Techno-News Blog

By William Selway, Bloomberg

The U.S. Defense Department may use preemptive tactics, including attacks against computer networks overseas, to better protect its own technology systems, the Washington Post reported. Defense Department documents show the agency is developing weapons capabilities, including tools that would allow for the “attack and exploitation of adversary information systems” that can “deceive, deny, disrupt, degrade and destroy” data and information systems, the newspaper reported. Deployment would mark another step in the cyber-strategy outlined by Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn last week, which hinges on the “active defense” of the military’s computer systems, the newspaper reported.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-08-29/u-s-military-considers-preemptive-strikes-for-computer-defense-post-says.html

by Mil Arcega, Sofia Echo

With the surging popularity of 3D movies, a number of consumer electronic companies are investing heavily to bring the new technology to more people. Although consumer electronic experts say widespread adoption is still five to 10 years away, companies from the U.S. to Japan are betting that consumer demand will soon bring 3D into your living room. In the latest 3D movie to hit the big screen, prehistoric killer fish practically sink their teeth into cinema audiences. And with movie goers willing to pay $15 to $20 to watch movies like Piranha 3D – a number of companies are betting people will want to experience the same thrill at home.

http://www.sofiaecho.com/2010/08/29/952772_companies-race-to-bring-3d-to-consumers

by Jennifer L. Thompson, Helium

3D technology has taken on a new spin. The advancement of holographic images into virtual 3-dimensional objects has now been expanded by adding the illusion of touch to it. This includes the ability to manipulate holographic images, as though they were physical objects. This new virtual reality comes to us courtesy of Japanese research and development, and is officially called “Airborne Ultrasound Tactile Display.”

http://www.helium.com/items/1937052-japan-researchers-touchable-3d-tv-technology

By AMY MARCHIANO, the York Daily Record

The York College class of 2014 is the college’s biggest ever, according to its website. Orientation for new students began Friday. With the new class, new technology is continually playing an important role in preparing students for the future, said Dominic DelliCarpini, dean of academic affairs and former director of the college writing program. In addition to regular writing, research skills and other essentials, students are needing to employ technology out in the real world, he said. Technology has “changed the way they write and what they write.” Incoming freshman must take two writing courses their first year.

http://www.ydr.com/premium/ci_15916119

by Matt Brian, the Next Web

In Twitter’s latest blog update, Twitter co-founder Evan Williams addresses developments at the company since its Chirp conference, discussing how it has overcome difficulties associated with getting Twitter on your mobile phone and growing the service outside of the main Twitter.com website. Williams explains that whilst Twitter knew there are a large number of apps on the iPhone App Store, users were finding it difficult to select an appropriate application because none actually bore the name “Twitter”. Seeing this a potential reason for users not using the service at all, the acquisition of Tweetie was mooted and soon became Twitter for IPhone.

http://thenextweb.com/socialmedia/2010/09/03/twitter-now-has-145-million-users-total-mobile-use-up-62/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheNextWeb+%28The+Next+Web+Top+Stories%29

By Martin Bryant, the Next Web

Rumours have been rife for months that Google would be making a serious play in the music sphere and it looks like that might be happening sooner rather than later. Reuters reports that Google is in talks with record labels to decide how a music service from the company would work and that something is hoped to be launched by Christmas this year.

http://thenextweb.com/google/2010/09/03/google-music-service-to-launch-before-christmas/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheNextWeb+%28The+Next+Web+Top+Stories%29

by the BBC

The row is about what can be done to data travelling over an ISP’s networks American net users are being asked to help decide what ISPs can do to the web traffic flowing over their networks. It is the latest step in an ongoing row over the code of conduct for US ISPs. Many want all traffic to be treated equally under a “net neutrality” principle but some ISPs want to choose which data gets priority. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has been conducting meetings with ISPs about the issue to resolve the deadlock.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11163136

By Jonathan Fildes, BBC News

Africa is now encircled with high-speed internet cables The global disparity in fixed broadband access and cost has been revealed by UN figures. The Central African Republic is the most expensive place to get a fixed broadband connection, costing nearly 40 times the average monthly income there. Macao in China is the cheapest, costing 0.3% of the average monthly income.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11162656

by the BBC

Samsung has become the latest challenger to enter the tablet computer battle, unveiling its Galaxy Tab at the IFA conference in Berlin. The device will run on Google’s Android operating system, with a capacity of 16 or 32Gb, expandable by 32Gb more.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11163687

by Breaking News Online

Intel is looking forward to develop computers that have potentiality to read human minds. According to scientists at the Intel labs, they are busy at developing a new technology to identify human thinking. While current mind reading computer technology involves thinking about making physical movements in order to navigate around a computer, the new technology takes it up a notch – where the final product will enable the user to compose an email or search the Internet using nothing but words in your brain.

http://www.breakingnewsonline.net/technology/3546-intel-to-develop-new-mind-reading-computer-technology.html

By Lauren La Rose, The Canadian Press

Eric Wan sways his head from side to side and the sound of tinkling ivories radiates throughout the room. The pace of the melody accelerates in tandem with the rhythm of his movements, as colourful shapes twirl in sync on a monitor. With each bob of the head, the computer engineering graduate is crafting his own little music composition through a specialized software program he played a role in helping to develop. The Virtual Music Instrument is among several projects he’s been involved with aimed at helping children living with disabilities. The work is being done at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, the largest facility of its kind in Canada.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/life/home_family/paralyzed-computer-engineer-helps-develop-technology-for-kids-with-disabilities-101408334.html

By Tom Davenport, Network World

I think we’re on the verge of a dramatic change in the technology architecture for analytics, and I plan to write several posts about it. If you think about it, we’ve had virtually the same technology environment for 20 years or so. It involves such features as:

• The separation of analytics software from transaction processing software;

• The creation and use of data warehouses to feed reporting and analysis processes;

• The use of multi-purpose analytical toolkits, a.k.a. “statistical packages;”

• Premise-based (as opposed to online service-based) analytical applications;

• Applications and tools that are generic with regard to the industry

These attributes have led to a technology environment I will call “the analytical sandbox”—a term that some organizations actually use. It signifies a separate world in which an analyst can play to his heart’s content; all the data and analytical methods that he or she could ever need are made available, and any question can be answered, any decision supported.

http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/65409

By TOM STEVENS, The Maui News

With generating systems powered by sunlight, wind, waves and biomass, EV is a hot prospect in Hawaii. Some of the same forces that drove the global satellite telecom boom are now pushing another technology – the battery-powered electric vehicle (EV). Like Maui’s first satellite phones and kite surf rigs, these cars may seem odd and out of place. But if their backers are successful, EVs might become the next new normal. A few early adopters can already be seen tooling around the island in economy-priced Chinese Flybos and American-made Wheego Whips. If you’re in the right place at the right time, a high-end Tesla might even streak past, but those sightings are rarer. Whips and Flybos cost around $10,000; the Tesla runs into six figures.

http://www.mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/534632.html?nav=10

by Medical News Today

Motion sensing technologies, such as the Nintendo Wii Remote, could be used in the rehabilitation of people with aphasia – a language impairment, commonly caused by a stroke, that affects around 250,000 people in the UK1. The research is being carried out by a team at City University London, in collaboration with the Stroke Association and funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/198473.php

by Kristi Stolzenberg, the Sun Journal

When technology inevitably fails from time to time, we reach the dark point of frustration that usually ends with the thought of throwing the computer or cell phone out a second-story window. So no wonder we’re pacing the floors when our deployed husbands haven’t yet responded to the e-mails we sent hours, or heaven forbid days, ago.

http://www.newbernsj.com/articles/technology-89922-blessing-curse.html

By Mike Elgan, Computerworld

Is it OK to violate the Fourth Amendment, as long as you use new technology to do it? While everyone is concerned about privacy violations from Facebook Places, government agencies may be using powerful new technology to violate Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable searches. Here’s what the Fourth Amendment says: “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.” The spirit of and the letter of this amendment is that government agencies are not allowed to go on hunting expeditions looking for violations or transgressions. If government officials want to search your property, they have to demonstrate good reason why they suspect you of committing a crime.

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9181298/Big_Brother_is_searching_you_?taxonomyId=13

by Sandeep Joshi, the Hindu

Making a strong case for WiMAX as the perfect technology for speedy roll-out of mobile internet access in India, Korea-based Samsung Electronics has offered its services and expertise along with its global partners to Indian operators to boost broadband penetration. “We have successfully deployed commercial mobile WiMAX networks in over three dozen countries in Asia, Americas and Europe, covering 15-crore people, which will go up to 30-crore by the end of this year. Mobile WiMAX is suitable for India for its speedy deployment,” Samsung Electronics Vice-President (Global Sales and Marketing Team, Telecom Systems) Hung Song told The Hindu.

http://www.thehindu.com/business/article586489.ece

by Jemima Kiss, the Guardian

This week Google’s Eric Schmidt suggested we may need to invent new identities to escape embarrassing online pasts – while Facebook launched a tool to share users’ locations. So does technology pose a threat to private life?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/aug/21/facebook-places-google

by Tiffany Hsu, Los Angeles Times

Intel Corp., the world’s largest chip maker, is buying its way into the security software market by paying about $7.7 billion to acquire one of the biggest players in the cyber-protection field, McAfee Inc. Intel of Santa Clara, Calif., said the acquisition, one of the year’s largest technology deals, could allow it to build McAfee’s anti-virus technology directly into its chips. Intel said this would help shield computers, wireless devices and embedded systems in vehicles and ATMs from online crime. Traditionally, anti-virus software has been downloaded onto desktop and laptop computers. But Intel and McAfee together might have an easier time embedding security into tablets and smart phones, said Erik Suppiger, senior research analyst at Signal Hill Capital.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-intel-mcafee-20100820,0,764491.story

by Kelly, Into Mobile

Good ole Bean town, it was the first to toss that English tea into the drink and now it is going to be the one of first major hotbeds for 4G technology. Yes, all you Bostonians have cause to rejoice- within the next 6-8 months, you will have not one, not two, but three wireless carriers offering up 4G service in your locale. The first to hit Boston will be Clearwire with its growing WiMAX network. Clearwire is on track for a September launch in the Greater Boston area and will offer both mobile plans for folks on the go and home plans as a replacement for traditional cable and DSL broadband service. Soon after Clear launches WiMAX, Sprint and Comcast plan to step-in as resellers for this mobile broadband service.

http://www.intomobile.com/2010/08/24/boston-to-have-4g-coverage-from-three-wireless-carriers-in-2010/

by Lance Whitney, CNet news.com

The number of people who subscribe to LTE next-generation wireless broadband services is expected to reach 300 million by 2015, compared with 500,000 this year, according to a report released Wednesday by Juniper Research. As the mobile industry attempts to ramp up deployments of LTE, short for Long Term Evolution, the real surge probably won’t sink in until 2012, says Juniper’s report, “4G LTE Hardware Opportunities: Subscribers, End User Devices & Vendor Strategies 2010-2015.” But companies are prepping now as they grapple with strains on their current 2G and 3G networks from data-hungry customers.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-20014542-94.html