North Korean Military Hackers Organization

http://www.businessinsider.com/north-korean-defector-jang-se-yul-trained-with-hackers-2014-12

Activity Trackers Get Smarter at Measuring Your Fitness

Activity Trackers Get Smarter at Measuring Your Fitness - Scientific American (via #newsdeskapp)
http://www.scientificamerican.com//article/activity-trackers-get-smarter-at-measuring-your-fitness/


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The state of smartphones in 2014

The state of smartphones in 2014: Ars Technica's Ultimate Guide | Ars Technica (via #newsdeskapp)
http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2014/12/the-state-of-smartphones-in-2014-ars-technicas-ultimate-guide/


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I work at Sony Pictures. This is what it was like after we got hacked

I work at Sony Pictures. This is what it was like after we got hacked. (via #newsdeskapp)
http://fortune.com/2014/12/20/sony-pictures-entertainment-essay/


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U.S. Asks China to Help Rein In Korean Hackers

U.S. Asks China to Help Rein In Korean Hackers - NYTimes.com (via #newsdeskapp)
http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/12/21/world/asia/us-asks-china-to-help-rein-in-korean-hackers.html?referrer=


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Mac or PC: Does This Discussion Still Matter for Business?

 
https://www.workintelligent.ly/technology/it/2014-11-18-mac-or-pc-discussion/?utm_campaign=ContentSyndication&utm_medium=NativeAd&utm_source=OutBrain&utm_content=&utm_term=mac+pc

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Armed and operational: Navy's laser passes deployment test

Armed and operational: Navy's laser passes deployment test
http://yahoonewsdigest-us.tumblr.com/104917992119

New Twist in Life’s Start Could Aid Efforts to Make It from Scratch

Hi, I thought you might be interested in this story:
http://www.scientificamerican.com//article/new-twist-in-life-s-start-could-aid-efforts-to-make-it-from-scratch/


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AP Mobile: Dawn of Orion: NASA launch opens new era in space

A story from AP Mobile:

Dawn of Orion: NASA launch opens new era in space

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) - NASA's new Orion spacecraft zoomed toward a high point of 3,600 miles on an orbital test flight Friday, ushering in a new era of exploration that could one day put people on Mars.

The unmanned journey began with a sunrise liftoff witnessed by thousands of NASA guests. Two hours later, Orion zoomed toward the highest altitude traveled by a spacecraft built for h...

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Download the free AP Mobile for iPhone and iPad from the App Store today! Also available for Android in the Google Play Store. Visit getapmobile.com for support on Blackberry, WP7 and other devices.

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Microsoft Buying Mobile Email Startup Acompli

http://recode.net/2014/12/01/microsoft-buys-mobile-email-startup-acompli-for-more-than-200-million/

Privacy and Uber Travel - senator Al Franken

http://www.franken.senate.gov/files/letter/141119UberLetter.pdf


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Why I am Tired of RingCentral

http://blog.tmcnet.com/on-rads-radar/2014/10/why-i-am-tired-of-ringcentral-1.html

Shared via the Google app

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Microsoft shocker: Open-source .NET, free Visual Studio, support for Linux, Mac, Android and iOS

http://www.geekwire.com/2014/net-visual-studio-microsoft-open-source-cross-platform/

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The President's Statement

Hi, I thought you might be interested in this story:
http://m.whitehouse.gov/net-neutrality


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Seven privacy settings you should change immediately in iOS 8 | ZDNet

http://www.zdnet.com/seven-privacy-settings-you-should-change-immediately-in-ios-8-7000033598/

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In defense of eggs freezing benefits

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn26421-in-defence-of-offering-egg-freezing-to-women-workers.html?cmpid=RSS%7CNSNS%7C2012-GLOBAL%7Conline-news


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Google's gmail plans

http://www.androidpolice.com/2014/10/20/check-out-gmail-5-0-for-android-and-googles-plan-to-handle-all-your-email-accounts-in-one-app/


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Nexus 6, Nexus 9 Revealed: Google Unveils Pocket-Busting Smartphone and Slim Tablet

New devices direct from Google:

https://www.yahoo.com/tech/nexus-6-nexus-9-revealed-google-unveils-100086421259.html?soc_src=mags

Apple Pay launch rumors fly as experts say mobile wallet craze years off

Apple Pay launch rumors fly as experts say mobile wallet craze years off
http://yahoonewsdigest-us.tumblr.com/99846191689

The skeptics guide to low fidelity prototyping

The design art of understanding and translating what clients want:

http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2014/10/06/the-skeptics-guide-to-low-fidelity-prototyping/


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Windows 10 revealed

Windows 10 revealed:

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/press/2014/sep14/09-30futureofwindowspr.aspx


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How much does an iPhone 6 really cost? (Hint: It's way more than $199) | ZDNet

How much does an iPhone 6 really cost? (Hint: It's way more than $199) | ZDNet

http://www.zdnet.com/how-much-does-an-iphone-6-really-cost-hint-its-way-more-than-199-7000033801/

Four ways you can see the multiverse

Possibilities for a quantum-based computer built with quantum a instead of bits :

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn26267-four-ways-you-can-see-the-multiverse.html?cmpid=RSS%7CNSNS%7C2012-GLOBAL%7Conline-news


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Applying participatory design to mobile testing

Applying participatory design to mobile testing

http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2014/09/24/applying-participatory-design-to-mobile-testing/

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Wireless charger powers up iPhone in your pocket

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg22329884.000-wireless-charger-powers-up-iphone-in-your-pocket.html?cmpid=RSS%7CNSNS%7C2012-GLOBAL%7Conline-news

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Qualcomm CEO: 8B new smartphones will hit the market over next 5 years

Qualcomm CEO: 8B new smartphones will hit the market over next 5 years

http://www.cnet.com/news/qualcomm-ceo-there-will-be-8b-new-smartphones-over-next-5-years/

Prototyping for better products and happier clients

As mobile designers, we have a stark decision to make: do we spend time learning new tools and changing our design processes to create our own transitional interfaces, or are the tools that we've been using good enough?
http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2014/09/19/prototyping-for-better-products-stronger-teams-and-happier-clients/

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iPhone 6 Plus Teardown

https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/iPhone+6+Plus+Teardown/29206

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iOS 8 said to thwart warrants and cops alike

iOS 8 said to thwart warrants and cops alike
http://yahoonewsdigest-us.tumblr.com/97835126314


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What's Homomorphic Encryption And Why Did It Win A MacArthur Genius Grant? ⚙ Co.Labs ⚙ Code + Community

What's%20Homomorphic%20Encryption%20And%20Why%20Did%20It%20Win%20A%20MacArthur%20Genius%20Grant?


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Why companies need full-time product managers

Why companies need full-time product managers

 
http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2014/09/17/why-companies-need-full-time-product-managers/

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iOS 8 review: Some overdue updates, but well worth the wait

 
http://www.engadget.com/2014/09/16/ios-8-review/

iPhone 6: Not a revolution, but an excellent phone

iPhone 6: Not a revolution, but an excellent phone

http://www.cnet.com/products/apple-iphone-6/

Shared via the CNET Application
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id383989837


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iPhone 6 Plus: Apple's most serious phone yet

iPhone 6 Plus: Apple's most serious phone yet

http://www.cnet.com/products/apple-iphone-6-plus/

Shared via the CNET Application
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id383989837


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AP Mobile: Will Apple's digital wallet kill the card swipe?

A story from AP Mobile:

Will Apple's digital wallet kill the card swipe?

NEW YORK (AP) - Apple wants the plastic credit card to become as rare as the paper check.

On Tuesday, the company announced Apple Pay, a digital payment system that lets people pay for retail store purchases using their phones rather than cash or credit cards. The service, which will work both with iPhones and Apple's new Watch, is backed by a host of big retailers, along with most major ...

Read Full Story

Apple reveals iPhone 6 Plus with 5.5-inch screen, starts at $299 (hands-on)

http://www.cnet.com/products/apple-iphone-6-plus/ Everything you need to know about the Apple iPhone 6 Plus, including impressions and analysis, photos, video, release date, prices, specs, and predictions from CNET.

Roll out plan for iPhone 6 and 6 Plus

When and where to buy the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus

http://www.cnet.com/news/iphone-6-release-date/


http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id383989837

Apple pushes digital wallet with Apple Pay

A story from AP Mobile:

Apple pushes digital wallet with Apple Pay

NEW YORK (AP) - Apple is betting that people want to pay with a tap of the phone rather than a swipe of the card.

The technology company on Tuesday introduced a new digital wallet service called Apple Pay that is integrated with its Passbook credential-storage app and its fingerprint ID security system.

The announcement came as Apple introduced several new products including a new, ...

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Apple Watch looks to be another winner

A story from AP Mobile:

Apple Watch looks to be another winner

CUPERTINO, Calif. (AP) - As computerized wristwatches go, the upcoming Apple Watch looks impressive.

I like that it will come in two sizes, so the watch won't feel giant on smaller hands, as some competing watches do.

I also like that Apple will offer a variety of straps and materials, so fitness buffs can get a strap that's stronger and sweat-proof, while those seeking a fashion ac...

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AP Mobile: T-Mobile to sell phones that call, text on Wi-Fi

A story from AP Mobile:

T-Mobile to sell phones that call, text on Wi-Fi

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - T-Mobile will sell more than 100 smartphone models with a built-in feature that taps into Wi-Fi networks to make phone calls and send texts when customers can't connect to the wireless carrier's cellular network.

The program announced Wednesday represents T-Mobile's latest attempt to lure wireless subscribers away from three larger rivals, Verizon Wireless, AT&T Corp....

Read Full Story

 

When machines outsmart humans

Bostrom: When machines outsmart humans
http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/09/opinion/bostrom-machine-superintelligence/index.html


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For Apple's Cook, new products offer a chance to leave Jobs' shadow

For Apple's Cook, new products offer a chance to leave Jobs' shadow
http://yahoonewsdigest-us.tumblr.com/96915297019


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New Samsung phone with side display for holidays

A story from AP Mobile:

New Samsung phone with side display for holidays

BERLIN (AP) - Samsung's new smartphones aren't getting bigger, but one will have a side display for quick access to the flashlight, Twitter, news and frequently used apps.

The Galaxy Note Edge was announced at a trade show in Berlin on Wednesday, alongside the new Galaxy Note 4 phone, which lacks the side screen, and a virtual-reality headset called Gear VR. The handsets are due for relea...

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Nissan LEAF® Electric Car | Charging & Range

This is the future for car innovation.

http://www.nissanusa.com/electric-cars/leaf/charging-range/


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Physicist shows why your WiFi sucks in that one room

An interested discussion about how wifi reception can be confounded by wall refraction ratios and more -- and how to place your router and device to improve reception.

http://www.engadget.com/2014/09/01/wifi-physics-signal-reception/


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Apple lists top 10 reasons APPs are rejected

See this Apple website:
https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/rejections/

Use of 'language of deceit' betrays scientific fraud

The use of writing styles can reveal scientific research fraud.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn26127-use-of-language-of-deceit-betrays-scientific-fraud.html?cmpid=RSS%7CNSNS%7C2012-GLOBAL%7Conline-news

California smartphone kill switch bill signed into law

California governor Jerry Brown has signed his state's smartphone kill switch bill into law. Companies wanting to sell handsets in the state now have to include a remote disabling option that lets you render a stolen device unusable. There are certain exceptions, primarily for incompatible older gear, but manufacturers face fines as high as $2,500 per phone if they don't follow the rules.

 
http://www.engadget.com/2014/08/25/california-kill-switch-becomes-law/

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NASA's New Horizons explorer for a rendezvous with Pluto

(CNN) - NASA's New Horizons explorer is hurtling through space on its way to the outermost reaches of the solar system for a rendezvous with the small, icy "dwarf planet" of Pluto and its five moons.

It's a staggering decade-long, 3 billion mile journey that started with the New Horizons launch in 2006. The space probe is expected to reach Pluto next summer, the only spacecraft to visit it. It's also only the fifth probe to ever journey so far from the sun across such vast reaches of space, according to NASA officials.

http://us.cnn.com/2014/08/24/us/nasa-pluto-neptune-voyages/?hpt=ob_mobilearticlefooter&iref=obinsite

 

The New Yahoo -- on the right path with CEO

CEO Marisa Mayer is doing the right things to make Yahoo successful. Interesting insights from former employee.

http://www.businessinsider.com/a-former-yahoo-defends-marissa-mayer-2014-8?op=1

ITEXPO in Las Vegas, August 2014

See reviews and action at the conference here:
http://itexpo.tmcnet.com/west/photos-lv.aspx

SIP Trunking - The Future of Integrated PBX Communications

An excellent discussion of the advantages, choices in network services and premises equipment, pricing, and more:
http://www.intelepeer.com/downloads/SIP_Trunking_101.pdf

How NSA is Engaged in Internet Colonization

Routine port scans by government spy agencies and other nefarious groups look for your system vulnerabilities:
http://m.heise.de/ct/artikel/NSA-GCHQ-The-HACIENDA-Program-for-Internet-Colonization-2292681.html?from-classic=1


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How Verizon lets its copper network decay to force phone customers onto fiber

This seems to be the trend for the demise of the PSTN and POTS service.  The FCC and PUCs don't seem to be interested in protecting consumers interest in this rush to new technologies.  Granted there are advantages, but there are also major disadvantages such as uninterrupted power from the central office during power outages.  Also regulations are not in place to protect universal coverage and prevent arbitrary price hikes: 

http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2014/08/why-verizon-is-trying-very-hard-to-force-fiber-on-its-customers/

Agile Software Development vs. Waterfall Methid

Agile development for a changing world

The adjective that's used to describe these processes is "agile." There are many different agile development processes, but all retain certain common features. Fundamentally, agile processes are designed around short development cycles, iterative improvement, and the ability to easily respond to change.

Iterative development processes of one kind or another have been around for almost as long as software development itself. The kinds of practices that have come to be known as "agile" proliferated in the 1990s, and the "agile" label was codified in 2001 when a group of developers published the "Agile Manifesto". 

http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2014/08/how-microsoft-dragged-its-development-practices-into-the-21st-century/1/

7 steps to stronger, more secure passwords

A story from AP Mobile:

7 steps to stronger, more secure passwords

NEW YORK (AP) - Rarely does a week go by without news of another hacking incident. On Tuesday, The New York Times reported that a Russian crime ring had amassed some 1.2 billion username and password combinations.  The Times report, based on information from Milwaukee-based Hold Security, called the data "the largest known collection of stolen Internet credentials." Hold's researchers did ...

Read Full Story

The Patent Process: An Overview for Jurors

Here's an excellent patent process video used for jurors in the Apple/Samsung smartphone patents trial.   This is an introduction to how patents work and the different areas of a patent to apply in the assessment of infringement.

The Patent Process: An Overview for Jurors

What Does the Mobile Phone Unlocking Bill Really Mean?

Many mobile operators in the United States add restrictions to every phone they sell. These "locks" prevent you from being able to use your phone on other networks. If you put an AT&T SIM inside a locked T-Mobile phone, the only phone calls you'll be able to make will be to 911. This lock also applies to international carriers, so travelers will be hit with extensive roaming fees for data, text messages and phone calls.

The vast majority of US carriers have policies that, under specific conditions, will grant you a code to unlock your device. This usually only happens when you're a long-term customer in good standing who has a valid reason for unlocking it (such as military service or lengthy international trips). Problem is, these operators are still in charge and they can decide whether or not they want to give you the code. Under current law, this is your only legal option; if AT&T declines your request, you're out of luck.

Fortunately this Friday, President Obama will sign the bill passed by congress that provides an extension for the policy of unlocking your mobile phone.  This needs to become permanent law but will not be so for now. However, there is general agreement that "the question of locked cell phones has implications for telecommunications policy and that it would benefit from review and resolution in that context."

http://www.engadget.com/2014/07/29/phone-unlocking-bill/

The Secret System Controlling Your Facebook News Feed

No one really knows exactly how Facebook decides what we see when we log in. Reverse-engineering the algorithm behind it could help us find out

WHO controls your Facebook News Feed? We are fed a specially selected diet of jokes, photos and gossip from our Facebook friends, but not by a person. Instead an algorithm does the work – giving it the power to influence us.

 
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg22329804.200-the-secret-system-controlling-your-facebook-news-feed.html?cmpid=RSS%7CNSNS%7C2012-GLOBAL%7Conline-news#.U9pP_Ha9Kc0

Citizens Lab - A White Hat group protecting us from spy agencies corrupting the Internet

When it comes to what a "people's intelligence agency" might look like, it's hard to find a better template than the one created by Citizen Lab. And its hacker ethos is reflected in those it calls its allies.

"When you think about hacking as a civic ethic—this idea of lifting the lid and seeing what's beneath the surface—this all comes together," says Deibert. "The idea of hacking and hacktivism seemed to me a really powerful way of motivating people; not hacking and breaking the law, but hacking as the spirit of curiosity about technological systems."

http://arstechnica.com/security/2014/07/inside-citizen-lab-the-hacker-hothouse-protecting-you-from-big-brother/

The 'right to be forgotten' on Google

http://www.engadget.com/2014/06/02/right-to-be-forgotten-explainer/

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Keep the Internet Open, by Vinton Cerf

​Here's the viewpoint from one of the fathers of the Internet:

The Internet stands at a crossroads. Built from the bottom up, powered by the people, it has become a powerful economic engine and a positive social force. But its success has generated a worrying backlash. Around the world, repressive regimes are putting in place or proposing measures that restrict free expression and affect fundamental rights. The number of governments that censor Internet content has grown to 40 today from about four in 2002. And this number is still growing, threatening to take away the Internet as you and I know it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/25/opinion/keep-the-internet-open.html

Mobile Malware Is On The Rise, McAfee Report Reveals - Forbes

When it comes to security, mobile threats are on the rise, according to the June 2014 McAfee Labs Threat Report released today. New mobile malware has increased for five straight quarters, with a total mobile malware growth of 167 percent in the past year alone. Total mobile malware has increased steadily since the first quarter of 2012.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/katevinton/2014/06/24/mobile-malware-is-on-the-rise-mcafee-report-reveals/

IBM's $3 Billion Investment In Synthetic Brains And Quantum Computing

IBM thinks the future belongs to computers that mimic the human brain and use quantum physics... and they're betting $3 billion on it.

http://www.fastcompany.com/3032872/fast-feed/ibms-3-billion-investment-in-synthetic-brains-and-quantum-computing

CEO's view: Microsoft is the productivity and platform company

An interesting view of technology's future by the new Microsoft CEO:  "At our core, Microsoft is the productivity and platform company" says .  His full speech given to Microsoft employees is available below:

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/ceo/index.html

The Value of Good Communications in I.T. Projects

Strong communication skills are always an important area to emphasize for project success. Not to be underestimated.

http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2014/06/27/communicating-effectively-in-projects/


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The Next Thing Silicon Valley needs to Disrupt Big Time: Its Own Culture!

Excellent discussion about the failings of Silicon Valley's hiring and work culture. Having experienced that culture myself during my tenure there, I am in whole-hearted agreement:


http://qz.com/225782/the-next-thing-silicon-valley-needs-to-disrupt-big-time-its-own-culture/

The Business Value of SIP Trunking

An excellent explanation of the business case for SIP TRUNKING in PBX configurations:

 

http://www.slideshare.net/fullscreen/lhollmeyer15/atc-businessvalueofsiptrunking/2

History of Android O/S -- an Amazing Evolution and Development Strategy

Quite interesting to look at the history and amazing evolution of this O/S.  See the link below for full article.

"Ron Amadeo - June 15 2014, 6:00pm PDT   Android has been with us in one form or another for more than six years. During that time, we've seen an absolutely breathtaking rate of change unlike any other development cycle that has ever existed. When it came time for Google to dive in to the smartphone wars, the company took its rapid-iteration, Web-style update cycle and applied it to an operating system, and the result has been an onslaught of continual improvement. Lately, Android has even been running on a previously unheard of six-month development cycle, and that's slower than it used to be. For the first year of Android’s commercial existence, Google was putting out a new version every two-and-a-half months.

The rest of the industry, by comparison, moves at a snail's pace. Microsoft updates its desktop OS every three to five years, and Apple is on a yearly update cycle for OS X and iOS. Not every update is created equal, either. iOS has one major design revision in seven years, and the newest version of Windows Phone 8 looks very similar to Windows Phone 7. On Android, however, users are lucky if anything looks the same this year as it did last year. The Play Store, for instance, has had five major redesigns in five years. For Android, that's normal..."

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2014/06/building-android-a-40000-word-history-of-googles-mobile-os/

Apple Unveils iOS 8

The latest edition of this amazing O/S is described as the biggest release since the launch of their App Store. Here's the first part of this article (click on the link below for the full text).

"SAN FRANCISCO―June 2, 2014―Apple® today unveiled iOS 8, the biggest release since the launch of the App Store℠, giving users incredible new features and developers the tools to create amazing new apps. iOS 8 delivers a simpler, faster and more intuitive user experience, including iCloud® Photo Library, allowing you to enjoy your photos and videos more easily across your devices; new Messages features to easily share voice, video or photos with just a swipe; and an entirely new Health app that gives you a clear overview of your health and fitness data all in one place. iOS 8 also includes predictive typing for Apple’s QuickType™ keyboard; Family Sharing, the easiest way to share purchases, photos and calendars within the same household; and iCloud Drive™, so you can store files and access them from anywhere..."

http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2014/06/02Apple-Unveils-iOS-8-the-Biggest-Release-Since-the-Launch-of-the-App-Store.html

Wi-Fi networks are wasting a gigabit—but new multi-user beamforming will triple the current speeds

We will soon be seeing triple the current high speeds of the WiFi standard.   Here's the first part of this article (click on the link below for the full text).

"Jon Brodkin - May 20 2014, 6:00am PDT -- Wi-Fi equipment based on the new 802.11ac standard—often called Gigabit Wi-Fi—has been on the market for nearly two years. These products offer greater bandwidth and other improvements over gear based on the older 802.11n specification, but they don’t implement one of the most impressive features of 11ac.

It was simply too complicated to deploy all the upgrades at once, hardware makers say. As a result, 11ac networks actually waste a lot of capacity when serving devices like smartphones and tablets. This shortcoming should be fixed over the next year with new networking equipment and upgrades to end-user devices. Once everything is in place, Wi-Fi networks will be better able to serve lots of devices at once, particularly the mobile devices that every single person in the US seemingly has in his or her hands every minute of the day.

It's hard to imagine a single smartphone or tablet needing to receive more than 433Mbps of data. But the fact that MU-MIMO-powered Wi-Fi will be able to serve more users simultaneously could bring huge benefits to large-scale wireless networks, like those in airports, convention centers, and sports stadiums. Real-world throughput will end up being something lower than 433Mbps to each user because of networking overhead and other limitations.

'Traditionally, access points have been equipped with omnidirectional antennas, which are so named because they send energy in all directions,' wrote Wi-Fi expert Matthew Gast in the book, 802.11ac: A Survival Guide. (Gast also oversees development of the software that powers Aerohive Networks’ equipment.) 'An alternative method of transmission is to focus energy toward a receiver, a process called beamforming. Provided the AP [access point] has sufficient information to send the radio energy preferentially in one direction, it is possible to reach farther.'

The first 11ac products implemented single-user beamforming, sending one transmission to a single receiver. Multi-user beamforming, coming in the next wave of 11ac products this year and next year, enables MU-MIMO and its simultaneous transmission to multiple devices.

'Don’t get me wrong, 433Mbps is nice,” Gast told Ars in a phone interview. “But there's an unused capacity because the AP is capable of transmitting three 433Mbps streams, but my phone can only receive one. You lose two-thirds of the capacity when this happens.'”

http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2014/05/wi-fi-networks-are-wasting-a-gigabit-but-multi-user-beamforming-will-save-the-day/

SociBot: the 'social robot' that knows how you feel

This is an interesting adaptation of social design for user interfaces -- although there may be a backlash put-off reaction from many.  Capable of mimicking human expressions and emotions, the SociBot is designed to bring a human touch to teleconferencing – or to imitate your friends.  Here's the first part of this article (click on the link below for the full text).

"Oliver Wainwright, April 2014 -- If Skype and FaceTime aren't giving you enough of the human touch, you could soon be talking face to rubbery face with your loved ones, thanks to SociBot, a creepy “social robot” that can imitate your friends.

'It's like having a real presence in the room,' says Nic Carey, research co-ordinator at Engineered Arts, the Cornish company behind the device. “You simply upload a static photo of the face you want it to mimic and our software does the rest, animating the features down to subtle mouth twitches and eyes that follow you around the room. Even when they're not speaking, it really feels like there's someone there, keeping an eye on you.”

The face of a disembodied colleague staring out from a silvery helmet might not be what you'd expect at your average teleconference, but the company thinks it could transform the way we interact over long distances by simulating the subtleties of human expression, recreating the things that are lost on a flat screen.

Designed to be gender and ethnically neutral, the translucent mask is projected on from within, the chosen face 3D-mapped on to its surface and speech perfectly lip-synched, while the head turns and tilts as it talks.

While capable of mimicking others, the SociBot's slightly sinister side comes from the fact that it is also watching you. Equipped with two cameras in its head and a depth sensor in its chest, it can detect gestures and movements, as well as judge your emotions by mapping the position of your features over a series of internal templates.

'It knows when you're there and can tell how you're feeling, and it knows how to respond accordingly,” says Carey. “We've tried to make it as human as possible, down to the smallest details, like its pupils dilating when a new person comes into the room.'

The SociBot, which retails at £14,500, is a slimmed-down version of the company's RoboThespian, a full-sized all-singing all-dancing robot designed for visitor attractions. It contains the same technology as its older brother, only chopped off at the torso, while a mini-me version is also available for desktop use and “playing around with at home” – yours for £9,500.  The company sees its potential in shopping centres and theme parks, airports and tourist information centres..."

http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2014/apr/11/socibot-the-social-robot-that-knows-how-you-feel

Cellular’s open source future is latched to tallest tree in the village

Perhaps this is the future of worldwide cellular deployments for rural areas?  Here's the first part of this article (click on the link below for the full text).

"Sean Gallagher - Feb 27 2014 -- Deep in the jungles of West Papua’s central highlands, there is a village with its own mobile telecommunications network. That network runs in a box latched to the top of a tree, providing the only reliable cell coverage anywhere within a four-hour drive. This small setup has created a booming local mobile economy—and it could be the harbinger of a whole new class of private and community mobile networks that change the shape of mobile for those who have been underserved or overcharged by traditional phone carriers.

The single “tower” cell network is the work of graduate students from the University of California at Berkeley’s Technology and Infrastructure for Emerging Regions (TIER) research group, under the direction of Professor Eric Brewer—the founder of the content delivery network Inktomi. The group built its mobile solution with software developed in San Francisco and some off-the-shelf hardware adapted for the task. Working with the Methodist church-owned school Misionaris Sekolahin and local merchants, a TIER team led by graduate students Kurtis Heimerl, Shaddi Hasan and Kashif Ali gave this village of about 1,500 people its first local phone network—and a much-needed connection to the outside world.

And that network runs on open source. OpenBTS, an all-software cellular transceiver, is at the heart of the network running on that box attached to a treetop. Someday, if those working with the technology have their way, it could do for mobile networks what TCP/IP and open source did for the Internet. The dream is to help mobile break free from the confines of telephone providers’ locked-down spectrum, turning it into a platform for the development of a whole new range of applications that use spectrum “white space” to connect mobile devices of every kind. It could also democratize telecommunications around the world in unexpected ways. Startup Range Networks, the company that developed the open-source software powering the network, has much bigger plans for the technology. It wants to adapt the transceiver to use unlicensed spectrum for small-scale cellular networks all over the world without the need to depend on the generosity of incumbent telecom providers or government regulators."

http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2014/02/cellulars-open-source-future-is-latched-to-tallest-tree-in-the-village/

Can Machine Learning Fix a Broken Patent System?

An insightful discussion of the patent system and new technologies associated with evaluation and policy.  Here's the first part of this article (click on the link below for the full text).

"Seth Fletcher | December 18, 2013 -- Last month molecular geneticist and crusader for intellectual property reform Richard Jefferson wrote a Forum column for Scientific American in which he explained the concept of “innovation cartography”—the idea that mapping the vast and inscrutable world of patents will enable more players to create more innovations, some of which might end up doing a lot of good. Since then, Jefferson and his colleagues have launched a new version of The Lens, an open resource for searching and analyzing patents issued worldwide; published a paper in Nature Biotechnology on using The Lens to explore global gene patents; and announced a new round of funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. I suspected Jefferson had more to say than he could fit into that Forum piece, so I gave him a call. Among other things, I learned that patents run in the family: Richard Jefferson is a descendant of Thomas Jefferson (Scientific American is part of Nature Publishing Group)    [An edited transcript of the interview follows.]

What’s wrong with the patent system in the U.S.?

When my great uncle Thomas started the U.S. patent system, he was obsessed with this bargain issue: You wouldn’t get a sanction until you disclosed your invention. But today the idea of patents as teachings has become risible. Companies have become incredibly skilled in hiding the ball. So we’ve repurposed patents. People have come up with ex post facto justifications about securing investment, and so on.

The patent system is in dire straits. The game is set where opacity and mendacity are celebrated. Some people say only solution is to get rid of patent system. There is some validity to that. But the purpose of The Lens is to render so much clarity that we have the tools for looking at policy and figuring out how to change it.

You’ve said that today’s IP system creates huge inefficiencies and ultimately benefits the biggest players. How so?

Let’s say your business is polymer fibers. A polymer company will spend a phenomenal amount of money mapping the world they need to navigate—hundreds of millions of dollars spent mapping the world of fiber chemistry, polymer chemistry, regulations, market research, and so on. But every polymer company does the same thing, and most of them will admit under duress, or the influence of single malt, that 90 percent of what they spend is precompetitive—it’s just knowing the lay of the land. Every one of these companies spends the same kind of money to get the same knowledge. And the expense comes from the opacity of the intellectual property system."

http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/2013/12/18/can-machine-learning-fix-a-broken-patent-system/

Learning drugs reawaken grown-up brain's inner child -- Increase brain DNA plasticity with valoporate

Amazing developments in brain plasticity for grown-ups.  Here's the first part of this article (click on the link below for the full text).

"January 2014 by Helen Thomson -- A drug for perfect pitch is just the start: mastering new skills could become easy if we can restore the brain's youthful ability to create new circuits

A mood-stabilising drug can help you achieve perfect pitch – the ability to identify any note you hear without inferring it from a reference note.

Since this is a skill that is usually acquired only early in life, the discovery is the first evidence that it may be possible to revert the human brain to a childlike state, enabling us to treat disorders and unlock skills that are difficult, if not impossible, to acquire beyond a certain age.

From bilingualism to sporting prowess, many abilities rely on neural circuits that are laid down by our early experiences. Until the age of 7 or so, the brain goes through several "critical periods" during which it can be radically changed by the environment. During these times, the brain is said to have increased plasticity.

In order to take advantage of these critical periods, the brain needs to be stimulated appropriately so it lays down the neuronal circuitry needed for a particular ability. For example, young children with poor sight in one eye may develop lazy eye, or amblyopia. It can be treated by covering the better eye, forcing the child to use the lazy eye – but this strategy only works during the critical period."

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn24831-learning-drugs-reawaken-grownup-brains-inner-child.html?cmpid=RSS%7CNSNS%7C2012-GLOBAL%7Conline-news