Technology news

• Review: Lenovo Y70 Touch

  17-12-2014 23:50
  
  Introduction and designIs it a pipe dream to expect serious gaming performance out of a laptop? It's an expensive one to ponder, for sure. But the Lenovo Y70 Touch makes the convincing statement that no, it's not a dream. You don't even need to flush the savings to game on this laptop, which is its brightest shining point. The Y70 Touch is a generally well-built bundle of hardware for a $1,199 (£1,199, about AU$1,458) starting price.But at such a bargain, can it hang with those that have earned
  
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• Blip: Android Wear users can watch their security cameras on their wrists

  17-12-2014 23:36
  
  Android app IP Cam Viewer has been upgraded with support for Android Wear, letting users view their security cameras live directly on their watches.IP Cam Viewer is reportedly one of the best IP camera apps on Android, and this functionality only makes it better.The update also added drivers for more cameras, support for Chromecast, and Dropbox for imports and exports, and squashed some bugs for some existing drivers.This is definitely one of the coolest things to happen to smartwatches yet - be
  
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• Sony cancels Dec. 25 release of 'Interview' after theatres bail

  17-12-2014 23:10
  
  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Sony Pictures said on Wednesday it canceled the Dec. 25 theatrical release of its North Korea comedy "The Interview," after major U.S. theatre chains pulled out of showing the film following threats from hackers. "In light of the decision by the majority of our exhibitors not to show the film 'The Interview', we have decided not to move forward with the planned December 25 theatrical release," Sony said in a statement. ...
  
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• Consortium to lay new trans-Tasman cable in 2015

  17-12-2014 23:01 via zdnet.com
  
  New Zealand retailer Spark, Vodafone and Telstra team up to lay a new US$70 million cable.
  
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• Google Hangouts: Too smart for privacy?

  17-12-2014 22:35 via zdnet.com
  
  Hangouts announces a new feature. Is your privacy protected?
  
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• Understanding Holiday Demand: It's a fickle beast

  17-12-2014 22:28 via zdnet.com
  
  Understanding customer taste and their buying patterns remains a tricky exercise. The story of L.L. Bean and their snow boots is a great example of how challenging it is to accurately predict demand. The Maine clothing and outdoor company is already sold out of their iconic boot. According to the Yahoo report, click here, there is already a 100,000 name long waiting list for the boot. Wow. Talk about a good problem to have, well maybe....
  
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• IBM says cloud business enjoying "breakthrough year"

  17-12-2014 22:16
  
  By Eric Auchard LONDON (Reuters) - IBM aims to expand the number of data centres it offers clients around the world by 25 percent to meet fast-rising demand for internet-based services, after what a company executive said has been a "breakthrough year" in 2014 for its cloud computing business. IBM has quadrupled the number of cloud data facilities it offers around the world to 49 in the past 18 months, responding in part to laws requiring the local retention of data following revelatio
  
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• Review: Acer Aspire E5-551

  17-12-2014 22:00
  
  Introduction and designAffordable computing hit the headlines in 2014 thanks to laptops and tablets like the HP Stream and Linx 7. At the opposite end of the market, Intel's new Broadwell chip began to pave the way for lighter, thinner and more desirable, wallet-intimidating Ultrabooks.These developments have made it difficult for mid-range laptops like the Acer E5-551 to stand out from the crowd, but its Taiwan-based maker is giving it a good go. The Windows 8.1-powered E5-551 is one of the fir
  
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• U.S. theatre chains delay Sony's 'The Interview' after threats

  17-12-2014 21:49
  
  By Piya Sinha-Roy, Lisa Richwine and Eric Kelsey LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Top U.S. movie theatre chains are delaying plans to show Sony Pictures' North Korea parody "The Interview" on Wednesday following threats made on cinemas showing the film by a hacking group that waged a cyberattack on the Hollywood studio. Regal Cinemas, which operates 573 U.S. theatres, said in a statement it will delay the Dec. 25 opening of "The Interview," citing "the wavering support of th
  
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• Leaked Sony emails show Loeb influence on studio execs

  17-12-2014 21:26
  
  By Ritsuko Ando and Svea Herbst-Bayliss TOKYO/BOSTON (Reuters) - Sony Corp movie executives kept up a dialogue with hedge fund titan Daniel Loeb, even after rebuffing the billionaire investor's proposal to sell up to one-fifth of the studio's entertainment business, leaked emails show. Loeb's New York-based Third Point took a 7 percent stake in the company in May 2013 and suggested that proceeds from a sale could be used to overhaul Sony's struggling electronics business. ...
  
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• Top U.S. theatre chains delay airing Sony's 'The Interview'

  17-12-2014 21:18
  
  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Movie theatre chain Regal Cinemas said on Wednesday it will delay showing Sony's North Korea parody "The Interview," while trade publication The Hollywood Reporter said AMC, Cinemark and Cineplex would also not screen the film, citing an unnamed source. "Due to the wavering support of the film 'The Interview' by Sony Pictures, as well as the ambiguous nature of any real or perceived security threats, Regal Entertainment Group has decided to d
  
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• VIDEO: US navy develops 'fish' robot

  17-12-2014 21:18 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The US military has been showing off its latest catch.
  
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• Apple wins iTunes DRM antitrust case, avoiding $1 billion payout

  17-12-2014 21:08
  
  Apple has successfully defended itself in a lawsuit in which it had to prove that a 2006 update to iTunes not only didn't violate antitrust laws, but also was a "genuine product improvement" that was good for users.The case centered on the Digital Rights Management (DRM) restrictions that Apple introduced in its music with that version of iTunes. It could have cost Apple $1 billion (about £638m, AU$1.2b).But a jury of eight unanimously determined that Apple's restrictions did not brea
  
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• YouTube's next big challenger could be Vessel and its 'early access' videos

  17-12-2014 20:25
  
  US startup says YouTubers and media companies will be able to earn ‘20x’ more revenues from its online subscription service Continue reading...
  
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• Theatre owners say cinemas may decide to delay Sony's 'The Interview'

  17-12-2014 20:20
  
  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Movie theatre owners said Wednesday that individual theatres may delay viewing Sony Pictures' North Korea parody "The Interview," after threats from a hacking group that waged a massive cyber attack on the movie studio. "We look forward to the time when the responsible criminals are apprehended. Until that happens, individual cinema operators may decide to delay exhibition of the movie," the National Association of Theatre Owners said in a stateme
  
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• BlackBerry woos keyboard loyalists with launch of Classic

  17-12-2014 20:17
  
  By John McCrank and Euan Rocha NEW YORK/TORONTO (Reuters) - BlackBerry Ltd launched its long-awaited Classic on Wednesday, a smartphone it hopes will help it win back market share and woo those still using older versions of its physical keyboard devices. The Canadian mobile technology company said the new device, which bears striking similarities to its once wildly popular Bold and Curve handsets, boasts a larger screen, longer battery life, an expanded app library with access to offerings from
  
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• U.S. fears Sony hackers may never be caught - law enforcement official

  17-12-2014 20:16
  
  By Mark Hosenball and Jim Finkle WASHINGTON/BOSTON (Reuters) - Government investigators fear the hackers behind the unprecedented attack on Sony's Hollywood studio may never be caught if they are under the protection of North Korea, a U.S. official said on Wednesday. The law enforcement official, who declined to be identified because the investigation is ongoing, said authorities will require significant time to definitively confirm their suspicions that North Korea sponsored the attack, wh
  
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• Dish adds Netflix app to some of its set-top boxes

  17-12-2014 19:55
  
  NEW YORK (AP) — Dish is making it easier to watch video from an online rival, Netflix.
  
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• BlackBerry courts fans with new Classic model that looks like 2012 all over again

  17-12-2014 19:19
  
  The company is returning to its roots with a new smartphone featuring a traditional keyboard at a time when rivals and most customers have fully embraced touchscreensBlackBerry Classic goes back to the old way of doing things Continue reading...
  
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• Army tests radar-laden balloons as part of early-warning missile shield

  17-12-2014 19:18
  
  Blimp-like vehicles near nation’s capital will scan for airborne attacks on east coast and help direct military response Continue reading...
  
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• New Blackberry 'back to its roots'

  17-12-2014 19:09 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Blackberry launches what it calls a "no-nonsense" smartphone in a bid to win back business customers.
  
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• BlackBerry launches Classic in last-ditch effort

  17-12-2014 18:46
  
  NEW YORK (AP) — BlackBerry is returning to its roots with a new phone that features a traditional keyboard at a time when rival Apple and Android phones — and most smartphone customers — have embraced touch screens.
  
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• Updated: Best business smartphones: top handsets for work

  17-12-2014 18:45
  
  Email heroes and all-round greatnessOnce upon a time there was only one firm on the lips of any business' IT team when it came to company phones – BlackBerry.A lot has changed since then and BlackBerry's fortunes have taken a turn, leaving the door open for rivals to court the enterprise business.The rest of the pack is hot on its heels, if not already overtaking, with Apple, Samsung, Nokia, HTC and co. all vying for a piece of the business pie.This is great for any potential business buyer, a
  
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• Uber turns to Brussels in battle to gain ground in Europe

  17-12-2014 18:23
  
  By Philip Blenkinsop BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Uber has taken its battle for acceptance in Europe to Brussels with a complaint against a French law, the first of what could become a series of challenges to EU member states reluctant to open their markets to the online taxi-booking service. Launched in California four years ago, the service has rapidly become popular in a number of countries because it often undercuts established taxi and minicab services. However, taxi drivers across Europe say Uber
  
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• 30,000 people bought crap on Black Friday – literally

  17-12-2014 18:21
  
  The makers of humourous card game Cards Against Humanity sold $180,000-worth of actual poo in protest of Black Friday, donating all proceeds to charity Continue reading...
  
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• Canada court to order Apple to turn over records in iPhone probe

  17-12-2014 17:13
  
  OTTAWA (Reuters) - The Federal Court of Canada agreed on Wednesday to order Apple Inc's Canadian subsidiary to turn over documents to the Competition Bureau to help investigate whether Apple unfairly used its market power to promote the sale of iPhones. In seeking the order, the Competition Bureau had said agreements Apple negotiated with wireless carriers may have cut into competition by encouraging the companies to maintain or boost the price of rival phones. Federal Court Chief Justice P
  
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• Darius Kazemi: the Oscar Wilde of internet bots – Tech Weekly podcast

  17-12-2014 16:23
  
  How Twitter and Tumblr bots use algorithmic skill to bring wit, warmth and a critical eye to internet culture Continue reading...
  
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• BlackBerry woos keyboard loyalists with Classic device launch

  17-12-2014 16:18
  
  By John McCrank NEW YORK (Reuters) - BlackBerry Ltd launched its long-awaited Classic device on Wednesday, a smartphone it hopes will help it win back market share and woo those still using older versions of its physical keyboard devices. The Waterloo, Ontario-based mobile technology said the new device, which bears a striking similarity to its once-bestselling Bold and Curve handsets, boasts a larger screen, longer battery life, expanded app library with access to he offerings from Amazon.com I
  
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• Hands-on review: BlackBerry Classic

  17-12-2014 16:01 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Introduction and designBlackBerry has launched not one, but two flagships products this year and the BlackBerry Classic takes a bold step into the Canadian firm's past in the hope of reigniting the success of its former glories.Following on from the oddly proportioned BlackBerry Passport, the Classic was first announced at MWC 2014 in February but it's taken some time to get to market.The Classic forms the third phone in BlackBerry's trio of devices with it and the Passport joining the fully tou
  
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• BlackBerry Classic goes back to the old way of doing things

  17-12-2014 16:01
  
  BlackBerry tries to rekindle the love of its physical keyboard with the new Classic, which is essentially an upgraded Bold from 2011 Continue reading...
  
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• Napster co-founder to invest in allergy research

  17-12-2014 15:44
  
  Napster co-founder Sean Parker missed most of his final year in high school and has ended up in the emergency room countless of times because of his deadly allergy to nuts, shellfish and other foods. Now ...
  
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• Hands-on review: Panasonic CM1

  17-12-2014 15:32 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  We've already covered the arrival of the Panasonic CM1 in the UK in the camera reviews and news on the Techradar Camera Channel home page, but now we've had the chance to try one out.We haven't put the Panasonic CM1 through our full suite of lab tests yet, but we have had time to take some pictures and try out its handling, controls and features.Any old smartphone can take pictures, but the built-in cameras are mainly point-and-shoot quality with point-and-shoot controls – but the CM1 isn't an
  
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• Fujitsu launches pair of business-friendly Windows 8.1 tablets

  17-12-2014 15:17 via zdnet.com
  
  The Stylistic Q555 is a "semi-rugged" 10-inch 2-in-1 device, while the Stylistic Q335 is an 8-inch tablet. Both are available with either Windows 8.1 with Bing or Windows 8.1 Pro.
  
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• Amazon workers in Germany extend strike

  17-12-2014 15:03
  
  BERLIN (Reuters) - Amazon staff at German warehouses extended a strike on Wednesday in a long-running dispute over better pay and conditions, but the online retailer promised it would be able to deliver Christmas orders on time. Labour union Verdi launched a three-day strike on Monday at five of Amazon's nine distribution centres in Germany, adding a sixth warehouse from Tuesday, with more than 2,600 workers involved in the industrial action on Wednesday. ...
  
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• Jeans made to block wireless signals

  17-12-2014 14:13 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Jeans that block wireless RFID signals, prevent hackers accessing card details, are to go on sale.
  
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• Reddit bans users for sharing hacked Sony documents

  17-12-2014 13:31
  
  The social news site has acceded to a DMCA takedown request from Sony and removed a hub for sharing the company’s hacked files Continue reading...
  
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• Apple halts Russian online sales

  17-12-2014 13:27 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Technology giant Apple says it cannot currently sell products online in Russia because the rouble's value is too volatile for it to set prices.
  
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• Mesos co-creator: Where the cluster manager came from and where it's heading

  17-12-2014 13:18 via zdnet.com
  
  With a datacenter operating system based on Mesos due in 2015, the cluster manager's co-creator and Mesosphere chief architect Benjamin Hindman sets out the technology's background and strengths.
  
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• GlobalFoundries boosts MRAM investment

  17-12-2014 13:11 via zdnet.com
  
  The world's second largest semiconductor foundry is getting into MRAM, a high-performance, long-life alternative to flash. Here's what that means for storage.
  
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• Google considers data risk warnings

  17-12-2014 13:01 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Google is proposing to warn people their data is at risk every time they visit websites that do not use the "HTTPS" system.
  
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• Is the Year 2038 problem the new Y2K bug?

  17-12-2014 12:58
  
  Reports proclaim that the Year 2038 problem is going to cause computerised doom: here’s what you need to know
  Not yet been terrified by the Year 2038 problem? Somehow you must have missed reports claiming it poses a threat, as exposed by Gangnam style (yes, you read that correctly), to our computerised future.In fact, it is claimed, Y2038 is so bad it could be worse than Y2k. Well that’s absolutely true. Just like Y2K, if left unchecked, Y2038 could cause major issues for any computer system
  
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• ​Google Drive adds ODF support, voice search for Android, and app uploads for iOS

  17-12-2014 12:53 via zdnet.com
  
  Ahead of the Christmas break, Google has rolled out a slew of Drive updates that improve file format support, file sharing and document search.
  
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• Sony movie's NY premiere cancelled

  17-12-2014 12:47 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The New York premiere of The Interview, a comedy about the assassination of North Korea's president, is cancelled amid threats from hackers.
  
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• U.S. startup sues France's Orange over social calling app

  17-12-2014 12:38
  
  (Reuters) - French telecom group Orange SA confirmed on Wednesday that it has been sued in California by San Francisco-based startup Telesocial in an intellectual property case, but said that the startup's claims were unfounded. Orange said Telesocial has already taken the company to two French courts including the Paris Court of Appeal based on the same complaints, but in both cases the claims were rejected. "This reinforces our view that TeleSocial's complaints are totally lacki
  
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• VIDEO: MPs 'not equipped to deal with tech'

  17-12-2014 12:33 via bbc.co.uk
  
  MPs are not equipped to deal with technology and too reliant on the web firms they scrutinise, says Wendy Hall.
  
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• Cybersecurity spending: Here's where the money goes

  17-12-2014 12:17 via zdnet.com
  
  Tackling state-sponsored attacks on critical infrastructure and the defence supply chain remain top priorities according to newly published figures.
  
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• Quantum thinking: Cats to computers

  17-12-2014 12:09 via bbc.co.uk
  
  An interactive journey through quantum theory
  
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• Rocket Internet's online food delivery service expands in southeast Europe

  17-12-2014 12:02
  
  LONDON (Reuters) - Foodpanda, an online food delivery service backed by e-commerce investor Rocket Internet AG, said on Wednesday it is acquiring three companies in southeast Europe, the latest in a string of deals as it seeks to expand worldwide. Foodpanda said it had agreed to acquire Donesi.com, a food delivery service active in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, along with Pauza.hr in Croatia and NetPincer in Hungary. It plans to continue to operate under these local brands. NetP
  
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• Bitcoin is the worst investment of 2014. But can it recover?

  17-12-2014 11:35
  
  Bitcoin halved in value over 2014. That’s a pretty bad investment, and could spell doom for the currency2014 has been a rough year for bitcoin. Almost as soon as it began, the currency was shaken by news of the collapse of MtGox, once the sole bitcoin exchange.The same month, Charlie Shrem, a Bitcoin Foundation board member, was arrested for alleged money laundering. And over the rest of spring, the currency was rocked by repeated thefts and hacking scandals. Continue reading...
  
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• The X Factor's slow death at the hands of the internet

  17-12-2014 11:30
  
  As X Factor ratings hit a 10-year low, experts suggest the internet could be responsible for luring away the youth audience Continue reading...
  
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