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Twitter Makes It Easier To Report Tweets To The Police

As we've discussed before, Twitter is trying its best to fight against all the abuse and harassment that is plaguing it. With that in mind, the social network just added a new feature which makes it easier for those who are being harassed or fall victim to abusive tweets to report the incidents to the police. This new tool, which has become a part of the flagging abusive posts process, allows users to request an email report which summarizes the tweet in question, the time and date when it was sent and the name and the URL of the account it originated from. Furthermore, the email also contains some Twitter guidelines describing the procedures through which law enforcement can request private user information from the company.

Basically, if you wanted to, you could have gathered all this information by yourself, but you would have had to lose a little more time in order to do so. What you must understand is that what you do with the email that you receive is your own business, so it's your duty to give it to the police if you think that's the right course of action. Moreover, I'm not very sure about how much such an email will matter or help in a police investigation, but, since it can't make things any worse, it's probably worth a shot.

Honestly, this idea could turn out to be a really good one as it will probably remind users about the legal accountability of their Internet posts and eliminate some of the trolls who are only tough while they are behind a screen. However, I can't help having some doubts about this solution as it will also empower people who constantly make mountains out of molehills to seek even more attention than they already get.

Source: Mashable

Twitter Makes It Easier To Report Tweets To The Police

Android Wear Can Now Help You Find Your Phone

Google recently released an Android Device Manager update which allows you to use Android Wear smartwatches to ring Android-powered smartphones. This new feature will give users a better chance of locating a lost or stolen smartphone. Of course, even with this new functionality, you still have to realize pretty quickly that your phone is missing if you want to have a chance of getting it back. The IT giant didn't offer a specific date for when this update will be delivered to users, but the announcement made by the company hinted that it might start rolling out within the next few weeks.

Even though there are a number of third-party apps which offer a similar kind of functionality, they rely on Bluetooth connection and will only work if the phone is in a relatively small area. However, this newly created native feature relies on Wi-Fi, so it should work as long as your phone is connected to the Internet, no matter how far it is from the wearable you are using. To be totally honest, I don't fully understand how that's better, since a Bluetooth connection generally works at about 20 meter and I'm not very sure how you are supposed to hear your ringtone if the mobile is farther than that.

Android Wear Phone Ringing

From my perspective (I admit to stealing the idea from a colleague), it would probably be much more practical to create an app that can ring your phone, then measure and display the strength of the Bluetooth connection. This would make finding your mobile very easy as the closer you get, the stronger the connection would be. But I don't work for Google.

Source: PCWorld

Secure Your PC via Facial Recognition

Passwords are overrated. If you have a webcam, you can easily lock your Windows using the facial recognition technology. Here's how to do it.

As you probably know, Windows 10 will come with Windows Hello so that everyone who wants to use biometric measurements as an alternative to passwords will be able to do so. But the good news is that, if you're interested in this kind of functionality, you don't have to wait until the newest Microsoft operating system is officially launched. There are a few great applications which allow you to use facial recognition technology to secure your PC on Windows 8, 7, Vista and even on XP. Here, you will find out what they do and how to properly use them.

KeyLemon

KeyLemon
KeyLemon is my favorite app of the kind because of its extensive functionality. This tool will not only enable you to use facial recognition to log into your Windows account but can also help you do the same thing with some of your other accounts, like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. The application helps you completely eliminate the need for passwords and is also really handy for those who have created multiple Windows accounts as it can recognize and log into every user profile separately. Furthermore, the program will automatically log you off when you leave the PC so your data is secure even if you forget to do it manually. The most recent version of KeyLemon only works on Windows Vista, 7 and 8, so in case you are still using XP, you will need to download and install an earlier release.
Using KeyLemon is not as difficult as one would expect. The first thing you need to do is to click the link I provided to download and install the app on your PC. Once that's done you will have to create a face model so that the program can recognize you. To complete this task, you have to make sure that your webcam is plugged in and functional, and that the lighting in your room isn't too bright or too dim so it will allow the tool to correctly distinguish your facial "curves". Now run the application and, in the wizard-interface that appears, stand still in front of the camera and make sure that your entire face fits into the shape that appears on the screen. If everything is OK, you will see a green a check mark in the bottom right corner.
Verifying Face Model
Once the process is completed, the button that says Create a new face model will be activated and you will be able to click on it. Now it's time to verify that everything is as it should be, and the app will automatically start checking if the face model you've just created works. In the left part of the window (next to your camera feed), you will see a vertical bar: if its entirety is green, then everything will work accordingly and if it's not, you will need to use the Adapt my face model button to make the necessary adjustments. 
The last step is the confirmation part where you will need to assign a name to the model you've just created and also provide your Windows user password (so that the application can log you in automatically). Once that's done, you can test it out by pressing the Win + L keys and see what your new Windows log-in screen looks like. If you're not completely satisfied, you can go to the app's window, press the Profile button and click on Improve (right below your photo) to make the changes that you desire.

Rohos Face Logon

Rohos Face Logon
Rohos Face Logon offers fewer features than KeyLemon but is also a bit sneakier. Unlike the previous application we talked about, this tool can hide the fact that you are using facial recognition technology, thus being a bit more secure. Furthermore, the program saves the last recognized and unrecognized log-ins so you have an easy way to verify if you were the only one using you Windows account.
Once again, you will have to download, install and run the application (make sure that your camera is connected), then click on the Register your facebutton. In the following screen check to see if the program has identified your webcam, input the password to your Windows account and click on the Register Faces button. Once that's done, a new window will appear which will display your camera feed and a rectangle in the middle which should fit your face (if it doesn't, you should try to adjust the lighting in your room and make sure that the camera is functioning properly). You can move a bit closer and farther away from the camera to make sure that the application will be able to quickly recognize your face in different positions. As soon as it has all the data require, Rohos will automatically close the camera window and that's it. You can check the images that it saved by clicking on the Registered Faces button and verify that it works by using theWin + L key combination and seeing the application automatically log you in.
A really cool feature is the program's capability of saving the pictures that weren't recognized as successful log-ins. If you click the Not logged in button you will see all of them. Then you select the ones that you want to and add them to the recognizable section, so that the log-in feature will work even faster next time.
• 

Forget Passwords! Use an iPhone to Lock Your Mac

If you have a Mac, you can easily use your iPhone to lock and unlock it. Here, you can find out how.
Passwords are slowly but surely falling out of favor with software developers and users alike. Not only are they pretty inconvenient as you need to come up with strong, unique ones for each account you create and then remember them even if you don't use them for a long time, but there are also too many ways in which your passwords can be stolen. Nowadays, the latest trend in security is to use other devices to unlock your computers and applications. If you're a Mac owner and you also have an iPhone, you can combine the two to enhance your security and use the mobile device to lock and unlock the computer. Here are a few ways to do that.

Near Lock

Near Lock

Every time you leave your Mac unattended, somebody might swoop in and take a peak at your private files. Protecting your account with a password and logging off every time you leave your desk seems like a reasonable solution but typing your password every time you return can become a hassle. Furthermore, there are times when you might leave in a hurry and forget to log off. This is why an app such as Near Lock, which automatically locks the Mac when your iPhone gets out of certain area and unlocks it as soon you come back, can be really helpful. This tool works on OS X Mavericks or newer and iOS 7 or newer.

Near Lock is a free app, but in order to use it, you will first have to make sure that your Mac is set to allow the installation of apps from unidentified developers. To do this, go to System Preferences --> Privacy and Security and in the Allow apps downloaded from section tick the Anywhere option. Once that's done, download and install the app on your Mac (use this link) as well as on your iPhone (by clicking on this link). Also make sure that your devices offer support for Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy or the app won't work.

Now launch the application on both your Mac and iPhone, and it will automatically start scanning for connectable devices. As soon as your computer is identified you will receive an iPhone wants to connect message on your screen and you will need to click on Accept to proceed. Now pick up your iPhone as the Near Lock will ask you to input your Mac's password in order to connect the two devices. Type it in the respective box, then tap the Connect button and your iPhone has just become the key to unlocking your computer.

What's really cool is that the application doesn't send your information to its servers, so you don't have to worry about hackers or the company turning over your data to third-parties. Furthermore, this app has two functioning modes that you can select from: Near Lock (locks and unlocks based on proximity) or Fast Lock (which requires you to tap an icon within the application to secure or access your Mac).

The last thing that you need to figure out is how far your iPhone need to be for the app to automatically lock your computer. You can do this using Near Lock's setting from your Mac (click on the app's icon in the menu bar and drag the slider on the Distance bar), as well from the settings of the iPhone app. The only inconvenience is that in order for this process to work you need the Near Lock app on your phone to stay permanently on, but the free version doesn't have that option, so you will have to launch it manually every time. However, if you make a $3.99 in-app purchase and unlock the premium features, the app will constantly run in the background. (Don't forget that it uses Bluetooth LE, so is won't really affect your battery usage.)

Tether

Tether

Tether functions exactly the same way Near Lock does and is also a free app. Just like in the previous case, all you have to do is download and install it both on your Mac (this link) as well as on your iPhone (click here), then pair the two devices through Bluetooth LE and you're all set. The device compatibility is a little more strict than in the previous case as the app requires OS X Yosemite 10.10.1 or newer and will only work on iOS 8.0 or newer.

MacID

MacID

MacID is also an app that lets you use your iPhone to lock and unlock your Mac, but this time it's not based on proximity but on your fingerprint. Basically, this tool uses the iOS 8 TouchID feature to help you secure your Mac with your fingerprint instead of your password. Unfortunately, this app isn't free, but the good news is that it will only cost you $4.

To use MacID, you need to download and install the app on both your Mac and your iPhone (click here to access its website and here for the iTunes iOS app). What's really cool is that you can use this app to lock and unlock multiple Macs so it will work both at your house and your office. Furthermore, this tool also offers basic audio controls, such as pause, skip or mute, allowing you to control the sound on your computer remotely from your phone.

MacID is compatible with OS X 10.10 or newer, iOS 8.0 or newer and requires Bluetooth 4.0 LTE.

U.S. Police Claim Google’s Waze Is ‘Stalking App’ Against Authority

Google’s location and traffic app Waze has been labelled a “stalking app” by two U.S. officials, asking for the developers to remove the ‘police nearby’ functionality.

Reserve deputy sheriff Sergio Kopelev of Southern California started the complaint, claiming user submitted reports on police cars in nearby locations are a threat to security and a danger to police.

Not only does this give users in a nearby location access to police whereabouts, Kopelev believes it could be used to target police drivers in the area, although there is little evidence of this happening.

Sheriff Mike Brown of Bedford County, Virginia told The Guardian, “The police community needs to coordinate an effort to have the owner, Google, act like the responsible corporate citizen they have always been and remove this feature from the application even before any litigation or statutory action.”

Privacy activists have went the opposite way however, claiming the user submitted reports are not illegal, but the amount of information shared between Waze and U.S. authorities could be a major issue.

The topic was brought to the National Sheriffs Association in late-2014 and it will be processed in the upcoming months. It is clear U.S. authority don’t want Waze users knowing police patrols, despite users potentially finding comfort in a close police patrol.

Waze offers a serious amount of information about the road, including real-time traffic, construction and obstruction, congestion, speed traps, unsafe weather and other information to create the perfect route and avoid unnecessary delays.

In the past few months, Waze has been integrating more social controls to show different types of cars and people on the road. Reports say Waze might launch a new feature to show Google+ (or potentially Facebook) friends on the road, adding to the social factor.

Google acquired Waze for $966 million in 2014, integrating the Israeli-based startup into Google Maps. Neither group was available to comment on the National Sheriffs Association’s investigation.

   

Leatherman Tread: Toolkit On Your Wrist

Leatherman has created a new wearable unlike anything else on the market. The firm is well-know for being a top multi-tool manufacturer, now they have turned their hand to wearables. The gadget is called Leatherman Tread, and it is a stainless steel bracelet that is made up of 11 links that have 25 different tools. This truly is a really useful piece of kit to have on your person. This unique multi-tool is a corrosion-resistant and high-strength accessory that has been designed to be worn in various types of conditions. The gadget will not look out of place in the office or out on the trail. You could view it as Leatherman wants you to; as a substitute for the classic Swiss Army knife.

Weatherman made the concept design with one thing in mind, cram as many useful tools, such as box wrenches, screwdrivers and hex drives into one piece of kit that is both stylish and strong. The idea of wearing it on your wrist, as oppose to carrying it in your pocket, is simply genius.

The president of Leatherman first came up with the idea whilst on vacation in Disneyland. He wasn’t allowed into the amusement park when staff saw that he was carrying a hefty multi-tool. The situation made him wonder whether or not he could transfer all of those useful tools into an bracelet, which looked innocuous. He could.

The Leatherman Tread is not only useful, but it is also fully customisable too. The design allowes for rearrangement of the links and the ability to add new ones. In fact the new bracelet is so handy that even the clasp is also a bottle opener! How cool is that?

The pricing structure for the  Leatherman Tread is expected to begin at $150. If you are really into this gadget, then you can upgrade form the standard  Tread and purchase the version that includes a watch face for $500.

The Leatherman Tread is expected to start shipping this summer. Just in time for camping in the wilderness.

[Image via popmech]

SOURCE: http://www.t3.com/news/there-s-useful-wearables-and-then-there-s-leatherman-tread

   

Need to Clone Your Mac HDD? Try Carbon Copy Cloner

Carbon Copy Cloner is a backup utility with a difference. While most backup applications make copies of selected files, Carbon Copy Cloner makes an exact duplicate of a disk. For many Mac users, Carbon Copy Cloner has prevented complete disaster, helping them rescue an entire hard drive before it failed. Because Carbon Copy Cloner makes an exact duplicate, the copy is bootable just like the original, making it possible to create a swap-out drive for recovery.

Did you know that Time Machine’s backups are not always accessible if you switch to a new Mac? That makes Carbon Copy Cloner vital tool if you want to preserve the contents of your Mac’s hard drive after an upgrade.

Key benefits include:

• Incremental backups after the initial backup, saving you time and disk space.
• Backups across networks, to external drives or to a disk image on your computer (with or without encryption).
• Scheduling of backup operations, and backups triggered by an event.
• Easy to use controls to make backups simple for the novice.
• The ability to back up a drive with bad sectors and rescue the data that’s remaining.
• Carbon Copy Cloner is free for 30 days. After that, you’ll need to purchase a licence to continue using it on your Mac.

The Following updates have been undertaken in this latest version of Carbon Copy Cloner:

• CCC now makes a special accommodation for specifying a DiskWarrior Preview volume as the source to a backup task.
• CCC now handles cases where the user or an external utility (e.g. “CleanMyMac”) deletes the folder where CCC stores task configuration files while CCC is running. Previously this caused CCC to report that it was unable to save tasks (which would be resolved after restarting), now CCC will recreate the folder immediately, then save the task.
• Fixed an issue that occured when multiple tasks started simultaneously and attempted to retrieve an item from CCC’s private keychain. Previously, only one of the tasks would succeed, the others would report that they were unable to retrieve the keychain item, or that they were unable to mount the destination volume (for example).
• Fixed a UI anomaly that would occur in the sidebar when resizing the window.
• Fixed an issue in which the main window’s user interface elements would not load properly on some Mountain Lion systems.
• Fixed an issue in which custom filters associated with a task that had a remote Macintosh specified as the source would be lost after the initial import (e.g. from a CCC 3.5 task). Also fixed an issue in which this same task would constantly be marked “dirty” when the task was selected, despite making no changes to it.
• Made a minor adjustment to how a Recovery HD volume is created that should avoid a bug in Disk Utility when attempting to make future partition changes to that disk.
• CCC will now unlock the root destination folder if it is locked (rather than report an error that the destination cannot be written to).
• Addressed a compatibility issue with some OS X FUSE volumes (e.g. BoxCryptor).
• Fixed an issue in which CCC would report that a source Xsan volume was not available after that volume had been unmounted and remounted.
• Implemented a workaround to an OS X Yosemite bug in which the height of a Save or Open panel (e.g. the panel presented when you choose “Choose a Folder” or “Choose a disk image” or “New disk image”) grows by 22 pixels every time it is opened. This growth, when unchecked, would eventually cause the panel to grow past the bottom of the screen, making some buttons inaccessible.
• Addressed an edge case in which the Recovery HD OS version was not collected for some Recovery HD volumes when opening CCC.
• If a task is missed because the source or destination is missing, and the task is configured to run when the missing volume reappears, the state information that indicates that a run time was missed due to a missing volume is now stored persistently. Previously this information was lost when CCC’s helper tool was reloaded, e.g. after restarting, or after updating CCC, which would result in a task getting skipped.
• If a laptop’s AC power is restored while the system is sleeping, this power state change is now detected more reliably on wake. Previously, CCC relied on the power state change notification to run tasks that were waiting for AC power to be restored. If that state change occurred during sleep, CCC would have missed the notification and errantly reported that a task was “waiting for AC power to be restored”, even though AC power was available.

You can download Carbon Copy Cloner from Filehippo.com, today.

[Image via bombich]

   

Drone Crashes On White House Lawn, Causes Lockdown

There are a few places you never want your new drone to crash – in the ocean (or any other body of water for that matter), on the highway during rush hour traffic, near the scene of a car wreck mid-investigation…and perhaps the top spot to never crash your drone is anywhere on the White House lawn. Yet that’s exactly what happened during the wee hours of the morning on Monday, January 26th, an event that sent members of the Secret Service into a frenzy trying to figure out just what it was doing at Pennsylvania Avenue’s most famous residence.

Brian Leary, a spokesperson for the Secret Service, stated that the unmanned aerial vehicle was a quadcopter and that it crashed around 3:08 in the morning immediately causing the White House to go into lockdown mode. The drone apparently posed no danger whatsoever to the President or the First Lady though, as they were in India at the time of its arrival.

As of this time, it’s unknown exactly what the small drone was doing on the grounds of the White House or who it ultimately belongs to; something tells me that everything will become clear within a few days, though.

If you live in Washington D.C. and are just getting into this whole drone craze, let me give you a simple tip: Don’t fly your drone anywhere near the White House – it probably won’t end very well. For you or your drone.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments section below!

[Images via Star Tribune and WSJ]

SOURCE: Yahoo Tech

Microsoft Office 2016 May Get Released This Year

Over the years, I have been asked by numerous people ‘what type of Office package do I need?’ I mostly tell people that it depends entirely upon what they plan to use it for. For most folks, the occasional need to write a letter and view a spreadsheet will cover it. Unless they need to use productivity software for business purposes, in which case they are going to need something more substantial than Notepad and a Spreadsheet viewer.

Either way there are lots of different options that are available. There are fully paid-for suites, such as Office Home & Student from Microsoft, which retails for £109.99. If you don’t require an official Microsoft suite, then there are plenty of other suites available. You can download open source office suites, for example, which are great if you require just the basics, as I have just mentioned.

Lots of people have been waiting for Microsoft to confirm just when they are going to release the next version of their productivity suite for desktop PCs. The guys over at Microsoft have confirmed that the next version will be called Office 2016 and it has also been said that we should surmise Office 2016 will be released at some point laterthis year.

The technology giant has dominated the news on January 21st as they unveiled the consumer version of their latest incarnation of the Windows OS, Windows 10. They showcased the new web browser, which they are still currently working on; Windows 10 for smartphones and tablets; and also the much anticipated touch-based version of the Office suite. Never ones to shy away from new technology, Microsoft also treated us to a new innovative product called HoloLens.

However, Microsoft didn’t showcase the desktop Office 2016 applications at this event. The did say say later on, via an update on their official Office blog, that they are going to share more regarding Office 2016 “in the coming months.”

We could assume that the release date should arrive “in the second half of 2015.” This possibly would tie in with a Windows 10 release, although Microsoft hasn’t provided an exact date for that either. I guess all good things to those who wait.

[Image via nextinpact]

SOURCE: http://www.ubergizmo.com/2015/01/office-2016-release-slated-for-later-this-year

WhatsApp Now Available For Windows and Mac PC Without Using Emulators

Many people are already using WhatsApp on PC
with the help of emulators such as Bluestacks,
GenyMotion, Windroy and others, but that are
not the legal means to use WhatsApp on
Windows PC. As of yesterday January 21, 2015.
WhatsApp officially announced the “ WhatsApp
Web”, which is a web application that can
connect your mobile and your windows PC so
that you can use WhatsApp on your computer
while you are on work without touching the
mobile.
To Use WhatsApp on Windows and Mac PC Without
Emulator
Go to the Google Play Store and install the
updated version of WhatsApp
Then open the latest version of WhatsApp
which you just installed
Press the Options button where you should
see a link called “WhatsApp Web“
Click on that, you should now see, a QR
Scanner
Now go to your PC and make sure that you
are connected to the internet
Open Google Chrome Browser and go to the
website http://web.whatsapp.com
You will see, a QR code on this website
Now take your mobile phone with QR
scanner of WhatsApp and scan the code
Boom, your WhatsApp profile, messages,
contacts and media are on your PC
You can message and chat from your PC only
Note that the mobile linked to the PC should
have internet access all the time you are using
WhatsApp on your PC (Google Chrome) and
make sure you install the latest version of
WhatsApp on your phone.
Also Note that iOS users are not yet included
due to Apple platform limitations, which means
this web application will not work for iOS users
(iPhone/iPad).

This lady jump into a well because of ebola

Protect Your Head With A BulletSafe Baseball Cap

With the amount of crime and unpredictability in the world around us, concern for personal safety seems to be at an all-time high, especially for those who work in the law enforcement field. Of course bullet proof vests, etc. already exist to protect the body from bullets, but what about the head? Ballistic helmets are an option, but those are really only viable in certain situations – people certainly wouldn’t want to wear one around on their head all day while going about their daily routine. That’s where a product like the BulletSafe Bulletproof Baseball Cap comes in – it’s a surprisingly normal-looking baseball cap that’s more than capable of stopping a bullet. Baseball caps aren’t obtrusive to wear, and that’s the whole idea behind the bulletproof cap – comfortability mixed with protection. BulletSafe is already in the bullet proof vest business, so hats don’t seem to be all that much of a stretch for them.

While the hat is designed to completely stop a bullet, it’ll only stop one when if/when it hits the forehead area; maybe future updates will protect the sides and rear of the head, but something tells me that’ll make it go up in price. (But really, how much is too much to pay for protection from bullets?) While this product will most likely find its niche with law enforcement individuals, it’s available for anyone.

The BulletSafe Baseball Cap is currently gathering funds on Kickstarter, and you can grab one for a $99 pledge until that deal runs out.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments section below!

[Image via Kickstarter]

SOURCE: Yahoo Tech

   

Sharp shows off 8K display at CES 2015

Sharp seems like the only television company looking beyond 4K, unveiling another 8K display at CES 2015.

There are several ‘Beyond 4K’ TVs, which Sharp is showing off at CES 2015. Sharp showed one that could run at 4K or higher than 4K, changing from42-million (standard 4K) to 66-million pixels, using a new Quattron tech split pixels, creating a 3-subpixel standard.

Sharp is also showing off a standard 8K LCD TV, featuring an insane 85-inch 7,680 x 4,320 resolution display, 120Hz refresh rate and 12-bit colour. It will be available in Japan starting in 2016, and the rest of the world will have to wait another year for the 8K TV to be a reality.

The 8K TV has been worked on for a full year and Sharp is looking to make sure color saturation is perfect. The panel is likely to be used by other television providers, and Sharp may push for partnerships in 2016.

Sharp also showed a new line of 4K TVs for 2015 at a much cheaper price than CES 2014, going from 43 to 80-inches. Sharp has also shown some curved TVs, keeping with the big trend at CES 2015 alongside LG and Samsung.

All of Sharp’s smart TVs will use the Android TV interface, switching from Google TV. There are several TV operating systems available now, including Firefox, Tizen and Web OS

   

Apple Sued Over iOS 8 Storage Space

I was all kinds of excited to update my iPhone to iOS 8 the day it was finally released over the air. So, when my phone finally told me the update was available for download, I immediately tried to download it but was met with a problem. The problem? I had to have 5 GB of available storage to even download iOS 8, and when I only supposedly have 16 GB of total space on my phone in the first place, that’s not a small problem. I deleted almost every app, song, and picture I could in an attempt to free up some precious space, and after much finagling I was finally able to free up at least 5 GB, and it installed fairly seamlessly. (I say “fairly” because the update took somewhere short of 3 hours, but other than the time factor I had no other major issues). Besides how much space it takes to even install iOS 8 on an iDevice, a new lawsuit aimed at Apple claims that the operating system can take up to 23.1% of the total available memory on iPhones, iPads, etc., which can turn into a major headache fairly quickly down the road when storage space begins to run out.

To be honest, all operating systems take up some percentage of a device’s memory – there’s really no way around that fact. The problem with iOS 8, the lawsuit claims, is that it takes up so much storage space that users have little choice but to purchase more storage space from Apple’s iCloud service, which could turn into a pretty good deal for Apple at the end of the day, and not so good of a deal for the average user. As of this writing, I’ve not seen an official Apple comment regarding the lawsuit.

Have iOS 8’s storage issues forced you into buying more iCloud space? Let us know in the comments section below!

[Image via SDTimes]

SOURCE: BBC

Coinbase Releases A Redesigned Bitcoin Wallet App

Coinbase, the Bitcoin wallet app is now looking fresh and sleek after the app’s latest redesign. Along with the new design, the app also has a flurry of new and improved updates. This new makeover has come to both iOS andAndroid and it mostly appears to give users a more detailed access to their accounts and security settings. The new updated interface also features a user avatar in the upper left hand corner,  coupled with with detailed transaction data.

So, rather than having a feed of transactions,the app categorizes account activity based on time frames, i.e. when it took place. Coinbase also has taken time time to update their security protocols, which is a welcomed and wise move, especially since news of the Bitstamp breach. The new security features include integration with the popular Touch ID on iOS and integration with password management application 1Password for all devices. With these features in place, users will also have more control over settings.

Still, the basic functions of the app are the same. Coinable allows you to send and request money using a Bitcoin address or, like other peer-to-peer payment systems, you can use an email address or a QR code. Coinbase’s 2.1 million wallets can also be used to make in-store purchases where accepted.

Users can now purchase and sell Bitcoin in a total of 19 countries, including the U.S. In September the company announced expansion to Italy, Spain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria, Cyprus, Finland, Greece, Latvia, Malta, Portugal, and Slovakia. Coinbase itself now also serves Sweden, Switzerland, Spain, Ireland, and Denmark.

[Image via bitcoinexaminer]

SOURCE: http://venturebeat.com/2015/01/07/coinbase-releases-redesigned-ios-and-android-bitcoin-wallet-app/

   

Keep Your Passwords Safe with Password Safe

Password Safe allows you to manage your old passwords and to easily and quickly generate, store, organize, retrieve, and use complex new passwords, using password policies that you control. Once stored, your user names and passwords are just a few clicks away. Using Password Safe you can organize your passwords using your own customizable references – for example, by user ID, category, web site, or location.

You can choose to store all your passwords in a single encrypted master password list (an encrypted password database), or use multiple databases to further organize your passwords (work and home, for example). And with its intuitive interface you will be up and running in minutes.

The following updated have been undertaken in this latest version of Password Safe:

• Bugs fixed.
• Support newer YubiKeys in all modes.
• In the Flattened List view, keep the icon column, if present, as leftmost, to ensure proper display.
• The Read-Only checkbox no longer clears itself after returning from the file selection dialog. Also, the read-only checkbox in XP file selection dialog is handled correctly.
• CurrentFile preference is updated sooner rather than later, so last database is set as default for next invocation.
• Changes to Existing Features.
• Password Policy: You can now choose a character set without requiring at least one character from that set (i.e., minimum required can be zero).

• You can download Password Safe from FileHippo.com, today

Blow Up The Death Star With This Fire Pit!

I’ve made no secret of the fact that I am a big Star Wars fan. I loved the original trilogy, I enjoyed the prequels (though not as much as the original movies), I owned an army of the action figures, armed myself with more than a few fake lightsabers, and to this day I still sometimes pretend I’m using the force when I walk through an automatic door. Old habits die hard, I guess. One thing I never had when I was growing up, though? A Death Star in my backyard – and I bet you didn’t either. But we both can now, thanks to a very creative 84-year-old man from New Mexico who excels at making custom fire pits. He originally designed the Star Wars fire pit for his granddaughter, but it proved too popular of a design solely for her, and he is now selling it on Etsy. This thing seriously looks just like the Death Star exploding when there’s a fire raging inside of it.

Impressive…most impressive

If I had the Death Star in my backyard, I think I’d be wanting to light that thing up every night; the only problem is I can’t afford it. It costs $1600 on top of $300-600 for shipping in the United States. But, if I could easily afford it, I’d definitely find a home for that iconic piece of steel.

What do you think? Have you ever seen anything quite like this? Let us know in the comments section below!

SOURCE/IMAGE: CNET

FCC Makes It Easier For Internet TV To Compete Against Cable

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has adopted a proposal to make internet TV providers have the same privileges as cable and satellite services. Currently, internet TV services are not held in the same fashion as satellite and cable services, meaning network programmers can simply deny service, and sue those services. This is what happened to Aereo when it declared it would become a cable service, Fox, CBS, NBC and ABC continued to sue until the company filed for bankruptcy.

The new proposal will not change the rules for on-demand services, but other live TV services like Sony’s PlayStation Vue and Dish Network’s internet TV service, both coming soon. Having these new rules in place will stop the bombardment of lawsuits against internet TV services trying to show live TV, and also make cord-cutters have a lot more available channels.

The move comes as HBO, CBS and other network programmers start to make internet only subscription services, to compete with Netflix and Amazon Instant Video. The on-demand services offer stockpiles of all TV shows, and update regularly. It is unclear how many network programmers will work with internet TV services, if the FCC manages to get the new proposal into law. Some of the network programmers have interests in keeping the cable business alive, since it draws in more profit per customer than the internet.

The FCC will vote on the proposal some time in 2015. This year looks to be the most hectic for the commission, with decisions on the Comcast-Time Warner Cable and AT&T-DirecTV mergers, and the net neutrality ruling.

U.S. citizens can comment on the current proposal for internet TV, alongside organizations. FCC will close the commenting once it starts the vote.

Meet Intel’s New 730 Series SSD

The Intel Corporation knows both the technical and commercial value of SSD’s and has a selection to choose from.  One of the frontrunners is the Intel 730 Series.  This was introduced to market a couple of months ago in February 2014.
The drive was aimed squarely at professionals and enthusiasts, as it is a high-performance consumer SSD. This SSD was in contrast to recent drives that have taken to employing SandForce controllers with Intel’s firmware.
So this time, Intel went back to using its own controller and firmware and the drive specifies its own NAND flash, here 20nm MLC. Intel says that up to 70 GB of writes per day for the 480 GB capacity models can be accomplished, this suggests a total writespan of 127 TB.   The firm is confident of the product’s endurance that they have offered a 5-year warranty.

Intel doesn’t specify any RAM cache details, it is understood though that the larger of the two available models at 480 GB uses 512 MB of DDR3 DRAM memory.
Intel’s figures of the internal power consumption are 5.5 W when active and 1.5 W while idle.  Because of this power consumption, it is suggested this SSD would not be a great choice for laptops wanting a decent battery life.
The performance of this drive in uncomplicated sequential runs, will comfortably reach the SATA Revision 3.0 limit, achieving 559 MB/s for reads and 507 MB/s for writes.
So, with a good warranty, datacentre-class integrity and top-tier performance this SSD form Intel is hitting all the right notes. The drive gives an enormous data-write ceiling which is needless to say, very impressive.
The 730 Series is an expensive drive at £363 but if you want speed at the SATA limit and a formal guarantee from the manufacturer of long endurance, this Intel SSD will give you both.
As always, if you would like to leave a sensible comment, then please do so in the comments section below.
[Image via za.ign]
SOURCE:http://www.macworld.co.uk/review/ssd-flash/intel-730-series-ssd-480-gb-review-3515987/

Zuckerberg Is Starting A Book Club

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg is going to be reading approximately 26 books this year, thanks to a New Year’s resolution he made at the suggestion of some 50,000 people. And besides simply reading the book, he’s also starting an online book club where whoever else wants to read and discuss the book along with him can do so. He explains all of this in a Facebook post (big surprise there) to his legions of followers, and begins the message by saying: “My challenge for 2015 is to read a new book every other week — with an emphasis on learning about different cultures, beliefs, histories and technologies.”

Some suggested he read through the Bible as part of this challenge, while others suggested he read something about a new country with each subsequent book. While we don’t know what the other approximately 25 books he’ll be reading this year will be, he did reveal what the first book will be: The End of Power by Moses Naim. If you’d like to follow along with Zuckerberg and read the same books, here’s a link to a page he created for you to do so.
While this obviously seems like an “Oprah-esque” thing to do, it’s neat at the same time to see him challenging himself to do something that was recommended to him by mostly complete strangers.
What do you think? Will you be reading along with him? Let us know in the comments section below!
[Image via NY Post]
SOURCE: Facebook