24 Hours Technology News Updates and Reviews

Windows 8 Skype gets contact blocking in update

technewsnetinfo@gmail.com (TechNewsNet.Com) — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 00:32:00 +0100

Windows 8 users running Skype will now have the option to exert greater control over who can contact them, thanks to a new software update. Version 1.6 of Skype, tipped by the company in a blog post on Friday, brings the ability to block contacts. The update also includes a number of performance enhancements for the audio and video chatting software.

Users can now swipe at the top or bottom of their screens to bring up a command bar relating to a particular contact's name. They can then select "block" in order to cease receiving contacts from that user. Users also have the option to label a contact request as spam or to remove a contact entirely.

In addition to contact blocking, version 1.6 fixes an issue that saw outgoing video sometimes not displayed after switching the camera. Another issue, in which Skype would display the wrong call error message when a call failed, has also been fixed.

Slidehare Introduces New Tracking Analytics Tool

technewsnetinfo@gmail.com (TechNewsNet.Com) — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 10:52:00 +0100

In May 2012, LinkedIn acquired document presentation startup SlideShare. Since that time, the company has been integrating itself into LinkedIn’s carefully managed (and profitable) corporate culture.

Today, SlideShare announced a very LinkedIn-style feature for its service. The new feature, called “Send Tracker,” is an analytics tool that will allow users to gather metrics on how people use Slide Share presentations. For example, the software could report back on who viewed a presentation and how much time they spent on each slide. It can also send alerts when people click through emails or view SlideShare content.

The feature is geared toward marketers and salespeople, so that they can observe potential customers and focus their time on prospects who engaged well with a presentation. It’s a free feature for subscribers to SlideShare’s premium “SlideShare Pro” service.

As expected, SlideShare has prepared a slideshow that covers the highlights of the new feature. The SlideShare presentation is embedded below, and it probably uses Send Tracker analytics to send data back to SlideShare.

Google's 2016 Mobile Revenue Projected to Reach $20 Billion

technewsnetinfo@gmail.com (TechNewsNet.Com) — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 10:27:00 +0100

Marin Software has released a new report looking at mobile search advertising around the world. The report cites data from Cowen and Company about Google’s estimated mobile revenues, which indicates that Google will make as much as $20 billion in mobile revenue in 2016.
“According to a research report from Cowen, Google earned $2.5 Billion in mobile rev- enue in 2011,” says the report. “And by 2016, it’s estimated that mobile could drive $20 Billion in revenue for the search giant. The exponential growth in mobile advertising largely tracks consumer adoption trends. Smartphones now have a greater than 50% penetration in the US mobile phone market. And mobile advertising isn’t just limited to phones. In fact, sales of mobile devices (phones and tablets) running Google Android are expected to have eclipsed ‘PC’ sales in 2012. And consumers worldwide have already bought more than a billion iOS and Android devices.”

“The emerging world of the mobile-enabled consumer is quite different from the pre- smartphone world,” it continues. “In this new reality, the walls between online and offline commerce are crumbling. Case in point: today’s consumers routinely check product reviews and compare prices online while they’re in a brick and mortar store.”

This is why Google launched the controversial Enhanced Campaigns model for AdWords last week.

You can find Marin’s full report here.

Linux now available on Windows 8 machines

technewsnetinfo@gmail.com (TechNewsNet.Com) — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 20:31:00 +0100

The Linux Foundation Secure Boot System solves a fundamental problem for many Linux distributions, by providing a way for a Linux-based OS to run on new hardware controlled by UEFI firmware, also known as “secure boot” technology.

Linux Foundation technical advisory board member James Bottomley led the development of the bootloader.

As a potential replacement to the long-used BIOS firmware, UEFI is an industry initiative to secure computers against malware by designing the computer’s firmware to require a trusted key before booting the operating system, or any hardware inside the computer, such as a graphics card. UEFI would provide a foundation for a chain of trust that would connect all the way up to the software layer, which could thwart attempts to install illicit, and harmful, software on computers.

Microsoft is requiring UEFI on all machines running Windows 8. While OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) have the option of providing a way to turn off UEFI so other operating systems can run on the machine, many in the Linux community fear that OEMs will not provide a UEFI off-switch, thereby not allowing other OSes without a key to run on these machines. A generic Linux distribution will not run on a Windows 8 computer without keys.

The latest releases of many major Linux distributions now include a bootloader or a shim of some sort to work with UEFI, including Ubuntu 12.10 and Fedora 18. This UEFI requirement, however, has been seen as a roadblock for those who like to create their own distributions of Linux. The Linux Foundation bootloader provides a hash code, certified by Microsoft, and support infrastructure to boot a generic Linux kernel.

This is not the first approach someone in the Linux camp has devised for working with UEFI. Security developer Matthew Garrett released his own shim last year. A shim is different from a bootloader in that in that it does not require a signed key from a third party, though this approach is more unwieldy to manage. Garrett and Bottomley are discussing merging Garrett’s shim with the Linux Foundation’s bootloader.

UEFI has proved to be a challenge to implement even for Microsoft Windows. Garrett also reported that certain Samsung laptops running Windows 8 could permanently stop working due to a bug in how the Samsung firmware stores system crash data in the UEFI storage space.

Oracle To Release More Java Patches

technewsnetinfo@gmail.com (TechNewsNet.Com) — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 15:02:00 +0100

On February 1, Oracle pulled the trigger early on the February release, which had originally been scheduled for February 19, due to a serious vulnerability that affected Java at the browser level.

As a result of the sped-up release, Oracle didn’t manage to include a “small number” of fixes that had been planned for inclusion, according to the blog.
Critical patch releases for Java SE are cumulative in nature, meaning that any user who didn’t apply the group released on February 1 will get everything at once in the February 19 batch, according to the post.

The patch set released on February 1 contained 50 fixes, including 44 for vulnerabilities at the browser level. It wasn’t clear on Friday how many more will be added to the set later this month.
Oracle has come under fire lately over Java, not only regarding vulnerabilities but also the fact that Java updates include third-party software, or as some critics call it, “crapware,” such as the Ask.com toolbar.

An online petition asking Oracle to stop the practice had garnered more than 10,000 signatures as of Friday.

Users can opt out of installing the software, however.

Oracle’s head of Java security also recently made a public pledge that Oracle will “fix” Java as well as be more open and regular with its communications around the language.

Google Chrome Is Blocking a Bunch of Major Sites for Malware, Even YouTube

technewsnetinfo@gmail.com (TechNewsNet.Com) — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 01:26:00 +0100

If you were just cruising around the web today and got hit smack in the face with a Google Chrome malware error, you weren't the only one. A whole number of sites from such as imgur, DeviantArt, The San Francisco Chronicle, and YouTube were blocked for many users citing malware from us.bernerverein.ch.

Reports started bubbling up on Twitter this afternoon,and list a whole slew of websites that appear to be affected. The cause of the alerts is unknown, as is where the malware came from and what it's trying to do, provided it is more than some sort of false positive. If there is something truly sketch afoot, chances are it wormed its way in through ad networks. It'll probably be cleaned up soon, but in the meantime it's probably wise to steer clear if "infected" sites if you can. [The Verge]

Google Integrates Third-Party Web Apps More Deeply Into Google Drive

technewsnetinfo@gmail.com (TechNewsNet.Com) — Sat, 9 Feb 2013 12:19:00 +0100

Google Drive launched last year, and it's had no trouble making headway against competitors like SkyDrive, Dropbox and iCloud.

And though third-party apps that interact with Google Drive have long been buried, Google announced Friday that changes have been made to remedy that.

Google's Nicolas Garnier, developer advocate focusing on Google Drive and Web APIs, wrote in a Google Developers blog post that over 100 different third-party apps feature deep Google Drive integration, and now those same apps will be easier to discover and access.

Google added space to the "create" menu for third-party apps to sit alongside Google apps like Docs and Sheets, plus a "Connect to Drive" app browser to search for Drive-enabled web apps without having to leave Drive at all.
Creative improvements

Clicking on the create button now reveals whatever third-party web apps you've connected with your personal Google Drive alongside the standard first-party Google apps.

"This makes your Drive-connected apps easier to reach and more visible to Google Drive users," Garnier wrote, addressing developers of apps that use Google Drive.

Within the create menu, clicking "connect more apps" allows you to browse Google Drive-connected apps from directly within Drive, negating the need to visit the Chrome Web Store.

Google app developers whose apps are already compatible with Drive and listed in the Chrome Web Store's Drive section don't have to do anything extra for their apps to be integrated thus - Google is doing it automatically.

Garnier recommended Google app developers who aren't yet integrating with Drive check out thesesteps to learn how to do so.

Goolge may bring air fleet to new Silicon Valley home

technewsnetinfo@gmail.com (TechNewsNet.Com) — Sat, 9 Feb 2013 12:03:00 +0100

Just when we thought Google's digs couldn't get any swankier, news comes that the search engine is building its own airport.

According to the San Jose Mercury News, a deal is in the works to create a privately funded airport adjoined to the Mineta San Jose International Airport. That's basically Wi-Fi distance from Google headquarters in Mountain View, Calif.

Signature Aviation and Blue City Holdings (the companies in charge of Google's fleet) are looking to build the 29-acre, $82 million facility in San Jose to house Google aircraft along with the companies' other corporate and private clients.
Google Air

The blueprints for the private airport include an aircraft servicing facilities, an executive terminal, hangers and ramp space for giants aircraft such as Boeing 737s and 767s.

Rent for the airfield will run the two companies $2.6 million annually, and the proposed lease will last for 50 years. Similar leases normally last for about 20 to 30 years, so hopefully Google will be happy with its future plane parking lot.

Google's fleet is currently hanging out at Moffett Federal Airfield in Mountain View. The company had previously offered to pay for restorations of NASA/Ames' Hanger One located in the airfield in exchange for use of two-thirds of the facility's space. But it's too early to tell what this new deal will mean for that arrangement.

The proposal is set to go to the San Jose city council's Airport Competitiveness Committee later this month. then it will be up for a vote from the full council in April. If the deal gets approved, the airfield will take about two years to build.

Google Chairman to Sell $2.5 Billion in Stock

technewsnetinfo@gmail.com (TechNewsNet.Com) — Sat, 9 Feb 2013 03:29:00 +0100

Eric Schmidt is cashing in on his massive pile of Google shares to the tune of more than $2.5 billion.

The chairman and former CEO has filed the necessary paperwork with the SEC that will let him sell roughly 42% of his stake in the search giant over the next year, Google announced Friday after the markets closed.

Over his decade at the company, Schmidt has netted 7.3 million Google shares, representing nearly 3% of the company. At $785.37 a share the stock's new record high, which it hit Friday afternoon selling 42% would net him roughly $2.51 billion.

Schmidt, 57, is the 138th richest billionaire in the world and the 49th richest in the US, according to the latest Forbes magazine rankings. That's based on an estimated net worth of $7.5 billion which would have risen anyway, given the stock's recent climb. (Google's soaring share price added $1.3 billion to Schmidt's net wealth between 2011 and 2012.)

The decision to sell may merely reflect a desire to make his wealth more liquid, though we doubt it: Schmidt sold $69.3 million in stock late last year, which is hard for a busy man to spend that fast.

Or it may reflect a sense that Google's share price can't go much higher than it currently is. Either way, traders reacted nervously, and Google (GOOG) slipped three points from its historic high in after-hours trading.

Schmidt's current annual salary as chairman: $1.25 million. He also got a $100 million stock bonus when he transitioned out of the CEO role in 2011.

Twitter's Lolcats Language Tweak

technewsnetinfo@gmail.com (TechNewsNet.Com) — Fri, 8 Feb 2013 22:02:00 +0100

If there were any doubt that the internet displays a persistent bias towards cats and there really isn't - it can be finally laid to rest: lolcats will now find their native language supported on Twitter, albeit not particularly well. The "lolcatz" beta localization shows up in Settings, and you can see Twitter in lolspeak immediately at https://twitter.com/?lang=lolc. Though we'd hardly claim to be experts, there are almost certainly better substitutes for "followers" and "profile summary" than, well, "FOLLOWERS" and "PROFILE SUMMARY." You could be forgiven for barely noticing the change in places, especially since tweets and profile descriptions remain un-loled.

Twitter hasn't said how long this setting will last (or if we'll truly ever find the feline Rosetta Stone that will let it move out of beta), but it may well persist as long as Facebook's "Pirate" language setting, which remains an option despite the general obsolescence of Talk Like a Pirate Day.

Via-The Next Web

10 Best Video Editing Apps For iPhone And iPad

technewsnetinfo@gmail.com (TechNewsNet.Com) — Thu, 7 Feb 2013 15:08:00 +0100

Besides video shooting and playing, now you can edit and share video on iPhone directly under the help of iPhone video editing apps. With high quality video camera and creative video editing app for iPhone, creating a great video can all be done in the palm of your hand! Below are the six popular and best iPhone video editing apps available at iTunes store.

Magisto

A slick video editing app, which allows you to make basic tweaks to your videos, like trimming frames, camera stabilisation, adding filters and changing transitions. You can also add music and edit sound effects too. Available from iTunes for free.

Qik Video

Created by the guys behind Skype, Qik Video is primarily a video calling application with a few added editing features, which allow you to make simple tweaks to your work and then easily share the finished results. Available from iTunes for free.

iMovie

Its one of the most popular video editing apps according to the iTunes store, iMovie is a simple offering from Apple, so doesn't feel too clunky, and it lets you carry out some simple video editing and apply a range of different themes. I particularly like the fact it's so dependent on touch, allowing you to tap, drag and pinch your way around.

Available from iTunes for £2.99.

Cinefy

Cinefy is one of the newest apps on the list with a super intuitive interface, which allows you to mix together clips, add music and play around with 100 different effects. It's not one of the most comprehensive apps, but it's great for basic and simple editing.

Available from iTunes for free.

Animoto

Granted it's not a video editing application, but Animoto allows you to mix together your favourite photos in order to create your own mini slideshow. Available from iTunes for free.

Viddy

If you're looking for good quality video and lots of cropping, snipping and splicing

features then Viddy isn't for you. BUT for adding interesting filters and strange music you're onto a winner as Viddy is (according to its iTunes write-up) all about "beautifying" video content with its easy-to-use tools and super slick interface. Unfortunately you can only edit about 15 seconds of video at the moment, but you can go on to share it with the growing Viddy community, which COULD make it like Instagram for video, but let's not speak too soon.

Available from iTunes for Free.

VideoGrade

VideoGrade doesn't let you tweak every aspect of your movies, but you can modify a few key settings, like adding tint, B&W and vignette filters. Available from iTunes for £2.99.

Cinema FX for video

Cinema FX for Video is a fairly comprehensive video editing app when it comes to adding filters, but unfortunately doesn't let you tweak the actual structure of the video itself. There are a range of different effects including Vintage and Toycam which you can layer and tweak as well as a few different adjustable settings too, such as monochrome, brightness and saturation. Available from iTunes for £1.49.

Splice

Splice is a simple and intuitive video editing application which allows you to trim, crop and adjust the speed of your videos. You can also "splice" in different clips, as well as bring together pictures and audio files. It seems the app has had some bugs recently and although reviews seem generally positive, many users have reported crashes, which isn't great but is admittedly something I've experienced a lot when it comes to editing video. Available from iTunes for Free.

ReelDirector

ReelDirector allows budding movie makers - or complete beginners - to add music tracks, splice videos and add titles and transitions. There aren't any filters or effects, but it's a pretty useful app when it comes to quickly tweaking your video clips. Available from iTunes for £1.49.

bY EloDie

AdWords Evolves For Enhanced Multi-Device Campaigns

technewsnetinfo@gmail.com (TechNewsNet.Com) — Thu, 7 Feb 2013 11:09:00 +0100

Google just announced the launch of enhanced campaigns for AdWords, which it says will help advertisers better manage their campaigns in a multi-device world.

One key feature is bid adjustments to help advertisers manage bids across devices, locations, time of day, etc. from a single campaign. Google shares an example.

“A breakfast cafe wants to reach people nearby searching for ‘coffee’ or ‘breakfast’ on a smartphone,” says SVP of engineering, Sridhar Ramaswamy. “Using bid adjustments, with three simple entries, they can bid 25% higher for people searching a half-mile away, 20% lower for searches after 11am, and 50% higher for searches on smartphones. These bid adjustments can apply to all ads and all keywords in one single campaign.”

Enhanced campaigns will show ads across devices with the right ad text, sitelink, app or extension, without advertisers having to edit each campaign for every combination of devices, location and time of day.

“A national retailer with both physical locations and a website can show ads with click-to-call and location extensions for people searching on their smartphones, while showing an ad for their e-commerce website to people searching on a PC — all within a single campaign,” explains Ramaswamy.

The enhanced campaigns also come with advanced reports to measure new conversion types. For example, you can count calls and app downloads as conversions in your AdWords reports.
“You can count phone calls of 60 seconds or longer that result from a click-to-call ad as a conversion in your AdWords reports, and compare them to other conversions like leads, sales and downloads,” suggests Ramaswamy.

Enhanced campaigns will roll out to advertisers as an option over the coming weeks. All campaigns will be upgraded in mid-2013.

Google Chromebook Pixel Revealed In Leaked Video

technewsnetinfo@gmail.com (TechNewsNet.Com) — Thu, 7 Feb 2013 10:37:00 +0100

The Chromebooks of today aren’t exactly cutting edge. The budget notebook PCs are intended to bring the power of the Web to as many people as possible through affordable hardware. That all may be changing in the future if a leaked video is to believed.

Android Authority nabbed a fascinating teaser video that references a new Google project called the Chromebook Pixel. It features a 2560×1700 display. The only thing better would be the 15-inch MacBook Pro which sports a 2880×1800 retina display. Check out the leaked teaser video below:

The leaked video doesn’t tell us much about the Chromebook Pixel’s hardware, but we do know that it will sport a touchscreen. Adding to the legitimacy of the leak is that it originally came from François Beaufort, a developer who has leaked previous Google products on Google+.

Google hasn’t made any formal announcement in regards to the Chromebook Pixel yet, or even hinted that such a thing exists. The company only just recently partnered with HP for the Pavilion 14 Chromebook.

Still, the idea of a high-end Chromebook is exciting. The only thing holding the Chromebook back with power users, besides Chrome OS’s incompatibility with traditional applications, is that they’re usually underpowered devices. The Chromebook Pixel could go a long way in increasing adoption among power users, especially with that glorious screen.

Ubuntu Phones To Land In October

technewsnetinfo@gmail.com (TechNewsNet.Com) — Thu, 7 Feb 2013 09:34:00 +0100

While iOS and Android rule, and Windows Phone dukes it out with BlackBerry for third, a new player will enter the smartphone fray in Q3 this year.

Ubunto powered phones will be on store shelves in October, according to Canonical CEO Mark Shuttleworth in an interview with the Wall Street Journal. He also says that app developers will get access to the latest build by the end of February, so long as they have a Samsung Galaxy Nexus to install it to.

Developers are being lured by the promise that native apps written for Ubunto phones will also work on desktop computers, and vice versa. Hopefully this fills the Ubunto app store for richer offerings than we tend to find on mobile app marketplaces.

Mobile computers

This interoperability between mobile and desktop computing is key to Ubunto as a successful smartphone OS. Shuttleworth imagines devices that will cross the limitations of today's smartphones, creating devices that can be docked to larger displays and input peripherals and behave like a PC when necessary. This is much the same vision BlackBerry CEO Thorsten Heins has the BlackBerry platform.

A significant point of difference is essential for kickstarting a new mobile ecosystem at this time. Apple and Samsung are ruling the sales charts, leaving little for the other major players. To get Ubunto off the ground, Canonical will need a strong manufacturing partner, or three, which represents a significant risks for the OEMs struggling to make sales with Android.

In its favour, the telcos are still hungry to find a viable third ecosystem to support; one the carriers can exercise some control over in a way that is impossible with iOS. With Windows still slow out of the gate and the future of BlackBerry uncertain, perhaps Ubunto is the third we've all been waiting for.

Surface Pro Creators Hint At Future Plans

technewsnetinfo@gmail.com (TechNewsNet.Com) — Thu, 7 Feb 2013 09:01:00 +0100

Microsoft Surface Pro engineers recently hinted at plans for a detachable battery or keyboard dock unit, during an ’Ask Me Anything’ session on social media site Reddit.

Led by Microsoft general manager and “Surface creator” Panos Panay, the team discussed aspects of the Surface Pro’s design, construction, and development process, responding to questions from Reddit users.

Beyond fielding the expected questions about the battery life of the Surface Pro, which has been criticised in the first wave of reviews from US technology publications, the team also teased some information on future accessories and upgrades.

When asked about any plans for an external battery, or a thicker keyboard cover with integrated battery, a Surface engineer responded, “That would require extending the design of the accessory spine to include some way to transfer higher current between the peripheral and the main battery. Which we did…”

This not-so-subtle hint at an expanded range of accessories was joined by another comment asking about the Surface Pro’s extended accessory spine pins: “…we haven’t announced what they are for but they aren’t an accident!

“At launch, we talked about the ‘accessory spine’ and hinted at future peripherals that can click in and do more. Those connectors look like they can carry more current than the pogo pins, don’t they?”

These two comments point towards at least one, if not more, accessories designed to take advantage of the high-current pathways in the expanded accessory connector – almost certainly an expandable detachable battery pack, or a larger clip-on keyboard with an integrated battery slice.

It’s also possible, given the downward-facing direction of the accessory connector, that a larger clip-on keyboard may include an articulated hinge to give the Surface Pro the same flexible screen adjustment of a standard Ultrabook laptop.

A keyboard of that design would simultaneously alleviate concerns about the fixed 26-degree lean-back of the Surface Pro’s kickstand, and the device’s mediocre battery life.

The team also defended the $899 and $999 prices of the tablet, noting that its target market was the user that “wants a MacBook Air and an iPad, but doesn’t want the weight or hassle of both devices”.

Other comments show that the Surface Pro’s speakers are improved over the Surface RT’s, a fix for unstable Wi-Fi is imminent, and that the team’s main compromise for the system was in choosing an internal battery that fit in under the device’s 2-pound weight threshold.

As usual, questions about availability outside the U.S. were met with the standard, simple, if frustrating response – “coming soon”.

BlackBerry 10 Launch "Breaks Records"

technewsnetinfo@gmail.com (TechNewsNet.Com) — Thu, 7 Feb 2013 08:49:00 +0100

BlackBerry said this week that launch sales of its new BlackBerry 10-based handsets in Canada and the U.K. have beaten previous company records.

However, the company formerly known as Research In Motion has declined to release actual sales figures.

“In Canada, yesterday was the best day ever for the first day of a launch of a new BlackBerry smartphone. In fact, it was more than 50 percent better than any other launch day in our history in Canada,” the company said on Wednesday in a brief statement attributed to CEO Thorsten Heins.

“In the U.K., we have seen close to three times our best performance ever for the first week of sales for a BlackBerry smartphone.”

In not announcing precise sales figures, the company is taking a cue from competitors in the mobile electronics space.

Amazon has long resisted specifying Kindle sales on a unit basis, instead choosing murkier measurements like a percentage of the tablet market or “more than double” the previous year.

And when Microsoft recently launched its Windows Phone 8-series smartphones, the company proclaimed strong shipments of “over four times higher than they were last year,” but didn’t back up the claim with numbers.

BlackBerry’s Z10 smartphone went on sale in the U.K. on January 31, a day after the company unveiled the device. Sales in Canada began on February 5 and the phone is now beginning a roll-out to other countries as it passes network carrier testing.

A second phone, the Q10, features a keyboard and is due on sale in April.

The company is due to announce quarterly earnings on March 28, when it is expected to specify launch sales and quantify the consumer reaction to the BlackBerry 10 launch.

Apple Insists On Jailbreak Warnings

technewsnetinfo@gmail.com (TechNewsNet.Com) — Thu, 7 Feb 2013 08:39:00 +0100

iOS jailbreaks may come and go, but Apple continues to warn that hacking an iPhone and jailbreaking it, while not illegal, may void the device’s service warranty.

The latest jailbreak – the term for leveraging a vulnerability to gain root access to a locked-down device like the iPhone - went public on Monday, when a four-man team going by the moniker “Evad3rs” published one that worked on Apple’s latest mobile operating system, iOS 6.x.

Apple shipped iOS 6 last September, and updated it to 6.1 on January 29.

Record numbers of iOS owners have downloaded the jailbreak, which lets iPhone, iPad and iPod touch owners running 6.x install software from sources other than Apple’s App Store. A list of the jailbreak download sites are available on Evad3rs’ website.

Meanwhile, Apple reiterated its longstanding position on jailbreaking iOS in a support document revised Sunday.

“Wow, Apple *really* doesn’t like jailbreaking,” tweeted MuscleNerd, the nickname of Eric McDonald, one of the four who comprise Evad3rs, referring to the document.

A before-after comparison of the support documents showed only minor editing changes and some rearranged text, and nothing new of substance.

“Apple strongly cautions against installing any software that hacks the iOS,” the document stated. “It is also important to note that unauthorised modification of iOS is a violation of iOS end-user license agreement and because of this, Apple may deny service for an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch that has installed any unauthorised software.”

The company also warned that jailbreaking may “brick” the device, rendering it worthless. “Some unauthorised modifications have caused damage to the iOS that is not repairable,” Apple claimed. “This can result in the hacked iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch becoming permanently inoperable when a future Apple-supplied iOS update is installed.”

Apple has used the voids-warranty warning since September 2007, just months after the first iPhone went on sale and weeks after the first jailbreaks appeared. At that time, there was no App Store. Owners jailbroke their iPhones to swap the SIM card with one from another cellular service so the phone could make calls on different carriers.

With the iPhone then limited to the U.S., unlocking was the only way consumers outside the country could use the smartphone.

Then-CEO Steve Jobs even got involved in the jailbreaking rumble, telling reporters five years ago, “It’s a cat-and-mouse game. We try to stay ahead. People will try to break in, and it’s our job to stop them breaking in.”

A week later, Apple issued an update that neutered the most popular jailbreak and crippled some users’ iPhones.

Apple hasn’t contested jailbreaks for years, but some updates have the side effect of patching the vulnerabilities used by unlocking software, and forced hackers back to the drawing board.

Jailbreaking an iPhone to install unauthorised applications remains legal in the U.S., but the exemption to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) that allowed consumers to unlock an iPhone for use on another carrier expired last month. It is illegal to jailbreak a tablet like the iPad in the United States.

Teen Quits Facebook For $200

technewsnetinfo@gmail.com (TechNewsNet.Com) — Thu, 7 Feb 2013 08:20:00 +0100

Just how much money are you willing to be paid to stop using Facebook altogether? Well, Paul Baier’s daughter was offered $200 (to be paid out in stages) to quit Facebook, and surprisingly, she said “Okay” to that deal, and will receive $50 this coming April, with the remaining $150 on June 26th. Why June 26th? Well, that particular date would mean the end of the school year, which translates to an entire five months of life without Facebook.

Just before you wonder whether Paul is being too harsh on his daughter, it was actually her idea to quit Facebook. Paul said, “She turns it on, she’ll have 30 to 40 — 50 little alerts things popping up too. She’s frustrated she can’t find babysitting jobs and she said, ‘Dad, would you pay me to get off Facebook?’ I thought she was joking.”

I guess this is where the wheat is separate from the chaff, considering how she’s an honors student. I’m also quite sure that there are other honors students out there who can still maintain a balance between Facebook and life, but to each his or her own, eh?

Via : www1.whdh

Did Google really design a Chromebook with a Retina touchscreen?

technewsnetinfo@gmail.com (TechNewsNet.Com) — Thu, 7 Feb 2013 01:43:00 +0100

Could a super high-definition Google-designed Chromebook be coming soon to a table near you? According to Geek.com, a video that appeared almost as quickly as it disappeared shows what purports to be the Chromebook Pixel, a laptop running Chrome OS. The exciting kicker? It features a Retina-like, ultra high-definition touchscreen display that may have a resolution as high as 2560 x 1700 pixels.

This is just a rumor right now, though it could be a special edition Chromebook that will only be released to developers and tech press members, much like the original Chromebook made by Google, the CR-48, was a few years ago. In the video below, it looks a whole lot like a MacBook Pro with its aluminum casing and black, chicklet-style keyboard, which seems a little off.

The video was produced by a company called SlinkyMe that blames hackers for the video escaping the company’s servers and making its way to YouTube. For all we know, this could just be a mock-up commercial that isn’t finished and doesn’t have the final product in it. Or it could be a hoax by Anonymous to mess with the Chrome OS faithful. Whatever it is, the display looks like it has the potential to be amazing.

Twitter Shares Some Search Ranking Details

technewsnetinfo@gmail.com (TechNewsNet.Com) — Thu, 7 Feb 2013 01:05:00 +0100

Here’s what Twitter said about search in the announcement: “Search results now surface the most relevant mix of Tweets, photos, and accounts, all in one stream (similar to the stream in Discover). We’ve also added a new search button to Twitter for iPhone, letting you search from anywhere within the app. (This button was already available in the Android and iPad apps.) Look for the magnifying glass icon next to the button you use to compose a Tweet.”

In a separate blog post on the company’s engineering blog, Twitter talks a bit about how it ranks search results.

Youngin Shin of Twitter’s search quality team (Twitter has a search quality team) explains, “When a user searches, different types of content are searched separately, returning a sequence of candidate results for each content type with a type-specific score for each. For certain content types that are displayed as a single group or gallery unit, such as users or images, we assign the maximum score of results as the representative score of this content type. The result sequences for some content types may be trimmed or discarded entirely at this point.”

“Once results of different content types are prepared, each type-specific score is converted into a universally compatible score, called a ‘uniscore’,” adds Shin. “Uniscores of different modules are used as a means to blend content types as in a merge-sort, except for the penalization of content type transition. This is to avoid over-diversification of content types in the blended result.”

As Shin explains, all pieces of individual content are assigned type-specific scores called “raw” scores by their corresponding services. Raw scores are then converted into uniscores using type-specific log-linear score conversion functions. According to Shin, the chance of a converted score taking its value in [0, 1] is at least 95%.

Read the full post here. It’s an interesting look into the back end of Twitter Search.

Google Translate Adds Input Tools

technewsnetinfo@gmail.com (TechNewsNet.Com) — Thu, 7 Feb 2013 00:42:00 +0100

Google announced that it has integrated new input tools into Google Translate. When you choose an input language, you should see the input tools icon at the bottom of the text area. Click on this to turn on the input tool, or switch to another one in the drop-down menu.

The tools are also available in Gmail, Google Drive, Chrome, Android, and as software for Windows.

“We have always allowed you to choose among alternative input methods, but your choice was limited,”Google says in a blog post. “For example, only one of four popular input methods for Chinese was previously available. Our new input tools greatly expand the set of available input methods for many languages.”

“We believe that your choice of input tools is important, because the best way to input text with a keyboard varies from language to language, and even from person to person,” the company continues. “Every language has its own set of popular input methods, each familiar to its own subset of users. For example, the Portuguese keyboard has two common layouts, one popular in Brazil and another in Portugal. In addition, given the popularity of Latin-alphabet keyboards, a transliteration input tool is often the preferred input method for many languages, allowing users to convert Latin-alphabet input into the proper written script. (Chinese has over 80,000 characters. Try fitting them all on a keyboard.) With the right transliteration input tools turned on, you can simply type “privet” to input привет, “tieng chao” for tiếng chào, and “nihao” for 你好.

Google Translate supports 65 different languages.

Google and Yahoo Reveal Non-Exclusive Advertising Deal

technewsnetinfo@gmail.com (TechNewsNet.Com) — Thu, 7 Feb 2013 00:20:00 +0100

The world of online advertising is in a tizzy today.

First Google revamps its AdWords model with enhanced advertising campaigns, and now Yahoo has announced that it is teaming with Google.

The Cupertino, Calif.-based corporation confirmed on Wednesday afternoon that it has formed a new partnership with Google for "contextual advertising."

This basically translates to targeted advertising in which online ads displayed on Yahoo's digital properties better relate to what the user is looking at currently as well as past search and content patterns.

Specifically, those ads will derive from Google’s AdSense for Content and AdMob services.

Yahoo asserted that while this is a global deal, it's a "non-exclusive" agreement too. That means that the company, now spearheaded by CEO Marissa Mayer, could be inking similar deals in the future.

However, there was no mention of Yahoo's advertising relationship with Microsoft.

Yahoo didn't provide a ton of additional details, but here's a snippet with a little more of the nitty-gritty from today's blog post announcing the agreement:

By adding Google to our list of world-class contextual ads partners, we’ll be able to expand our network, which means we can serve users with ads that are even more meaningful.

For our users, there won’t be a noticeable difference in how or where ads appear. More options simply mean greater flexibility. We look forward to working with all of our contextual ads partners to ensure we’re delivering the right ad to the right user at the right time.

Android 4.1 Jelly Bean Runtime Coming To BlackBerry 10

technewsnetinfo@gmail.com (TechNewsNet.Com) — Tue, 5 Feb 2013 21:49:00 +0100

Thankfully, BlackBerry announced on Tuesday at the BlackBerry Jam Europe event in Amsterdam that the Android runtime environment will eventually be updated to Android 4.1: Jelly Bean.

Android runtime allows developers to re-package Android apps for use on BlackBerry, but it's currently stuck at Android 2.3.3: Gingerbread.

The newly renamed company reportedly announced that Jelly Bean is in the works for Android runtime at the developer-oriented event, later confirming the news with Engadget, though it provided no time frame for when Jelly Bean might arrive.

Jelly Bean apps on the Z10

BlackBerry Z10 owners will certainly benefit from an update Android runtime environment, as it ushers more up-to-date Android apps through a shortcut onto the BlackBerry 10 platform.

As of Monday, it seemed the BB Z10 could be released in the U.S. on March 27, though the BB10 flagship is already available elsewhere. And, from the looks of it, the phone is selling quite well.

Time for an update

Good on BlackBerry for bothering to upgrade Android runtime - no doubt the Canadian phone maker would rather see developers port their apps to run natively on BB10, but runtime provides an easy (if imperfect) alternative.

As it stands, Android runtime is like a version of Wine for Mac, which allows Windows apps to be packaged individually for use on Apple's OS without need for a Windows OS license, that's only compatible with Windows XP software.

It's true that some emulators, like those for retro video game systems, are meant to preserve old software, but when it comes to Android runtime we'd rather have it as current as possible.

Via CrackBerry

BlackBerry Z10 may launch on March 27th on T-Mobile

technewsnetinfo@gmail.com (TechNewsNet.Com) — Mon, 4 Feb 2013 23:39:00 +0100

BlackBerry (BBRY) failed to give specific details at its press event last week regarding the future availability of its new smartphones in the United States. The flagship BlackBerry Z10 smartphone launched in the United Kingdom last Friday, and is scheduled to be released in the coming weeks in Canada and the United Arab Emirates.

The company vaguely announced that the device will be available in the U.S. sometime in March. According to a leaked roadmap obtained by TmoNews, the BlackBerry Z10 may launch on T-Mobile on March 27th. As for pricing, Verizon (VZ) previously announced that the smartphone will be offered for $199 with a new two-year agreement. Interestingly enough, the document also suggests that T-Mobile will launch a Galaxy S III smartphone with LTE capabilities on March 27th or April 3rd. The purported roadmap follows below.

Via tmonews

Nokia begins Windows 7.8 roll-out

technewsnetinfo@gmail.com (TechNewsNet.Com) — Mon, 4 Feb 2013 22:02:00 +0100

Nokia last week began rolling out a Windows Phone 7.8 updated for its Lumia smartphones.

The mobile phone manufacturer is gradually releasing Windows Phone 7.8 for the Lumia 510, 610, 710, 800 and 900 over the course of February. Users will be getting notifications for the software update now, with unlocked phones likely to get it first while network operators must approve it first.

Nokia said, “You can transform your Nokia Lumia with a host of exciting new personalisation features, such as the ability to resize your tiles, new lock screen options, and more theme colours.”

Windows Phone 7.8 brings the new, more customisable Start Screen with resizable live tiles and the new lock screen. Nokia said its handset will also get Internet sharing, Bluetooth sharing and Camera Extras. New apps include Contact Share, Play To and Nokia City.

There’s no over the air (OTA) support for the update, so users will have to plug their Lumia device into a computer and use the Zune software to download and install Windows Phone 7.8.

“If you don’t receive the update notification within the next three weeks, please contact your operator for more information.” said Nokia.

Users are being encouraged to make sure notifications are switched on so they don’t miss the update. This can be done via settings, phone update and selecting ‘Notify me when new updates are found’.

Windows Phone 7.8 has been a long time coming after the launch of Windows Phone 8 a few months ago.