TechNewsWorld: UK Archbishop Kicks Over Lender's Table, Starts Own Biz

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UK Archbishop Kicks Over Lender's Table, Starts Own Biz Aug 1st 2013, 00:03, by David Vranicar Today in international tech news: A British archbishop slams a short-term loan startup; Dutch regulators rule that financial institutions can use Amazon cloud services; the UK isn't sold on OECD tax amendments; and Microsoft plans to launch a program in South Africa to test delivery of Internet connectivity over TV white space. Not for the first time, Justin Welby, the head of the Church of England and the archbishop of Canterbury, took a jab at UK-based online lender Wonga, claiming he told Wonga's CEO, "we're trying to compete you out of existence." The Church of England is in the process of forming its own quasi-lending agency -- the "Anglican Mutual Credit Union" -- for clergy and employees, and hopes to have it up and running by the fall of 2014. Needless to say, its interest rates would be far less than those at Wonga, a 6-year-old startup that provides short-term loans with interest rates of about 1 percent per day. (A US$600 one-month loan, for instance, is liable to accrue interest and fees of about $190.) In the past, Welby has said that companies like Wonga violate the Bible's ban on usury, or the practice of making unethical or immoral loans. Wonga CEO Errol Damelin defended Wonga (and his soul) by saying the company prevents users from accumulating huge bills over long periods, and that Wonga is specifically for short-term fixes. Playing along with Welby's spiritual condemnation, Wonga released the "Ten Commitments" on its blog, vowing -- among other things -- to be transparent about the price of loans, running credit checks and not slipping in hidden fees. [Sources: Total Politics; Bloomberg] UK Questions Impact of OECD Tax Reforms The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development's proposed tax reforms might not be enough to stop multinational companies from skirting taxes, Britain's House of Lords warned. The UK has been particularly zealous going after multinationals, especially tech companies, which it believes are sneakily, if legally, avoiding taxes. Google, Twitter, Amazon and eBay are among those to have faced accusations from British regulators claiming that the companies are booking UK profits in Ireland and Luxembourg -- countries that happen to have lower corporate tax rates -- and thereby avoiding UK taxes. The OECD unveiled reforms ahead of a July G20 summit. Multinational tax reform was also a major talking point at June's G8 summit. These reforms, however, won't necessarily be enough to plug holes that allow companies to avoid taxes in the UK, according to a House of Lords committee, which means "the UK faces the prospect of losing much-needed revenue." [Source: The Guardian] Dutch Banks Allowed to Use Amazon Cloud In the Netherlands, regulators have given the go-ahead to financial institutions to use Amazon's cloud service. In a release, Amazon said that the ruling by Dutch financial regulator De Nederlandsche Bank cleared the way for Dutch financial operators, including websites, mobile apps and retail banks, to use Amazon Web Services and the AWS Cloud. The announcement comes as European regulators publicly question the viability of U.S.-based cloud services, which some believe are willingly dishing information to the National Security Agency. [Source: The Register] Microsoft to Use TV White Space for Internet Microsoft South Africa plans to launch a trial for delivering Internet connectivity via TV white space in rural parts of the country. The project will run one year and tap into the so-called white space, which refers to unused parts of the analog TV spectrum. The project is designed to determine which parts of the spectrum are best for transmitting connectivity. Microsoft will connect five schools in the Limpopo region -- one of the poorest in the country -- to a single antenna in hopes that the schools will have download speeds of up to 4 Mbps. The company will also provide computers and IT training to teachers. Microsoft has run similar white space projects in Tanzania and Kenya, while Google is conducting its own white space trial in Western Cape, South Africa. [Source: ZDNet ] David Vranicar is a freelance journalist and author of The Lost Graduation: Stepping off campus and into a crisis. You can check out his ECT News archive here, and you can email him at david[dot]vranicar[at]newsroom[dot]ectnews[dot]com.

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Just Another Mobile Phone Blog: Paper Artist

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Paper Artist Jul 31st 2013, 18:49, by Maximus Turn your photos into personalized works of art! Fun and simple to use, anyone can be an artist. Features: - Choose from over 30 original artistic styles to transform your photo. - Modify your existing photos, or use the built-in camera. - Paint with the brush to add a splash of color and other magical effects. - Write with the pen to add a personal message or a fun design. - Add a frame or border for that finishing touch. You won't believe how your precious memory will be transformed into something unique and special. Share your masterpiece on all your favorite social media sites. Everyone will be amazed!

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Just Another Mobile Phone Blog: Samsung launches MangaCamera and Paper Artist apps for Windows Phone

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Samsung launches MangaCamera and Paper Artist apps for Windows Phone Jul 31st 2013, 18:48, by Maximus Samsung isn't too focused on Windows Phone, with Nokia selling the bulk of devices based on Microsoft's young mobile operating system. Samsung's ATIV phones didn't sell much (or, at all, compared to Nokia's Lumias), but the company has still found reason to launch two new photo effects apps for the few users that are using an ATIV Windows Phone 8 phone somewhere out there:MangaCamera and Paper Artist.  MangaCamera lets you turn your photos into cartoons, and applies effects in real-time when you're pointing your camera at something. You can download additional frames apart from the ones that come with the app, and the app also registers itself in the lenses menu so you can access it right from the default camera app on Windows Phone. As for Paper Artist (also available on Android), it's basically a more advanced version of MangaCamera as it allows you to put different types of filters on photos instead of just cartoons. You can either import photos or take new ones with effects shown in real-time. Both MangaCamera and Paper Artist allow you to share your edited images through the Share option. Both apps are exclusive to ATIV devices and can be downloaded from the Windows Phone Store. It's good to see Samsung thinking of their Windows Phone users a bit, so make the best of it while you can.

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Just Another Mobile Phone Blog: MangaCamera

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MangaCamera Jul 31st 2013, 18:49, by Maximus Blog ArchiveJul 2013 (1666)Jun 2013 (1522)May 2013 (1487)Apr 2013 (1295)Mar 2013 (1340)Feb 2013 (1285)Jan 2013 (1138)Dec 2012 (1031)Nov 2012 (1007)Oct 2012 (1170)Sep 2012 (1064)Aug 2012 (948)Jul 2012 (930)Jun 2012 (1024)May 2012 (973)Apr 2012 (943)Mar 2012 (948)Feb 2012 (1028)Jan 2012 (816)Dec 2011 (848)Nov 2011 (825)Oct 2011 (697)Sep 2011 (717)Aug 2011 (681)Jul 2011 (697)Jun 2011 (699)May 2011 (678)Apr 2011 (563)Mar 2011 (405)Jan 2011 (55)Dec 2010 (19)Nov 2010 (65)Oct 2010 (17)Sep 2010 (413)Aug 2010 (1533)Jul 2010 (1597)Jun 2010 (1609)May 2010 (1496)Apr 2010 (1554)Mar 2010 (537)Feb 2010 (1310)Jan 2010 (1491)Dec 2009 (1423)Nov 2009 (1553)Oct 2009 (1623)Sep 2009 (1573)Aug 2009 (1362)Jul 2009 (1363)Jun 2009 (1488)May 2009 (1275)Apr 2009 (1238)Mar 2009 (1104)Feb 2009 (1097)Jan 2009 (786)Dec 2008 (780)Nov 2008 (833)Oct 2008 (901)Sep 2008 (732)Aug 2008 (495)Jul 2008 (460)Jun 2008 (485)May 2008 (659)Apr 2008 (576)Mar 2008 (483)Feb 2008 (625)Jan 2008 (633)Dec 2007 (631)Nov 2007 (711)Oct 2007 (851)Sep 2007 (555)Aug 2007 (595)Jul 2007 (507)Jun 2007 (522)May 2007 (373)Apr 2007 (339)Mar 2007 (172)

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Just Another Mobile Phone Blog: MegaFon will help save on roaming on mission

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MegaFon will help save on roaming on mission Jul 31st 2013, 18:53, by Maximus Telecom operator MegaFon has launched a federal sentence "trip online" for corporate clients. This product reduces the cost of mobile internet roaming internationally. In the most popular countries, the cost of 1 MB is commensurate with the value of the Internet in the home network, the company said. According to MegaFon, one of the features when working with rates and options for business customers is usually the connection process. Corporate staff, which is responsible for cellular communication, must promptly connect option for a colleague who is leaving on a business trip abroad, and then do not forget to turn it off. New Roaming option of MegaFon simplifies this process: the client needs to connect only once the package "trip online", payment is to be made ​​only upon the provision of services. Connection fee equal to zero, and the fee for the use of mobile internet package will be charged only in the event that if the subscriber registered in the network operator's roaming and using the Internet. If the employee does not use the mobile Internet in international roaming, the subscriber fee will not be charged. Under the option the client has 10 MB of mobile internet per day. You can also pay extra megabytes used over the amount included in the package at a reduced cost. From August 1 will have the option to corporate clients seven branches of MegaFon, and for subscribers of the Volga branch of the service will be available from August 15, 2013. The cost of a daily subscription fee for the use of mobile internet roaming depends on the country in which the employee leaves. All available countries are divided into three zones, the price of service is from 90 EUR per night for a package of 10 MB, over the package price of 1 MB - 9 rubles.

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Just Another Mobile Phone Blog: Sony Xperia ZR battery life test breakdown

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Sony Xperia ZR battery life test breakdown Jul 31st 2013, 19:46, by Maximus Sony Xperia ZR battery life test breakdown http://blog.gsmarena.com/sony-xperia-zr-finds-some-time-for-its-battery-test-to-be-made-jumps-back-in-the-pool-while-you-look-at-the-results/

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TechNewsWorld: InfraStructs Find Their Way Into the Guts of 3D-Printed Objects

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InfraStructs Find Their Way Into the Guts of 3D-Printed Objects Jul 31st 2013, 19:14, by Rachelle Dragani 3D printing is catching on, but many of the objects printed so far are novelties. InfraStructs, on the other hand, are boldly practical. They're "tags" embedded in 3D objects that could contain a wealth of information. "We're looking outside of the surface of a project and into some of the more functional aspects of what could be there," said Microsoft researcher Andy Wilson. Researchers at Microsoft have developed a way to embed coded tags into 3D-printed objects, paving the way for those products to include identifiable information. The tags, called "InfraStructs," are embedded during the printing process and then read using terahertz scanning. InfraStructs are created by encoding information into a digital model that is then fabricated with material transitions inside a physical object. The object's internal volume is imaged in the THz region and decoded into meaningful information. InfraStructs could replace items like electronic chips or bar codes on 3D-printed items, according to principal Microsoft researcher Andy Wilson and former Microsoft intern Karl Willis of Carnegie Mellon University. Manufacturers could print several items and use the codes for inventory control. Eventually, those tags could even contain software code, said Wilson, enabling objects to have unique location-sensing or graphics capabilities. That could allow interactive gaming accessories to sense locations, for example, or enable mobile robots to recognize nearby objects. InfraStructs could also help large-scale 3D printing companies that must sort through batches of thousands of 3D-printed objects and determine which go where -- a process that is still performed manually. If those objects could be tagged, it would speed up the sorting and open the door to more development in the space, said Wilson. Next Wave of Innovation Wilson and Willis presented their paper on InfraStructs at last week's SIGGRAPH 2013 conference, where Wilson said the technology was very well received. The fact that they were presenting at the graphics-oriented convention was an indication of the excitement surrounding 3D printing, he noted. "SIGGRAPH had a whole session on 3D printing and another on fabrication," Wilson told TechNewsWorld. "There is a lot of interest in figuring out how objects can be reimagined in ways for 3D printing, and the different applications for it. There is a lot of enthusiasm in that space." Wilson interest is in thinking beyond what the 3D printing industry is already capable of, he said. Many 3D-printing experts have made 3D objects visually pleasing, for instance, with fashion or architectural functions in mind. Those applications will go a long way in fostering 3D-printing adoption, said Wilson, but he is hoping that tinkering with technology like InfraStructs can help researchers and developers think of ways to make 3D-printed objects not only aesthetically pleasing, but also affordable and practical. "We're looking outside of the surface of a project and into some of the more functional aspects of what could be there, like the digital signals and identification codes," he said. "We're fishing for the right balance of manufacturability and thinking about the unique capabilities you could get from 3D printing as opposed to different manufacturing. We're looking for something a bit deeper -- something that really leverages the interesting capabilities of 3D printing." Getting Ahead on 3D Printing Microsoft's work with InfraStructs isn't the company's first foray into the world of 3D printing. "Today, we estimate that well over 70 percent of all 3D printing happens on the Windows platform," Microsoft spokesperson Chrissy Vaughn told TechNewsWorld. "On both the commercial and consumer fronts, we see an opportunity for making Windows an even better platform for 3D printing." Microsoft will include native support for 3D printers in its upcoming Windows 8.1 platform, as well as support for developers looking to create apps that enhance the 3D-printing process. Those moves are helping Microsoft carve out an area where it can overtake many of its rivals, said Al Caudullo, 3D systems integrator at Hollywood3D Studios -- a smart move as the 3D printing industry blossoms. "The market is heating up quickly," he told TechNewsWorld. "Certain patents on selective laser sintering are expiring in the next year or so. This will increase the ability for 3D printers to generate high-resolution sophisticated designs. Undoubtedly, Microsoft is wisely planting seeds for the near future."

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TechNewsWorld: Korora Linux: More Than Just Another Fedora Clone

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Korora Linux: More Than Just Another Fedora Clone Jul 31st 2013, 12:00, by Jack M. Germain I was much more impressed with Korora's KDE desktop version than the GNOME version. The KDE menu provided ready access to all of the features and software. Plus, the KDE desktop has a panel bar at the bottom of the screen. For example, the Software Manager, Apper, was readily available on the Favorites panel in the KDE menu. The Software manager app was not so easy to find in the GNOME version. Korora Linux has the potential to grow in popularity among users looking for a better, more user-friendly Linux distro that reaches beyond Fedora's enterprise appeal. Korora 19, released on July 2, is an interesting Linux OS based on Fedora, the community version of parent company Red Hat's Enterprise Linux. Korora is packed with lots of additional packages, however, besides those provided by the Fedora community. For various design and community reasons, Fedora leaves out some popular user packages. Korora fills in those gaps by providing everything a user would want and more. That explains why Fedora's typical 3 GB installation footprint is less than half the size of Korora's 7 GB. Korora's default applications include staples such as Adobe Flash, Google Chrome, Google Earth, RPMFusion and VirtualBox. It mixes in other popular packages as well. For instance, SELinux is enabled by default. VLC is the default media player. Video editor Kdenlive comes preinstalled for the KDE version, while OpenShot is preinstalled for the GNOME version. Korora Linux with the GNOME 3.8 desktop (click to enlarge) Korora's use-it-out-of-the-box philosophy is further evident with Firefox installed as the default Web browser with an integrated theme for KDE. Firefox is configured with the Adblock Plus, DownThemAll, Flashblock and Xclear extensions included. Choqok is the microblogging client of choice for KDE; for GNOME, it's Gwibber. Changing Gears The Korora distro is a small project that was started by founder and lead developer Chris Smart some eight years ago as "Kororaa." Its name comes from the Maori word for "the little penguin." Smart's purpose was to quickly reproduce a Gentoo Linux installation on multiple desktop machines. Smart discontinued that project in late 2007, only to reintroduce it nearly three years later as a Fedora Remix. With the release of version 18 on May 2, 2013, he changed the project's name to Korora, minus the double letter "a." The release of version 18 not only brought about the name change and new website home, but also brought on Ian Firns as the first codeveloper. Do not confuse Korora's home page -- Kororaproject -- with that of a commercial website for a Web design firm by the same name. Korora Inside The Korora distro comes in two flavors -- GNOME and KDE -- both available in 64-bit (x86_64) and 32-bit (i686) versions. Both are similarly focused and aimed at making Linux easier to use with a preconfigured system for end-user convenience. This distro brings with it an advantage to using either of the two desktop environments. Developers have enabled GNOME extensions and desktop features. They also did a housecleaning of the KDE menus and tidied up other desktop functions. One of its neatest features is the ability to enable a classic mode to create a user experience similar to that of GNOME 2. This is built out of a collection of GNOME Shell extensions. If you do not like GNOME 3, being able to switch into this classic mode makes up for Korora not having other desktop alternatives besides KDE. User Experience 101 GNOME 3.8 and the Korora tweaking seem to have addressed some of the usability issues of earlier GNOME versions. In normal mode there is still no functional panel bar. Still, using the GNOME desktop in Korora seems more fluid than GNOME in other distros. You still push the mouse pointer into the Activities hot spot in the upper left corner of the screen to see a scale view of applications you have opened and to see a thumbnail view of your virtual desktops. That also exposes the vertical bar on the left edge of the screen. This vertical dock on the left edge of the screen holds icons for favorite programs you have pinned there. In this mode a search window is at the top of the screen. Type in an installed program's name to launch it or switch to that application. Look and Feel The slide-out virtual desktop panel on the right edge of the screen in Activities mode is very responsive. With no traditional panel in GNOME 3, there is no desktop switcher applet to click to change desktops with one action. GNOME 3 does have a panel at the top of the screen to hold time, date, connection status and other system notifications, however. You still must go to Activities view and then move the mouse to the right screen edge. Then you can click on the virtual desktop you want or drag the open apps running in one virtual desktop to another with ease. Similarly, switching apps from this panel seems less bothersome to me than it is in other distros running the GNOME desktop. At the bottom of the left panel in Activity mode is a Show Applications button. Clicking it brings you to a screen showing all of the installed applications or the frequently used programs. You switch between these two options by clicking on the desired option at the bottom of that screen. App Access You also can find installed applications by typing terms in the search window at the top of the screen. Applications and files that match the search term appear in an icon list for clicking. Korora Linux with the KDE 4.10 desktop (click to enlarge) I much prefer to work from a menu listing rather than find applications by searching, but Korora packs an impressive array of applications without forcing the user to hunt for them in repositories. Running KDE Korora 19's KDE Plasma Workspaces 4.10 is a modern, stable desktop environment. It includes new features for printing and screen-locking, better indexing of files and improved accessibility features. I was much more impressed with this KDE desktop version than the GNOME version. The KDE menu provided ready access to all of the features and software. Plus, the KDE desktop has a panel bar at the bottom of the screen. For example, the Software Manager, Apper, was readily available on the Favorites panel in the KDE menu. The Software manager app was not so easy to find in the GNOME version. You use it to get, install and update software in Korora. Handier Menuing The System Settings icon to launch that menu was also plainly visible. In the GNOME version, you had to click on a drop-down menu tucked away on the right end of the panel bar at the top of the screen. The Applications menu showed all of the expected software categories. Clicking on any one of them provided access to numerous prepackaged applications -- no need to use the search feature to see what programs were available. Still, the KDE menu launcher has a Search window at the top of the pop-up panel to provide quick access to any program or file without looking through menu categories. Even accessing the virtual desktops is a breeze in the KDE version. The desktop switcher app fits handily on the lower panel bar, providing one-click access to each virtual desktop. Keyboard shortcuts are also available. Either method eliminates the vertical right panel approach enabled in the GNOME version. Bottom Line Korora is a seasoned Linux distro that shows a great deal of potential for continued popularity among both new and veteran Linux users. It lacks lightweight desktop options such as Xfce and LXDE, but the latest GNOME 3 version, the optional GNOME 2 extensions and the newest KDE desktop provide a fresh, reliable choice. Korora is a solid alternative to Debian-based distros the likes of Ubuntu and Linux Mint. Want to Suggest a Linux Application for Review? Is there a Linux software application you'd like to suggest for review? Something you love or would like to get to know? Please send your ideas to me, and I'll consider them for a future Linux Picks and Pans column. And use the Talkback feature below to add your comments! Jack M. Germain has been writing about computer technology since the early days of the Apple II and the PC. He still has his original IBM PC-Jr and a few other legacy DOS and Windows boxes. He left shareware programs behind for the open source world of the Linux desktop. He runs several versions of Windows and Linux OSes and often cannot decide whether to grab his tablet, netbook or Android smartphone instead of using his desktop or laptop gear.

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TechNewsWorld: All Things Appy: 5 Best Lifestyle Apps for Windows 8

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All Things Appy: 5 Best Lifestyle Apps for Windows 8 Jul 31st 2013, 12:00, by Patrick Nelson They may not be essential, but who ever said technology has to be practical all the time? There's no doubt these lifestyle apps can make our lives more fun. Among our favorites available to Windows 8 users from Microsoft's Windows Store in this category are AccuWeather, Digital Nightstand, Glam Life, Xbox Smart Glass and Daily Workouts. TechNewsWorld's All Things Appy column regularly looks at the best free apps for our devices. Today we dissect the top five, must-have Windows 8 apps within the Lifestyle genre. Need to check on the weather, monitor what those pesky celebrities are up to, wake up, control your games console or work out? Read on, then, for a look at our recommended, essential tools -- all with the wonderful, idiosyncratic slant that's only available within the app environment. About the Platform: Apps are downloaded from the Windows Store. Click on or touch the Start page store tile and browse to the category that you'd like to check out. Or, search for an app by choosing the Search charm's icon. No. 1: AccuWeather for Windows 8 The AccuWeather for Windows 8 app is rated 4 stars out of a possible 5 with 3,881 ratings in the Windows 8 Store. Gorgeous weather graphics -- as one would expect from Windows 8 -- are combined with activity-specific forecasting that includes health risks, pollen, UV index and other factors with data that updates every 15 minutes. A peculiar, linear time-line-based weather forecast graphic is unique, we think, and worth seeing if you're interested in app UI. Easy on the eyes, and a hidden menu supplies radar maps and weather news video too. No. 2: Digital Nightstand Digital Nightstand is rated 4 stars out of a possible 5 with 289 ratings in the Windows 8 Store. This is a splendidly 21st-century alarm clock. Settings within this app include those for creating a deep black clock-face background that spills the minimum of sleep-disturbing night-time light. However, app'ish neat tricks also include a news ticker, Facebook feed, weather updates, an alarm and an interactive to-do list. All in all, plenty to keep you from sleeping. The forever-updating news ticker alone is a must-have for those who sleep with one eye open. No. 3: Glam Life Glam Life is rated 4+ stars out of a possible 5 with nine ratings in the Windows 8 Store. Just two words describe this app: celebrity culture. If that's what you're into, this is the Windows 8 app for you. Hundreds of pictures of celebrities adorn this app, and associated textual tags answer some of life's vital questions, like whether the just-disclosed-as-pregnant royal Zara Philips will continue to ride horses while expecting. Idle gossip? Perhaps. Dig in. No. 4: Xbox Smart Glass Xbox Smart Glass is rated 4 stars out of a possible 5 with 11,148 ratings in the Windows 8 Store. This app ties your Windows 8 PC to your Xbox games console and acts as a second screen for controlling media and games. It's a new, clever way to use an Xbox, and we recommend trying it if you're an Xbox user. Numerous user-install complaints in the Microsoft Windows 8 Store, though, relegate it to a runner-up position. No. 5: Daily Workouts Daily Workouts is rated 4+ stars out of a possible 5 with 357 ratings in the Windows 8 Store. This app pitches itself as your own personal trainer, which it is if you reckon a stack of fitness videos equates to having a personal trainer. In any case, it is free, and that's more you can say for your own personal trainer. The videos show you how to do each of the 5- to 10-minute targeted workouts and include arm, cardio, Pilates and more. A fair selection of classic workouts, but we'd like to see more for free. Want to Suggest an Apps Collection? Is there a batch of apps you'd like to suggest for review? Remember, they must all be for the same platform, and they must all be geared toward the same general purpose. Please send the names of five or more apps to me, and I'll consider them for a future All Things Appy column. Don't forget to use the Talkback feature below to add your comments. Patrick Nelson has been a professional writer since 1992. He was editor and publisher of the music industry trade publication Producer Report and has written for a number of technology blogs. Nelson studied design at Hornsey Art School and wrote the cult-classic novel Sprawlism. His introduction to technology was as a nomadic talent scout in the eighties, where regular scrabbling around under hotel room beds was necessary to connect modems with alligator clips to hotel telephone wiring to get a fax out. He tasted down and dirty technology, and never looked back.

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TechNewsWorld: iOS 7 May Bring Fingerprint Scanning to the Mainstream

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iOS 7 May Bring Fingerprint Scanning to the Mainstream Jul 31st 2013, 12:00, by Richard Adhikari Fingerprint scanning isn't new -- but Apple is known less for being the first to introduce a technology than for figuring out how to make it appealing to the masses. The introduction of fingerprint scanning as a security feature for iPhones could be a master stroke, if it works. If it's less than slick, though, there may be all sorts of "finger" puns in the headlines. Remember Apple Maps? The next iPhone will likely have a fingerprint scanning feature through iOS 7, iOS developer Hamza Sood has tweeted. The tweet has a link to an image that shows several folders, including one titled "BiometricKitui.axbundle." Sood further posted this Vine video showing an iPhone running iOS7. He is the creator of the free app SiriToggles, a jailbreak that lets Siri launch apps and access the iPhone's Settings app. It's available in the BigBoss repository of the Cydia app store. Apple did not respond to our request to comment for this story. Let's Hear It for Scanning Fingerprint scanning "adds another factor to the authentication process ... [which is] a net good thing" because this makes accounts more secure, Tom Kemp, CEO of Centrify, told MacNewsWorld. "This is, of course, assuming the scanning technology works." Further, fingerprint scanning "combats a major source of security risk associated with passwords, namely password re-use," remarked Brendan Wilson, director of product management at Nok Nok Labs. However, multiple levels of authentication are necessary, especially when payments or transactions are involved, said Jeff Orr, a senior practice director at ABI Research. On the other hand, the technology has yet to be proven on a mass scale, and the fragmentation of mobile operating systems and mobile devices will make it hard to deliver a consistent experience for users of a given app, Kemp warned. Other issues include determining how to fit the sensor into a smartphone's casing and figuring out where to position it for the best user experience, Nok Nok Labs' Wilson told MacNewsWorld. Then there's the problem of false positives and negatives. "Any implementation will always need to deal with issues such as cut or dirty fingers or oily or extra-dry skin," Greg Kazmierczak, vice president of technology strategy at Wave Systems, told MacNewsWorld. Giving the iPhone the Finger Apple's incorporation of fingerprint scanning technology was expected in the wake of its purchase of mobile security firm AuthenTec just over a year ago for about US$356 million. AuthenTec sold fingerprint sensor technology to HP, Dell and other computer manufacturers. Its fingerprint technology is used in mobile phones in Japan for authentication of mobile payments. Fingerprint scanning will not just be a security feature; it will help move iPhones closer to becoming the mobile centers of users' lives by enabling mobile payments. Last month, Apple was granted a key iWallet patent to enable a mobile pay service, an area in which it has lagged Android. Further, it announced the new iOS 7 feature AirDrop at its World Wide Developers Conference last month. The opportunity is huge. The mobile payments market will hit $90 billion by 2017, Forrester has predicted. AirDrop would replace the need to use Near Field Communication, which is a key technology for mobile wallets that is being used by Google. Of Fingers, Smartphones and Scanners Fingerprint scanning on a smartphone was introduced in the Motorola Atrix 4G back in 2011. "This is not something so revolutionary that it's never been done before," ABI's Orr told MacNewsWorld. "Notebooks have had fingerprint scanning for years." Samsung reportedly planned to introduce a fingerprint scanning capability in its Galaxy Note 3, which was launched last year, but had to hold off because fingerprint sensing chips were in short supply. However, "I'm not sure if it's so much a shortage as it's a relatively basic market, meaning there are relatively few implementations [of fingerprint sensing chips]," Orr said. "There is definitely supply out there; the question is, how relevant is it to the mobile market, and what's the right way to incorporate it into the device?" Support for the technology from a company like Apple, "which could put the capability in millions of devices," noted Orr, "would be a game changer in putting a relatively restricted technology into the mainstream."

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TechNewsWorld: Speedy Magnetite Switch Makes Blink of an Eye Seem Poky

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Speedy Magnetite Switch Makes Blink of an Eye Seem Poky Jul 30th 2013, 22:38, by Richard Adhikari Developing high-speed switches identifies the fundamental materials processes driving the switches, said Herman Durr, who led the LCLS experiment. "There are often competing processes that happen on different timescales that can be studied and ultimately controlled this way." The researchers are conducting follow-up studies on high-quality, ultra-thin structures of Vanadium dioxide. Researchers using the United States Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory at Stanford University have created an experimental switch that goes between on and off in one trillionth of a second. This was done by blasting samples of magnetite with a laser to rearrange their atomic structure. An optical laser pulse (red streak from upper right) shatters the ordered electronic structure (blue) in an insulating sample of magnetite, switching the material to electrically conducting (red) in one trillionth of a second. (Credit: Greg Stewart/SLAC) The scientists then used ultrabright, ultrashort X-ray pulses to measure how long it took for the switch to go from off to on. The experiment is one of several undertaken by researchers worldwide to find an alternative to silicon as the semiconductor industry runs up against the limits of Moore's Law, Jim McGregor, principal analyst at Tirias Research, told TechNewsWorld. "We're running up against size and cost limitations and will have to eventually move beyond silicon," McGregor said. "What and when that will be is highly debatable, but by 2025 it may be a requirement." What the Researchers Did The researchers first cooled samples of magnetite to -190 degrees Celsius to lock their electrical charges in place. They then used a visible-light laser on the samples of magnetite to fragment their electronic structure at the atomic scale. This rearranged the structure to form non-conducting "islands" surrounded by electrically conducting regions, which formed hundreds of quadrillionths of a second after the laser beam hit. The scientists then used SLAC's Linac Coherent Light Source X-ray laser to direct ultrabright, ultrashort X-ray pulses at the magnetite to study the timing and details of changes in the samples following the laser pulse. Adjusting the intervals of the X-ray pulses let the researchers measure how long it took the magnetite to shift from an off state to an on state, and observe the structural changes that occurred when it happened. Developing high-speed switches identifies the fundamental materials processes driving the switches, among other things, Herman Durr, principal investigator of the LCLS experiment, told TechNewsWorld. "There are often competing processes that happen on different timescales that can be studied and ultimately controlled this way." The Next Steps The researchers are conducting follow-up studies on high-quality, ultra-thin structures of Vanadium dioxide, which demonstrates an insulator-metal transition above room temperatures, Durr said. In other words, they work as on-off switches above room temperatures, which makes them more practical than magnetite. Using oxides in transistors could make them more efficient, but the industry needs to go beyond semiconductors, Durr said. "My group, myself and many other researchers ... want to understand the non-equilibrium phases that are generated by laser or electric field excitation of oxide materials. There, something new could happen that could be useful for IT, [and] our article is the first inkling of this." No More Moore's It's widely agreed that the semiconductor industry is fast approaching the limits of Moore's Law, which says, in effect, that the number of transistors on integrated circuits doubles roughly every two years. In 2010, the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors forecast that after 2013, transistor counts and densities would double only once every three years. More recently, AMD said that the amount of time taken to transition from 28nm to 20nm processes signals that Moore's Law is coming to the end of its life. Broadcom stated in May that the end will come in about 15 years. "As we go down to 14nm, we're having to put a lot of Band-Aids on manufacturing processes," Tirias' McGregor pointed out. "We have to do simpler design constructs, double patterning, and we may have to go to multipatterning and other steps that increase the cost of manufacturing, whether in time, cost or power." "By the time you get to 5nm, you will run up against serious physical limitations," McGregor continued. "We've improved the three major pillars of semiconductor production -- lithography, materials and design. Now we're adding packaging, but that will only help extend Moore's law -- it doesn't solve the issue."

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TechNewsWorld: 2 Brits Jailed for Courtroom Web Use

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2 Brits Jailed for Courtroom Web Use Jul 30th 2013, 22:58, by David Vranicar Today in international tech news: Two British men are jailed for their courtroom Internet use; U.S. cloud providers are feeling the post-Snowden pinch; Apple vows to look into the newest round of labor allegations in China; and Bitcoin is outlawed in Thailand. Two men from near London, a 21-year-old and 29-year-old, have each been sentenced to two months in jail following contempt of court convictions for misusing the Internet while serving on a jury. The 21-year-old posted a Facebook message during a sex offense prosecution, saying that he wanted to "f*** up a paedophile." The 29-year-old, meanwhile, used Google to scour for extra information about the victims of a fraud case, later sharing the info with other jurors. Neither incident got the defendants off the hook; there was a retrial in the second case but a guilty verdict all the same. The UK Law Commission is mulling how to prevent this kind of courtroom chicanery. The group has discussed confiscating Web-ready devices when jurors arrive at court. A 2010 UK survey found that about 12 percent of jurors involved in high-profile cases had ... supplemented courtroom evidence with Web searches. [Source: The Guardian] US Cloud Providers Feeling Post-Snowden Pinch A survey conducted by the Cloud Security Alliance suggests that revelations of U.S. spying have damaged international business opportunities. The CSA, whose corporate members include most large U.S. software, cloud and security vendors, polled roughly 500 members. The answers suggest that U.S. cloud providers are being adversely impacted by Edward Snowden's revelation spree, and that the damage going forward could be worse yet. Ten percent of foreign organizations that participated in the survey said they had already canceled projects that would use American cloud providers; 56 percent said they were less likely to enlist U.S. cloud companies in the future. Of the 200-plus U.S. responses, more than one-third said it had become more difficult to conduct business overseas. (To be fair, 64 percent said there was no impact.) The European Commission digital chief, Neelie Kroes, has tried to rally support for EU-based cloud services, and the president of Estonia echoed those sentiments. [Source: ZDNet] Apple Will Look Into Labor Allegations What else can the company say? Apple announced that it will investigate allegations by China Labor Watch that one of its suppliers, Taiwanese company Pegatron, is running afoul of labor laws at multiple factories. Underage workers, shoddy pay and forced overtime were among the complaints detailed in a recent CLW report. Apple has dealt with similar problems with Foxconn, another integral part of its China manufacturing operations, which itself had violated many of the same policies. CLW, based in New York, reported at least 86 labor rights violations while investigating a trio of factories between March and July. Apple has reportedly been in close contact with CLW throughout, but the company says it was nonetheless caught off guard by the findings, thus prompting an investigation. Apple announced in March that it was working with Foxconn to improve working conditions, and had received praise for improvements. [Source: Bloomberg] Thailand Government Outlaws Bitcoins Bitcoin, a digital currency, has been outlawed in Thailand, making it illegal to transfer bitcoins or purchase goods and services with the cryptocurrency. People -- The Next Web refers to them as "the Bitcoin team" -- had sought licenses that would allow Bitcoin to operate in Thailand, but to no avail. The Bank of Thailand, which regulates financial transactions, was none too impressed with the digital currency and wouldn't sanction its use. The U.S. has investigated Bitcoin on fears that the currency could be used to skirt taxes. [Source: The Next Web] David Vranicar is a freelance journalist and author of The Lost Graduation: Stepping off campus and into a crisis. You can check out his ECT News archive here, and you can email him at david[dot]vranicar[at]newsroom[dot]ectnews[dot]com.

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TechNewsWorld: If You Like Guitar Hero, You'll Love Working Out?

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If You Like Guitar Hero, You'll Love Working Out? Jul 30th 2013, 19:52, by Peter Suciu Just playing Guitar Hero may be enough for some of us to work up a sweat, but now the game's creators are officially shifting their focus to fitness. "Our goal is to help people lead healthier and more active lives by providing anyone across all fitness levels with a fun way to work out, one that is accessible and compelling to use," said Kai Huang, Blue Goji cofounder and CEO. The creators of the Guitar Hero video game franchise are looking to put down the plastic guitars and get pumped up instead. Specifically, RedOctane founders Kai and Charles Huang are teaming up with OpenLink founder Coleman Fung to launch an interactive fitness company called Blue Goji, they announced on Monday. Instead of creating games that would allow players to live out their rock-and-roll fantasies in the living room, the new company's mission is to transform the gameplay experience into something that can burn calories and help players get fit. Toward that end, the company aims to transform cardio exercise into immersing gameplay that can also track activity and help users reach their personal fitness goals. "Our goal is to help people lead healthier and more active lives by providing anyone across all fitness levels with a fun way to work out, one that is accessible and compelling to use," said Kai Huang, Blue Goji cofounder and CEO. "With Blue Goji, we're developing a platform to support a variety of entertainment content that enables people to immerse themselves in their workout routines for a more enjoyable and social experience." 'Getting Interactive' While Blue Goji has yet to officially announce any titles, the founders hinted that its platform will combine "innovative software and hardware" and use the portability and power of tablets and smartphones. Moreover, the company's vision promises to tap the integration of those mobile devices with current cardio exercise equipment, including treadmills and stationary bicycles. Currently undergoing private user testing, Blue Goji will reveal additional information about the platform in the coming months, it said. In the meantime, it's currently accepting applications on its website from developers to create or adapt their mobile games for its library. This type of convergence is already coming in the fitness space from the likes of companies such as Kurt Kinetic, which produces a stationary bicycle that can be paired with a laptop or tablet device. This time, however, the exercise push is coming from the video game industry itself. "These products don't live in a vacuum anymore," technology analyst Susan Schreiner of C4 Trends told TechNewsWorld. "We're now into a phase where the fitness genre is getting interactive." 'The Bubble Popped Big' History has already seen swords turned into plowshares, of course, but it could be a bigger change to see plastic instruments giving way to exercise equipment. "The bubble popped big with the music genre," independent video game analyst Billy Pidgeon told TechNewsWorld. "We've seen developers in the game space make these big changes, so this isn't really that surprising." Indeed, "they had to do something different -- the business model for Guitar Hero was somewhat counterintuitive, as it flipped the software model," Pidgeon added. "With those games it inflated the software sales, as you had to buy the game to get the instruments, and that increased the price, but the follow-up games stopped selling." 'It Has to Be Software-Based' There have been fitness and exercise-based games for years, but few have made use of actual cardio equipment. "It has to be a software-based application to work, at least to make a profit," Pidgeon suggested. "The games have so far relied on a mix of self-reporting and personal data with a simple sensor, such as a pedometer." However, "that hardware can't be what drives the profit with these games," he stressed. "That has to be given away to some degree, or history will repeat itself and we'll see a bubble burst again." "A Shift to Prevention' The timing could be very good. Fitness equipment continues to fall in price while technologies including ANT+ and Bluetooth allow for greater connectivity. "We've seen a lot of development in mobile health, and we are in a transition period in relationship to fitness and wellness," Schreiner explained. "There is a shift to prevention with the new healthcare reforms." Meanwhile, "the cost of technology has come down significantly," she added. "The big challenge that fitness apps and programs have is that once the novelty has worn off, it just sits there. What is going to make this fresh and dynamic on an ongoing basis? "People need incentives and motivation," she concluded. "Perhaps Blue Goji has something in mind." Blue Goji declined to provide further details.

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