Technology news

• Sony re-gifts 'The Interview' in limited Christmas release

  23-12-2014 23:48
  
  NEW YORK (AP) — "The Interview" was put back into theaters Tuesday when Sony Pictures Entertainment announced a limited Christmas Day theatrical release for the comedy that provoked an international incident with North Korea and outrage over its cancelled release.
  
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• Sony re-gifts 'The Interview' in limited release

  23-12-2014 23:26
  
  NEW YORK (AP) — "The Interview" was put back into theaters Thursday when Sony Pictures Entertainment announced a limited theatrical release for the comedy that provoked an international incident with North Korea and outrage over its cancelled release.
  
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• Sony re-gifts 'The Interview' in limited theatrical release

  23-12-2014 23:02
  
  Sony Entertainment CEO Michael Lynton said Tuesday that Seth Rogen's North Korea farce "will be in a number of theaters on Christmas Day." He said Sony also is continuing its efforts to release ...
  
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• Accident insurer ACC faces huge change challenge

  23-12-2014 22:43 via zdnet.com
  
  New Zealand's state-owned accident insurer is embarking on a transformation, but its capability to manage change is being questioned.
  
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• Sony Pictures moves to release 'The Interview' in about-face

  23-12-2014 22:18
  
  By Eric Kelsey and David Brunnstrom LOS ANGELES/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Sony Pictures said on Tuesday it would show "The Interview" in some U.S. theatres after President Barack Obama and others criticized its decision last week to cancel the comedy's release following a devastating cyberattack that was blamed on North Korea. ...
  
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• Huawei's smartphone sales shoot up after copying Xiaomi's online strategy

  23-12-2014 22:04
  
  By Gerry Shih BEIJING (Reuters) - China's Huawei Technologies Co Ltd has taken sales of its low-price Honor brand of smartphones to 20 million from 1 million in just one year, hitting pay dirt with the disruptive online-only strategy it copied from smaller upstart Xiaomi Inc . Given the early signs, Huawei executives hope to emulate the phenomenal growth of Xiaomi, which broke into the global top five in just a few years - a success not likely to go unnoticed by the growing ranks of low-c
  
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• Too late: Cops' deaths highlight outdated systems

  23-12-2014 21:44
  
  NEW YORK (AP) — After Ismaaiyl Brinsley shot his ex-girlfriend and posted an online death threat against police, investigators in Maryland used modern cellphone tracking technology to follow his journey to New York City in real time.
  
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• The iPhone Is a Musical Instrument to the Human Brain

  23-12-2014 21:34
  
  A musician's brain is stimulated just by picking up an instrument. Now, scientists have found that people who use smartphones activate and strengthen specific regions of their brains just like a violinist might.
  
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• EU group crafts guidelines for online payments, 2-factor authentication

  23-12-2014 21:34 via zdnet.com
  
  A 21 percent jump in fraud helps convince European Banking Authority to issue revised final set of directives planned for 2015 implementation.
  
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• Making web programming easier and more secure

  23-12-2014 21:00 via zdnet.com
  
  An MIT researcher has unveiled a new approach to self completing programming with Ur/Web.
  
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• Sony Pictures backtracks, allows limited release of 'The Interview'

  23-12-2014 20:34
  
  By Eric Kelsey and David Brunnstrom LOS ANGELES/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Sony Pictures cleared the way on Tuesday for release of "The Interview" in some U.S. theatres on Christmas Day, less than a week after pulling the movie following a devastating cyberattack that has been blamed on North Korea. Sony Pictures Chief Executive Michael Lynton said there would be "a limited theatrical release" in the United States of the comedy about a fictional plot to assassinate North Korea le
  
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• Sony Pictures puts 'The Interview' back in theatres

  23-12-2014 20:01
  
  By Eric Kelsey and Mary Milliken LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Sony Pictures said on Tuesday it will release "The Interview" to a limited number of theatres on Dec. 25, less than a week after it cancelled the comedy's release following a devastating cyberattack blamed on North Korea. The decision comes after hundreds of independent theatres said they wanted to screen the film, about a fictional plot to assassinate North Korea leader Kim Jong Un, which major theatre chains backed out of
  
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• Key N. Korean websites suffer short outages after shutdown

  23-12-2014 19:39
  
  Key North Korean websites suffered intermittent outages Tuesday after a nearly 10-hour shutdown that followed a U.S. vow to respond to a crippling cyberattack on Sony Pictures that Washington blames on ...
  
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• Nokia's first Android tablet could arrive mere days into 2015

  23-12-2014 19:39
  
  The Nokia faithful has been waiting in breathless anticipation for the arrival of the company's first Android tablet, and that patience is about to be rewarded - assuming you live in China.GSM Arena (via Sina Technology) reported Monday that the world's first Android tablet built by Nokia may finally break cover on January 7, although it's unclear if the device will launch or actually go on sale that day.Either way, the date is only of significance for fans in China, which is where the 7.9-inch
  
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• Sony announces limited release for 'The Interview'

  23-12-2014 19:28
  
  NEW YORK (AP) — Sony Pictures Entertainment announced Tuesday a limited theatrical release of "The Interview" beginning Thursday, putting back into the theaters the comedy that prompted an international incident with North Korea and outrage over its cancelled release.
  
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• Drones become popular holiday gifts

  23-12-2014 19:09
  
  NEW YORK (AP) — Santa's sleigh isn't the only thing flying this holiday season.
  
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• Mobile phone accessory boom: tough call for case makers chasing riches

  23-12-2014 18:48
  
  Secrecy over new phones means accessory producers must take a gamble with products – or resort to industrial espionage Continue reading...
  
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• Sony Pictures allows some theatres to show 'The Interview'

  23-12-2014 18:44
  
  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Sony Pictures cleared the way for the release of "The Interview" on Dec. 25 less than a week after pulling the comedy's planned release following a devastating cyber attack, a Dallas cinema set to screen the film said on Tuesday. The screwball comedy about a fictional plot to assassinate North Korea leader Kim Jong Un led to a cyber attack on the studio, which the U.S. government has blamed on North Korea. The founder of the Texas-based Alamo Drafthouse Cin
  
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• Review: Lenovo Horizon 2

  23-12-2014 18:35
  
  Introduction, design and featuresThe Lenovo Horizon 2 is nothing if not ambitious. This Windows 8.1 all-in-one PC packs a ton of features into its massive 27-inch, 1,920 x 1,080 touchscreen display. With a screen that size, you start to get into the pricier class of all-in-one computers. The Horizon 2 is priced at $1,499.99 (about £1,499, about AU$1850.31), which is around the same price as similar systems.An anti-glare matte touchscreen display offers plenty of real estate for work and enterta
  
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• House Democrat seeks full details from Sony on sweeping cyber-attack

  23-12-2014 18:29
  
  Says increasing cyber-attacks pose ‘clear and present danger’ to US securitySony’s information will be helpful as Congress examines laws, he adds in letterSony considers YouTube as possible distributor for The Interview after hack
  Sony Japan could take greater hold of film arm in wake of cyber-attack scandal
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• ​Rockstar deal could mark end to long patent war between Google, Microsoft, Apple, and others

  23-12-2014 18:25 via zdnet.com
  
  A long-simmering patent dispute involving Google and some of its key rivals could finally be over. Today's deal transfers the former Nortel patents to a syndicate of 30 members and comes on the heels of a settlement in a patent infringement lawsuit last month.
  
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• Overstock.com rejoins controversial lobbying group Alec bucking trend

  23-12-2014 18:23
  
  Top tech companies have cut ties with Alec due to climate change stance
  Retailer says it rejoined group to work on internet sales tax issues Continue reading...
  
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• Updated: 50 best iPhone apps 2014: the greatest paid and free apps around

  23-12-2014 18:21
  
  Best iPhone apps: 1-25Apps are the cornerstone of iOS. The ecosystem is what sets Apple's mobile platform apart from its rivals, and the highest-quality iPhone apps are typically best in class.But, like any app store, it is sometimes difficult to find out what are truly the best apps, the ones that stand out from the rest - because they offer a tool or service that is far beyond anything else available.Sometimes the best apps are free, other times you will have to pay a little bit for them. Here
  
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• Interview: What happens when augmented reality meets social media?

  23-12-2014 18:15
  
  Taggar describes itself as the "world's first social augmented reality platform", which allows users to create hidden tags to share with friends and followers. According to the app's makers, everyday physical objects can take on a completely new life when scanned with Taggar.We spoke to Taggar co-founder and CMO Charlotte Golunski about how the app works and why augmented reality is in danger of becoming the next QR code.TechRadar Pro: How does Taggar work?
  Charlotte Golunski: The a
  
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• In depth: 9 best fitness trackers for to get you in shape in 2015

  23-12-2014 18:00
  
  Best fitness trackers 1-5Ah, the holidays. It's a time for family gatherings, gift giving and massive, massive dinners. The only thing that's not great about this festive time of year is what it does to your waistline. Whether it's too much turkey or all that eggnog, the calories sure add up, eventually leading to gym memberships and New Year's resolutions to exercise more.While it's easy to make promises, actually sticking with them can be hard. That's why a good fitness tracker can give you th
  
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• North Korea struggles to stay online

  23-12-2014 17:57 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Internet services in North Korea continue to be unstable, with significant periods of downtime, according to reports.
  
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• Apple's 4-inch iPhone 6S 'mini' may have some familiar curves

  23-12-2014 16:48
  
  Apple might be prepping a third iPhone for 2015, one that will be welcome to anyone who finds the iPhone 6 too big - let alone the iPhone 6 Plus.Once again, the claim is that Apple is preparing a 4-inch iPhone 6S. The word comes from Cowen and Company analyst Timothy Arcuri in a note obtained by Apple Insider, but the report suggests this is more than just guesswork. Arcuri quoted his own sources, who have indicated that the 4-inch iPhone could be similar to the iPhone 5S but possibly with "
  
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• Duet Display: Turn iPad into a second monitor for Mac with zero lag (review)

  23-12-2014 16:12 via zdnet.com
  
  This app written by former Apple engineers turns most any iPad into a second monitor for Macs. It is the first solution good enough for the enterprise.
  
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• Top congressional Democrat asks Sony for hack details

  23-12-2014 16:07
  
  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The top Democrat on the powerful U.S. House Oversight and Government Reform Committee has asked Sony Pictures Entertainment to hand over details of what he describes as the "devastating cyber attack" recently suffered by the Hollywood studio. In a letter sent to Sony on Tuesday, Elijah Cummings, the committee's ranking minority member, said that Sony's "knowledge, information and experience" would help Congress as it examines federal cyber sec
  
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• Review: Updated: LG G Watch R

  23-12-2014 15:40 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Introduction and displayThe Motorola Moto 360 was hotly anticipated as the first circular Android Wear device, but its screen isn't actually a full circle. The display on the LG G Watch R however, is.The G Watch R finally sees the fusion between the new wave of smartwatches and the tried and tested design of traditional wristwatches - but does the combination work?It's still relatively early doors for the smartwatch revolution, and Android Wear is certainly still in its infancy. This has been cl
  
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• Ebooks at night won’t help you sleep tight, US study finds

  23-12-2014 15:16
  
  Harvard researchers say light-emitting ebooks negatively affect our sleep and lead to next-day grogginess Continue reading...
  
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• North Korea internet outage: weirdest web shutdowns around the world

  23-12-2014 14:44
  
  Country’s blackout is latest in list of odd web failures, such as when Georgian scrap hunter cut off Armenia with her spade
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• North Korea internet service resumes after shutdown

  23-12-2014 14:35
  
  No indication as to whether a cyber-attack caused outage, and if so who might have been behind it Continue reading...
  
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• Minecraft creator's new mansion recreated in Minecraft

  23-12-2014 14:07
  
  When Minecraft creator Markus ‘Notch’ Persson bought a gigantic mansion in Beverly Hills, it would only be a matter of time before his purchase wound up in his game
  It’s possibly the most achingly zeitgeist story of the year: a rich coder buys a huge mansion in Beverly Hills (reportedly outbidding Beyoncé and Jay Z in the process) and then his house ends up being depicted in the block-building mega game that he wrote. That’s celebrity, real estate, successful geeks, video games an
  
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• Microsoft, Google join opposition to hotels' wi-fi blocking

  23-12-2014 14:04 via zdnet.com
  
  Microsoft and Google have added their voices to those opposing a bid by the US hotel industry for permission to use technical means to prevent guests from using their own wi-fi hotspots.
  
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• AUDIO: Father's bid to entrap online abusers

  23-12-2014 13:18 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Brendan Collis and Sharon Girling discuss a scheme aimed at entrapping online paedophiles
  
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• The year in technology: a two-minute hurtle through 2014 - video

  23-12-2014 13:06
  
  A speedy roundup of some of the major, and minor, tech stories of the year. Donning his sturdy Halo helmet for protection, Ollie Peart looks back on making sex more awesome with Google Glass, Facebook's purchase of Virtual Reality dudes Oculus Rift, the $2bn selfie, the most retweeted event ever, hoverboards, flying cars, 25 years of LOL, big bendy iPhones and the Sony festive hack. Happy 2015!
  
  Oscar's selfie illustration supplied by Jean Julien
  
  Shot on location at the Four Quarters
  
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• ​BT to pilot 'fibre to the basement' tech in London

  23-12-2014 13:04 via zdnet.com
  
  BT is looking at delivering fibre into basements as a way to fix up slow broadband in cramped parts of London.
  
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• Twitter co-founder Biz Stone builds new 'Super' app from bones of old

  23-12-2014 13:00
  
  Failure of Q&A Jelly app forces Stone to refocus attention on making new project fun and aesthetically pleasingWhen Twitter co-founder Biz Stone’s new company started to wobble he turned to “bright spot theory” for an answer.The 40-year-old multi-millionaire’s first post-Twitter foray, a Q&A app called Jelly, was struggling to attract users after its January launch. But the ever optimistic Stone saw an opportunity, one that last month became a quirky new image- and message-sharin
  
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• Al-Jazeera suspends Egyptian channel

  23-12-2014 12:53 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Al-Jazeera network suspends its Egyptian channel, Mubasher Misr, whose coverage angered Egypt's government and strained its relations with Qatar.
  
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• Ricoh Aficio SG 2100N: Fast, cheap gel printing

  23-12-2014 12:48 via zdnet.com
  
  Hands-on: A great small and home office printer that prints quality colour, super fast
  
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• Our favourite video game journalism of 2014

  23-12-2014 12:38
  
  From MPs reviewing Destiny to the game design of Ikea, we take a look through some of the most interesting video game journalism of the year
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• Apple automates bug update for Macs

  23-12-2014 12:29 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Apple rushes to fix new bugs with an automatic update for Mac computers around the world.
  
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• Review: Sony SmartBand Talk

  23-12-2014 12:08 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  IntroductionThe Sony SmartBand Talk SWR30 is an experiment, a way to make wearable tech that goes against the grain a little. While Samsung, Motorola and LG are all battling to make the ultimate Android Wear watch, this little wrist tracker takes a few more cues from the Pebble smartwatch. It doesn't have an interface shared with loads of other smart devices that'll get richer and richer as the months pass. You will never play games on the thing, unless someone hacks the feature in. It's simple.
  
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• Lin to direct next Star Trek outing

  23-12-2014 11:43 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Film-maker Justin Lin is to direct the next instalment of the Star Trek movie franchise, it is confirmed.
  
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• ​North Korean internet restored, but still wobbly after 10 hour blackout

  23-12-2014 11:26 via zdnet.com
  
  North Korea's internet outage comes while the country is in the middle of a cybersecurity row with the US.
  
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• Key N. Korean websites back online after shutdown

  23-12-2014 10:54
  
  SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Key North Korean websites were back online Tuesday after an hours-long shutdown that followed a U.S. vow to respond to a crippling cyberattack on Sony Pictures that Washington blames on Pyongyang.
  
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• Sony Japan could take greater hold of film arm in wake of hack scandal

  23-12-2014 10:37
  
  Following the furore around The Interview, Sony Pictures could lose some of its relative independence from its parent company, as a YouGov poll suggests the scandal has damaged the Sony brand, and the company threatens Twitter with legal action
  • Sony hack and the plot to kill The Interview – a timeline so far Continue reading...
  
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• Sony warns Twitter over leaked emails

  23-12-2014 10:24 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Sony Pictures Entertainment is threatening to sue Twitter if the company doesn't suspend accounts that are sharing hacked emails.
  
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• The best iPhone apps of 2014

  23-12-2014 09:00
  
  From SwiftKey and FireChat to Replay Video Editor and Silent Text 2: the best new iPhone apps that the App Store had to offer this year• The best iPad apps of 2014
  • The best iPhone and iPad games of 2014The most popular keyboard-replacement app on Android made the leap to iOS in time for the launch of iOS 8, with its emphasis on the way it learns your writing style – with Facebook, Twitter and Gmail logins able to give it a head start – to make its predictions even smarter. Continue rea
  
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