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AT&T aims to sidestep shareholder request on surveillance data (Reuters) - AT&T has asked regulators to let it ignore a shareholder request for details of its customer-information sharing with government agencies, a move that could forestall a heated debate at the telecommunications giant's annual meeting. The No. 2 U.S. mobile operator made the request in a December 5 letter to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in response to shareholder activists pressing it on the matter. Among them is New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, who is the trustee of the state retirement fund. DiNapoli and other shareholders of AT&T and its biggest rival Verizon Communications Inc last month sought details on sharing of personal data and communications from the two companies following revelations from former U.S. National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden. Fri, 06 Dec 2013 23:08:38 -0500
Group charged in PayPal cyber attack pleads guilty By Dan Levine SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A group of 13 defendants who had been charged in a cyber attack on PayPal's website pleaded guilty and admitted to the December 2010 attack over PayPal's suspension of WikiLeaks accounts. Following the release of a large amount of classified documents by WikiLeaks, PayPal suspended its accounts so that the anti-secrecy website could no longer receive donations. In retribution, the group "Anonymous" coordinated and executed denial-of-service attacks against PayPal. EBay's PayPal unit is a service that facilitates the electronic transfer of money between parties. Fri, 06 Dec 2013 20:54:18 -0500
U.S. court upholds trial plan over defunct Nortel's $7.5 billion cash The fight over defunct Nortel Networks' $7.5 billion in cash will be decided in joint U.S.-Canadian court hearings and not in arbitration, a U.S. appeals court ruled on Friday. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in Philadelphia upheld a bankruptcy court ruling in March that there was never an agreement to use arbitration to divide the pile of cash among various Nortel estates around the world. Nortel sought protection from creditors in courts around the world in 2009 and its businesses were quickly sold, reducing a once-global corporate giant to little more than a pile of cash. An agreement governing the money refers to undefined "dispute resolvers" that Nortel's European estates argued was arbitration. Fri, 06 Dec 2013 16:11:07 -0500
Insight: Tech start-ups show little imagination on board gender diversity By Sarah McBride and Poornima Gupta SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - At Pinterest, the four-year-old online bulletin board service that is valued near $3.8 billion, some 70 percent of the users are female. Male-heavy boards dominate in the start-up mecca of Silicon Valley, which prides itself on progressive thinking and putting talent first. A Reuters survey of the 10 top venture-backed start-ups, as measured by venture funds raised, shows that six do not have any women on the board, including Pinterest. Reuters' research relied on publicly available data and discussions with start-up executives and board members. Fri, 06 Dec 2013 13:44:17 -0500
Supreme Court to decide on patent protections for software By Lawrence Hurley WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Supreme Court agreed on Friday to rule on the divisive issue of what kinds of software are eligible for patent protection in a case being closely watched by the technology industry. The court said in a one-line order that it would hear a case brought by Alice Corporation Pty Ltd, which holds a patent for a computer system that facilitates financial transactions. The court took no action on another case raising the same issue involving a patent dispute between WildTangent Inc and Ultramercial Inc. The deep interest that the software industry and patent experts have in what is a threshold issue in patent litigation was underscored by the number of companies and industry groups that asked the court to decide the issue. Companies including Google Inc, Hewlett-Packard Co, Facebook Inc and Netflix Inc had already signaled their interest in the issue by asking the court to hear the WildTangent case. Fri, 06 Dec 2013 15:29:28 -0500
Apple spent over $60 million on U.S. lawyers against Samsung By Dan Levine SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple Inc has paid its leading outside law firm approximately $60 million to wage patent litigation against Samsung Electronics Co Ltd in a California federal court, according to Apple legal documents filed late on Thursday. Apple and Samsung are engaged in global litigation over each other's intellectual property. The two mobile technology rivals have gone to trial twice in the last two years in a San Jose, California federal court, and juries have awarded Apple a total of roughly $930 million. In court filings, Apple asked U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh to order Samsung to pay $15.7 million of the total amount Apple has spent in legal fees. Fri, 06 Dec 2013 12:27:30 -0500
iPhone 5s shipping times drop to just 1-3 days Don’t worry, procrastinators: You’ll be able to make the iPhone 5s a last-minute holiday gift. MacRumors notes that shipping times for the iPhone 5s have fallen to just 1 to 3 days, which means that you’ll be able to slip it under your Christmas tree as long as you order it on December 22nd. The improved shipping times come amid reports that Apple has shut down some of its iPhone 5c production and has shifted it over to iPhone 5s production in response to higher-than-expected demand. But while supplies of Apple’s flagship smartphone seem to have caught up with demand, you still shouldn’t expect to see the Retina iPad mini in stock until after the holiday season as Apple is Fri, 06 Dec 2013 22:30:12 -0500
Climate study reveals that Tolkien's land of Mordor is a lot like Los Angeles Director Peter Jackson may have been able to recreate all of Middle-earth in New Zealand, but the land as described in J.R.R. Tolkien's novels stretches across a wide variety of landscapes and climate types. A tongue-in-cheek study from the Cabot Institute at the University of Bristol takes a look at those climates, and how they compare to some locales modern humans may be a little more familiar with. Credited to Radagast the Brown — the eccentric wizard portrayed by Sylvester McCoy in Jackson's recent films — it describes how a climate model simulation was run based upon the weather and topography described throughout Tolkien's works. That was then compared to a prehistoric version of Earth, as well as a simulation based on our current era, dubbed "Modern Earth." Among the discoveries were that The Shire so fancied by Frodo Baggins has an annual climate very similar to parts of New Zealand (not a complete surprise), and that the ships setting sail for the Undying Lands depart from Grey Havens because there are actually strong winds present in that region. Fri, 06 Dec 2013 22:20:02 -0500
Up-close with a Bitcoin mining powerhouse (video) Alex Lawn is in New York on a pitstop, arriving in from Sweden on his way to next week's Inside Bitcoin conference in Las Vegas. He hasn't slept much. The way he describes it, no one at KnCMiner does much sleeping these days, as the company races to become the driving force in the rapidly expanding world of Bitcoin mining. Fri, 06 Dec 2013 21:45:00 -0500
Outdated maps of New York linked to surprise Hurricane Sandy devastation Outdated flood maps of New York City put in danger some 35,000 buildings, many of which later ended up being damaged in the wake of Hurricane Sandy last year, according to a new report. A new investigation by ProPublica says the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) ignored numerous pleas to update maps that dated back to the 1980s, resulting in surprise damage for city dwellers who unknowingly bought and lived in high risk flood areas that would have been identified using newer cartographic and scientific techniques. The digital versions were scans of paper maps Fri, 06 Dec 2013 21:30:02 -0500
Dell looks to trim workforce before Christmas According to The Wall Street Journal, Dell offered buyout packages to a portion of its massive workforce. The struggling computer maker currently has 110,000 employees, and with this “voluntary separation program” Dell hopes to streamline its operations. Dell spokesman David Frink said, “a critical element of our strategy has been, and always will be, about improving our cost structure and freeing up capital to make the investments in growth areas that matter to our customers.” Employees have until December 20th to accept the offer. Dell did not say how many jobs it hopes to cut. Dell has struggled to adapt to the post-PC era, with failed attempts at making smartphones and tablets. In addition, Windows 8.1, Microsoft’s latest desktop operating system, Fri, 06 Dec 2013 21:15:22 -0500
Google pushes campaign to end warrantless email snooping Law enforcement officials legally need to get search warrants when they tap your phone or read your mail but they face no such restrictions on a federal level when it comes to electronic communications. With this in mind, both Google and the Electronic Frontier Foundation have started banging the drum for a campaign aimed at pressuring lawmakers to amend the 1986 Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) to make law enforcement officials get court-issued warrants before snooping on suspects’ email. Google and the EFF are both part of a larger coalition of companies that are urging an overhaul of the ECPA, including Apple, Microsoft, Amazon and Facebook. Fri, 06 Dec 2013 20:00:50 -0500
Spec Sheet: Canon takes a second shot at the mirrorless market with the EOS M2 Canon's first mirrorless camera, the EOS M, was something of a disappointment: its control scheme wasn't great, its autofocus was sluggish, and its photos weren't much to brag about either. But now Canon is trying to address at least one of those issues with the EOS M2, which it's announced for sale in Japan for ¥84800 (just over $820) with an 18-55mm kit lens. There's almost certainly not enough of a change to put Canon on top of most buyers' mirrorless camera wish list, but we're looking across the range of mirrorless cameras to see exactly where it's standing now. The big difference is that it includes Canon's relatively new Hybrid CMOS AF II technology, which places pixels over 80 percent of the camera's APS-C sensor that are capable of phase detection autofocus. Fri, 06 Dec 2013 20:00:03 -0500
10 Surprising New Twitter Stats to Help You Reach More Followers In case you're in the same boat with me, I gathered up some really interesting Twitter stats that can help you improve the way you reach your followers. Fri, 06 Dec 2013 19:50:32 -0500
Six hospitalized in Mexico from radiation exposure, suspected in cobalt-60 hijacking Now days after the highly radioactive material cobalt-60 was stolen in a Mexican truck heist that put the UN on alert, six people have been hospitalized for possible radiation exposure. Hidalgo state Health Minister Pedro Luis Noble said members of the group suffered from skin irritation, dizziness, and in one instance vomiting, but none showed immediate signs of radiation poisoning. The situation garnered international attention this week after the UN announced on Wednesday that two gunmen had hijacked a truck carrying the "extremely dangerous" cobalt-60, a radioactive material used in industrial applications and potentially in dirty bombs. Fri, 06 Dec 2013 19:45:02 -0500
Bungie's Destiny ships worldwide on September 9th, 2014 Wondering when you can get Bungie's first big post-Halo project, Destiny? Wonder no more: the company has revealed that its ambitious, MMO-like shooter will ship worldwide on September 9th, 2014. PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 users will get first crack at the beta test sometime earlier in the summer, although Xbox 360 and Xbox One owners should eventually have their turn. Fri, 06 Dec 2013 19:44:00 -0500
Bungie will release 'Destiny' on September 9th, 2014 Halo creator Bungie's new universe has a release date. Today, Bungie and Activision have announced that Destiny will launch worldwide on September 9th, 2014. "We promised to redefine what players should expect from a Bungie game. For us, Destiny represents a once in a lifetime opportunity," Bungie writes, while hinting that the game wasn't yet living up to the team's expectations. Fri, 06 Dec 2013 19:29:03 -0500
A shopping trip with iBeacon, Apple's secret weapon for navigating stores Apple today quietly switched on what many consider to be a secret weapon of iOS 7: iBeacons. The technology allows your iPhone to provide a location-aware shopping experience whenever you walk into any Apple Store in the US. These transmitters reveal your precise location to the Apple Store app, enabling it to instantly ping you with notifications about hardware you're toying with at any given moment. Perhaps more importantly, it also highlights features of the Apple Store app you may not have known about. Fri, 06 Dec 2013 19:10:15 -0500
iPhone in the Warsaw Ghetto Would photographic evidence and video testimony have made any difference to the wall of indifference that greeted Karski? Fri, 06 Dec 2013 19:05:18 -0500
The 'Traffic Jam' You Can't See A recent New York Times headline cautioned, "Wireless carriers warn of crisis in mobile spectrum." Is spectrum -- the essential building block of cell phone service -- really in short supply? Fri, 06 Dec 2013 18:51:39 -0500
HTC starts selling flagship One directly for $0 down In a bid to increase sales of its flagship handset this Christmas, HTC has kicked off a special promotion in the U.S., offering buyers the option of purchasing an unlocked 32GB HTC One smartphone for $0 down followed by 24 monthly interest-free payments of $25. In two years, buyers qualifying for the offer would only pay for the cost of the handset, whose listed price is $599. However, depending on credit checks, not all applicants will be able to take advantage of the interest-free financing offer and some buyers may end up getting different financing terms, based on their creditworthiness. The promotion is valid when buying the device from the U.S. HTC online store, and it will be good while supplies Fri, 06 Dec 2013 18:45:40 -0500
'Today' Show Remembers Nelson Mandela In The Entirely Wrong Way Media outlets around the world are offering inspired remembrances of Nelson Mandela, who died on Thursday at the age of 95. And then there is NBC's "Today" show. For some reason, "Today" asked writers for Fast Company's Co.Design website to "live-emoji" Friday's show -- that is, to interpret segments of the morning news program though emojis, the cutesy Japanese cousins to emoticons. ... Fri, 06 Dec 2013 18:34:22 -0500
Nelson Mandela, Nexus 5, and 'X-Men': 90 Seconds on The Verge "I am so excited about 'X-Men: Days of Future Past' and now the newly announced 'X-Men: Apocalypse' that I just had to take this time to announce the next films in the series. Coming in 2018, fans can see 'X-Men: Post Apocalyptic Cleanup Time.' This will of course be followed by back-to-back films in late 2019 and early 2020 called 'X-Men: Can't The Avengers Take This One?' and 'X-Men: If We Must.' Finally, in 2024, the X-Men film everyone is waiting for will hit theaters. Get ready for 'X-Men: Based on the Story Push By Sapphire.' Wow, this is a long tw" —@BryanSinger Fri, 06 Dec 2013 18:30:02 -0500
Why Should a Girl in Nigeria Learn to Code? Teenage girls are some of the most active users of mobile phones. But they don't see themselves as inventors of technology. They do not interact with mobile technology and think "I can build something better". Fri, 06 Dec 2013 18:28:32 -0500
Apple wants Samsung to pay $22M for legal bills SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Apple wants Samsung Electronics to pay $22 million of the legal bills that the iPhone and iPad maker has rung up so far defending its mobile device patents in a courtroom battle. Fri, 06 Dec 2013 18:14:23 -0500
Samsung reportedly poised to blow up tablet market with $135 tablet Samsung has seen Google and Amazon’s best efforts at selling super-cheap tablets and it’s apparently getting ready to do them one better. According to the latest rumors from SamMobile, Samsung is planning to release a new tablet next year called the Galaxy Tab 3 Lite that it will sell for a mere €100 (USD $135), making it by far the cheapest Samsung tablet ever released. There’s no information available yet on the rumored tablet’s specifications although SamMobile expects them to be “respectable” because Samsung is releasing both a Wi-Fi-only version and 3G cellular version of the device. No release date has been confirmed although it does sound like it would be a good candidate to launch at the Consumer Electronics Show Fri, 06 Dec 2013 18:10:09 -0500
Apple guides shoppers inside stores with iBeacon NEW YORK (AP) — GPS will tell you how to get to the nearest Apple store. With iBeacon, Apple hopes to guide you around once you're inside, whether it's to pick up an order, upgrade to a new iPhone or shop for a pair of headphones. Fri, 06 Dec 2013 18:03:47 -0500
NSA cites executive order to defend its collection of cellphone location data The 5 billion cellphone location records the NSA's reportedly collecting daily? Don't expect an apology. While it's hard to sustain shock and disbelief when we've been hearing new details about the government's information collecting for months now, the National Security Agency saw fit to address concerns about the so-called Co-Traveler program in a statement today. Fri, 06 Dec 2013 17:53:00 -0500
Disney takes control of 'Indiana Jones' franchise Disney now controls the future of the Indiana Jones franchise. Though Disney has owned the franchise's rights since it purchased Lucasfilm last October, rights to distribute and market any new films remained with Paramount Pictures, which released the series' first four installments. That could have been something of a hiccup when developing new films, but according to Variety, Disney and Paramount have now struck a deal that will give both distribution and marketing rights to Disney, while Paramount will retain rights to the first four pictures. Fri, 06 Dec 2013 17:51:06 -0500
Typo iPhone Keyboard Case: Ryan Seacrest Invests $1M So He Can Toss His BlackBerry The TV Host Bankrolls New iPhone Case to Fulfill His Love of Physical Keyboards Fri, 06 Dec 2013 17:35:49 -0500
Google rumored to launch its own TV set-top box under the Nexus brand next year We haven't even seen the latest iteration of Google TV yet -- oops, sorry, that's "Android with Google services for TV" these days -- but a new rumor from The Information's Amir Efrati points to a Nexus-branded ... Fri, 06 Dec 2013 17:29:00 -0500
'Dear Santa' Letter With Full Amazon Link Is So 2013 It Hurts Hopefully Santa has an Amazon Prime membership. In a "Dear Santa" letter that's truly worthy of the tech-filled world we live in, Twitter user @Gequeoman resurfaced a handwritten note to Saint Nick that featured a full, indecipherable Amazon link. The note was originally posted by Zack Poitras who posted a series of similar notes over at The Inclusive. Fri, 06 Dec 2013 17:28:30 -0500
50 Things You Didn't Know Your iPhone Could Do You probably already knew that your iPhone's virtual assistant, Siri, could send text messages and set alarms. But did you knows that it can also show you pictures of puppies? This new video by PhoneBuff shows off 50 of Siri's coolest features, many of which you may not have used before. Did you know your iPhone can translate things into Morse code or flip a coin. Siri is more helpful (and fun) than you may realize. For a bonus: Ask Siri who let the dogs out. Originally started as a DARPA-backed project to build an intelligent virtual assistant, Siri was Fri, 06 Dec 2013 17:26:43 -0500
Beyond Chromecast: Google reportedly prepares ‘Nexus TV’ set-top box Chromecast is a nifty way to get your web browser and other key TV apps onto your big-screen television but Google’s ambitions for the living room apparently go deeper. The Verge relays us the latest report from The Information that claims Google is working on something called Nexus TV, which will be its own Apple TV-style set-top box that it will release sometime in 2014. Like Chromecast, the Android-based set-top box will let users play content from Netflix, Hulu, and YouTube and it will also apparently give users access to select video games as well. There’s no information on pricing for the device yet but The Information’s source says that it should be ready for release in the first half of Fri, 06 Dec 2013 17:25:14 -0500
AT&T says it doesn't have to disclose NSA dealings SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — AT&T, under fire for ongoing revelations that it shares and sells customers' communications records to the National Security Agency and other U.S. intelligence offices, says it isn't required to disclose to shareholders what it does with customers' data. Fri, 06 Dec 2013 17:19:42 -0500
WATCH: Propulsion Advancements Will Drive Tech Into The Future To put it simply, propulsion is the creation of force that leads to movement, but with today's technological and engineering advances, we're able to move ships across the ocean and put spacecrafts in the sky. Soon, developments in propulsion will lead to new scientific products, more efficient machinery and even lower gas mileage. "Propulsion, specifically space propulsion, is based on the third law of motion which means that for every action there's a return reaction," Tim O'Donnell of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory told The Huffington Post's Katie Linendoll. ... Fri, 06 Dec 2013 17:14:11 -0500
Lumps of Coal: 5 Gadget Gifts to Avoid Whether you're buying a tablet for your 8-year-old or a new smartphone for Mom, you don't want to gift a gadget that's going to end up gathering dust in a closet somewhere. It's easy to get drawn in by a bargain or fall for advertising hype that makes a tech product look a lot more useful than it is in real life. Unfortunately, when Dad discovers that the $300 computer you gave him doesn't run his programs and Junior complains because he can't play the same games as his friends on that console you bought, you'll feel more like the Grinch than Santa Claus. Save yourself from standing in that return line and don't give anyone these five gadget gifts to avoid. Chromebooks At first glance, Chromebooks such as the HP Chromebook 11 and Acer C720 look like a great deal. For under $300, you get a lightweight laptop that's virtually idiot-proof and stays safe from viruses and spyware. The catch is that Chromebooks run Google's Chrome OS, which is little more than a Chrome Web browser floating on top of a desktop. Chromebooks can't run Windows apps, Mac apps or Android apps. All they can run are Web apps, most of which are nothing more than glorified Web pages. Some of the apps in Google's Chrome Web store won't even run on a Chromebook, because they require plugins such that you can't install in Chrome OS. While you can perform many tasks offline on a Chromebook, you often have to jump through some hoops, such as enabling a hidden setting in Google Docs or downloading a special app for offline Gmail. Grandpa may say that he only needs email and "the Internet," but when he finds out that he can't write letters in regular Microsoft Word, listen to his songs in iTunes or play his pals in a Java-based online scrabble game, his Chromebook will take up permanent residence in a drawer somewhere. Get him a low-cost Windows laptop instead. More: Top Laptop Gifts Microsoft Surface 2 Microsoft has some fantastic commercials for its Surface 2 tablet, but don't believe the hype. The Surface 2 may have a gorgeous 1080p screen, an innovative keyboard cover and a neat flip-out stand, but it doesn't actually run Windows. Instead, the tablet uses a hobbled operating system called Windows RT, which can't run standard Windows programs, only new touch-friendly "Modern UI apps" from the new Windows store. Windows RT looks exactly like Windows, which makes it all the more insidious. Your sister will love her new Surface 2 until she tries to install Photoshop Elements, iTunes, "World of Warcraft" or her Printshop card-making software and gets an error message saying that it's incompatible. Meanwhile, you can get a full Windows tablet like the ASUS Transformer Book T100 for $399 with a keyboard dock while the Surface 2 costs $449 plus another $119 for its Touch Cover. iPhone 5C Nothing says "cheap" like buying a rebadged version of last year's phone, particularly when everyone can tell that you spent less just by looking at it. The $99 iPhone 5c has the same specs as last year's iPhone 5, including an outdated processor and a lesser camera than the iPhone 5s, which only costs $100 more. That's a pittance when you consider the cost of phone service over the length of a two-year contract. Worse still, the budget-minded iPhone 5c is made of candy-colored plastic while the mainstream 5s is a classy metal so everyone can tell which one you got. Kids’ Tablets You know what kids like? Adult gadgets. Even a 1-year-old knows the difference between a Fisher-Price phone and a real one. No matter how young she is, your child wants a "real" tablet with access to the top children's websites and the leading kids' games. Child-friendly slates like the Discovery Kids techTab and Oregon Scientific Meep look like they'll make great gifts, because they feature age-appropriate software, parental controls and durable chassis. However, almost all of these tablets for tots suffer from serious performance issues, dim and low-res screens, short battery life and extremely limited software. Your child will thank you for buying a grown-up slate and turning on parental controls like the Restricted Profile feature on the Google Nexus 7 or the Kindle Fire HDX's FreeTime, which limits the amount of hours she can spend on the device. More: Gift Ideas for Kids A Wii U If you plan to gift the Nintendo Wii U Game console, make sure you include the receipt. If your friend or family member is into gaming, they want a Sony PlayStation 4 or XBox One, both of which have excellent performance, a bevy of high-end games and huge communities of gamers you can play against. Unfortunately, the $300 Wii U is a waste of metal and plastic, with a lame touch-screen controller, mediocre graphics capability and almost none of the games people actually want to play. Whether your giftee likes racing games, first-person shooters or sports, they won't find what they're looking for in the Wii U's nearly empty library of games. You'd be better off giving a Nintendo DS, because at least that's portable. Top 10 Holiday Tech Gifts of 2013 Worst-Named Gadgets of 2013 10 Dumbest Smartphone Features Copyright 2013 LAPTOP Magazine, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Fri, 06 Dec 2013 17:12:01 -0500
WATCH: Motion Sensors Are Paving The Road For Big Innovations Home security systems, video games and smartphones are all equipped with sensors, but the technology is making an impact on major industries, as well. Motion sensors not only bringing characters to life on film, but they're also helping to protect drivers on the road, too. If you're a fan of CGI animation, you're witnessing the results of motion capture on the big screen. "Motion capture technology is the technology of using markers or sensors to record data from a human being doing the motion," Irfan Merchant, CEO of Mobile Motion, tells The Huffington Post's Katie Linendoll. Fri, 06 Dec 2013 17:11:51 -0500

AT&T aims to sidestep shareholder request on surveillance data

(Reuters) - AT&T has asked regulators to let it ignore a shareholder request for details of its customer-information sharing with government agencies, a move that could forestall a heated debate at the telecommunications giant's annual meeting. The No. 2 U.S. mobile operator made the request in a December 5 letter to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in response to shareholder activists pressing it on the matter. Among them is New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, who is the trustee of the state retirement fund. DiNapoli and other shareholders of AT&T and its biggest rival Verizon Communications Inc last month sought details on sharing of personal data and communications from the two companies following revelations from former U.S. National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden.

Fri, 06 Dec 2013 23:08:38 -0500

Group charged in PayPal cyber attack pleads guilty

By Dan Levine SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A group of 13 defendants who had been charged in a cyber attack on PayPal's website pleaded guilty and admitted to the December 2010 attack over PayPal's suspension of WikiLeaks accounts. Following the release of a large amount of classified documents by WikiLeaks, PayPal suspended its accounts so that the anti-secrecy website could no longer receive donations. In retribution, the group "Anonymous" coordinated and executed denial-of-service attacks against PayPal. EBay's PayPal unit is a service that facilitates the electronic transfer of money between parties.

Fri, 06 Dec 2013 20:54:18 -0500

U.S. court upholds trial plan over defunct Nortel's $7.5 billion cash

The fight over defunct Nortel Networks' $7.5 billion in cash will be decided in joint U.S.-Canadian court hearings and not in arbitration, a U.S. appeals court ruled on Friday. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in Philadelphia upheld a bankruptcy court ruling in March that there was never an agreement to use arbitration to divide the pile of cash among various Nortel estates around the world. Nortel sought protection from creditors in courts around the world in 2009 and its businesses were quickly sold, reducing a once-global corporate giant to little more than a pile of cash. An agreement governing the money refers to undefined "dispute resolvers" that Nortel's European estates argued was arbitration.

Fri, 06 Dec 2013 16:11:07 -0500

Insight: Tech start-ups show little imagination on board gender diversity

By Sarah McBride and Poornima Gupta SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - At Pinterest, the four-year-old online bulletin board service that is valued near $3.8 billion, some 70 percent of the users are female. Male-heavy boards dominate in the start-up mecca of Silicon Valley, which prides itself on progressive thinking and putting talent first. A Reuters survey of the 10 top venture-backed start-ups, as measured by venture funds raised, shows that six do not have any women on the board, including Pinterest. Reuters' research relied on publicly available data and discussions with start-up executives and board members.

Fri, 06 Dec 2013 13:44:17 -0500

Supreme Court to decide on patent protections for software

By Lawrence Hurley WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Supreme Court agreed on Friday to rule on the divisive issue of what kinds of software are eligible for patent protection in a case being closely watched by the technology industry. The court said in a one-line order that it would hear a case brought by Alice Corporation Pty Ltd, which holds a patent for a computer system that facilitates financial transactions. The court took no action on another case raising the same issue involving a patent dispute between WildTangent Inc and Ultramercial Inc. The deep interest that the software industry and patent experts have in what is a threshold issue in patent litigation was underscored by the number of companies and industry groups that asked the court to decide the issue. Companies including Google Inc, Hewlett-Packard Co, Facebook Inc and Netflix Inc had already signaled their interest in the issue by asking the court to hear the WildTangent case.

Fri, 06 Dec 2013 15:29:28 -0500

Apple spent over $60 million on U.S. lawyers against Samsung

By Dan Levine SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple Inc has paid its leading outside law firm approximately $60 million to wage patent litigation against Samsung Electronics Co Ltd in a California federal court, according to Apple legal documents filed late on Thursday. Apple and Samsung are engaged in global litigation over each other's intellectual property. The two mobile technology rivals have gone to trial twice in the last two years in a San Jose, California federal court, and juries have awarded Apple a total of roughly $930 million. In court filings, Apple asked U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh to order Samsung to pay $15.7 million of the total amount Apple has spent in legal fees.

Fri, 06 Dec 2013 12:27:30 -0500

iPhone 5s shipping times drop to just 1-3 days

Don’t worry, procrastinators: You’ll be able to make the iPhone 5s a last-minute holiday gift. MacRumors notes that shipping times for the iPhone 5s have fallen to just 1 to 3 days, which means that you’ll be able to slip it under your Christmas tree as long as you order it on December 22nd. The improved shipping times come amid reports that Apple has shut down some of its iPhone 5c production and has shifted it over to iPhone 5s production in response to higher-than-expected demand. But while supplies of Apple’s flagship smartphone seem to have caught up with demand, you still shouldn’t expect to see the Retina iPad mini in stock until after the holiday season as Apple is

Fri, 06 Dec 2013 22:30:12 -0500

Climate study reveals that Tolkien's land of Mordor is a lot like Los Angeles

Director Peter Jackson may have been able to recreate all of Middle-earth in New Zealand, but the land as described in J.R.R. Tolkien's novels stretches across a wide variety of landscapes and climate types. A tongue-in-cheek study from the Cabot Institute at the University of Bristol takes a look at those climates, and how they compare to some locales modern humans may be a little more familiar with. Credited to Radagast the Brown — the eccentric wizard portrayed by Sylvester McCoy in Jackson's recent films — it describes how a climate model simulation was run based upon the weather and topography described throughout Tolkien's works. That was then compared to a prehistoric version of Earth, as well as a simulation based on our current era, dubbed "Modern Earth." Among the discoveries were that The Shire so fancied by Frodo Baggins has an annual climate very similar to parts of New Zealand (not a complete surprise), and that the ships setting sail for the Undying Lands depart from Grey Havens because there are actually strong winds present in that region.

Fri, 06 Dec 2013 22:20:02 -0500

Up-close with a Bitcoin mining powerhouse (video)

Alex Lawn is in New York on a pitstop, arriving in from Sweden on his way to next week's Inside Bitcoin conference in Las Vegas. He hasn't slept much. The way he describes it, no one at KnCMiner does much sleeping these days, as the company races to become the driving force in the rapidly expanding world of Bitcoin mining.

Fri, 06 Dec 2013 21:45:00 -0500

Outdated maps of New York linked to surprise Hurricane Sandy devastation

Outdated flood maps of New York City put in danger some 35,000 buildings, many of which later ended up being damaged in the wake of Hurricane Sandy last year, according to a new report. A new investigation by ProPublica says the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) ignored numerous pleas to update maps that dated back to the 1980s, resulting in surprise damage for city dwellers who unknowingly bought and lived in high risk flood areas that would have been identified using newer cartographic and scientific techniques. The digital versions were scans of paper maps

Fri, 06 Dec 2013 21:30:02 -0500

Dell looks to trim workforce before Christmas

According to The Wall Street Journal, Dell offered buyout packages to a portion of its massive workforce. The struggling computer maker currently has 110,000 employees, and with this “voluntary separation program” Dell hopes to streamline its operations. Dell spokesman David Frink said, “a critical element of our strategy has been, and always will be, about improving our cost structure and freeing up capital to make the investments in growth areas that matter to our customers.” Employees have until December 20th to accept the offer. Dell did not say how many jobs it hopes to cut. Dell has struggled to adapt to the post-PC era, with failed attempts at making smartphones and tablets. In addition, Windows 8.1, Microsoft’s latest desktop operating system,

Fri, 06 Dec 2013 21:15:22 -0500

Google pushes campaign to end warrantless email snooping

Law enforcement officials legally need to get search warrants when they tap your phone or read your mail but they face no such restrictions on a federal level when it comes to electronic communications. With this in mind, both Google and the Electronic Frontier Foundation have started banging the drum for a campaign aimed at pressuring lawmakers to amend the 1986 Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) to make law enforcement officials get court-issued warrants before snooping on suspects’ email. Google and the EFF are both part of a larger coalition of companies that are urging an overhaul of the ECPA, including Apple, Microsoft, Amazon and Facebook.

Fri, 06 Dec 2013 20:00:50 -0500

Spec Sheet: Canon takes a second shot at the mirrorless market with the EOS M2

Canon's first mirrorless camera, the EOS M, was something of a disappointment: its control scheme wasn't great, its autofocus was sluggish, and its photos weren't much to brag about either. But now Canon is trying to address at least one of those issues with the EOS M2, which it's announced for sale in Japan for ¥84800 (just over $820) with an 18-55mm kit lens. There's almost certainly not enough of a change to put Canon on top of most buyers' mirrorless camera wish list, but we're looking across the range of mirrorless cameras to see exactly where it's standing now. The big difference is that it includes Canon's relatively new Hybrid CMOS AF II technology, which places pixels over 80 percent of the camera's APS-C sensor that are capable of phase detection autofocus.

Fri, 06 Dec 2013 20:00:03 -0500

10 Surprising New Twitter Stats to Help You Reach More Followers

In case you're in the same boat with me, I gathered up some really interesting Twitter stats that can help you improve the way you reach your followers.

Fri, 06 Dec 2013 19:50:32 -0500

Six hospitalized in Mexico from radiation exposure, suspected in cobalt-60 hijacking

Now days after the highly radioactive material cobalt-60 was stolen in a Mexican truck heist that put the UN on alert, six people have been hospitalized for possible radiation exposure. Hidalgo state Health Minister Pedro Luis Noble said members of the group suffered from skin irritation, dizziness, and in one instance vomiting, but none showed immediate signs of radiation poisoning. The situation garnered international attention this week after the UN announced on Wednesday that two gunmen had hijacked a truck carrying the "extremely dangerous" cobalt-60, a radioactive material used in industrial applications and potentially in dirty bombs.

Fri, 06 Dec 2013 19:45:02 -0500

Bungie's Destiny ships worldwide on September 9th, 2014

Wondering when you can get Bungie's first big post-Halo project, Destiny? Wonder no more: the company has revealed that its ambitious, MMO-like shooter will ship worldwide on September 9th, 2014. PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 users will get first crack at the beta test sometime earlier in the summer, although Xbox 360 and Xbox One owners should eventually have their turn.

Fri, 06 Dec 2013 19:44:00 -0500

Bungie will release 'Destiny' on September 9th, 2014

Halo creator Bungie's new universe has a release date. Today, Bungie and Activision have announced that Destiny will launch worldwide on September 9th, 2014. "We promised to redefine what players should expect from a Bungie game. For us, Destiny represents a once in a lifetime opportunity," Bungie writes, while hinting that the game wasn't yet living up to the team's expectations.

Fri, 06 Dec 2013 19:29:03 -0500

A shopping trip with iBeacon, Apple's secret weapon for navigating stores

Apple today quietly switched on what many consider to be a secret weapon of iOS 7: iBeacons. The technology allows your iPhone to provide a location-aware shopping experience whenever you walk into any Apple Store in the US. These transmitters reveal your precise location to the Apple Store app, enabling it to instantly ping you with notifications about hardware you're toying with at any given moment. Perhaps more importantly, it also highlights features of the Apple Store app you may not have known about.

Fri, 06 Dec 2013 19:10:15 -0500

iPhone in the Warsaw Ghetto

Would photographic evidence and video testimony have made any difference to the wall of indifference that greeted Karski?

Fri, 06 Dec 2013 19:05:18 -0500

The 'Traffic Jam' You Can't See

A recent New York Times headline cautioned, "Wireless carriers warn of crisis in mobile spectrum." Is spectrum -- the essential building block of cell phone service -- really in short supply?

Fri, 06 Dec 2013 18:51:39 -0500

HTC starts selling flagship One directly for $0 down

In a bid to increase sales of its flagship handset this Christmas, HTC has kicked off a special promotion in the U.S., offering buyers the option of purchasing an unlocked 32GB HTC One smartphone for $0 down followed by 24 monthly interest-free payments of $25. In two years, buyers qualifying for the offer would only pay for the cost of the handset, whose listed price is $599. However, depending on credit checks, not all applicants will be able to take advantage of the interest-free financing offer and some buyers may end up getting different financing terms, based on their creditworthiness. The promotion is valid when buying the device from the U.S. HTC online store, and it will be good while supplies

Fri, 06 Dec 2013 18:45:40 -0500

'Today' Show Remembers Nelson Mandela In The Entirely Wrong Way

Media outlets around the world are offering inspired remembrances of Nelson Mandela, who died on Thursday at the age of 95. And then there is NBC's "Today" show. For some reason, "Today" asked writers for Fast Company's Co.Design website to "live-emoji" Friday's show -- that is, to interpret segments of the morning news program though emojis, the cutesy Japanese cousins to emoticons. ...

Fri, 06 Dec 2013 18:34:22 -0500

Nelson Mandela, Nexus 5, and 'X-Men': 90 Seconds on The Verge

"I am so excited about 'X-Men: Days of Future Past' and now the newly announced 'X-Men: Apocalypse' that I just had to take this time to announce the next films in the series. Coming in 2018, fans can see 'X-Men: Post Apocalyptic Cleanup Time.' This will of course be followed by back-to-back films in late 2019 and early 2020 called 'X-Men: Can't The Avengers Take This One?' and 'X-Men: If We Must.' Finally, in 2024, the X-Men film everyone is waiting for will hit theaters. Get ready for 'X-Men: Based on the Story Push By Sapphire.' Wow, this is a long tw" —@BryanSinger

Fri, 06 Dec 2013 18:30:02 -0500

Why Should a Girl in Nigeria Learn to Code?

Teenage girls are some of the most active users of mobile phones. But they don't see themselves as inventors of technology. They do not interact with mobile technology and think "I can build something better".

Fri, 06 Dec 2013 18:28:32 -0500

Apple wants Samsung to pay $22M for legal bills

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Apple wants Samsung Electronics to pay $22 million of the legal bills that the iPhone and iPad maker has rung up so far defending its mobile device patents in a courtroom battle.

Fri, 06 Dec 2013 18:14:23 -0500

Samsung reportedly poised to blow up tablet market with $135 tablet

Samsung has seen Google and Amazon’s best efforts at selling super-cheap tablets and it’s apparently getting ready to do them one better. According to the latest rumors from SamMobile, Samsung is planning to release a new tablet next year called the Galaxy Tab 3 Lite that it will sell for a mere €100 (USD $135), making it by far the cheapest Samsung tablet ever released. There’s no information available yet on the rumored tablet’s specifications although SamMobile expects them to be “respectable” because Samsung is releasing both a Wi-Fi-only version and 3G cellular version of the device. No release date has been confirmed although it does sound like it would be a good candidate to launch at the Consumer Electronics Show

Fri, 06 Dec 2013 18:10:09 -0500

Apple guides shoppers inside stores with iBeacon

NEW YORK (AP) — GPS will tell you how to get to the nearest Apple store. With iBeacon, Apple hopes to guide you around once you're inside, whether it's to pick up an order, upgrade to a new iPhone or shop for a pair of headphones.

Fri, 06 Dec 2013 18:03:47 -0500

NSA cites executive order to defend its collection of cellphone location data

The 5 billion cellphone location records the NSA's reportedly collecting daily? Don't expect an apology. While it's hard to sustain shock and disbelief when we've been hearing new details about the government's information collecting for months now, the National Security Agency saw fit to address concerns about the so-called Co-Traveler program in a statement today.

Fri, 06 Dec 2013 17:53:00 -0500

Disney takes control of 'Indiana Jones' franchise

Disney now controls the future of the Indiana Jones franchise. Though Disney has owned the franchise's rights since it purchased Lucasfilm last October, rights to distribute and market any new films remained with Paramount Pictures, which released the series' first four installments. That could have been something of a hiccup when developing new films, but according to Variety, Disney and Paramount have now struck a deal that will give both distribution and marketing rights to Disney, while Paramount will retain rights to the first four pictures.

Fri, 06 Dec 2013 17:51:06 -0500

Typo iPhone Keyboard Case: Ryan Seacrest Invests $1M So He Can Toss His BlackBerry

The TV Host Bankrolls New iPhone Case to Fulfill His Love of Physical Keyboards

Fri, 06 Dec 2013 17:35:49 -0500

Google rumored to launch its own TV set-top box under the Nexus brand next year

We haven't even seen the latest iteration of Google TV yet -- oops, sorry, that's "Android with Google services for TV" these days -- but a new rumor from The Information's Amir Efrati points to a Nexus-branded ...

Fri, 06 Dec 2013 17:29:00 -0500

'Dear Santa' Letter With Full Amazon Link Is So 2013 It Hurts

Hopefully Santa has an Amazon Prime membership. In a "Dear Santa" letter that's truly worthy of the tech-filled world we live in, Twitter user @Gequeoman resurfaced a handwritten note to Saint Nick that featured a full, indecipherable Amazon link. The note was originally posted by Zack Poitras who posted a series of similar notes over at The Inclusive.

Fri, 06 Dec 2013 17:28:30 -0500

50 Things You Didn't Know Your iPhone Could Do

You probably already knew that your iPhone's virtual assistant, Siri, could send text messages and set alarms. But did you knows that it can also show you pictures of puppies? This new video by PhoneBuff shows off 50 of Siri's coolest features, many of which you may not have used before. Did you know your iPhone can translate things into Morse code or flip a coin. Siri is more helpful (and fun) than you may realize. For a bonus: Ask Siri who let the dogs out. Originally started as a DARPA-backed project to build an intelligent virtual assistant, Siri was

Fri, 06 Dec 2013 17:26:43 -0500

Beyond Chromecast: Google reportedly prepares ‘Nexus TV’ set-top box

Chromecast is a nifty way to get your web browser and other key TV apps onto your big-screen television but Google’s ambitions for the living room apparently go deeper. The Verge relays us the latest report from The Information that claims Google is working on something called Nexus TV, which will be its own Apple TV-style set-top box that it will release sometime in 2014. Like Chromecast, the Android-based set-top box will let users play content from Netflix, Hulu, and YouTube and it will also apparently give users access to select video games as well. There’s no information on pricing for the device yet but The Information’s source says that it should be ready for release in the first half of

Fri, 06 Dec 2013 17:25:14 -0500

AT&T says it doesn't have to disclose NSA dealings

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — AT&T, under fire for ongoing revelations that it shares and sells customers' communications records to the National Security Agency and other U.S. intelligence offices, says it isn't required to disclose to shareholders what it does with customers' data.

Fri, 06 Dec 2013 17:19:42 -0500

WATCH: Propulsion Advancements Will Drive Tech Into The Future

To put it simply, propulsion is the creation of force that leads to movement, but with today's technological and engineering advances, we're able to move ships across the ocean and put spacecrafts in the sky. Soon, developments in propulsion will lead to new scientific products, more efficient machinery and even lower gas mileage. "Propulsion, specifically space propulsion, is based on the third law of motion which means that for every action there's a return reaction," Tim O'Donnell of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory told The Huffington Post's Katie Linendoll. ...

Fri, 06 Dec 2013 17:14:11 -0500

Lumps of Coal: 5 Gadget Gifts to Avoid

Whether you're buying a tablet for your 8-year-old or a new smartphone for Mom, you don't want to gift a gadget that's going to end up gathering dust in a closet somewhere. It's easy to get drawn in by a bargain or fall for advertising hype that makes a tech product look a lot more useful than it is in real life. Unfortunately, when Dad discovers that the $300 computer you gave him doesn't run his programs and Junior complains because he can't play the same games as his friends on that console you bought, you'll feel more like the Grinch than Santa Claus. Save yourself from standing in that return line and don't give anyone these five gadget gifts to avoid. Chromebooks At first glance, Chromebooks such as the HP Chromebook 11 and Acer C720 look like a great deal. For under $300, you get a lightweight laptop that's virtually idiot-proof and stays safe from viruses and spyware. The catch is that Chromebooks run Google's Chrome OS, which is little more than a Chrome Web browser floating on top of a desktop. Chromebooks can't run Windows apps, Mac apps or Android apps. All they can run are Web apps, most of which are nothing more than glorified Web pages. Some of the apps in Google's Chrome Web store won't even run on a Chromebook, because they require plugins such that you can't install in Chrome OS. While you can perform many tasks offline on a Chromebook, you often have to jump through some hoops, such as enabling a hidden setting in Google Docs or downloading a special app for offline Gmail. Grandpa may say that he only needs email and "the Internet," but when he finds out that he can't write letters in regular Microsoft Word, listen to his songs in iTunes or play his pals in a Java-based online scrabble game, his Chromebook will take up permanent residence in a drawer somewhere. Get him a low-cost Windows laptop instead. More: Top Laptop Gifts Microsoft Surface 2 Microsoft has some fantastic commercials for its Surface 2 tablet, but don't believe the hype. The Surface 2 may have a gorgeous 1080p screen, an innovative keyboard cover and a neat flip-out stand, but it doesn't actually run Windows. Instead, the tablet uses a hobbled operating system called Windows RT, which can't run standard Windows programs, only new touch-friendly "Modern UI apps" from the new Windows store. Windows RT looks exactly like Windows, which makes it all the more insidious. Your sister will love her new Surface 2 until she tries to install Photoshop Elements, iTunes, "World of Warcraft" or her Printshop card-making software and gets an error message saying that it's incompatible. Meanwhile, you can get a full Windows tablet like the ASUS Transformer Book T100 for $399 with a keyboard dock while the Surface 2 costs $449 plus another $119 for its Touch Cover. iPhone 5C Nothing says "cheap" like buying a rebadged version of last year's phone, particularly when everyone can tell that you spent less just by looking at it. The $99 iPhone 5c has the same specs as last year's iPhone 5, including an outdated processor and a lesser camera than the iPhone 5s, which only costs $100 more. That's a pittance when you consider the cost of phone service over the length of a two-year contract. Worse still, the budget-minded iPhone 5c is made of candy-colored plastic while the mainstream 5s is a classy metal so everyone can tell which one you got. Kids’ Tablets You know what kids like? Adult gadgets. Even a 1-year-old knows the difference between a Fisher-Price phone and a real one. No matter how young she is, your child wants a "real" tablet with access to the top children's websites and the leading kids' games. Child-friendly slates like the Discovery Kids techTab and Oregon Scientific Meep look like they'll make great gifts, because they feature age-appropriate software, parental controls and durable chassis. However, almost all of these tablets for tots suffer from serious performance issues, dim and low-res screens, short battery life and extremely limited software. Your child will thank you for buying a grown-up slate and turning on parental controls like the Restricted Profile feature on the Google Nexus 7 or the Kindle Fire HDX's FreeTime, which limits the amount of hours she can spend on the device. More: Gift Ideas for Kids A Wii U If you plan to gift the Nintendo Wii U Game console, make sure you include the receipt. If your friend or family member is into gaming, they want a Sony PlayStation 4 or XBox One, both of which have excellent performance, a bevy of high-end games and huge communities of gamers you can play against. Unfortunately, the $300 Wii U is a waste of metal and plastic, with a lame touch-screen controller, mediocre graphics capability and almost none of the games people actually want to play. Whether your giftee likes racing games, first-person shooters or sports, they won't find what they're looking for in the Wii U's nearly empty library of games. You'd be better off giving a Nintendo DS, because at least that's portable. Top 10 Holiday Tech Gifts of 2013 Worst-Named Gadgets of 2013 10 Dumbest Smartphone Features Copyright 2013 LAPTOP Magazine, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Fri, 06 Dec 2013 17:12:01 -0500

WATCH: Motion Sensors Are Paving The Road For Big Innovations

Home security systems, video games and smartphones are all equipped with sensors, but the technology is making an impact on major industries, as well. Motion sensors not only bringing characters to life on film, but they're also helping to protect drivers on the road, too. If you're a fan of CGI animation, you're witnessing the results of motion capture on the big screen. "Motion capture technology is the technology of using markers or sensors to record data from a human being doing the motion," Irfan Merchant, CEO of Mobile Motion, tells The Huffington Post's Katie Linendoll.

Fri, 06 Dec 2013 17:11:51 -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.