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Man who sued Facebook's Zuckerberg must face fraud charges: judge By Joseph Ax NEW YORK (Reuters) - A New York businessman must face criminal fraud charges for trying to claim a billion-dollar stake in social media company Facebook Inc, a federal judge ruled on Friday. Paul Ceglia, 40, is accused of forging a 2003 contract with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg that supposedly entitled him to part ownership of the company. After an hour-long hearing in New York, U.S. District Judge Andrew Carter rejected Ceglia's request to throw out the charges, finding he had failed to meet the "high standard" needed to dismiss a grand jury indictment. Ceglia sued Zuckerberg and Facebook in 2010 in a federal court in Buffalo, New York, claiming that he and Zuckerberg had signed a contract while Zuckerberg was a freshman at Harvard University for Ceglia to invest $1,000 in a planned social networking website. Fri, 07 Mar 2014 15:11:19 -0500
Mexico telecoms regulator reins in Slim and his empire By Tomas Sarmiento and Christine Murray MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico's telecommunications watchdog unveiled a slew of regulations on Friday to claw back the massive telephone business of billionaire Carlos Slim, but said it would not order a break-up of his companies for now. Mexico is trying to open up its phone and TV industries to more competition following last year's passage of a major telecoms reform that targets the vast market shares enjoyed by Slim and the country's no. 1 broadcaster, Televisa. Slim's America Movil controls about 80 percent of Mexico's fixed-line business via its Telmex unit and some 70 percent of the mobile sector through its Telcel unit. As was expected, the Federal Telecommunications Institute (IFT) declared America Movil "dominant", and therefore needs to be subject to tougher regulation. Sat, 08 Mar 2014 01:00:29 -0500
UK court ruling may prompt more scrutiny of Amazon tax plans By Tom Bergin LONDON (Reuters) - Amazon's tax affairs could come under more scrutiny in Britain, tax experts said, after a judge questioned whether it really was organized in the tax efficient way it said it was. The ruling comes as big technology groups, including Amazon, face increasing scrutiny in Britain over their tax practices. A UK judge ruled earlier this month that Amazon had infringed the trademark of soap maker Lush by posting advertisements on Google mentioning "Lush soap" and by offering customers who searched for "Lush soap" on its own website a list of options. Since Lush products were not available on Amazon's UK website - on the manufacturer's insistence - the judge ruled customers could be confused. Fri, 07 Mar 2014 13:34:00 -0500
Elite security posse fostered founders of WhatsApp, Napster By Joseph Menn SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A few days after selling WhatsApp to Facebook for $19 billion, Jan Koum stepped into a suite at the St. Regis Hotel in San Francisco to celebrate with old friends, including CEOs, reformed hackers and a few people who fell into both those camps. Conducted over snacks and beer, the late-night festivity was a spontaneous reunion of a security super-group that had come to Koum's aid in 2000 as he grappled with a denial-of-service attack that knocked Yahoo offline when Koum was responsible for security there. The two most famous exceptions are WhatsApp, the messaging service that Koum co-founded, and Napster, the pioneering file-sharing company that was shut down by the music industry in 2001. Napster Co-founder Shawn Fanning was one of several members still in high school. Fri, 07 Mar 2014 17:21:29 -0500
China's Tencent may take 16 percent stake in JD.com: media China's largest Internet company Tencent Holdings Ltd may soon announce a deal to take about a 16 percent stake in online retailer JD.com and merge their online shopping platforms, local media reported on Saturday. JD.com, China's second-largest e-commerce company, has a nearly 13 percent market share. Any deal between two of China's largest online companies would help narrow the huge gap between e-retailers and Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, which dominates China's booming online commerce market. Under the deal, both companies will combine their e-commerce business, with Tencent transferring its less popular e-commerce sites, including yixun.com, to JD.com, China's major business paper Caixin reported, citing unidentified company sources. Sat, 08 Mar 2014 05:59:25 -0500
Suspected Russian spyware Turla targets Europe, United States By Peter Apps and Jim Finkle LONDON/BOSTON (Reuters) - A sophisticated piece of spyware has been quietly infecting hundreds of government computers across Europe and the United States in one of the most complex cyber espionage programs uncovered to date. Several security researchers and Western intelligence officers say they believe the malware, widely known as Turla, is the work of the Russian government and linked to the same software used to launch a massive breach on the U.S. military uncovered in 2008. Fri, 07 Mar 2014 14:45:21 -0500
Colorado aims to put the brakes on drugged driving with goofy new ads Legalized recreational marijuana raises a host of questions, including a major issue: how do police stop so-called drugged driving? To that end, Colorado this week unveiled a $1 million ad campaign to drive the point home that weed and automobiles don't mix. The Colorado Department of Transportation, which produced the ads with federal funding from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, is hoping to dispel notions that weed somehow enhances one's driving ability. According to the Associated Press, Colorado State Patrol has caught 61 "drugged drivers" since the beginning of the year, and 31 of those cases were tied to marijuana. Sat, 08 Mar 2014 18:41:04 -0500
Tumblr goes retro by letting you post with a phone call Forget trying to be retro-cool by replacing your digital music with vinyl -- that's so 2013. Tumblr believes that this year's trendsetters will use its throwback dial-a-post service instead. You can now make an audio post on the social network by calling a toll-free number; all you have to do beforehand is link your phone's digits to your account. Sat, 08 Mar 2014 18:24:00 -0500
Robotic arm turns man into a cyborg drummer When Jason Barnes was electrocuted two years ago, he lost the lower half of his right arm, seemingly ending his dreams of being a drummer — but thanks to a new prosthetic he's able to finally achieve that goal. Barnes initially built his own makeshift device so that he could still drum, but eventually partnered with Georgia Institute of Technology professor Gil Weinberg to build a robotic version. "The drummer essentially becomes a cyborg." The device utilizes a process called electromyography, where it's able to follow Barnes' direction through electrical signals produced by his upper arm muscles. Sat, 08 Mar 2014 17:34:01 -0500
WikiLeaks' Assange talks NSA, hints at more leaks AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Speaking over Skype from the Ecuadorian embassy in London, fugitive WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange said his living situation is a bit like prison — with a more lenient visitor policy. Sat, 08 Mar 2014 16:45:16 -0500
The Classics: 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' text adventure Each version of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy has its own unique charm. The five novels let you revel in Douglas Adams' gloriously strange writing, while the radio show lets you hear what a Vogon actually sounds like. But none of them will put you through the roller coaster of emotions that the text-adventure game does. First released in 1984, five years after the debut novel, the game was developed by Infocom, a pioneering force behind the text-adventure genre thanks primarily to its Zork games. Sat, 08 Mar 2014 16:23:01 -0500
IBM puts Watson in charge of its SXSW food truck, we taste-test (video) We know Watson has some Jeopardy skills, but putting IBM's supercomputer in the kitchen? That's a little different. Here at SXSW, the company's set up a "Cognitive Cooking" food truck in partnership with the Institute for Culinary Education (ICE). Using Watson's recipe system, which combines three elements (ingredient, cuisine and type of dish) to create unconventional new fare, chefs here in Austin are churning out delicacies such as ceviche fish and chips and Vietnamese apple kebabs. Sat, 08 Mar 2014 16:22:00 -0500
Rovio teases medieval-themed 'Angry Birds' game Fresh off the announcement of the upcoming Angry Birds Stella, developer Rovio has revealed that yet another new game in the series is in the works. No name was revealed, but a brief teaser describes it as "the next epic Angry Birds game." The video doesn't even hint as to what type of game it will be, instead slowly panning around a suit of armor — which of course features an angry bird inside. The most recent entry in the series was Angry Birds Go, a disappointing kart racer that debuted on mobile devices back in December. Sat, 08 Mar 2014 15:17:02 -0500
President Obama will introduce the series premiere of 'Cosmos' on Sunday night The reboot of Carl Sagan's classic show Cosmos is coming tomorrow night in a huge international launch, and Fox has announced that the series will kick off with a message from President Obama. The new Cosmos, headlined by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, is a blend of CGI fiction and science that explores the universe and humanity's role in it. Fox says that Obama's opening video message "invites a new generation to embrace the spirit of discovery and inspires viewers to explore new frontiers and imagine limitless possibilities for the future." While the president's 2015 science budget proposal is largely flat on research funding, Obama has backed several forward-looking science and technology projects since 2008, including a decade-long research effort to map the human brain, a NASA mission to capture an asteroid, and policies intended to renew human space exploration. Sat, 08 Mar 2014 15:02:28 -0500
AT&T cuts wireless data charges for individual customers (Reuters) - AT&T Inc said on Saturday it is cutting wireless data charges for individual customers who have no annual service contract, as the No. 2 U.S. mobile operator attempts to better compete with rival T-Mobile US Inc. Customers having one smartphone with no annual service contract will now pay $65 per month instead of $80 for a plan that includes 2GB LTE wireless data, unlimited talk and text messaging, unlimited international messaging and 50 GB cloud storage. The latest plan follows price cuts AT&T announced last month for families and customers who share large data plans, as well as its offer of a $200 credit to customers who switch to its network. AT&T has been fiercely competing with smaller rival T-Mobile U.S. after T-Mobile spent several quarters directly marketing to AT&T customers. Sat, 08 Mar 2014 14:16:45 -0500
AT&T reduces 2GB Mobile Share Value plans by $15 per month Following up on the news that its UnCarrier rival will soon raise the cost of its unlimited data plan, AT&T is making some pricing changes of its own -- in the completely opposite direction. The base rate for the company's 2GB Mobile Share Value plan is currently $55 (that's the base price, excluding per-smartphone costs), but it just announced that beginning tomorrow customers will be able to grab the same plan for $40 per month instead. Sat, 08 Mar 2014 14:14:00 -0500
AT&T cuts its 2GB Mobile Share Value plan by $15 to stay competitive If you have a 2GB data plan with AT&T, you're about to save some money on your wireless bill. Starting tomorrow, March 9th, the company is dropping the price of its 2GB Mobile Share Value plan by $15, from $55 to $40 per month. If you already have a 2GB plan on AT&T, you might save $30 per month A $15-per-month discount on AT&T's popular 2GB plan is good news, but even better is the carrier's offer to its current customers. Sat, 08 Mar 2014 14:00:02 -0500
The CUPID Taser Drone A studio in Austin has outfitted its hexacopter with an 80,000 volt stun gun. Is this the security guard of the future? Sat, 08 Mar 2014 13:47:15 -0500
The CUPID drone strikes with 80,000 volts to the chest The drone is called cupid CUPID, a Tarot hexacopter equipped with an 80,000-volt stun gun. It's designed by Chaotic Moon's William "Whurley" Hurley, and the guts of the device are remarkably complicated. In the end, the team surrounded all the electronic elements in a Faraday Cage, a conductive enclosure that blocks electrical fields. Whurley has a whole plan about how CUPID might actually function in the world. Sat, 08 Mar 2014 13:45:01 -0500
Mario Kart IRL At SXSW 2014, a go-kart track was retrofitted to become "Mario Kart Reimagined," a racing experience that tries to translate the classic video game into reality. But turning the joyful abandon of plunging down the Rainbow Road into a real-world experience is harder than it seems. Sat, 08 Mar 2014 13:38:17 -0500
Google Ventures Either Pulled or Was Bought Out of Man's Women's Site Bustle, which is either a revolutionary new idea to write stuff on the internet that women will read or the ultimate in mansplaining, is out a $100,000 investment from Google Ventures. TechCrunch's Alexia Tsotsis opened fire last night with the joyful declaration that Google Ventures had pulled its investment out of Bustle because: I’ve heard that reports of Goldberg’s misogynist comments and his glossing over of San Francisco’s socio-economic issues in a PandoDaily guest post were the straws that broke Bustle’s Google backing. Tsotsis added that it was "some sort of karmic reparation," though not all that much of one, considering that Bryan Goldberg, founder of Bleacher Report, raised $6.5 million to start the site despite seemingly knowing very little about women or bustles. Sat, 08 Mar 2014 13:18:44 -0500
'Mario Kart' in real life is real weird On a spare, concrete track circled by billboards and ads in Austin, Texas, Mario slammed his go-kart into mine (or maybe I slammed mine into his — the exact details are in contention) and my kart sputtered and slowed. Mario — actually fellow Verge editor David Pierce — sped ahead. This is "Mario Karting Reimagined," a real-life go-kart track set up by Pennzoil and Nintendo to promote motor oil and video games at the increasingly corporatized SXSW. It seems like an obvious and compelling idea: imagine if you could actually drive around in a go-kart and experience the sort of wild, joyful, destructive abandon that characterizes Mario Kart. Sat, 08 Mar 2014 13:15:01 -0500
WikiLeaks head doesn't believe Obama is serious about NSA reform Julian Assange doesn't think you should hold your breath for Barack Obama to deliver meaningful NSA reform. The WikiLeaks founder said during a talk at SXSW Interactive that he believes the president is beholden to the American spy agencies and not the public. According to the self-anointed guardian of the world's conscience Obama has proven that he does not take concerns about the NSA's over reaching seriously by failing to fire or prosecute people at the agency. Sat, 08 Mar 2014 13:15:00 -0500
Julian Assange at SXSW: 'national security reporters are a new kind of refugee' Speaking via Skype before an audience of thousands at South by Southwest, Julian Assange made the case for a new golden age of national security reporting, conducted largely by Americans in exile. "National security reporters are a new kind of refugee," Assange said, then ran down a list of American reporters and activists who have left US borders in order to continue their work, including Glenn Greenwald, Laura Poitras, Wikileaks' Sarah Harrison, and Tor researcher Jacob Appelbaum. "I see this as quite a positive phenomenon," Assange told the audience, "that where people would have been completely crushed and not able to work anymore, they are able to use these basic tenets of classic liberalism like freedom of movement... to keep working." Assange also commented on First Look Media, Glenn Greenwald's new venture funded by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar, saying Omidyar has realized that "even those with $8 billion are not free anymore." Sat, 08 Mar 2014 12:50:22 -0500
Samsung's thing for (faux) leather continues with the ATIV Book 9 Style Samsung's clearly been listening to Venus in Furs a lot recently, which explains why it's gone a bit crazy on the faux-leather all of a sudden. After covering both the Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy Tab Pro and Chromebook 2 in the stuff, the company has now sought to do the same to a member of its Windows notebook family. Having taken the recently refreshed ATIV Book 9 that we found at CES, this new model gains the fetish-friendly backing and, erm, not much else. Sat, 08 Mar 2014 12:45:00 -0500
We kick off SXSW 2014 with some real-life Mario Karting (video) The first few days of SXSW have brought quite a bit of excitement for our team on the ground. After starting the show with a stun-copter demo, we stopped by the Palmer Events Center to play a little a live-action Mario Kart. Pennzoil has set up a go-kart track here in Austin to promote its new Platinum line of natural gas-based motor oils, though -- let's face it -- we were really only here to be Mario (and Luigi, Bowser and Princess Peach) for a day. Sat, 08 Mar 2014 12:00:00 -0500
Watch Julian Assange at SXSW 2014 now In addition to a live discussion with Edward Snowden on Monday, The Texas Tribune is today streaming a conversation between WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange — joining via Skype — and The Barbarian Group's Benjamin Palmer at 11AM CT. Watch the full discussion live below: .social-col:before { content: "";background: url("http://cdn2.sbnation.com/assets/4025755/storybadge_001.png");display: block;position: relative;z-index: 999;width: 95px;height: 145px;left: -49px;} Sat, 08 Mar 2014 11:55:54 -0500
Leaked HTC One cover turns your smartphone into a Lite Brite The official announcement of the next HTC One should happen soon, and it looks like the upcoming flagship phone will support at least one intriguing new accessory. Twitter account @evleaks has posted what appears to be a press image of the new One, with a sleek cover that can display information like the time and weather using colorful lights. With its plentiful holes, the case looks sort of like a modern take on a Lite Brite, and features much of the same utility as Yota's E Ink-enabled smartphone, letting you check important information without waking up your device. The next-generation HTC One is expected to be revealed on March 25th. Sat, 08 Mar 2014 11:32:03 -0500
Microsoft may bring targeted political ads to Xbox Live Your Xbox Live dashboard may soon feature targeted political ads. According to the Washington Post, Microsoft has been courting politicians to start using its service to advertise their campaigns, going so far as to hand out promotional information at this week's Conservative Political Action Conference in San Diego. In 2012 Microsoft rolled out an election hub for the Xbox 360, which featured live coverage and news, but this would be something different — ads that use both public information and data culled from your Xbox Live account to deliver targeted ads for specific demographics. According to the Post, Microsoft is being "particularly aggressive" about the service's ability to target specific groups, including women and minorities. Sat, 08 Mar 2014 11:07:01 -0500
Feedback Loop: Old gadgets, Android tablets, photo management and more! Welcome to Feedback Loop, a weekly roundup of the most interesting discussions happening within the Engadget community. There's so much technology to talk about and so little time to enjoy it, but you have a lot of great ideas and opinions that need to be shared! Join us every Saturday as we highlight some of the most interesting discussions that happened during the past week. Sat, 08 Mar 2014 10:30:00 -0500
The Weekender: thawing threats, sizing up startups, and capturing a notorious criminal We spent some time with him at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona to see how Google sizes up the show to pick out what it should be putting its money in next. Sat, 08 Mar 2014 10:00:02 -0500
London will test smart crossing system to keep pedestrians safe Sure, pedestrian detection tech for cars is already in the works, but the city of London wants to keep people even safer by equipping its crossings with a bunch of sensors and devices. London Mayor Boris Johnson just announced ... Sat, 08 Mar 2014 08:44:00 -0500
Controversy marks Newsweek's comeback NEW YORK (AP) — A mystery man. A splashy reveal. A media frenzy. Newsweek staked its return from the dead on a story it knew would get attention. A cover story claiming it had uncovered "the face behind bitcoin," the world's most popular digital currency. Sat, 08 Mar 2014 08:35:45 -0500
Aereo's internet TV service in Denver and Salt Lake City shuts down today Aereo's streams in Denver and Salt Lake City hung on for a while after the US District Court of Utah granted its opponents a preliminary injunction on February 20th, but today they're shutting off. Yesterday a panel of federal court judges denied Aereo's request to stay the injunction while it appeals, claiming "Aereo has not made a strong showing that it is likely to succeed on the merits of its appeal. Sat, 08 Mar 2014 04:59:00 -0500
Sony's Oculus Rift competitor could be coming this month Sony is widely rumored to be working on a virtual reality headset to compete with the Oculus Rift, and the truth could be revealed quite soon. Sony has just revealed it will host a new session at the 2014 Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, titled "Driving the Future of Innovation at Sony Computer Entertainment." Unlike most presentations at the conference, this particular session has an extremely short description that doesn't reveal what to expect, saying only that Sony will host a presentation on "innovation at PlayStation" and "the future of gaming." PlayStation R&D director Richard Marks and his colleague Anton Mikhailov will be present. As part of Sony's Magic Lab, they've experimented on a number of other ideas, including eye-tracking technology for the PS4. Sat, 08 Mar 2014 04:33:01 -0500
Cartoon Network is working on an app with 15-second shows Smartphones have fostered short attention spans for years, and now Cartoon Network plans to take advantage of that with a new app designed to deliver entertainment in extremely short bursts. Later this year, the company will release Cartoon Network Anything, an app with 15-second videos, games, and other tiny chunks of entertainment, reports The New York Times. The free app won't be tied to any cable service provider, says Cartoon Network Digital's vice president Chris Waldron, who added that the company views it as a proving ground for new content that might be deserving of a longer-form production. Cartoon Network is no stranger to mobile software. Sat, 08 Mar 2014 01:19:02 -0500
Video: Check out this credit card-sized battery for iPhone, Android The LithiumCard isn’t the only credit card-sized battery for mobile devices seeking crowd-funding, as there’s also a TravelCard project that offers iPhone and Android smartphones exactly the same perk: a credit card-like device that packs enough energy to bring life to a dying smartphone. According to the Go Design company the TravelCard’s 1300mAh battery can offer an additional 5 hours of talk time, 4.5 hours of internet usage or 98 hours of standby time on top of what the phone’s battery has to offer. The device is just 4.77mm thick and weighs 56.7g, fitting into most wallets or pockets, and comes with either a Lightning or microUSB charging cord. The TravelCard will be made in lightweight aircraft grade aluminum and Sat, 08 Mar 2014 00:30:12 -0500
Now is the perfect time for college students to buy a Moto X Motorola on Friday announced new customization options for its Moto X flagship handset, including the College Collection that will offer students the option of purchasing a handset that comes in their beloved school colors. “Starting today you can visit our College Collection design gallery and select from pre-configured school color combinations and clear cases with school logos and team names for up to 40 schools and counting,” Motorola wrote. In addition to the preset designs the company also added nine new back colors and three new accents to the Moto Maker palette, so users can create the “ultimate fan phone.” A College Collection Moto X option will cost the same $399 “everyday price,” or $49 with a new two-year contract, although college students Fri, 07 Mar 2014 23:15:56 -0500

Man who sued Facebook's Zuckerberg must face fraud charges: judge

By Joseph Ax NEW YORK (Reuters) - A New York businessman must face criminal fraud charges for trying to claim a billion-dollar stake in social media company Facebook Inc, a federal judge ruled on Friday. Paul Ceglia, 40, is accused of forging a 2003 contract with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg that supposedly entitled him to part ownership of the company. After an hour-long hearing in New York, U.S. District Judge Andrew Carter rejected Ceglia's request to throw out the charges, finding he had failed to meet the "high standard" needed to dismiss a grand jury indictment. Ceglia sued Zuckerberg and Facebook in 2010 in a federal court in Buffalo, New York, claiming that he and Zuckerberg had signed a contract while Zuckerberg was a freshman at Harvard University for Ceglia to invest $1,000 in a planned social networking website.

Fri, 07 Mar 2014 15:11:19 -0500

Mexico telecoms regulator reins in Slim and his empire

By Tomas Sarmiento and Christine Murray MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico's telecommunications watchdog unveiled a slew of regulations on Friday to claw back the massive telephone business of billionaire Carlos Slim, but said it would not order a break-up of his companies for now. Mexico is trying to open up its phone and TV industries to more competition following last year's passage of a major telecoms reform that targets the vast market shares enjoyed by Slim and the country's no. 1 broadcaster, Televisa. Slim's America Movil controls about 80 percent of Mexico's fixed-line business via its Telmex unit and some 70 percent of the mobile sector through its Telcel unit. As was expected, the Federal Telecommunications Institute (IFT) declared America Movil "dominant", and therefore needs to be subject to tougher regulation.

Sat, 08 Mar 2014 01:00:29 -0500

UK court ruling may prompt more scrutiny of Amazon tax plans

By Tom Bergin LONDON (Reuters) - Amazon's tax affairs could come under more scrutiny in Britain, tax experts said, after a judge questioned whether it really was organized in the tax efficient way it said it was. The ruling comes as big technology groups, including Amazon, face increasing scrutiny in Britain over their tax practices. A UK judge ruled earlier this month that Amazon had infringed the trademark of soap maker Lush by posting advertisements on Google mentioning "Lush soap" and by offering customers who searched for "Lush soap" on its own website a list of options. Since Lush products were not available on Amazon's UK website - on the manufacturer's insistence - the judge ruled customers could be confused.

Fri, 07 Mar 2014 13:34:00 -0500

Elite security posse fostered founders of WhatsApp, Napster

By Joseph Menn SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A few days after selling WhatsApp to Facebook for $19 billion, Jan Koum stepped into a suite at the St. Regis Hotel in San Francisco to celebrate with old friends, including CEOs, reformed hackers and a few people who fell into both those camps. Conducted over snacks and beer, the late-night festivity was a spontaneous reunion of a security super-group that had come to Koum's aid in 2000 as he grappled with a denial-of-service attack that knocked Yahoo offline when Koum was responsible for security there. The two most famous exceptions are WhatsApp, the messaging service that Koum co-founded, and Napster, the pioneering file-sharing company that was shut down by the music industry in 2001. Napster Co-founder Shawn Fanning was one of several members still in high school.

Fri, 07 Mar 2014 17:21:29 -0500

China's Tencent may take 16 percent stake in JD.com: media

China's largest Internet company Tencent Holdings Ltd may soon announce a deal to take about a 16 percent stake in online retailer JD.com and merge their online shopping platforms, local media reported on Saturday. JD.com, China's second-largest e-commerce company, has a nearly 13 percent market share. Any deal between two of China's largest online companies would help narrow the huge gap between e-retailers and Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, which dominates China's booming online commerce market. Under the deal, both companies will combine their e-commerce business, with Tencent transferring its less popular e-commerce sites, including yixun.com, to JD.com, China's major business paper Caixin reported, citing unidentified company sources.

Sat, 08 Mar 2014 05:59:25 -0500

Suspected Russian spyware Turla targets Europe, United States

By Peter Apps and Jim Finkle LONDON/BOSTON (Reuters) - A sophisticated piece of spyware has been quietly infecting hundreds of government computers across Europe and the United States in one of the most complex cyber espionage programs uncovered to date. Several security researchers and Western intelligence officers say they believe the malware, widely known as Turla, is the work of the Russian government and linked to the same software used to launch a massive breach on the U.S. military uncovered in 2008.

Fri, 07 Mar 2014 14:45:21 -0500

Colorado aims to put the brakes on drugged driving with goofy new ads

Legalized recreational marijuana raises a host of questions, including a major issue: how do police stop so-called drugged driving? To that end, Colorado this week unveiled a $1 million ad campaign to drive the point home that weed and automobiles don't mix. The Colorado Department of Transportation, which produced the ads with federal funding from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, is hoping to dispel notions that weed somehow enhances one's driving ability. According to the Associated Press, Colorado State Patrol has caught 61 "drugged drivers" since the beginning of the year, and 31 of those cases were tied to marijuana.

Sat, 08 Mar 2014 18:41:04 -0500

Tumblr goes retro by letting you post with a phone call

Forget trying to be retro-cool by replacing your digital music with vinyl -- that's so 2013. Tumblr believes that this year's trendsetters will use its throwback dial-a-post service instead. You can now make an audio post on the social network by calling a toll-free number; all you have to do beforehand is link your phone's digits to your account.

Sat, 08 Mar 2014 18:24:00 -0500

Robotic arm turns man into a cyborg drummer

When Jason Barnes was electrocuted two years ago, he lost the lower half of his right arm, seemingly ending his dreams of being a drummer — but thanks to a new prosthetic he's able to finally achieve that goal. Barnes initially built his own makeshift device so that he could still drum, but eventually partnered with Georgia Institute of Technology professor Gil Weinberg to build a robotic version. "The drummer essentially becomes a cyborg." The device utilizes a process called electromyography, where it's able to follow Barnes' direction through electrical signals produced by his upper arm muscles.

Sat, 08 Mar 2014 17:34:01 -0500

WikiLeaks' Assange talks NSA, hints at more leaks

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Speaking over Skype from the Ecuadorian embassy in London, fugitive WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange said his living situation is a bit like prison — with a more lenient visitor policy.

Sat, 08 Mar 2014 16:45:16 -0500

The Classics: 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' text adventure

Each version of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy has its own unique charm. The five novels let you revel in Douglas Adams' gloriously strange writing, while the radio show lets you hear what a Vogon actually sounds like. But none of them will put you through the roller coaster of emotions that the text-adventure game does. First released in 1984, five years after the debut novel, the game was developed by Infocom, a pioneering force behind the text-adventure genre thanks primarily to its Zork games.

Sat, 08 Mar 2014 16:23:01 -0500

IBM puts Watson in charge of its SXSW food truck, we taste-test (video)

We know Watson has some Jeopardy skills, but putting IBM's supercomputer in the kitchen? That's a little different. Here at SXSW, the company's set up a "Cognitive Cooking" food truck in partnership with the Institute for Culinary Education (ICE). Using Watson's recipe system, which combines three elements (ingredient, cuisine and type of dish) to create unconventional new fare, chefs here in Austin are churning out delicacies such as ceviche fish and chips and Vietnamese apple kebabs.

Sat, 08 Mar 2014 16:22:00 -0500

Rovio teases medieval-themed 'Angry Birds' game

Fresh off the announcement of the upcoming Angry Birds Stella, developer Rovio has revealed that yet another new game in the series is in the works. No name was revealed, but a brief teaser describes it as "the next epic Angry Birds game." The video doesn't even hint as to what type of game it will be, instead slowly panning around a suit of armor — which of course features an angry bird inside. The most recent entry in the series was Angry Birds Go, a disappointing kart racer that debuted on mobile devices back in December.

Sat, 08 Mar 2014 15:17:02 -0500

President Obama will introduce the series premiere of 'Cosmos' on Sunday night

The reboot of Carl Sagan's classic show Cosmos is coming tomorrow night in a huge international launch, and Fox has announced that the series will kick off with a message from President Obama. The new Cosmos, headlined by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, is a blend of CGI fiction and science that explores the universe and humanity's role in it. Fox says that Obama's opening video message "invites a new generation to embrace the spirit of discovery and inspires viewers to explore new frontiers and imagine limitless possibilities for the future." While the president's 2015 science budget proposal is largely flat on research funding, Obama has backed several forward-looking science and technology projects since 2008, including a decade-long research effort to map the human brain, a NASA mission to capture an asteroid, and policies intended to renew human space exploration.

Sat, 08 Mar 2014 15:02:28 -0500

AT&T cuts wireless data charges for individual customers

(Reuters) - AT&T Inc said on Saturday it is cutting wireless data charges for individual customers who have no annual service contract, as the No. 2 U.S. mobile operator attempts to better compete with rival T-Mobile US Inc. Customers having one smartphone with no annual service contract will now pay $65 per month instead of $80 for a plan that includes 2GB LTE wireless data, unlimited talk and text messaging, unlimited international messaging and 50 GB cloud storage. The latest plan follows price cuts AT&T announced last month for families and customers who share large data plans, as well as its offer of a $200 credit to customers who switch to its network. AT&T has been fiercely competing with smaller rival T-Mobile U.S. after T-Mobile spent several quarters directly marketing to AT&T customers.

Sat, 08 Mar 2014 14:16:45 -0500

AT&T reduces 2GB Mobile Share Value plans by $15 per month

Following up on the news that its UnCarrier rival will soon raise the cost of its unlimited data plan, AT&T is making some pricing changes of its own -- in the completely opposite direction. The base rate for the company's 2GB Mobile Share Value plan is currently $55 (that's the base price, excluding per-smartphone costs), but it just announced that beginning tomorrow customers will be able to grab the same plan for $40 per month instead.

Sat, 08 Mar 2014 14:14:00 -0500

AT&T cuts its 2GB Mobile Share Value plan by $15 to stay competitive

If you have a 2GB data plan with AT&T, you're about to save some money on your wireless bill. Starting tomorrow, March 9th, the company is dropping the price of its 2GB Mobile Share Value plan by $15, from $55 to $40 per month. If you already have a 2GB plan on AT&T, you might save $30 per month A $15-per-month discount on AT&T's popular 2GB plan is good news, but even better is the carrier's offer to its current customers.

Sat, 08 Mar 2014 14:00:02 -0500

The CUPID Taser Drone

A studio in Austin has outfitted its hexacopter with an 80,000 volt stun gun. Is this the security guard of the future?

Sat, 08 Mar 2014 13:47:15 -0500

The CUPID drone strikes with 80,000 volts to the chest

The drone is called cupid CUPID, a Tarot hexacopter equipped with an 80,000-volt stun gun. It's designed by Chaotic Moon's William "Whurley" Hurley, and the guts of the device are remarkably complicated. In the end, the team surrounded all the electronic elements in a Faraday Cage, a conductive enclosure that blocks electrical fields. Whurley has a whole plan about how CUPID might actually function in the world.

Sat, 08 Mar 2014 13:45:01 -0500

Mario Kart IRL

At SXSW 2014, a go-kart track was retrofitted to become "Mario Kart Reimagined," a racing experience that tries to translate the classic video game into reality. But turning the joyful abandon of plunging down the Rainbow Road into a real-world experience is harder than it seems.

Sat, 08 Mar 2014 13:38:17 -0500

Google Ventures Either Pulled or Was Bought Out of Man's Women's Site

Bustle, which is either a revolutionary new idea to write stuff on the internet that women will read or the ultimate in mansplaining, is out a $100,000 investment from Google Ventures. TechCrunch's Alexia Tsotsis opened fire last night with the joyful declaration that Google Ventures had pulled its investment out of Bustle because: I’ve heard that reports of Goldberg’s misogynist comments and his glossing over of San Francisco’s socio-economic issues in a PandoDaily guest post were the straws that broke Bustle’s Google backing. Tsotsis added that it was "some sort of karmic reparation," though not all that much of one, considering that Bryan Goldberg, founder of Bleacher Report, raised $6.5 million to start the site despite seemingly knowing very little about women or bustles.

Sat, 08 Mar 2014 13:18:44 -0500

'Mario Kart' in real life is real weird

On a spare, concrete track circled by billboards and ads in Austin, Texas, Mario slammed his go-kart into mine (or maybe I slammed mine into his — the exact details are in contention) and my kart sputtered and slowed. Mario — actually fellow Verge editor David Pierce — sped ahead. This is "Mario Karting Reimagined," a real-life go-kart track set up by Pennzoil and Nintendo to promote motor oil and video games at the increasingly corporatized SXSW. It seems like an obvious and compelling idea: imagine if you could actually drive around in a go-kart and experience the sort of wild, joyful, destructive abandon that characterizes Mario Kart.

Sat, 08 Mar 2014 13:15:01 -0500

WikiLeaks head doesn't believe Obama is serious about NSA reform

Julian Assange doesn't think you should hold your breath for Barack Obama to deliver meaningful NSA reform. The WikiLeaks founder said during a talk at SXSW Interactive that he believes the president is beholden to the American spy agencies and not the public. According to the self-anointed guardian of the world's conscience Obama has proven that he does not take concerns about the NSA's over reaching seriously by failing to fire or prosecute people at the agency.

Sat, 08 Mar 2014 13:15:00 -0500

Julian Assange at SXSW: 'national security reporters are a new kind of refugee'

Speaking via Skype before an audience of thousands at South by Southwest, Julian Assange made the case for a new golden age of national security reporting, conducted largely by Americans in exile. "National security reporters are a new kind of refugee," Assange said, then ran down a list of American reporters and activists who have left US borders in order to continue their work, including Glenn Greenwald, Laura Poitras, Wikileaks' Sarah Harrison, and Tor researcher Jacob Appelbaum. "I see this as quite a positive phenomenon," Assange told the audience, "that where people would have been completely crushed and not able to work anymore, they are able to use these basic tenets of classic liberalism like freedom of movement... to keep working." Assange also commented on First Look Media, Glenn Greenwald's new venture funded by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar, saying Omidyar has realized that "even those with $8 billion are not free anymore."

Sat, 08 Mar 2014 12:50:22 -0500

Samsung's thing for (faux) leather continues with the ATIV Book 9 Style

Samsung's clearly been listening to Venus in Furs a lot recently, which explains why it's gone a bit crazy on the faux-leather all of a sudden. After covering both the Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy Tab Pro and Chromebook 2 in the stuff, the company has now sought to do the same to a member of its Windows notebook family. Having taken the recently refreshed ATIV Book 9 that we found at CES, this new model gains the fetish-friendly backing and, erm, not much else.

Sat, 08 Mar 2014 12:45:00 -0500

We kick off SXSW 2014 with some real-life Mario Karting (video)

The first few days of SXSW have brought quite a bit of excitement for our team on the ground. After starting the show with a stun-copter demo, we stopped by the Palmer Events Center to play a little a live-action Mario Kart. Pennzoil has set up a go-kart track here in Austin to promote its new Platinum line of natural gas-based motor oils, though -- let's face it -- we were really only here to be Mario (and Luigi, Bowser and Princess Peach) for a day.

Sat, 08 Mar 2014 12:00:00 -0500

Watch Julian Assange at SXSW 2014 now

In addition to a live discussion with Edward Snowden on Monday, The Texas Tribune is today streaming a conversation between WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange — joining via Skype — and The Barbarian Group's Benjamin Palmer at 11AM CT. Watch the full discussion live below: .social-col:before { content: "";background: url("http://cdn2.sbnation.com/assets/4025755/storybadge_001.png");display: block;position: relative;z-index: 999;width: 95px;height: 145px;left: -49px;}

Sat, 08 Mar 2014 11:55:54 -0500

Leaked HTC One cover turns your smartphone into a Lite Brite

The official announcement of the next HTC One should happen soon, and it looks like the upcoming flagship phone will support at least one intriguing new accessory. Twitter account @evleaks has posted what appears to be a press image of the new One, with a sleek cover that can display information like the time and weather using colorful lights. With its plentiful holes, the case looks sort of like a modern take on a Lite Brite, and features much of the same utility as Yota's E Ink-enabled smartphone, letting you check important information without waking up your device. The next-generation HTC One is expected to be revealed on March 25th.

Sat, 08 Mar 2014 11:32:03 -0500

Microsoft may bring targeted political ads to Xbox Live

Your Xbox Live dashboard may soon feature targeted political ads. According to the Washington Post, Microsoft has been courting politicians to start using its service to advertise their campaigns, going so far as to hand out promotional information at this week's Conservative Political Action Conference in San Diego. In 2012 Microsoft rolled out an election hub for the Xbox 360, which featured live coverage and news, but this would be something different — ads that use both public information and data culled from your Xbox Live account to deliver targeted ads for specific demographics. According to the Post, Microsoft is being "particularly aggressive" about the service's ability to target specific groups, including women and minorities.

Sat, 08 Mar 2014 11:07:01 -0500

Feedback Loop: Old gadgets, Android tablets, photo management and more!

Welcome to Feedback Loop, a weekly roundup of the most interesting discussions happening within the Engadget community. There's so much technology to talk about and so little time to enjoy it, but you have a lot of great ideas and opinions that need to be shared! Join us every Saturday as we highlight some of the most interesting discussions that happened during the past week.

Sat, 08 Mar 2014 10:30:00 -0500

The Weekender: thawing threats, sizing up startups, and capturing a notorious criminal

We spent some time with him at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona to see how Google sizes up the show to pick out what it should be putting its money in next.

Sat, 08 Mar 2014 10:00:02 -0500

London will test smart crossing system to keep pedestrians safe

Sure, pedestrian detection tech for cars is already in the works, but the city of London wants to keep people even safer by equipping its crossings with a bunch of sensors and devices. London Mayor Boris Johnson just announced ...

Sat, 08 Mar 2014 08:44:00 -0500

Controversy marks Newsweek's comeback

NEW YORK (AP) — A mystery man. A splashy reveal. A media frenzy. Newsweek staked its return from the dead on a story it knew would get attention. A cover story claiming it had uncovered "the face behind bitcoin," the world's most popular digital currency.

Sat, 08 Mar 2014 08:35:45 -0500

Aereo's internet TV service in Denver and Salt Lake City shuts down today

Aereo's streams in Denver and Salt Lake City hung on for a while after the US District Court of Utah granted its opponents a preliminary injunction on February 20th, but today they're shutting off. Yesterday a panel of federal court judges denied Aereo's request to stay the injunction while it appeals, claiming "Aereo has not made a strong showing that it is likely to succeed on the merits of its appeal.

Sat, 08 Mar 2014 04:59:00 -0500

Sony's Oculus Rift competitor could be coming this month

Sony is widely rumored to be working on a virtual reality headset to compete with the Oculus Rift, and the truth could be revealed quite soon. Sony has just revealed it will host a new session at the 2014 Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, titled "Driving the Future of Innovation at Sony Computer Entertainment." Unlike most presentations at the conference, this particular session has an extremely short description that doesn't reveal what to expect, saying only that Sony will host a presentation on "innovation at PlayStation" and "the future of gaming." PlayStation R&D director Richard Marks and his colleague Anton Mikhailov will be present. As part of Sony's Magic Lab, they've experimented on a number of other ideas, including eye-tracking technology for the PS4.

Sat, 08 Mar 2014 04:33:01 -0500

Cartoon Network is working on an app with 15-second shows

Smartphones have fostered short attention spans for years, and now Cartoon Network plans to take advantage of that with a new app designed to deliver entertainment in extremely short bursts. Later this year, the company will release Cartoon Network Anything, an app with 15-second videos, games, and other tiny chunks of entertainment, reports The New York Times. The free app won't be tied to any cable service provider, says Cartoon Network Digital's vice president Chris Waldron, who added that the company views it as a proving ground for new content that might be deserving of a longer-form production. Cartoon Network is no stranger to mobile software.

Sat, 08 Mar 2014 01:19:02 -0500

Video: Check out this credit card-sized battery for iPhone, Android

The LithiumCard isn’t the only credit card-sized battery for mobile devices seeking crowd-funding, as there’s also a TravelCard project that offers iPhone and Android smartphones exactly the same perk: a credit card-like device that packs enough energy to bring life to a dying smartphone. According to the Go Design company the TravelCard’s 1300mAh battery can offer an additional 5 hours of talk time, 4.5 hours of internet usage or 98 hours of standby time on top of what the phone’s battery has to offer. The device is just 4.77mm thick and weighs 56.7g, fitting into most wallets or pockets, and comes with either a Lightning or microUSB charging cord. The TravelCard will be made in lightweight aircraft grade aluminum and

Sat, 08 Mar 2014 00:30:12 -0500

Now is the perfect time for college students to buy a Moto X

Motorola on Friday announced new customization options for its Moto X flagship handset, including the College Collection that will offer students the option of purchasing a handset that comes in their beloved school colors. “Starting today you can visit our College Collection design gallery and select from pre-configured school color combinations and clear cases with school logos and team names for up to 40 schools and counting,” Motorola wrote. In addition to the preset designs the company also added nine new back colors and three new accents to the Moto Maker palette, so users can create the “ultimate fan phone.” A College Collection Moto X option will cost the same $399 “everyday price,” or $49 with a new two-year contract, although college students

Fri, 07 Mar 2014 23:15:56 -0500

Welcome To GDKN Corporation

GDKN is a global technology services firm with a reputation for quality, superior technical skills, and proven customer service oriented results. Our mission is to understand our clients' business needs and their industry, use Information Technology in meeting and resolving their complex business and technical challenges. GDKN has been providing the highest quality of integrated, full lifecycle IT services since 1993, across a broad range of business and technical platforms.

Our clients are in various industries like Electric, Gas, Telephone Utilities; Manufacturing; Defense; Banking; and Financial Institutions to name a few.

At GDKN we listen, learn, then co-create legacy-to-web business technology solutions. GDKN solves client problems through a durable global infrastructure and powerful methodologies. We deliver profitable results that accelerate our clients' competitive advantage.

Our goal is to assist our clients in leveraging their IT services to improve business performance. At GDKN we listen, learn, then co-create legacy-to-web business technology solutions.