techies just can't get hired after 40 in Silicon Valley. Lori Goler, the head of human resources and recruiting efforts at Facebook, said her company was looking for the “college student who built a company on the side, or an iPhone app over the weekend.”

https://www.baycitizen.org/news/technology/old-techies-never-die/

Compare Australian mobile reseller operators (Vaya, Boost, Aldi, TPG, Kogan)

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/a-month-for-family-mobile-bill-resellers-dial-up-the-deals/story-e6frgakx-1226675099449

THE National Library of Australia has reached a milestone in its project to preserve the nation's historic newspapers, digitising its 10 millionth newspaper page and adding it to its online resource, Trove.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/media/print/nations-digital-news-archives-reach-10-million-pages/story-fn9ymmvo-1226675641048

How US snoops on fibre-optic data flows

http://www.smh.com.au/it-pro/it-news/how--us-snoops-on-fibreoptic-data-flows-20130708-2pl45.html