How NSA Spies Stole the Keys To the Encryption Castle 192

Posted by timothy on Thursday February 19, 2015 @06:30PM from the thanks-fellas-really-you've-done-enough dept.

Advocatus Diaboli writes with this excerpt from The Intercept's explanation of just how it is the NSA weaseled its way into one important part of our communications: AMERICAN AND BRITISH spies hacked into the internal computer network of the largest manufacturer of SIM cards in the world, stealing encryption keys used to protect the privacy of cellphone communications across the globe, according to top-secret documents provided to The Intercept by National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden. The hack was perpetrated by a joint unit consisting of operatives from the NSA and its British counterpart Government Communications Headquarters, or GCHQ. The breach, detailed in a secret 2010 GCHQ document, gave the surveillance agencies the potential to secretly monitor a large portion of the world's cellular communications, including both voice and data.

4K Computer Monitors Are Coming (But Still Pricey) 286

Posted by timothy on Friday May 31, 2013 @07:12PM from the if-by-consumer-you-mean-anaestheologist dept.

First time accepted submitter jay age writes "When TV makers started pushing 4K screens on unsuspecting public, that just recently upgraded to 1080p, many had doubted what value will they bring consumers. Fair thought — 1080p is, at screen sizes and viewing distances commonly found in homes, good enough. However, PC users such as me have looked at this development with great hope. TV screens must have something to do with market being littered with monitors having puny 1080p resolution. What if 4K TVs will push PC makers to offer 4K screens too, wouldn't that be great? Well, they are coming. ASUS has just announced one!" You could hook a computer up to one of the available 4K displays, but will generally be paying a lot more for the privilege; this one is "only" about $5,000, according to ExtremeTech.

Comment What do you need? What do you want to do? (Score 2) 569

by foxywcuw on Friday November 25, 2011 @09:08PM (#38171460) Attached to: Ask Slashdot: Best Camera For Getting Into Photography?

A DSLR is the easy answer to your question. But what do you want to do with your photography and what does that tell you about what you need? I have two types of cameras - one set that I use if I'm doing serious work, Nikon (D)SLR's with multiple lenses, external flashes, etc. / medium format Rolleiflex with filters, tripod, etc. These are my work cameras; my kit carried in a bag I find comfortable but certainly not portable.

For fun and art, I like a small versatile [quick] camera that I can carry around.

My old love was a film camera, a Rollei 35S, a brick the size of a pack of cigarettes, sharp optics with great bokeh. After trying a series of portable, yet satisfying (from the perspective of electronics that give me control of the image) digital camera, I settled on my new love, the Canon G12. The electronics give me the same control as a DSLR and they are more intuitive to use than many DSLR's. The camera's size is compact (not tiny.) I carry it on my belt, over my shoulder, or around the neck. I can compose shots on the LCD screen or, in bright light use the viewfinder. The D12 can be used in automatic modes or any number of priority modes (aperture, shutter speed, JPEG/RAW etc.) - so if you are trying to learn photography, you can grow into the camera.

I don't get the quality of image that I do from a DSLR or medium format camera. That said, the G12 optics are more than fine for prints up to 8x10 and all my web work. Have had a pro assume that a G12 image on the web was taken by my Rolleiflex 2.8F - it was cropped near square but the camera's quality sealed the deal. Because the camera is light and has stabilization built in, I can handhold down to a full second and avoid using flash. The zoom lens is more than adequate - keeps the weight/size down and optic quality up.

One last point. Because I can easily carry this camera everywhere, I get shots I would have missed because I didn't have my kit with me. If you are looking for a portable fun camera that gives you full control over your image (exposure, focus, and more), I recommend the Canon G12.

Comment Re:How poignant and sad... (Score 1) 269

by foxywcuw on Tuesday September 06, 2011 @09:56PM (#37322548) Attached to: NASA Reveals New Images of Apollo Landing Sites

Great post. I'm with you!

Woman Sues Google Over Street View Shots of Her Underwear 417

Posted by samzenpus on Tuesday December 21, 2010 @12:49PM from the airing-your-clean-laundry dept.

Kittenman writes "The Telegraph (and several US locals) are covering a story about a Japanese woman who had her underwear on the line while the Google car went past. She is now suing Google: 'I was overwhelmed with anxiety that I might be the target of a sex crime,' the woman told a district court. 'It caused me to lose my job and I had to change my residence.'"

Dogs Can Be Pessimistic 99

Posted by samzenpus on Wednesday October 13, 2010 @12:52PM from the dog-in-black dept.

Not that it will change anything, but researchers at Bristol University say that your dog might be a gloom-monger. In addition to the downer dogs, the study also found a few that seemed happy no matter how uncaring the world around them was. "We know that people's emotional states affect their judgments and that happy people are more likely to judge an ambiguous situation positively. What our study has shown is that this applies similarly to dogs," said professor Mike Mendl, an author of the study and head of animal welfare and behavior at Bristol University.

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