News for today's 2018

Report: NSA Infected More Than 50000 Networks by Mid

2:52 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img src="http://www9.pcmag.com/media/images/405281-nsa-logo.jpg?thumb=y" width="600"/> Time to break out the virus scanner – or, perhaps, nuke your computer from orbit. (It's the only way to be sure.) According to new documents provided by the National Security Agency's favorite foe, former employee-turned-whistleblower Edward Snowden, Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad is reporting that the NSA has infected more than 50,000 computer networks with malware in a process known as 'Computer Network Exploitation.' The process itself is nothing new; The Washington Post reported on these exploits in late August of this year. These 'implants,' as they're known in NSA terms, are deployed by a department within the agency known as TAO, or 'Tailored Access Operations.' Software engineers within TAO allegedly break into various routers, switches, and firewalls – to name a few devices – in an effort to compromise networks and, thus, gain access to the data being transmitted by the devices connecting up to them. As of 2008, TAO was allegedly able to deploy approximately 21,252 of these implants, and it was estimated that as many as 85,000 or so could be deployed by the end of 2013. Since the numbers NRC Handelsblad is reporting are based on a mid-2012 count, it's certainly possible that the NSA has been able to achieve its goal. 'The malware can be controlled remotely and be turned on and off at will. The 'implants' act as digital 'sleeper cells' that can be activated with a single push of a button,' describes reporters Floor Boon, Steven Derix, and Huib Modderkolk. However, if you're thinking of some kind of Mission Impossible-like setup whereby a team of hackers in a room somewhere are launching pretty, graphical attacks at enemy networks — something that could be straight out of the Uplink game as well, we suppose — you'd be a bit mistaken. As described by NRC Handelsblad, the British intelligence agency 'Government Communications Headquarters,' or GCHQ, performed a similar bit of network infiltration within Belgacom, a telecommunications provider in Belgium. To hack its way into the network, however, the agency employed fake LinkedIn pages and Slashdot websites to ensnare employees within the company's security and maintenance divisions and dump malware on their systems. 'In the case of Belgacom, the GCHQ used a sophisticated variant of the man-in-the-middle attack, known as a 'quantum insert', which Der Spiegel says could only be performed by a spy agency that's able to insert its own boxes into the web. This way, when the target tries to access LinkedIn, GCHQ can serve them a spoofed version of the website instead of the real LinkedIn page,' described SiliconAngle. </div>

Technology Report: NSA Infected More Than 50000 Networks by Mid

Time to break out the virus scanner – or, perhaps, nuke your computer from orbit. (It's the only way to be sure.)According to new documents provided by the National Security Agency's favorite foe, former employee-turned-whistleblower Edward Snowden, …

Facebook Still 'Useful' to Teens, Says COO Sheryl Sandberg

1:07 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img src="http://www9.pcmag.com/media/images/405956-facebook-twitter.jpg?thumb=y" width="600"/> Is Facebook losing its teens? Depends who you ask at the 1.19-billion-user social network. Surely, a not-so-insignificant chunk of the service's 728 million daily active users falls between 13 and 19, right? According to Facebook CFO David Ebersman, speaking in the company's third-quarter earnings call in late October, teen activity seems to be a bit down on the social network. 'Our best analysis on youth engagement in the US reveals that usage of Facebook among US teens overall was stable from Q2 to Q3, but we did see a decrease in daily users, specifically among younger teens,' Ebersman said. While the statement appeared to confirm thoughts that little ones are turning elsewhere for their social fixes – including services like Snapchat, formerly Instagram (which Facebook now owns), and Tumblr, as well as a variety of other messaging services like WeChat and WhatsApp — that's not quite the end of the tale as far as Facebook's teen activity goes. Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg has now jumped into the fray, and she's telling a bit of a different story. Speaking to AllThingsD's Mike Isaac, Sandberg recently commented that reaction to Ebersman's statements 'has been blown out of proportion.' 'As we said on the earnings call, overall U.S. teen usage of Facebook remains stable. The vast majority of U.S. teens are on Facebook. And the majority of U.S. teens use Facebook almost every day,' Sandberg commented. She went on to address one of the general problems she perceives with Facebook, in that the service — close to celebrating its tenth birthday in February of next year — is starting to feel a bit aged in today's web culture. 'That means that we're not the newest. And often, particularly in our space, newer things are shinier and cooler. And what Mark [Zuckerberg] has said and what we all believe is that we're not trying to be the coolest. And we're not trying to be the newest. We're trying to be the most useful,' Sandberg said. 'I think if you look at the way teenagers continue to use Facebook, we are useful to them,' she added. She sees Facebook at the forefront of the 'sharing' space – which is to say, Facebook and all the other social services competing for users' attentions are benefitting from the growing mass of users that are sharing more parts of their lives online. 'There's a lot of competition out there, but it's amid a growing market. That means there's room for us to grow and others to grow as well,' Sandberg said. </div>

Technology Facebook Still 'Useful' to Teens, Says COO Sheryl Sandberg

Is Facebook losing its teens? Depends who you ask at the 1.19-billion-user social network. Surely, a not-so-insignificant chunk of the service's 728 million daily active users falls between 13 and 19, right?According to Facebook CFO David Ebersman, s…

Sprint, T

9:07 AM Tukiyooo 0

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img src="http://www6.pcmag.com/media/images/358649-six-tips-for-avoiding-mobile-text-scams.jpg?thumb=y" width="600"/> AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint have pledged to stop charging for spam or 'premium' texts. The announcement was made by Vermont Attorney General Bill Sorrell, who has been working with dozen of other state AGs to stop mobile cramming, or unauthorized third-party charges that pop up on mobile users' bills. That includes text-based weather alerts, sports score alerts, daily jokes, horoscopes, trivia, and subscriptions that enable monthly downloads, like 10 ringtones or wallpapers per month. As part of a deal worked out with Sorrell's office, three of nation's biggest carriers will no longer charge for commercial Premium Short Messaging Services (PSMS), which the AG said makes up the majority of third-party charges on cell phones and the 'overwhelming majority' of cramming complaints. 'While PSMS has some benefits, like charitable giving, it is also a major contributor to the current mobile cramming problem,' Sorrell said in a statement. 'We are pleased that AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile have decided to stop the flow of money from the pockets of ordinary people to the bank accounts of scam artists. We're hopeful the other carriers will soon follow their lead.' In a statement, Verizon Wireless general counsel William B. Peterson said that 'while we don't agree with all of the Attorney General's allegations, we respect his efforts in this area.' 'For years, Verizon has been vigilant in protecting our customers from bad actors. There have been numerous times we have terminated programs and in some cases have taken aggressive legal action in order to ensure our customers were protected,' Peterson continued. 'Since premium messaging was first introduced, technology advances and smartphone adoption have dramatically changed the way customers access information.' Verizon already decided to stop supporting PSMS due to the 'improper conduct' of third parties, and 'we are in the process of winding down our premium messaging business,' Peterson said. 'Verizon will, however, continue to support text-to-donate for charitable programs and text-to-contribute for political campaigns that use this technology.' AT&T and T-Mobile will also continue to allow charitable donations to be billed via PSMS. 'Sprint was unable to confirm if they will do so at this time,' Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson said in his own statement, but a Sprint spokeswoman said later that 'we do expect charitable giving SMS to remain available for our customers.' 'Despite protections and processes put in place by T-Mobile and the industry, not all premium text message (SMS) vendors have acted responsibly,' T-Mobile said in a note on its website. 'After careful evaluation of the program, T-Mobile is now in the process of protecting our customers from being billed for premium SMS services - except for charitable and political giving - as soon as possible, with as little impact as possible to our customers.' Standard text-messaging programs, like voting for American Idol, will not be impacted by the change, T-Mobile said. According to AG Sorrell, cell phone cramming on landlines and cell phones costs Americans about $2 billion per year. A May report from his office found that 60 percent of third-party charges on the mobile phone bills of Vermonters were unauthorized. Back in 2011, the Federal Communications Commission formally unveiled rules to combat phone cramming, and in April, the Federal Trade Commission filed its first case against phone crammers who added bogus charges to users' mobile phone bills. But it didn't stop there. Just yesterday, the FTC announced a nearly $11 million settlement with an Atlanta-based company that spammed cell phones with unauthorized texts, resulting in more than $10 million in unwanted charges. For more, check out 6 Tips for Avoiding Mobile Text Scams. Editor's Note: This story was updated at 12:50 p.m. ET with comment from Sprint.</div>

Technology Sprint, T

AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint have pledged to stop charging for spam or 'premium' texts.The announcement was made by Vermont Attorney General Bill Sorrell, who has been working with dozen of other state AGs to stop mobile cramming, or unauthorized third…

Twitter thumbs nose at NSA, adds extra security blanket

5:22 AM Tukiyooo 0

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>Summary: Joining Yahoo and Google, Twitter is the latest tech giant to promote its tactics for preventing decryption of sensitive user data. <img src="http://cdn-static.zdnet.com/i/r/library/uk-carousel/twitter-logo-bird-620x202.jpg?hash=LGL4AwpkZm&upscale=1" width="600"/> Following up a similar move by Google earlier this week, Twitter has announced that it is adding forward secrecy to its digital doors. Forward secrecy is gaining traction with many top tech properties lately as it adds a new property to prevent cyber criminals from using cracked and/or stolen session keys to decrypt recorded traffic for nefarious purposes. But decryption prevention methods are also being implemented far more in order to both thwart off monitoring by federal agencies and save face with users. The micro-blogging platform actually wasn't one of the nine original tech giants revealed back in June to be utilized as a source for the National Security Agency's now-controversial data mining program, PRISM. That is likely because virtually anyone can sign up for Twitter, and for an unlimited number of accounts, with information that doesn't necessarily need to be authentic. Just one out of millions of examples of fake Twitter accounts includes one established this week dedicated to Salesforce.com CEO Marc Benioff's Christian Louboutin shoes worn during his fireside chat with Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg on Wednesday. Needless to say, the haute couture, multi-colored hi-tops drew the attention of the tech press in the audience, for better or worse. Nevertheless, the San Francisco-headquartered company, which recently underwent one of the most buzzed-about IPOs in recent memory, is taking a proactive approach and also ensuring its name is in the mix of Silicon Valley giants taking a public stand against the U.S. Government's data collection methods. Jacob Hoffman-Andrews from Twitter's product security team took things further in a blog post on Friday, positing that forward secrecy 'should be the new normal for web service owners. 'Our work on deploying forward secrecy is just the latest way in which Twitter is trying to defend and protect the user's voice in that world,' remarked Hoffman-Andrews. While he didn't explain the other methods Twitter is already employing or at least developing in this particular post, Hoffman-Andrews extensively outlined how forward secrecy is being implemented for shoring up security on twitter.com, api.twitter.com, and mobile.twitter.com. </div>

Technology Twitter thumbs nose at NSA, adds extra security blanket

Summary: Joining Yahoo and Google, Twitter is the latest tech giant to promote its tactics for preventing decryption of sensitive user data. Following up a similar move by Google earlier this week, Twitter has announced that it is adding forward secr…

Motorola signs a manufacturing partner for Project Ara's...

11:07 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img src="http://cdn0.sbnation.com/entry_photo_images/9477653/ara2blogpost_large_verge_medium_landscape.png" width="600"/> Project Ara, Motorola's plan to create modular smartphones, is among the most ambitious ideas we've seen, but the company isn't wasting time in executing on its vision. 3D Systems has issued a press release confirming that it's partnering up with Motorola to 'create a continuous high-speed 3D printing production platform and fulfillment system' for Ara. The deal announced today spans multiple years, and if 3D Systems is successful in building a manufacturing platform for Project Ara, it will also be creating its own Ara smartphone enclosures and modules 'as Motorola's exclusive fulfillment partner.' 3D Systems CEO Avi Reichental said in a statment, 'Project Ara was conceived to build a platform that empowers consumers all over the world with customization for a product made by and for the individual.' According to Reichental, 3D printing 'promotes a level of sustainability, functionality, and mass personalization that turns these kinds of global ambitions into attainable local realities.' There's no telling when you'll be able to build your own smartphone with Project Ara, but Motorola is clearly taking steps to make t he modular smartphone concept a reality for consumers. We've reached out to the company for more details. </div>

Technology Motorola signs a manufacturing partner for Project Ara's...

Project Ara, Motorola's plan to create modular smartphones, is among the most ambitious ideas we've seen, but the company isn't wasting time in executing on its vision. 3D Systems has issued a press release confirming that it's partnering up with Mot…

Apple Selling Unlocked, SIM

9:22 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img src="http://www1.pcmag.com/media/images/399198-iphone-5s.jpg?thumb=y" width="600"/> Apple is now selling an unlocked, SIM-free version of the iPhone 5s on its retail website. Ditch the usual two-year contract and place your order now for the carrier-free iPhone 5s, which will set you back at least $649. Two versions of the unlocked flagship smartphone are available: a SIM-less model — expected to ship within one to two weeks — and an unlocked T-Mobile variant, which comes with a nano-SIM inside and should leave the factory in three to five business days. T-Mobile this year ditched contracts and embraced the 'un-carrier' approach. Without a carrier subsidy, the device sells at full retail price: $649 for 16GB, $749 for 32GB, and $849 for 64GB. For everyone else, the handset will run you $199 for 16GB, $299 for 32GB, and $399 for 64GB with a two-year contract. An unlocked phone breaks the ties between customer and carrier. But the newest unlocked iPhone 5s requires a GSM-compatible SIM, meaning it will work on T-Mobile or AT&T in the U.S., but not Verizon or Sprint. All three color options — space gray, gold, and silver — are available now. Simply visit the Apple Store website, then choose to get the iPhone 'unlocked and contract-free.' Apple made the same unlocked-iPhone move a year ago, offering the iPhone 5 with the same price and carrier options. For more, see PCMag's review of the Apple iPhone 5s and the slideshow above. </div>

Technology Apple Selling Unlocked, SIM

Apple is now selling an unlocked, SIM-free version of the iPhone 5s on its retail website.Ditch the usual two-year contract and place your order now for the carrier-free iPhone 5s, which will set you back at least $649.Two versions of the unlocked f…

Winamp Petition Emerges as Microsoft Considers Purchase

7:08 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>A petition to save Winamp has appears as Microsoft considers a purchase. <img src="http://media.bestofmicro.com/winamp%0A,7-Y-411118-1.jpg" width="600"/> As previously reported, AOL plans to shut down Winamp after serving music lovers for around 16 years. The company didn't state why the long-time service and app will be discontinued, only reporting that Winamp will no longer be available past December 20, 2013. We can't even use it through the holidays. Now there's a petition to keep Winamp alive by making the client open source. 'Winamp is the best media player ever built. If there were other alternatives that would be fine. But there is nothing that can do what Winamp can do. It is the most versatile media player on earth,' the petition reads. 'It can't be left to die. It must live on. If AOL allows it to go open source it WILL live on forever and be in the hands of people who love it and use it every day. Please help by asking AOL to keep it alive or allow this software to go open source,' the petition adds. In just a matter of days, the petition has already gathered 6,638 signatures of the 7,500 needed, and the number continues to grow. The petition may be unnecessary, as there's talk that Microsoft may actually purchase both Winamp and SHOUTcast, a media streaming service also developed by Nullsoft. Sources claim that AOL was actually planning to announce the closure of SHOUTcast next week, which was created in 1999 and purchased by AOL in the same year. Unnamed sources told TechCrunch, which is owned by AOL, that the deal with Microsoft has not yet been finalized, as the two media giants are working on a price. However selling both reportedly 'makes sense', as AOL is shuttering and selling off other music assets as part of 'bigger strategic shift to focus resources as a web publisher'. In addition to TechCrunch, AOL also owns Engadget, Huffington Post and a number of other tech blogs. On the Microsoft front, a SHOUTcast purchase makes sense, as Nullsoft's platform acts as a portal to over 50,000 radio stations, and would be an ideal feature in the Xbox Music platform. Winamp, on the other hand, is a different story given that Windows Media Player handles audio file playback. Perhaps merging the two would mean Media Player will receive some cool new skins? Microsoft and AOL have declined to comment on the acquisition reports, so stay tuned. <img src="http://media.bestofmicro.com/winamp%0A,7-Y-411118-1.jpg" width="600"/> </div>

Technology Winamp Petition Emerges as Microsoft Considers Purchase

A petition to save Winamp has appears as Microsoft considers a purchase. As previously reported, AOL plans to shut down Winamp after serving music lovers for around 16 years. The company didn't state why the long-time service and app will be disconti…

John Carmack Leaves id Software

3:21 PM Tukiyooo 0

Technology John Carmack Leaves id Software

It's the end of an era. After over twenty years, John Carmack has left the company he helped found, id Software. Carmack, who became the CTO at Oculus VR in August, has reportedly resigned to focus fully on that company. id will carry on in his abse…

How did Doctor Who reflect the real world?

2:52 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>How did Doctor Who reflect what was happening in the real world? When Doctor Who was born, at 17:15 GMT on 23 November 1963, the headlines were dominated by the assassination the previous day of US President John F Kennedy. And the shock events in Dallas, Texas, eclipsed coverage of the deaths of writers CS Lewis and Aldous Huxley, also on 22 November 1963. While that first trip though the doors of the Tardis may have had echoes of entering Narnia in Lewis' The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, it was the world-changing events of the previous decades that helped shape early Doctor Who. 'It is very much part of the post-[World War Two] era,' says Graeme Burk, co-author of the book Who's 50 - The 50 Doctor Who Stories to Watch Before You Die. 'The science fiction of Doctor Who was very influenced by the post-war sci-fi of Brian Aldiss and John Wyndham and, to a lesser extent, CS Lewis. <img src="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/70890000/jpg/_70890935_doctorwhoanniv.jpg" width="600"/> 'Early stories like The Daleks were written by people who grew up under the threat of Nazism and war.' The very first Doctor Who story, An Unearthly Child, saw the Doctor and his companions transported through time to the Stone Age where they encountered a tribe that had lost the secret of fire. 'There's dialogue about how fire is necessary but at the same time viewed as a threat by certain members of the tribe,' says Burk. 'That story came about a year after the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, so you can't help but see a metaphor for atomic weapons as things which could bring benefits or mass destruction.' The next story, The Daleks, introduced Doctor Who's most famous monsters. The Tardis lands on the planet Skaro in the aftermath of a neutron war where two races survive - the Daleks, mutated creatures inside metal casings, and the pacifist Thals. Coming less than 20 years after the end of World War Two, the allegorical reference to atomic warfare is not hard to spot, and many commentators draw parallels between the Daleks and the Nazis. 'The Cold War and WW2 come together in that first visitation from the Daleks,' says Dr Graham Saunders, of the department of film, theatre and TV at the University of Reading. 'It's become a cliche that the Daleks are the Nazis. You could turn it on its head and argue that they all think the same way, so they are Communistic as well - they are both echoes from the war and the threat of the Red Terror.' The WW2 influence is even stronger in the second Dalek story, 1964's Dalek Invasion of Earth, set in the 22nd Century. The story presents a vision of what things would have been like if Germany had won the war, says Mark Campbell, author of Doctor Who: The Complete Guide. 'Although it's set in the future the costumes and scenery is really 1940s-50s England. There are banners up everywhere and the Daleks do Nazi salutes. The images would have been very resonant to those who fought in the war.' When writer Terry Nation revisited the early history of Skaro in 1975's Genesis of the Daleks (with Tom Baker's fourth Doctor), the Nazi references were far more explicit. Scientist Davros is intent on creating a master race while the military elite seek to exterminate the Thals. As Dr Saunders notes, when Davros rants about racial supremacy in his underground lair it's like 'Hitler raving in the bunker'. 'Computers go mad' Just as the 2013 Doctor Who story The Bells of Saint John featured new London landmark The Shard, the 1966 story The War Machines saw William Hartnell's Doctor visit the Post Office Tower (now the BT Tower) - which had officially opened the previous year. The tower contains Wotan, a super-computer that creates an army of intelligent, armed mobile machines in order to take over the world. The story tapped into the topical debate about technological progress. 'I think Doctor Who is always more interesting when it's commenting on issues that are just bubbling under,' says Dr Saunders. 'The War Machines is a story in which computers go mad and produce these war machines. It's The Terminator way before its time. 'The old Doctors were always sceptical of computers. In The Ice Warriors (1967) the Doctor does all the calculations himself - he doesn't trust computers . Although in new Doctor Who he seems much more comfortable with them, which says something about our age. 'In old Doctor Who up to the 1970s computers were these huge disembodied things with wheeling tapes, often with malign purpose.' The War Machines were based on an idea by Dr Kit Pedler, Doctor Who's unofficial scientific adviser, who went on to create the show's second most popular villains, the Cybermen. Making their first appearance in William Hartnell's final story, 1966's The Tenth Planet, the Cybermen were humans who had replaced their body parts with artificial organs. Graeme Burk: 'At that point organ transplants were coming in and Kit Pedler saw the next step as artificial transplants, so the Cybermen were very much created out of a response to that idea.' Just over a year after this story was broadcast, in December 1967, the first human heart transplant was carried out by Dr Christiaan Barnard in South Africa. Aliens and the EEC In the early 1970s, Doctor Who stories often reflected topical events such as the energy crisis (when oil-producing countries stopped exports to West), ecological concerns, industrial strife and terrorism. In Jon Pertwee's second story, The Silurians (1970), a hibernating reptile race is awakened by tests on a new underground nuclear reactor. Later the same year, Inferno centred on a drilling project that releases a gas that turns people into werewolf-like creatures. The Curse of Peladon, in 1972, mirrored a major political story at the time. Pertwee's Doctor and companion Jo Grant arrive on the planet Peladon, whose king wants it to join the Galactic Federation, but his high priest opposes the union, claiming it will strip Peladon of its independence. At the time the story was broadcast, British Prime Minister Edward Heath was in negotiations for the UK to join the European Economic Community (EEC). The metaphor may have been clear to adult viewers, but it would have gone over the heads of most children. 'It's actually an Agatha Christie whodunnit and it still works if you take away the stuff about going into the federation,' says Mark Campbell. 'It's a story with lots of monsters.' A return visit to the same planet in 1974's The Monster of Peladon was influenced by the miners' strikes of the period. The moderates and militants among the miners on Peladon allude to the real-life rift within the leadership of the National Union of Mineworkers. Eco-concerns, and the rise of groups like Friends of the Earth, were addressed in 1973's The Green Death, in which giant maggots emerged from the industrial effluent produced by Global Chemicals. Dr Saunders detects the 'shadow of Northern Ireland' in stories such as the Day of the Daleks (1972), which featured 'terrorists' from the future, and Invasion of the Dinosaurs (1974) with armed troops on the streets - images which were familiar in news bulletins at the time. 'Video nasties' Moving to the 1980s, the Colin Baker story Vengeance on Varos came shortly after the Video Recordings Act 1984 was passed in the wake of the press furore about 'video nasties'. In the story, the poverty-stricken people of Varos are kept entertained by screenings of public torture. Mark Campbell calls it a 'problematic story' because while it satirises on-screen violence as public entertainment, one episode contains a scene in which the Doctor delivers a quip after seeing a guard die horribly in an acid bath. 'I think the story says more about the power of television than the so-called video nasties,' he adds. Since its 2005 reboot, with Russell T Davies as show runner (2005-2010), the new series of Doctor Who hasn't shied away from political references ripped from the headlines. In the episode World War Three, where aliens The Slitheen have invaded 10 Downing Street, there is a reference to 'massive weapons of destruction' which can be deployed in 45 seconds. 'It's not hard to see that's a comment on the Iraq War,' says Campbell, referring to the September 2002 dossier which became notorious for its suggestion Iraq could deploy weapons of mass destruction within 45 minutes. The first David Tennant story, The Christmas Invasion, contains a scene which echoes former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's decision to sink the General Belgrano during the Falklands conflict in 1982. Penelope Wilton's prime minister orders the destruction of a retreating alien spaceship, a decision condemned by the Doctor. Graeme Burk detects fewer overt political references in the Matt Smith era of the show, with Steven Moffat in charge. 'Steven Moffat is a very different animal to Russell T Davies, who is a very political writer,' he says. 'Moffat is more about taking something in the real world and making it scary or magical.' The Day of the Doctor is on BBC One at 19:50 on Saturday 23 November.</div>

Technology How did Doctor Who reflect the real world?

How did Doctor Who reflect what was happening in the real world?When Doctor Who was born, at 17:15 GMT on 23 November 1963, the headlines were dominated by the assassination the previous day of US President John F Kennedy.And the shock events in Dall…

Google's next Glass project could be prescription lenses

1:24 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>Summary: Offering a prescription option could make Google Glass much more viable on the consumer tech market. <img src="http://cdn-static.zdnet.com/i/r/library/uk-carousel/hardware/google-glass-headset-620x202.png?hash=MQx0AJZkZm&upscale=1" width="600"/> What could be one of the next waves of Google Glass sounds far more innovative (not to mention useful) than an earbud accessory. According to the Wall Street Journal, the Internet giant is in talks with VSP Global, a network of both vision benefits providers and eyewear makers, to take Glass to the next step -- at least practically speaking. That would be prescription lenses. As Glass looks and feels now, it is doable to actually wear Glass and regular prescription glasses together. But it would be far less clunky and much more logical to just have a single pair of specs resting on one's nose. The simplification would also mark another advantage to wearable technology. Arguably one of the goals of Glass (and other versions of wearables, like smart watches) is to eventually produce a pair that could stand in place of a smartphone while on-the-go. With prescriptions (for those who need them), Glass could consolidate even more accessories into one someday. There isn't a timetable available yet, and Google hasn't commented publicly on the discussions either. This also isn't the first time that an optical lens producer has reportedly been tapped for Glass involvement. The Mountain View, Calif.-based company reportedly reached out to hipster eyewear startup Warby Parker earlier this year for some design tips. Given that Google is already gearing up to release the next edition of the Internet-connected headset, it is likely that prescription versions won't come around until at least the third installment of the platform -- if even that soon. Glass is also still far from being a consumer product. The Explorer prototype, which admittedly has more apps and functionality by the month, is still tethered to one's smartphone and cannot replace one in productivity either. Not to mention there was that exorbitant $1,500 price tag too. Nevertheless, offering a prescription option (in combination with at least a price reduction) would make Glass much more attractive (and feasible) on the consumer tech market. </div>

Technology Google's next Glass project could be prescription lenses

Summary: Offering a prescription option could make Google Glass much more viable on the consumer tech market. What could be one of the next waves of Google Glass sounds far more innovative (not to mention useful) than an earbud accessory.According to…

Motorola, 3D Systems Team for 'Project Ara' Modular Smartphones

11:07 AM Tukiyooo 0

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img src="http://www1.pcmag.com/media/images/405493-motorola-project-ara.jpg?thumb=y" width="600"/> Motorola has teamed up with 3D Systems to produce a high-speed 3D printing platform that will support Motorola's Project Ara. Under the multi-year deal, 3D Systems will expand its printing capabilities to support modular smartphone components. If all goes well during a development phase, 3D Systems will become the exclusive fulfillment provider of 3D-printed Ara smartphone enclosures and modules. Project Ara, announced last month, is an open hardware platform for creating highly modular smartphones. 'We want to do for hardware what the Android platform has done for software: create a vibrant third-party developer ecosystem, lower the barriers to entry, increase the pace of innovation, and substantially compress development timelines,' Paul Eremenko with Motorola's Project Ara Team said in October. Ideally, Project Ara - which has been in the works for more than a year - will 'drive a more thoughtful, expressive, and open relationship between users, developers, and their phones.' 'With Project Ara, we asked the question, 'How do we bring the benefits of customization and an open hardware ecosystem to 6 billion people?' That is our driving application,' Regina Dugan, head of Motorola's Advanced Technology & Projects group, said in a Friday statement. 'It requires technical advances in areas such as material strength and printing with conductive inks for antennas. And those advances must support production-level speeds and volumes, which is a natural partnership with 3D Systems.' '3D printing promotes a level of sustainability, functionality, and mass personalization that turns these kinds of global ambitions into attainable local realities,' said Avi Reichental, President and CEO of 3D Systems. 'Project Ara combines two exponential technologies, and we expect that the resulting high-throughput advanced manufacturing platform will have far reaching implications on the entire digital thread that stitches together the factory of the future.' Motorola and 3D Systems previously partnered on a series of maker events, dubbed Make with Moto, which called on students at the nation's top engineering and design schools to tinker with open, hackable smartphone hardware and 3D printing. </div>

Technology Motorola, 3D Systems Team for 'Project Ara' Modular Smartphones

Motorola has teamed up with 3D Systems to produce a high-speed 3D printing platform that will support Motorola's Project Ara.Under the multi-year deal, 3D Systems will expand its printing capabilities to support modular smartphone components. If all…

Google Settles With State AGs On Privacy

8:37 AM Tukiyooo 0

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img src="http://img.deusm.com/informationweek/news.png" width="600"/><img src="http://img.deusm.com/informationweek/schwartz-IWK-125x125.jpg" width="600"/><img src="http://img.deusm.com/informationweek/editor-RSS.png" width="600"/><img src="http://img.deusm.com/informationweek/editor-email.png" width="600"/><img src="http://static.1.rp-api.com/buttons/repostus_bttn_shrt_embed.png" width="600"/> Google agrees to pay $17 million to 37 states to settle claims it circumvented cookie-blocking controls in Apple's Safari browser. <img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/1062/image1_tn.png" width="600"/> (click image for larger view) Google this week agreed to pay a $17 million settlement to 37 states after the search giant circumvented cookie-blocking controls built into Apple's Safari browser. If this sounds familiar, it's because it's Google's second go-round, after agreeing in August 2012 to pay a record-breaking $22.5 million fine to settle a similar complaint filed by the Federal Trade Commission. 'Usually, I don't like seeing states expend time and effort to replicate cases that the FTC has already prosecuted -- and vice versa,' said Justin Brookman, who directs the Center for Democracy and Technology's Project on Consumer Privacy, in a blog post. 'Regulators have limited resources and need to manage their caseload to maximize the impact that their cases will have on the ecosystem.' [Learn more about Internet privacy. See 10 Most Misunderstood Facebook Privacy Facts.] 'This instance, however, is different,' said Brookman, who previously led the Internet Bureau at the New York attorney general's office. 'The state AGs' settlement agreement is considerably more expansive than the FTC's, and potentially establishes a new precedent for companies: evading privacy controls -- even default privacy controls -- is per se [inherently] deceptive.' The states' settlement agreement with Google requires the company to nuke the cookies that it placed via Safari and prohibits it from placing cookies on PCs of consumers that signal they want third-party cookies blocked. Or in the words of the settlement: Google shall not employ HTTP form POST functionality that uses JavaScript to submit a form without affirmative user action for the purpose of overriding a browser's cookie-blocking settings so that it may place an HTTP cookie on such browser, without that user's prior consent. That refers to a trick employed by Google -- among other companies -- which uses a POST command to evade third-party cookie blocks Apple put in Safari. This was despite the following promise from Apple: Some companies track the cookies generated by the websites you visit, so they can gather and sell information about your web activity. Safari is the first browser that blocks these tracking cookies by default, better protecting your privacy. Safari accepts cookies only from the current domain. Privacy researcher Jonathan Mayer, a Stanford University graduate student, first spotted that Google was circumventing the cookie blocking and allowing its DoubleClick advertising subsidiary to place tracking cookies onto Safari users' systems. Mayer found that three other advertising companies -- Vibrant Media, Media Innovation Group, and PointRoll -- also appeared to be purposefully defeating Safari's third-party cookie blocks. The FTC and 37 states have taken action only against Google, likely because Google's privacy policy stated that the company would comply with Safari users' tracking choices. Accordingly, the FTC was able to charge Google with deceptive business practices. <img src="http://img.deusm.com/informationweek/2013/11/1112742/cookies-privacy.jpg" width="600"/> The states' settlement language may signal a shift in the privacy debate -- for example: the mass tracking of consumers by advertising firms and data brokers. 'If it's illegal for companies to try to get around privacy controls, that's a big deal for consumers,' said Brookman. The settlement's language might also suggest a legal roadmap for pro-privacy browser manufacturers as they implement the 'Do Not Track' browser setting that signals a user doesn't want to be tracked by advertising networks. 'If browsers were to try to enforce the standard by limiting access to companies that don't honor the settings in certain ways, efforts to get around that enforcement could be deemed deceptive,' said Brookman. How might browsers do that? 'Well, Safari -- and soon Mozilla -- turning off third-party cookies is an example,' said Brookman via email. While advertisers could use the POST trick, Java, or Flash to sneak around those blocks or reactivate old HTML cookies, 'browsers could also limit use of JavaScript or requests for certain data elements in order to better fingerprint users,' he said. 'Or they could block third-party calls entirely -- like several add-ons do today.' Browser manufacturers could add more proactive countermeasures, for example, by blocking the use of JavaScript and Flash for any websites and advertising tracking networks that don't explicitly say -- in their privacy policies -- that they will honor consumers' Do Not Track preferences. 'If a company were to misrepresent that it honors the flag, that's a pretty easy FTC case,' Brookman said. Despite Google's settlement with the FTC and 37 states' attorneys general, the fallout from the Safari-cookie bypass may not be at an end. Google still faces a related lawsuit filed by Safari users in the United Kingdom. There's no such thing as perfection when it comes to software applications, but organizations should make every effort to ensure that their developers do everything in their power to get as close as possible. This Dark Reading report, 'Integrating Vulnerability Management Into The Application Development Process,' examines the challenges of finding and remediating bugs in applications that are growing in complexity and number, and recommends tools and best-practices for weaving vulnerability management into the development process from the very beginning. (Free registration required.) In addition, US consumers filed a class-action lawsuit against the companies named in Mayer's report. Last month, a judge dismissed the suit against all the companies except PointRoll, which had already agreed to settle by deleting the Safari cookies it had collected. The consumers who filed the suit have appealed the judge's decision. </div>

Technology Google Settles With State AGs On Privacy

Google agrees to pay $17 million to 37 states to settle claims it circumvented cookie-blocking controls in Apple's Safari browser.(click image for larger view)Google this week agreed to pay a $17 million settlement to 37 states after the search giant…

Apple iPad Mini Retina No Longer Riding Its Big Brother's Coattails

7:52 AM Tukiyooo 0

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>By Pedro Hernandez | Posted 2013-11-21<img src="http://www.eweek.com/images/email.jpg" width="600"/> Email<img src="http://www.eweek.com/images/print.gif" width="600"/> Print This year, and just in time for the holidays, Apple's new iPad Mini finally steps out of its big brother's shadow. The new iPad Mini with Retina display, first unveiled during an Oct. 22 media event in San Francisco, has finally been brought in line with Apple's larger, current-generation tablet, now called the iPad Air. Both are essentially the same device, except that the Mini is fronted by a 7.9-inch touch-screen versus the Air's 9.7-inch display. The original iPad Mini was a lesson for Apple in managing expectations. When it first debuted, it was criticized for being a smaller version of the iPad 2 instead of the newer iPad Retina. This time, Mini buyers don't have to compromise. Stock of some models is currently limited, but shoppers who keep their eyes on Apple's online store can nab one and pick it up in person with some persistence. But is it worth the price? At $399 to start, the cheapest Retina iPad Mini is pricier than most Android tablets in its class, including the excellent Google Nexus 7. Find out if the new iPad Mini with Retina display delights or disappoints in this eWEEK slide show. </div>

Technology Apple iPad Mini Retina No Longer Riding Its Big Brother's Coattails

By Pedro Hernandez | Posted 2013-11-21 Email PrintThis year, and just in time for the holidays, Apple's new iPad Mini finally steps out of its big brother's shadow. The new iPad Mini with Retina display, first unveiled during an Oct. 22 media event i…

Why You Might Want a Bigger iPad

5:52 AM Tukiyooo 0

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img src="http://abcnewsradioonline.com/storage/news-images/ht_ipad_max_sr_131120_16x9_992.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1385035153067" width="600"/>(NEW YORK) -- Apple has already shrunk the size of the iPad with the iPad Mini, but there is now speculation that Apple might increase the size of its popular tablet. According to the Korea Times, Apple is working on a 12.9-inch iPad. That's an iPad with a screen size similar to that of a 13-inch laptop. While a smaller iPad has made a lot of sense to some -- it's more portable and easier to hold in one hand -- the idea of a bigger tablet seems a bit out there. But there might be a few practical uses for what is being dubbed the 'iPad Maxi.' 1. For Home Use Back in April 2012, Toshiba released the Excite 13. It was a 13-inch tablet that Toshiba marketed for home and primarily kitchen use. It came with a kickstand for easily propping up in the kitchen to use for cooking. A bigger iPad would also be ideal for keeping in the living room for couch web surfing, Facebook stalking or whatever it is you do on your iPad while lounging around. It would also be ideal for using with the Apple TV's Airplay features.2. To Use with Others Ross Rubin, a principal analyst at Rectile Research, also believes that the bigger screen would provide a better multimedia experience right on the tablet. 'A larger iPad could provide a more immersive media experience for movies and games,' he said.A wider screen would also lend itself better to sharing that screen with others. It's easier to huddle around a bigger screen to watch a YouTube clip or to toss in the backseat and let the kids watch a video together. Also, with a bigger touchscreen, two-person gameplay could become more popular.3. For Use with a Keyboard Right before the iPad Air event in October, there were rumors that Apple was planning to release a keyboard dock or cover for the iPad, similar to that of the one for the Microsoft Surface tablet. That didn't pan out, but a 13-inch iPad, which is right in between the 11.6- and 13-inch MacBook Air, could make for a better keyboard/tablet experience. More screen space would mean a wider keyboard; many of the third-party iPad keyboards out now are quite cramped. Rubin also points out that a bigger screen could make an iPad more of a productivity device. 'It might also further encroach on the sales of notebooks; many of the Windows hybrid devices have larger displays than the iPad,' Rubin said.Apple CEO Tim Cook, however, has already said that he does not fear the laptop cannibalization caused by the iPads. While Cook has said that combining tablets and computers the way Microsoft has with Windows 8 is like combining a toaster and a refrigerator, a bigger, more expensive iPad that worked well with a keyboard could help bridge the gap between the laptop and tablet world for Apple in a careful and smart way. Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio </div>

Technology Why You Might Want a Bigger iPad

(NEW YORK) -- Apple has already shrunk the size of the iPad with the iPad Mini, but there is now speculation that Apple might increase the size of its popular tablet.According to the Korea Times, Apple is working on a 12.9-inch iPad. That's an iPad w…

Microsoft's Azure Cloud Computing System Hits Bumps, Taking Down Xbox Live ...

4:37 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img src="http://tctechcrunch2011.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/2013-11-21_15h11_07.jpg?w=400" width="600"/> Reports surfaced recently that Xbox Live had gone dark. Other Microsoft services have followed. The problems appear to stem from Microsoft's cloud computing service Azure, which is the brains for many Microsoft services. According to the Windows Azure Services Dashboard, there is at least a problem with some Azure storage services, which is marked as present at suffering from 'Performance Degradation.' Azure is a growing product for Microsoft, with revenue over the billion dollar mark. It is also a core component of the New Microsoft, in which services replace traditional software. Those services more often than not run on Azure. If it goes down, it takes quite a bit with it. I have several calls into Microsoft asking what's up, and the like. They are likely still figuring it out for themselves. I cannot confirm at this time the extent of what is down, but I'm hearing that TechNet is scuppered, some people can't get email, and so forth. This could take a while, folks, so put on your Patience Hat. However, while Microsoft rights its ship and tells us what went down, at least there is time for jokes: @alex Do you think Google will make t-shirts and cups about Azure went down? - Oguz Furkan Kaytanci (@fkaytanci) November 21, 2013 Top Image Credit: Flickr</div>

Technology Microsoft's Azure Cloud Computing System Hits Bumps, Taking Down Xbox Live ...

Reports surfaced recently that Xbox Live had gone dark. Other Microsoft services have followed. The problems appear to stem from Microsoft's cloud computing service Azure, which is the brains for many Microsoft services.According to the Windows Azure…

Intel TV Efforts Spiked by CEO Krzanich: Report

10:37 AM Tukiyooo 0

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>By Jeffrey Burt | Posted 2013-11-21<img src="http://www.eweek.com/images/email.jpg" width="600"/> Email<img src="http://www.eweek.com/images/print.gif" width="600"/> Print <img src="http://www.eweek.com/imagesvr_ce/870/290x195intel1.jpg" width="600"/> CEO Brian Krzanich saw Intel's TV initiative as an expensive distraction to the company's mobile efforts, according to a report by Reuters. The three retail stores Intel is opening for the holiday season reportedly intended to host the coming-out party for Intel's ambitious Internet TV effort. Instead, the Intel Experience Stores in New York City, Chicago and Venice, Calif., will show off notebooks, tablets, two-in-one systems and other devices powered by Intel technology. The change comes after Intel CEO Brian Krzanich, who took over the top job from Paul Otellini in May, spiked the initiative, believing that the chip maker had more important priorities-such as pushing ahead with its mobile device plans-and could be distracted by the expensive TV program, according to a report in Reuters. Intel's TV initiative was a two-year effort begun under Otellini, who was looking for ways for the company to diversify. The idea was to create an Intel-powered set-top box that would allow consumers to stream TV shows, on-demand content, live events and other services into their televisions and other devices via the Internet. The idea was to let users order and pay for whatever shows they wanted, without having to pay for content and channels they didn't want. The strategy not only would have Intel branching out into an entirely new market, but it also would mean putting it into direct competition with established cable and satellite media companies like Dish, DirecTV and Time Warner Cable. There also are a range of other tech vendors-from Google to Apple to Sony-that are rumored to be mulling an Internet TV service. Intel officials in early 2013 said they expected to have the service-called OnCue-up and running by the end of this year. The chip maker already was testing the service with thousands of Intel employees who were using it in their homes. However, there were consistent reports that Intel was having trouble securing deals with TV programmers for contents, and the company reportedly was turning to Samsung (with its smart TVs) and Amazon (and its massive base of Internet users and growing Internet video capabilities) for help. It also was a matter of money. According to sources cited by Reuters, Erik Huggers, a former British Broadcasting Corp. executive hired to head up the effort, had come close to completing deals with some TV programmers, but that up-front costs would have cost hundreds of millions of dollars, even if adoption of the OnCue service was slow. Now Intel reportedly is negotiating with Verizon Communications to take over OnCue. In addition, reports surfaced this month that the chip maker is talking with Liberty Global, a London-based cable company with operations throughout Europe. According to Reuters, at its height, Intel Media had about 300 employees and people who saw a prototype of the set-top box with its GUI were impressed, saying it was 'far superior' to what is offered by cable and satellite TV companies. Like most tech vendors with ties to the PC market, Intel has been hit hard by the decline in PC sales worldwide. The company is looking to extend its reach in several directions, with the mobile device space having the highest priority. Krzanich-who is scheduled to speak Nov. 21 at the company's annual investor meeting-has lamented Intel's slow response in delivering chips for smartphones and tablets, most of which run on chips designed by ARM and made by Samsung, Qualcomm and other manufacturers. Soon after taking over from Otellini, Krzanich said the company was ramping up its efforts in the space, and giving the development of its low-power Atom platform greater priority in the company's fabrication facilities. He also quickly took a much more cautious approach to Intel's TV initiative, telling Reuters in an interview in June that the company would play to its strengths. 'We're experts in silicon, we're experts in mobility, in driving Moore's law,' he said. 'But we are not experts in the content industry, and we're being careful.' </div>

Technology Intel TV Efforts Spiked by CEO Krzanich: Report

By Jeffrey Burt | Posted 2013-11-21 Email PrintCEO Brian Krzanich saw Intel's TV initiative as an expensive distraction to the company's mobile efforts, according to a report by Reuters.The three retail stores Intel is opening for the holiday season …

Super Mario 3D World included in new UK Wii U hardware bundle

10:36 AM Tukiyooo 0

Technology Super Mario 3D World included in new UK Wii U hardware bundle

Nintendo UK is to release a new Mario-themed Wii U bundle on November 29.Available to pre-order now for £299.99, the Mario Mega Bundle includes a Wii U Premium console, Super Mario 3D World, New Super Mario Bros. U, New Super Luigi U, a red Wii Remot…

ESPN's SportsCenter App Combines News And Highlights With New ...

8:52 AM Tukiyooo 0

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img src="http://tctechcrunch2011.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/sc-page-types-news.png?w=400" width="600"/> Global sports heavyweight ESPN has launched a new app that it hopes will satisfy all the needs of its biggest fans. The new SportsCenter app, launched today, is a reimagining of its old ScoreCenter app - and it's built to provide fans with all the biggest scores and highlights happening around the sports world. But it's also built to provide a deep layer of personalization into the app, which is designed to keep them up-to-date with the teams that are most important to them. The SportsCenter app is part of ESPN's consolidation of many of its standalone apps under Product Development SVP Ryan Spoon. When Spoon joined, the company had more than 45 different apps that it had built and maintained. It's whittled that down to about a dozen over the past year and a half. The remaining apps all fit into what Spoon calls core ESPN properties: There's the new SportsCenter app, ESPN fantasy apps, ESPN Radio apps, and the popular WatchESPN live video apps for mobile, tablet, and connected TV devices. When it comes time, ESPN will also probably have an Olympics app for the 2014 Winter Games, Spoon said, but for the most part the focus has been on consolidating and realigning its app ecosystem. As a result, ESPN will be leaning on its SportsCenter app to be the go-to place for sports fans on the go to get updates on what's happening around sports, as well as all their favorite teams. When you open the app for the first time, you're asked to specify which teams you'd like to follow, and you can set alerts to send push notifications when there's team news, or to give updates over the course of a game. Setting your favorite teams not only gets you up-to-the-minute updates, but it also provides a whole new level of personalization through the app's Favorites tab. After that, the app opens to reveal the SportsCenter 'Scores' tab, which breaks down all the top games and matchups that are happening over the course of the day. Right next to it is the 'News' tab, which brings in all of the top news that's happening. And next to that is the 'Now' tab, which brings in Tweets from a wide variety of ESPN personalities, which users can retweet or respond to directly within the app. There are a number of cool new features within the app, such as the way stories flow into one another - once you've scrolled down to the end of one article, the headline of the following article appears directly beneath it. There's also a big emphasis on video, enabling readers to watch related clips directly in-line within the article. Personalization extends beyond just the user's favorites tab. There's also a new 'Inbox' feature that is designed to present all the most relevant sports information based on all the teams they're following, rather than just one-by-one. Along with the redesign, ESPN decided to make a few cosmetic changes that would better reflect each mobile platform that its fans are using. The iPhone app is designed to match with the major new flat design that Apple instituted with iOS 7. And the Android app is no longer just a port of the iOS version, but designed to borrow the usability and design functionality of Google's mobile operating system. The hope is that, with more personalization and easier navigation of the app, user will be more engaged, stick around longer, and eventually view more ads. For diehard sports fans, that's probably a safe bet. </div>

Technology ESPN's SportsCenter App Combines News And Highlights With New ...

Global sports heavyweight ESPN has launched a new app that it hopes will satisfy all the needs of its biggest fans. The new SportsCenter app, launched today, is a reimagining of its old ScoreCenter app - and it's built to provide fans with all the bi…

Sprint dead last in Consumer Reports' phone service survey

5:07 AM Tukiyooo 0

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>The slow process of upgrading its network has taken a toll on Sprint's service. <img src="http://asset3.cbsistatic.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim/2012/12/05/Roger_Cheng_60x43.jpg" width="600"/> <img src="http://asset2.cbsistatic.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim2/2013/10/30/Sprint_Burlingame_innovation_center_610x406.jpg" width="600"/> (Credit: Lynn La/CNET) Sprint is eating everyone's dust. The nation's third-largest wireless carrier by subscriber base sank to the bottom of a study conducted by Consumer Reports over cell phone service. Sprint scored 'dismal marks' in value, voice, text messaging, and 4G reliability. It had ranked No. 2 behind Verizon Wireless a year ago. It's the latest headache for a carrier that is going through a long and painful transformation of its network. Sprint is in the middle of upgrading its network to allow for better and faster service, but the transition has been rough on customers. As a result, many have left the carrier in the last few years. 'While the findings in the Consumer Report's survey are disappointing, they're not necessarily surprising,' said a Sprint representative. 'We've asked customers during the past year to 'pardon our dust' as we build out and upgrade our network.' Sprint is hoping the rate of customer attrition will fade once the network improves. To drum up interest for its next-generation network, the company last month demonstrated Sprint Spark, its enhanced LTE network. The company said in areas where the coverage has improved, the customer satisfaction has moved up accordingly. Verizon Wireless was once again the top-rated carrier, though Verizon recently conceded that it was facing pressures in big cities such as New York and San Francisco. AT&T and T-Mobile scored 'ho-hum' results, but AT&T was the lone carrier to get a top rating for 4G reliability. AT&T has been making a lot of noise about offering both the fastest and most reliable network in the nation, while T-Mobile has quickly built out its 4G LTE network to pair with its HSPA+ network. As with previous years, smaller carriers ranked higher, with niche provider Consumer Cellular scoring best in cell phone satisfaction despite running on the same network as AT&T. The survey also found that many customers were overpaying for their data, with 38 percent of users surveyed using half or less than half of their monthly allotment. While AT&T and Verizon have capped their data plans, Sprint and T-Mobile still offer unlimited data plans. </div>

Technology Sprint dead last in Consumer Reports' phone service survey

The slow process of upgrading its network has taken a toll on Sprint's service. (Credit: Lynn La/CNET)Sprint is eating everyone's dust.The nation's third-largest wireless carrier by subscriber base sank to the bottom of a study conducted by Consumer …

Winamp Media Player Shutting Down After 15 Years

2:37 AM Tukiyooo 0

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img src="http://www5.pcmag.com/media/images/408404-winamp.jpg?thumb=y" width="600"/> After 15 years on the Internet, the once-ubiquitous digital audio player Winamp will soon be just a memory. According to a brief note on the Winamp website, the formerly uber-popular media player will no longer be available for download after Dec. 20, 2013. This includes Winamp.com and associated Web services. You probably remember Winamp from the late 90s and early 2000's when it was one of the most widely used Internet services for listening to music and radio streams. Winamp eventually lost popularity as services like iTunes and Windows Media Player hit the Web, but it'll always hold a special place in the hearts of many. Developed by former University of Utah college students Justin Frankel and Dmitry Boldyrev, Winamp launched in 1997, and quickly gained popularity alongside the rise of MP3 file sharing. AOL eventually acquired Winamp in 1999 when it picked up Frankel's company Nullsoft for $80 million in stock. By the time Winamp released its 10th Anniversary edition back in 2007, most people had already moved on to more modern digital music services. 'Most of the people I spoke with were genuinely shocked to discover that not only is Winamp still kicking on their 10th anniversary, the app is seeing the release of a new version this week,' PCMag said at the time. PCMag last reviewed Winamp in 2009, giving version 5.55 an 'excellent' rating, including high marks for its sleek interface, built-in artist bio information, and enhanced audio/video playback support. Take a look at our review for a trip down memory lane. </div>

Technology Winamp Media Player Shutting Down After 15 Years

After 15 years on the Internet, the once-ubiquitous digital audio player Winamp will soon be just a memory.According to a brief note on the Winamp website, the formerly uber-popular media player will no longer be available for download after Dec. 20…