Techno-News Blog

By Eva Abreu, My Central NJ

In his new book, “The New Small” (Motion Publishing, $19.95, www.thenewsmall.com), author Phil Simon discusses how a new breed of small businesses has adopted the use of emerging technologies, such as social media and social networking, as a way of doing business today. Simon, an independent technology consultant based in Caldwell, explained how social technology falls under the category of what he calls “the Five Enablers” or emerging technology platforms used by “New Small” companies. Other platforms include cloud computing, software as a service (SaaS), free and open source software (FOSS), and mobility. Simon pointed out that not all small businesses qualify as a New Small business.

http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20110112/BUSINESS/110111056/Connecting-with-Social-Media

by Daithi Hanluain, Mobiledia

Several initiatives have sprouted up in the U.S. to help seniors add new technology into their lives, with the tech-savvy youth often as their guide. The Central Oregon Council on Aging, based in Redmond, Ore., is a senior-services agency that last year enrolled 70 people for tech training, taught by teenagers from a nearby high school. This year, one hundred more seniors are signed up for the program, indicating its growing success. Meanwhile, Carmel, Ind.-based nonprofit Net Literacy each year gets 400 to 600 middle- and high-school students to give a senior tech-training program called “Senior Connects.” In New York, Pace University delivers a program that sends students to retirement homes to show seniors how to use email, online banking, Wii and video chat, among others.

http://www.mobiledia.com/news/79684.html

by Samsung

IBM and Samsung announced they will collaborate on basic research into new semiconductor materials, manufacturing processes and other technologies. The agreement calls for the two companies to jointly develop new semiconductor process technology that can be used in a broad range of applications — from smart phone handsets to communications infrastructure. “That’s why we’re excited to have Samsung scientists working with us at the most fundamental stages of the R&D process.”

http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20110112006398/en/IBM-Samsung-Announce-Joint-Research-Semiconductor-Technology

by Christopher Mims, Technology Review

If browsing the web on a traditional PC is a satisfying experience, why did Apple just have a record fourth quarter in which it sold 7.33 million iPads? Of course, not everyone’s a fan of even the iPad’s somewhat bloated form factor, which is why Kindles and iPhones have also posted record sales figures too. Now, the inevitable is happening: Developers have figured out how to instantaneously migrate the material we would normally read on the web onto these eminently more portable and–dare I say it–more book-like devices.

http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/mimssbits/26284/?p1=A4

by Robert Lemos, Technology Review

A researcher creates a botnet for your pocket—a likely sign of things to come. If you have a smart phone, online criminals may soon have your number. Smart phone malware is getting increasingly sophisticated, and now a security researcher has created software that turns a smart phone into a “zombie” that can be controlled remotely. Georgia Weidman created the program, which controls an Android phone via short message service (SMS). She will demonstrate the software at the Shmoocon hacking conference in Washington, D.C., later this month.

http://www.technologyreview.com/communications/27111/?p1=A6

by Robert Lemos, Technology Review

Add one more device to the list of things you need to protect from hackers: The humble printer. In two separate presentations scheduled for the Shmoocon hacking conference in Washington, D.C., next week, researchers will show how hackers can use printers to compromise a company’s computer network. One presentation will reveal how poorly secured printers can even be grouped together to act as online storage for cybercriminals.

http://www.technologyreview.com/computing/27121/?p1=A3&a=f

By: Don Reisinger, eWeek

Apple’s iPad is an unbridled success. The company announced in its first-quarter earnings report on Jan. 18 that it sold 7.33 million iPads during the quarter. Apple’s iPad has helped lead a charge at the company that has pushed it ahead of any other firm in the industry. Several other companies, witnessing the iPad’s phenomenal growth and wanting some of it for their own, are planning to break into that space attempting to steal Apple’s market share later this year. The only problem is that might not be so easy. A recent study from research firm IDC found that Apple has 87 percent market share in the tablet space. But that doesn’t mean that the competition can’t overcome the iPad’s lead. With some time and strong products, Apple’s position as dominant market leader could diminish.

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Mobile-and-Wireless/Defeating-Apple-iPads-Tablet-Dominance-10-Ways-to-Do-It-525014/

By Allan Hoffman, The Star-Ledger

You don’t need a million bucks to launch a startup. What do you need? Well, along with an idea (and a lot of time, energy and enthusiasm), it helps to have a mix of relatively low-cost, easy-to-use web-based services at your disposal for everything from bookkeeping to project management. An emerging ecosystem of online tools is helping companies get off the ground by allowing them to launch a business without crushing overhead expenses or costly software to install and maintain. Of course, any business can use these services — they’re not just for Twitter wannabes — though they’re especially popular among tech-savvy companies. Quite a few of them have partnered with each other, making it easy to exchange contact data and other information between an e-mail marketing tool, say, and one for keeping track of customers.

http://www.nj.com/business/index.ssf/2011/01/post_121.html

By Michiko Fuller and Matthew Young, Mercury News

Awkward biological changes, unpredictable emotions and nebulous social ties make the schoolyard a testing ground for adolescent behavior. As antagonists or victims, many children experience bullying. Some discover their individuality while others explore a darkness that haunts them into adulthood. Eighteen-year-old Ashley Garnica was bullied as a student at Prospect High School in Saratoga. Her harassment began when acquaintances posted anonymous questions and comments on Formspring, a profile website similar to Facebook. She still lives with the emotional scars.

http://www.mercurynews.com/campbell/ci_17090946?nclick_check=1

by Rory Cellan-Jones, BBC

How do you get people to pay for news online? The fashionable solution touted by many anxious about the future of journalism in a world where so much news is free has been to offer readers an app. A clutch of British newspaper groups have launched paid applications for smartphones and tablet computers – but the jury is out on whether any has found the right recipe at the right price. At a media convention on Wednesday Britain’s Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt was praising the Times iPad app, available even on Christmas Day, as an example of innovation.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/rorycellanjones/2011/01/news_as_an_app.html

By Jonathan Amos, BBC

The satellites would be launched into orbit at 14 to a rocket – 13 operational, one spare. A Canadian company has announced a plan to put 78 small satellites in orbit to carry the internet. Called the “CommStellation”, the system would be deployed from 2014-2015. It would require six rockets to take the platforms to an altitude of 1,000km. The network will act as backhaul, linking the traffic of local telecoms and internet service providers to the global fibre infrastructure. Microsat Systems Canada Inc (MSCI) has not revealed any details on financing.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12238771

by the BBC

Many people come to regret the images they post to Facebook. Help is at hand for anyone who has ever forgotten about embarrassing images they posted to a social network or website. German researchers have created software called X-Pire that gives images an expiration date by tagging them with an encrypted key. Once this date has passed the key stops the images being viewed and copied. Creators plan to levy a small charge to use the tagging system and put a digital lock on digital pictures.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12215921

by the BBC

Facebook wants users to connect with website developers as well as friends Facebook appears to have U-turned on plans to allow external websites to see users’ addresses and mobile phone numbers. Security experts pointed out that such a system would be ripe for exploitation from rogue app developers. The feature has been put on “temporary hold”, the social networking firm said in its developers blog. It said it needed to find a more robust way to make sure users know what information they are handing over. “Over the weekend, we got some useful feedback that we could make people more clearly aware of when they are granting access to this data. We agree, and are making changes to help ensure you only share this information when you intend to do so,” the firm said.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12214628

by the BBC

A game designed by a 14-year-old boy has topped the iTunes worldwide free app charts, ahead of the likes of Facebook and Skype. Robert Nay, from Utah in the USA, created Bubble Ball, a “physics puzzle game” for Apple devices. He learned how to code the game from a library book, after a friend’s dad suggested he try to make an app. The game is based around trying to get a bubble into a goal On Wednesday (19 January), Bubble Ball had been downloaded two million times, according to Robert’s figures. It was also ahead of the free version of hit game Angry Birds. “I think it’s pretty cool because I never thought my game would do that well,” Robert told ABC News.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/12224670

by the BBC

Software-based disease alert systems are considered to be excellent indicators Type in a search for flu in Google and you will not only find out how sick you are but your data will also be recorded on its flu monitoring service. The service, which is part of the search engine’s philanthropic arm, google.org, is just one of many software-based disease alert systems dotted around the worldwide web. By gathering aggregate data from millions of people or by scouring the web for online news reports, blogs and chat room postings, these programs are considered to be excellent indicators of disease levels across the globe.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12176180

By: Clint Boulton, eWeek

Mozilla Jan. 14 rolled out its latest Firefox 4 beta version for users to test. Expect much better speed and performance, as well as Panorama technology for better group tabbing. Mozilla released its new Firefox 4 browser beta to the public Jan. 14, offering a new look with an emphasis on speed for users to play with on Windows, Mac and Linux. Performance enhancements rev up start-up time, page-loading and accelerate Web application and games. Mozilla’s Kraken performance benchmark shows it to be more than three times faster than the current Firefox 3.6.13 build. The latest Firefox 4 beta includes Panorama technology, which allows open tabs to be grouped for easier Web surfing. Users may move Websites they always keep open to their tab bar with App Tabs.

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Application-Development/Mozilla-Firefox-Beta-4-Browser-Drops-for-Testing-155976/?kc=rss

By: Clint Boulton, eWeek

Wikipedia turned 10 years old Jan. 15. Jimmy Wales said Wikipedia’s goal will be international expansion to facilitate the consumption of content to more diverse readers. Against extraordinary odds, Wikipedia turned 10 years old Jan. 15, celebrating a decade of providing free information about almost any topic conceivable. Wikipedia, managed by the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation, launched by Jimmy Wales in 2001 as a project to allow volunteer editors to contribute information for free.

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Web-Services-Web-20-and-SOA/Wikipedia-Turns-10-Looks-Forward-to-Next-Decade-673740/?kc=rss

By: Don Reisinger, eWeek

Apple’s iPad is dominating the tablet market. Whether vendors like it or not, they simply don’t have what it takes right now to overcome the style and functionality that Apple’s offering boasts. Google’s Android platform might help some companies, like Motorola, get close. But at this point, there’s no telling if that company’s Xoom tablet will be able to deliver on all the hype it enjoyed at the Consumer Electronics Show recently.

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Mobile-and-Wireless/Microsoft-Windows-Tablets-Can-Overcome-Apples-Dominance-10-Ways-to-Do-It-252095/?kc=rss

by the BBC

The vast majority of hi-tech attacks described as acts of cyber war do not deserve the name, says a report. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development study is part of a series considering incidents that could cause global disruption. While pandemics and financial instability could cause problems, cyber attacks are unlikely to, it says. Instead, trouble caused by cyber attacks is likely to be localised and short-lived. However, it warns that governments need to plan for how it could mitigate the effects of both accidental and deliberate events.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12205169

By Dan Whitworth, BBC

People in a remote Scottish town which is to get super-fast broadband say it will change their lives. Innerleithen won a BT competition to be amongst the first isolated communities connected to the high speed service. When it’s installed early next year internet users in the town can expect speeds of up to 40 megabits per second. Thousands of people living in surrounding areas will have to wait much longer before they will be able to receive the service.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/12205219

by Citizens Voice

Area college and university students will soon be back in the classroom for the spring semester of studies at local institutions. This month’s edition of College Matters focuses on technology and science initiatives and highlights the many advances that the local higher education institutions are offering to benefit students.

http://citizensvoice.com/arts-living/2.223/technology-is-a-key-to-success-at-local-colleges-1.1086879