Submission + - Samsung Galaxy S5 40% Lower Sales Than the Expectated (techopti.com)
An anonymous reader writes: Korean electronics giant has sold 12 million Galaxy S5 in the first three months after the official sale.
Submission + - Complex life may be possible in only 10% of all galaxies (sciencemag.org)
sciencehabit writes: The universe may be a lonelier place than previously thought. Of the estimated 100 billion galaxies in the observable universe, only one in 10 can support complex life like that on Earth, a pair of astrophysicists argues. Everywhere else, stellar explosions known as gamma ray bursts would regularly wipe out any life forms more elaborate than microbes. The detonations also kept the universe lifeless for billions of years after the big bang, the researchers say.
Submission + - NSA CTO Patrick Dowd Moonlighting for Private Security Firm (theguardian.com)
un1nsp1red writes: Current NSA CTO Patrick Dowd has taken a part-time position with former-NSA director Keith Alexander's security firm IronNet Cybersecurity — while retaining his position as chief technology officer for the NSA. The Guardian states that "Patrick Dowd continues to work as a senior NSA official while also working part time for Alexander’s IronNet Cybersecurity, a firm reported to charge up to $1m a month for advising banks on protecting their data from hackers. It is exceedingly rare for a US official to be allowed to work for a private, for-profit company in a field intimately related to his or her public function." Some may give Alexander a pass on the possible conflict of interests as he's now retired, but what about a current NSA official moonlighting for a private security firm?
Submission + - ISPs Violating Net Neutrality to block encryption
Dupple writes: One of the most frequent refrains from the big broadband players and their friends who are fighting against net neutrality rules is that there's no evidence that ISPs have been abusing a lack of net neutrality rules in the past, so why would they start now? That does ignore multiple instances of violations in the past, but in combing through the comments submitted to the FCC concerning net neutrality, we came across one very interesting one that actually makes some rather stunning revelations about the ways in which ISPs are currently violating net neutrality/open internet principles in a way designed to block encryption and thus make everyone a lot less secure
Submission + - The 9to5Mac Story: A Profile Of Seth Weintraub (businessinsider.com)
redletterdave writes: Though its competitors are more experienced and better funded, 9to5Mac has established itself as the go-to website for Apple news. It's regularly cited by the most influential news outlets in the world, including The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. But 9to5Mac can also ruffle the feathers of its competition — namely, other Apple blogs. 'It is pretty cut throat behind the scenes, and you can imagine how rough it is,' says Seth Weintraub, 9to5Mac's founder, and publisher.
Comment Re:This makes sense. (Score 1) 134
Its a PR amove to appease the local population after their recent protests.
Comment Re:OMFG, stupid (Score 1) 644
Look at it from the bright side, at least it wasn't called Windows One.
One Zero.
That's what it is
Consumer Reports: New iPhones Not As Bendy As Believed 304
An anonymous reader writes: Over the past several days, we've been hearing reports about some amount of users noticing that their brand new iPhone 6 Plus is bending in their pockets. The pictures and videos shown so far have kicked off an investigation, and Consumer Reports has done one of the more scientific tests so far. They found that the iPhone 6 Plus takes 90 pounds of pressure before it permanently deforms. The normal iPhone 6 took even less: 70 lbs. They tested other phones as well: HTC One (M8): 70 lbs, LG G3: 130 lbs, iPhone 5: 130 lbs, Samsung Galaxy Note 3: 150 lbs. The Verge also did a report on how Apple torture-tests its devices before shipping them. Apple's standard is about 55 lbs of pressure, though it does so thousands of times before looking for bends. One analysis suggests that Apple's testing procedure only puts pressure on the middle of the phone, which doesn't sufficiently evaluate the weakened area where holes have been created for volume buttons. Consumer Reports' test presses on the middle of the device as well.
Security Collapse In the HTTPS Market 185
CowboyRobot writes: HTTPS has evolved into the de facto standard for secure Web browsing. Through the certificate-based authentication protocol, Web services and Internet users first authenticate one another ("shake hands") using a TLS/SSL certificate, encrypt Web communications end-to-end, and show a padlock in the browser to signal that a communication is secure. In recent years, HTTPS has become an essential technology to protect social, political, and economic activities online. At the same time, widely reported security incidents (such as DigiNotar's breach, Apple's #gotofail, and OpenSSL's Heartbleed) have exposed systemic security vulnerabilities of HTTPS to a global audience. The Edward Snowden revelations (notably around operation BULLRUN, MUSCULAR, and the lesser-known FLYING PIG program to query certificate metadata on a dragnet scale) have driven the point home that HTTPS is both a major target of government hacking and eavesdropping, as well as an effective measure against dragnet content surveillance when Internet traffic traverses global networks. HTTPS, in short, is an absolutely critical but fundamentally flawed cybersecurity technology.
Submission + - Finns go crazy get refurbished iPhone 4 - yes '4' (afterdawn.com)
An anonymous reader writes: Finnish retailer Verkkokauppa.com got pile of refurbished iPhone 4 models and decided to put them on sale for €99.90. When the stores were opened, a chaos broke as people tried to get into the store to buy one. Meanwhile, the rest of the world was queuing for iPhone 6...
Submission + - Multimedia multitasking shrinking human brains (sussex.ac.uk)
An anonymous reader writes: It seems that switching between laptop, smart phone and tablet may be shrinking our brains and leaving us prone to higher levels of anxiety and stress reports news research from the University of Sussex in the UK. The researchers point out that the link is currently a correlation rather than a proof of causation, but they do suggest that people who used a higher number of media devices concurrently also had smaller grey matter density — in other words they have smaller brains.
Submission + - Why does the DNA double helix twist to the right? (nature.com)
Annanag writes: Most organic molecules have left- or right-handed versions, mirror images of each other, just like gloves. For some reason, life always seems to favour one version over the other — the DNA double helix in its standard form always twists like a right-handed screw, for example. But why this preference for left or right happens has always been a mystery. Now, in an experiment that took 13 years to perfect, physicists have found hints that this asymmetry of life could have been caused by electrons from nuclear decay in the early days of evolution.
Submission + - Bug in Bash shell creates big security hole on anything with *nix in it (nist.gov)
Dupple writes: A security vulnerability in the GNU Bourne Again Shell (Bash), the command-line shell used in many Linux and Unix operating systems, could leave systems running those operating systems open to exploitation by specially crafted attacks. “This issue is especially dangerous as there are many possible ways Bash can be called by an application,” a Red Hat security advisory warned.
Submission + - Apple privacy policy frustrates government (businesstexter.com)
jamesrain writes: The release of the Apple iOS 8 software meant that Apple updated its privacy policy. As a company that has always put personal privacy above all else, this means you can expect your personal information to be even more protected than before. But to what extent should you expect privacy, and at what point is the government going to step in and say no?
What privacy can you expect?
You might be wondering if the Apple privacy policy means you can avoid all government spying. Of course, that would be impossible. As Fox News explains, Apple can only control the information associated with its phones and Apple accounts. All other information is controlled elsewhere. For example, a phone tap could still happen because Apple does not provide the cell service, just the device. And spying through social media is still possible. The only things covered in the Apple privacy policy is anything associated with your Apple account, such as uploads to your cloud, photo storage, email, contacts, and even call history.
More or less, Apple has explained that it cannot access the data simply because it has created a privacy system where it cannot bypass your passcode. If a warrant is placed for access to account information, Apple can deny it because it has no way to access the info. For cops, this means they don’t have access even if they get judge authority. For you, it means your information is protected in all circumstances.
Government action?
It is possible the government could come in and say that Apple has to retain access to accounts in the event of a national crisis or threat to the nation; however, that has not yet happened. For now, Apple intends to provide as much privacy as possible to its customers, so they feel comfortable using their personal devices without fear of information leaking.
Some people are hesitant to trust Apple after the incident of leaked nude celebrity photos from the iCloud, but Apple says those were isolated incidents where hackers stole passcode data to get the images rather than the photos just getting leaked.
Privacy important to customers
As you are working on your automated text systems and allowing your customers to text you for an automated response, it is important that you keep their information private as well. There is nothing that will make a customer leave faster than finding out you just sold their personal information to another company. Make sure you have a privacy policy on your texting services clearly laid out when your customers sign up and again on your website to prevent confusion.
Mobile technology news brought to you by businesstexter.com
Source: foxnews.com/tech/2014/09/18/expert-apple-is-making-life-more-difficult-for-cops/
What privacy can you expect?
You might be wondering if the Apple privacy policy means you can avoid all government spying. Of course, that would be impossible. As Fox News explains, Apple can only control the information associated with its phones and Apple accounts. All other information is controlled elsewhere. For example, a phone tap could still happen because Apple does not provide the cell service, just the device. And spying through social media is still possible. The only things covered in the Apple privacy policy is anything associated with your Apple account, such as uploads to your cloud, photo storage, email, contacts, and even call history.
More or less, Apple has explained that it cannot access the data simply because it has created a privacy system where it cannot bypass your passcode. If a warrant is placed for access to account information, Apple can deny it because it has no way to access the info. For cops, this means they don’t have access even if they get judge authority. For you, it means your information is protected in all circumstances.
Government action?
It is possible the government could come in and say that Apple has to retain access to accounts in the event of a national crisis or threat to the nation; however, that has not yet happened. For now, Apple intends to provide as much privacy as possible to its customers, so they feel comfortable using their personal devices without fear of information leaking.
Some people are hesitant to trust Apple after the incident of leaked nude celebrity photos from the iCloud, but Apple says those were isolated incidents where hackers stole passcode data to get the images rather than the photos just getting leaked.
Privacy important to customers
As you are working on your automated text systems and allowing your customers to text you for an automated response, it is important that you keep their information private as well. There is nothing that will make a customer leave faster than finding out you just sold their personal information to another company. Make sure you have a privacy policy on your texting services clearly laid out when your customers sign up and again on your website to prevent confusion.
Mobile technology news brought to you by businesstexter.com
Source: foxnews.com/tech/2014/09/18/expert-apple-is-making-life-more-difficult-for-cops/
Apple Sells More Than 10 Million New iPhones In First 3 Days 206
An anonymous reader writes Apple has announced that it sold over 10 million new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus models, just three days after the launch on September 19. From the article: "Chief Executive Tim Cook said the company could have sold even more iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus models if supplies had been available. Analysts had estimated first-weekend sales of up to 10 million iPhones, after Apple booked record pre-orders of 4 million on Sept. 12, the day pre-orders opened."
