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Transportation

Submission + - Honda's "Micro Commuter" Features Swappable Bodies (gizmag.com)

Zothecula writes: Further evidence of the coming fragmentation of personal transportation came today when Honda released details of the next iteration of its electric "Micro Commuter" prototype which we first saw at the Tokyo Motor Show last year. The new version is close to production-ready, and concentrates the battery and functionality of the micro EV below the floor, enabling the vehicle's body to be easily changed to accommodate different functionality.

Submission + - Artificial Wombs in the near future? (ieet.org) 3

DaemonDan writes: "The first successful pregnancy by IVF was accomplished over 50 years ago, essentially creating a multi-billion dollar industry. Many scientists are trying to take it one step farther with a 100% test tube baby brought to term in an artificial womb.

"Cornell University's Dr. Hung-Ching Liu has engineered endometrial tissues by prompting cells to grow in an artificial uterus. When Liu introduced a mouse embryo into the lab-created uterine lining, "It successfully implanted and grew healthy," she said in this New Atlantis Magazine article. Scientists predict the research could produce an animal womb by 2020, and a human model by early 2030s."

The author of the article seems to believe that birth via artificial wombs could become the new norm, but is it really feasible, desirable or even affordable for the majority of Earth's population?"

Software

Submission + - Nokia to offer free maps app and service for rival handsets (bbc.co.uk)

another random user writes: Nokia has unveiled plans to offer a free maps app on rivals' devices.

Here Maps will initially be released on Apple iOS devices offering downloadable street plans for offline use, and audio-based directions for pedestrians.

Nokia is also developing a version for Mozilla's forthcoming Firefox operating system, and will release software tools to allow third parties to make use of its data on Android devices.

The move is designed to help the firm compete against Google's rival product.

Security

Submission + - Skype Halts Password Resets as Massive Security Hole Discovered (ibtimes.co.uk)

An anonymous reader writes: A massive security hole has been found in Microsoft's Skype application, where it is possible to gain access to a user's account by knowing nothing more than their email address.

It is then possible to gain access to the target's account, change their password and associated email address, and lock them out for good, as any password reset requests by them will be sent to the new email address, not theirs.

UPDATE: Skype has since shut down its password reset tool while it investigates the issue. The company told IBTimes UK: "We have had reports of a new security vulnerability issue.

Security

Submission + - Skype vulnerability allowing hijacking of any account (habrahabr.ru) 1

another random user writes: Skype vulnerability allowing hijacking of any account if you know just the email address.

All you need to do is register a new account using that email address, and even though that address is already used (and the registration process does tell you this) you can still complete the new account process and then sign in using that account.

Apologies in advance for the following reddit link, but it may be easier for some to read than the original Russian page.

Info about this on reddit, original post in Russian

Submission + - Former UK mining town hoping to crowdfund free WiFi service (techworld.com)

Qedward writes: Mansfield in Nottinghamshire could become the first UK town to crowdfund its own free Wi-Fi service.

The former mining town’s business improvement district (BID) hopes to use crowdfunding to create a Wi-Fi hotspot that spans its entire town centre.

Using Spacehive.com, a web platform devoted to civic improvement, BID hopes to persuade local businesses to crowdfund £38,000 for the digital overhaul.

This money will allow Mansfield District Council to install free Wi-Fi transmitters on lamp posts across the town. Public spaces will also be adorned with QR codes, providing information on the latest shopping, offers, events and attractions, when scanned using a smartphone.

Sarah Nelson, manager of Mansfield BID, added that embracing the internet could help drive up footfall and encourage more growth in local enterprise. This is in line with the government's aim to improve digital inclusion throughout the UK.

Mansfield has until 1 May 2013 to meet its target of £38,000. If the target is not met by that time, no money will exchange hands. At the time of writing, a total of £5,501 had been pledged by 21 funders.

Security

Submission + - High security animal disease lab faces uncertain future (bbc.co.uk)

Dupple writes: Plans to build one of the world's most secure laboratories in the heart of rural America have run into difficulties.

The National Bio and Agro defence facility (NBAF) would be the first US lab able to research diseases like foot and mouth in large animals.

But reviews have raised worries about virus escapes in the middle of cattle country.

For over fifty years the United States has carried out research on dangerous animal diseases at Plum Island, just off the coast of New York. However after 9/11 the Department of Homeland Security raised concerns about the suitability of the location and its vulnerability to terrorist attack.

They don't know any more about technology than a tomcat knows about baking gingerbread...

Science

Submission + - Nature | News DNA sequencers stymie superbug spread (nature.com)

ewenc writes: A superbug outbreak that plagued a special-care neonatal unit in Cambridge, UK, for several months was brought to an end by insights gained from genome sequencing. The case, reported today in Lancet Infectious Disease, marks the first time that scientists have sequenced pathogen genomes to actively control an ongoing outbreak. Sharon Peacock, a clinical microbiologist at the University of Cambridge, and her team became involved in the outbreak after three infants at nearby Rosie Hospital’s 24-cot special-care baby unit tested positive for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) within a couple days of each other.
Advertising

Submission + - AdTrap aims to block all internet advertising (gizmag.com)

cylonlover writes: AdTrap is a new low-power, zero configuration device which promises to banish adverts from computers, tablets, and anything else connected to the local network. AdTrap’s creators point out that their device works not only with full-sized PCs, but everything else connected to your home internet, such as Apple devices running iOS 6 – and without the need of third-party apps or jailbreaking. In addition to blocking web browser ads, AdTrap is also reported to remove ads from streaming devices like Apple TV and Google TV. A configurable “whitelist” is offered too, so that users can allow adverts on websites of their choice.
Science

Submission + - Vegetative state man "talks" by brain scan (bbc.co.uk)

c0lo writes: Severely brain-injured Scott Routley hasn’t spoken in 12 years. None of his physical assessments since then have shown any sign of awareness, or ability to communicate, thus being diagnosed as vegetative (vegetative patients emerge from a coma into a condition where they have periods awake, with their eyes open, but have no perception of themselves or the outside world).

Scott Routley was asked questions while having his brain activity scanned in an fMRI machine. British neuroscientist Prof Adrian Owen said Mr Routley was clearly not vegetative.
"Scott has been able to show he has a conscious, thinking mind. We have scanned him several times and his pattern of brain activity shows he is clearly choosing to answer our questions. We believe he knows who and where he is."

As a consequence, medical textbooks would need to be updated to include Prof Owen's techniques, because only observational assessments (as opposed to using mind-readers) of Mr Routley have continued to suggest he is vegetative.

The professor in an earlier interview functional MRI machines are expensive (up to $2 million), but it’s quite possible that a portable high-end EEG machine, costing about $75,000, can be used at a patient’s bedside.

Phillip K Dick's world is one step closer.

Google

Submission + - Motorola Wants 2.25% of Microsoft's Surface Revenue (geekwire.com)

An anonymous reader writes: On the opening day of a patent trial between Microsoft and Google-owned Motorola Mobility, Motorola filed a brief (PDF) arguing that the WiFi tech central to the case is also critical to Microsoft's new Surface tablet. Motorola says royalties totaling 2.25% of all Surface revenues is a good starting point. They wrote, 'Microsoft’s new Surface tablet will use only 802.11, instead of cellular or wired connections, to connect to the internet. Without 802.11 capability, the Surface tablet would be unable to compete in the market, because consumers can readily select tablet devices other than the Surface that have 802.11 capability.' Microsoft, of course, says this figure is outrageous, given 'Motorola’s promise to standards bodies to offer access to the "standard essential" patents on fair and reasonable terms.'
Space

Submission + - Total Solar Eclipse Bedazzles Northern Australians (rawstory.com) 1

Penurious Penguin writes: Tuesday at 6.38am (2038 GMT Tuesday) thousands of Australians witnessed a solar eclipse in northern Queensland, where it was the first total eclipse in over 1000 years for the specific region. The most prominent view occurred in Cairns, while elsewhere in locations such as New Zealand, parts of Indonesia and Australia, partial eclipses were visible. Totality lasted approximately two minutes — a video (YouTube) can be seen here. Scientists are also taking the opportunity to study both land and aquatic wildlife in affected areas.

Submission + - AT&T Data usage definition proprietary???

stox writes: "As many of you know, AT&T has implemented caps on DSL usage. When this was implemented, I started getting emails lettting me know my usage as likely to exceed the cap. After consulting their Internet Usage web page, I felt the numbers just weren't right, so with the help of Tomato on my router, I started measuring my usage, and ended up with numbers subnstantially below what AT&T was reporting on a day to day basis. Typically around 20-30% less. BTW, this usage is the sum of inbound and outbound. At this point, I decided to contact AT&T support to determine what exactly they were defining as usage, as their web pages never really define it. Did I get a suprise, after several calls, they finally told me that they consider the methodology by which they calculate bandwidth usage to be PROPRIETARY. Yes, you read that right, it is a secret. They left me with the option to contact their Excutive Offices via snail mail, email was not an option.

So, I bring my questions to you, all knowing slashdotters, are there any laws that require AT&T to divulge how they are calculating bandwidth? Should I contact my state's commerce commission or the FCC to attempt to get an answer to this?"
Cloud

Submission + - Yes, the FBI and CIA can read your email. Here's how (zdnet.com) 1

An anonymous reader writes: "Petraeus-gate," some U.S. pundits are calling it. How significant is it that even the head of the CIA can have his emails read by an albeit friendly domestic intelligence agency, which can lead to his resignation and global, and very public humiliation? And, it's not just limited to U.S. citizens. Through the Patriot Act, they can access EU/U.K. and Australian citizens' data, too. Here's how they do it.
AMD

Submission + - AMD hires bank to explore sale options (reuters.com)

Dainsanefh writes: Advanced Micro Devices has hired JPMorgan Chase & Co to explore options, which could include a potential sale, as the chipmaker struggles to find a role in an industry increasingly focused on mobile and away from traditional PCs, according to three sources familiar with the situation.
Security

Submission + - Eugene Kaspersky: Clear Need to Define Cyberweapons and Cyberwar (threatpost.com)

Trailrunner7 writes: The term cyberwar has become a catch-all used by politicians, talking heads and others to encompass just about any online threat, regardless of the attacker or the target. Among security professionals, however, the word has a specific connotation--an attack by one nation against another nation's infrastructure. Aside from the semantic issues, one of the major challenges for government agencies and security teams dealing with his problem is attribution and recognizing what constitutes an actual act of cyberwar. Stuxnet, Flame and their cousins may qualify, but more discussion is needed to help define the terms of these new conflicts, experts say.

One of the key problems is that virtually any attack tool could be defined as a cyberweapon, depending upon the context, the target and the attacker. Certainly tools such as Duqu fall into that category, but so might simple remote-access Trojans under certain circumstances. Who makes that call? Right now, it's mainly made by either the victim or a security researcher on the outside.

"There's no definition of cyberweapons. What's the difference between cyberweapons and traditional ones?" said Eugene Kaspersky, CEO of Kaspersky Lab, in a discussion on Tuesday. "One difference is software is software. People can make a copy, disassemble it, learn its tricks."

Google

Submission + - Google Guts Oregon Data Center to Pump Up Power (datacenterknowledge.com)

1sockchuck writes: Google recently “gutted” the electrical infrastructure of its data center in Oregon to upgrade it for more powerful servers. The rip-and-replace was done in phases, according to Joe Kava, Vice President – Data Centers at Google, so the work didn't interrupt uptime. "We’re always changing things,” he said. “You may be putting four or five generations of equipment into that facility over its lifetime." In a conference presentation, Kava also revealed that Google has an alligator living in a pond at its South Carolina data center.
The Internet

Submission + - French Company Building a Mobile Internet Just for Things (technologyreview.com)

holy_calamity writes: "France now has a dedicated cellular data network just for Internet of Things devices, and the company that built it is rolling out the technology elsewhere, says MIT Technology Review. SigFox's network is slower than a conventional cellular data network, but built using technology able to make much longer range links and operate on unlicensed spectrum. Those features are intended to allow the service to be cheap enough for low cost sensors on energy infrastructure and many other places to make sense, something not possible on a network shared with smartphones and other consumer devices."

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