Tech news

A method for scrambling data to protect it from the super powerful computers of the future has received a speed boost from a team of researchers from Duke and Ohio State universities and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The method uses quantum key distribution to guard data from prying eyes. The problem in the past with the technology is it's slow. Transfer speeds typically are measured in kilobits per second. However, the researchers found a way to increase key transmission rates between five and 10 times, bringing them into the megabit per second range. from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2AtAjSH

Four big tech players this week moved to improve their handling of open source software licensing violations. Red Hat, Google, Facebook and IBM said they would apply error standards in the most recent GNU GPLv3 to all of their open source licensing, even licenses granted under older GPL agreements. "There is no procedure in the older GPLs that allowed a licensee to correct his mistakes," said Lawrence Rosen, former general counsel for the Open Source Initiative. "This will make everything consistent with GPLv3." from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2zC8La9

Apple on Wednesday released Security Update 2017-001 to fix a serious flaw revealed earlier via Twitter. The patch is available for macOS High Sierra 10.13.1. macOS 10.12.6 and earlier versions aren't affected by the flaw. "This morning, as of 8 a.m., the update is available for download, and, starting later today, it will be immediately automatically installed on all systems running MacOS High Sierra 10.13.1," Apple said in a statement. "We greatly regret this error and we apologize to all Mac users." from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2j1dqMw

AWS has announced Amazon Sumerian, a new Web-based platform to help developers quickly design and deploy VR, AR and 3D applications without the requirement for complicated tools and training. The platform lets developers build realistic VR, AR or 3D environments, populate them with animated characters and 3D objects, and create scripts to determine how they interact with users of a particular application and with each other. Sumerian is compatible with head-mounted displays, Web browsers, mobile devices and digital signage. from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2ByASs0

A popular technique used by website operators to observe the keystrokes, mouse movements and scrolling behavior of visitors on Web pages is fraught with risk. The technique offered by a number of service providers uses scripts to capture the activity of a visitor on a Web page, store it on the provider's servers, and play it back on demand for a website's operators. The idea behind the practice is to give operators insights into how users are interacting with their websites and to identify broken and confusing pages. from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2AcQPGd

Amazon Web Services has become the latest tech firm to join the deep learning community's collaboration on the Open Neural Network Exchange, recently launched to advance artificial intelligence in a frictionless and interoperable environment. Facebook and Microsoft led the effort. As part of that collaboration, AWS made its open source Python package, ONNX-MxNet, available as a deep learning framework that offers APIs across multiple languages including Python, Scala and open source statistics software R. from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2hYQtsF

It may seem obvious that a major consequence of self-driving trucks would be a lot of unemployed truck drivers, but the reality -- at least for those who drive tractor trailers -- could be better jobs. Autonomous vehicles have massive potential benefits. Models suggest that in the U.S. alone, between 30 thousand and 40 thousand lives would be saved annually -- for perspective, about 3 thousand died on 9/11. There will be some job losses, and adjustments will need to be made. from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2iaJdNY

Facebook on Tuesday raised the ante for messaging apps photo quality with the announcement of 4K support for Messenger. Starting Tuesday, "people can send and receive photos in Messenger at 4K resolution -- or up to 4,096 x 4,096 pixels per image -- the highest quality many smartphones support," wrote Facebook Messenger product managers Sean Kelly and Hagen Green. Although the need for speed in a messaging app and the size of 4K photo files would seem to be at odds with each other, that apparently is not the case with the Messenger upgrade. from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2hIvH09

As BlackBerry phones left the market, the company fell out of sight. However, behind the scenes it has been moving into industries like automotive. Also, it remains the leading vendor providing mobile security to our politicians, military personnel and major corporations. As we move into an era when our smartphones become our key to everything, and when the machines around us are highly connected, mobile, and increasingly have our lives in their hands, the security of these things has become a critical weakness. from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2zk90dP

Billions of voice-activated Internet of Things devices may be subject to external attack due to BlueBorne vulnerabilities, Armis revealed on Wednesday. Hackers could exploit BlueBorne to mount an airborne attack, using Bluetooth to spread malware and access critical data, including sensitive personal information. More than 20 million Amazon Echo and Google Home digital assistant speakers could have been impacted by the flaws, but both Amazon and Google already have taken the matter in hand. from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2yTMkg6

Anthony Levandowski, known for his work developing self-driving auto technology, reportedly has started the world's first artificial intelligence-based religion. Levandowski, who has been at the center of a legal dispute between Google's Waymo self-driving unit and Uber, has cast himself as the frontman for the Way of the Future church. The mission of this "technotheistic" movement is spelled out as "the realization, acceptance, and worship of a Godhead based on Artificial Intelligence developed through computer and hardware and software," in documents filed with the IRS. from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2hwSz2n

"How do you run an operating system?" may seem like a simple question, since most of us are accustomed to turning on our computers and seeing our system spin up. However, this common model is only one way of running an operating system. As one of Linux's greatest strengths is versatility, Linux offers the most methods and environments for running it. To unleash the full power of Linux, and maybe even find a use for it you hadn't thought of, consider some less conventional ways of running it. from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2muGWP0

New version releases of browsers don't get the buzz they used to get, but Firefox Quantum is an exception. The latest version of the Mozilla Foundation's browser, released Tuesday, is all about performance. Firefox is twice as fast as it was a year ago, Mozilla claimed. It is not only fast on startup -- it remains zippy even when taxed by multitudes of tabs. "We have a better balance of memory to performance than all the other browsers," said Firefox Vice President for Product Nick Nguyen. from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2hwxjdp

One of the great joys of reading is that you can do it anywhere. A relaxing bath is a prime opportunity for getting through a few chapters, but woe betide those who let their paperback slip into the tub or accidentally splash water into the most delicate part of an e-reader. And, lo! Amazon has a solution with its Kindle Oasis. The device can survive in fresh water up to a depth of two meters for as long as an hour -- perfect for those long soaks when you just know you'll end up snoozing for a bit. But wait, there's more! from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2mq6s89

A Google code security researcher's recent discovery of 14 flaws in Linux kernel USB drivers led to last-minute fixes in the Linux 4.14 release candidate code set for distribution on Sunday. The flaws, which Google researcher Andrey Konovalov disclosed earlier this week, affect the Linux kernel before version 4.13.8. All 14 have available fixes. However, they are part of a much larger group of 79 flaws affecting the Linux kernel's USB drivers, some of which remain unpatched. from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2ACqNt7

This is the question that keeps me up at night after seeing the news of Russian influence through social media, and the rapid rise of road deaths due to smartphone use. I wonder if the executives in these firms understand not only that dead customers don't generate revenue, but also that some of the victims could end up being their own kids, spouses or parents. I'm also convinced that they haven't grasped the fact that hostile foreign influence or distracted drivers could shorten their own life expectancies dramatically. from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2huV0pQ

Appthority on Thursday warned that up to 700 apps in the enterprise mobile environment, including more than 170 that were live in official app stores, could be at risk to due to the Eavesdropper vulnerability. Affected Android apps already may have been downloaded up to 180 million times, the firm said, based on its recent research. The vulnerability has resulted in large-scale data exposure. Eavesdropper is the result of developers hard-coding credentials into mobile applications that utilize the Twilio Rest API or SDK. from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2jgEBpG

Amazon on Wednesday began shipping its latest smart home product, a security camera that works with its Alexa personal assistant and Echo speakers. The Amazon Cloud Cam allows customers to live-stream activity inside their home 24/7. It features 1080p full HD resolution, two-way audio for communicating with family members or pets, night vision technology, and sophisticated algorithms that use machine learning to figure out if the stranger entering your house is the building super or a possible burglar. from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2zL8p4A

The latest developmental beta release of GeckoLinux brings this custom spinoff distro of openSuse to new levels of performance and convenience. When I first looked at GeckoLinux in late 2015, I was impressed with the developer's efforts to smooth over what I did not like about using the Suse infrastructure. GeckoLinux impressed me then. It does not disappoint me now. That infant entry to LinuxLand has matured significantly in the beta release that became available late last month. from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2AtEtaB

Microsoft has released its long-anticipated and much-hyped Xbox One X console, promising to push the boundaries of modern gaming and video entertainment. The Xbox One X is the most powerful console in the world, with up to 40 percent more power than existing devices on the market, the company claimed. "We built Xbox One X to give some creators the most powerful platform to bring their visions to life, and to give gamers the best console to play the games of the past, present and future," said Phil Spencer, head of gaming at Microsoft. from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2zsDQOk

A three-pronged banking malware campaign has been infecting Android phones since the beginning of this year, according to security researchers. Attackers have been stealing credentials, planting the Marcher banking Trojan on phones, and nicking credit card information. So far, they have targeted customers of BankAustria, Raiffeisen Meine Bank and Sparkasse, but the campaign could spread beyond Vienna. The attack begins with a phishing message delivered by email to a phone, security researchers at Proofpoint explained. from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2znTTwF

We've been having a lot of interesting weeks since the presidential election, making more than a few of us wish for simpler times. One of the most interesting things I've read of late is by Dilbert creator Scott Adams, who predicted the election outcome and tied it to Trump's brilliant use of intentional false facts, which he used to dominate the news up to the election. It is an interesting argument: Use false facts to engage the audience and drive home the bigger message. from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2AdXc8U

Activision's Call of Duty WWII has made its long-awaited debut with a splash, kicking off what is expected to be a robust holiday season for the gaming industry. The most anticipated multiplatform title of the season, based on the Nielsen Game Rank, Call of Duty WWII latest installment reaches back to the iconic gaming franchise's origins. It offers fans an immersive and educational experience, creating a true-to-life simulation of America's 1st Infantry Division storming the beaches of Normandy. from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2hEEW1K

Razer has unveiled its Razer Phone, a handset that clearly targets gamers. It boasts the world's first 120 Hz Ultramotion display, which has the potential to deliver fast refresh rates and provide the smoothest graphics available on a mobile smartphone. "It's common knowledge that I'm obsessed with my smartphones. I play a ton of games on them, and they're my go-to for streaming content," said Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan. "We have wanted to make a phone with gaming-level tech for years, and the Razer Phone delivers in every way we imagined." from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2lNLv6r

Sony on Wednesday revived its robot dog, Aibo, which it put down, so to speak, in 2006. The autonomous entertainment robot brings fun and joy to the entire family, Sony claimed. It can bond emotionally, give people love and affection, and let them experience the joy of nurturing and raising a companion, the company said. "Aibo's nice in the sense that you remove all the burdens of ownership and gain the benefits," observed Ray Wang, principal analyst at Constellation Research. from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2z8EMax

The Linux Foundation has announced an agreement with AT&T and Tech Mahindra to launch the Acumos Project, a new platform for open source development of artificial intelligence. The new platform is part of a broader effort to open up opportunities for AI collaboration in the telecommunications, media and technology sectors. The Linux Foundation has been working with AT&T and Tech Mahindra for months to put this deal together, in the hope of creating a framework for new development in a standardized environment. from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2zd35pP

Reviews of Apple's next generation iPhone X have started appearing online, and for the most part, critics have showered praise on the product. "The iPhone X is clearly the best iPhone ever made," wrote Nilay Patel. "It's thin, it's powerful, it has ambitious ideas about what cameras on phones can be used for, and it pushes the design language of phones into a strange new place." The phone is so impressive, it almost seems unreal, Patel suggested. "At a glance, the iPhone X looks so good one of our video editors kept saying it looked fake." from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2gUZqmd