Technology news

• PlayStation and Xbox facing issues after Christmas Day attack

  25-12-2014 22:07
  
  Xbox Live and PlayStation Network went down after blitz linked to Lizard Squad, rendering them more unpopular with gaming community Continue reading...
  
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• Hundreds of theaters begin screening 'The Interview'

  25-12-2014 21:24
  
  NEW YORK (AP) — Critics and early viewers agree that "The Interview" is less than a masterpiece. But thanks to threats from hackers that nearly derailed its release, it has become an event.
  
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• The Guardian view on video games design: more diversity needed

  25-12-2014 20:00
  
  The dominance of young men has meant staple concepts of war and sports games. More women designers would lift the industry out of its creative rut Continue reading...
  
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• Sony's 'Interview' draws U.S. moviegoers who trumpet free speech

  25-12-2014 19:40
  
  By Luc Cohen and Alicia Avila NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - "The Interview," the Sony Pictures film about a fictional plot to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, opened in more than 300 movie theaters across the United States on Christmas Day, drawing many sell-out audiences and statements by patrons that they were championing freedom of expression. Co-directors Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen, who co-stars in the low-brow comedy with James Franco, surprised moviegoers by appe
  
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• After Sony reversal, 'Interview' draws U.S. moviegoers who trumpet free speech

  25-12-2014 17:07
  
  By Luc Cohen and Alicia Avila NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - "The Interview," the Sony Pictures film about a fictional plot to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, opened in more than 300 cinemas across the United States on Christmas Day, drawing sell-out audiences in many theatres where outspoken patrons said they were championing freedom of expression. Seth Rogen, who co-stars in the low-budget comedy with James Franco, and co-director Evan Goldberg surprised moviegoers by
  
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• Russia offers support to North Korea amid Sony hack

  25-12-2014 16:40
  
  MOSCOW (AP) — Russia has offered sympathy to North Korea amid the Sony hacking scandal, saying the movie that sparked the dispute was so scandalous that Pyongyang's anger was "quite understandable."
  
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• Download of the day: Recuva

  25-12-2014 16:00
  
  Panic over! Recuva finds deleted files and restores them with ease, perfect for any time you've deleted a file and later come to regret it.Why you need itWhen you delete something in Windows, it ends up in the Recycle Bin, allowing you to bring it back should you change your mind. But what if you empty the Bin, then change your mind too late? Well fear not, because Recuva can bring your files back from the dead, even when you think they're gone for good.Because when you delete a file in Windows,
  
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• Got a personal drone for Christmas? Use with caution

  25-12-2014 15:30
  
  Privacy rules, airliners and nearby diners – the hazards for 2014’s must-have gadget Continue reading...
  
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• More Madonna songs from new album Rebel Heart leaked on the internet

  25-12-2014 15:02
  
  Further 14 tracks, including collaboration with Pharrell Williams, reportedly online and follows leak last week of 13 demos Continue reading...
  
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• In depth: How machine learning and image recognition could revolutionise search

  25-12-2014 15:00
  
  IntroductionText in documents is easy to search, but there's a lot of information in other formats. Voice recognition turns audio – and video soundtracks – into text you can index and search. But what about the video itself, or other images?Searching for images on the web would be a lot more accurate if instead of just looking for text on the page or in the caption that suggests a picture is relevant, the search engine could actually recognise what was in the picture. Thanks to machine learn
  
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• Correction: NKorea-Mystery Outage story

  25-12-2014 14:55
  
  LONDON (AP) — In a story Dec. 24 about North Korea's Internet outages, The Associated Press reported erroneously that the Falkland Islands are located in the North Atlantic. The Falkland Islands are in the South Atlantic.
  
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• After Sony's about-face, 'The Interview' sells out in many U.S. cinemas

  25-12-2014 14:18
  
  By Alicia Avila LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - "The Interview," the Sony Pictures film about a fictional plot to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, opened in midnight screenings in a smattering of U.S. cinemas on Christmas Day, drawing moviegoers who said they supported the studio's decision to stand up to efforts to censor the low-budget comedy. Seth Rogen, who co-stars in the film with James Franco, and co-director Evan Goldberg surprised patrons by appearing at the sold-out
  
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• Could 2015 be the year wearable tech becomes sexy?

  25-12-2014 13:45
  
  Fashion designers dabble with gadgetry but the high street seems a long way from their catwalk experiments
  
  2015 gears up to be the year of wearable tech
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• 2015 gears up to be the year of wearable tech

  25-12-2014 13:45
  
  Apple Watch forecast to deliver spring boost to sales
  Could 2015 be the year wearable tech becomes sexy? Continue reading...
  
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• Sony's Tokyo Headquarters taking greater role in Hollywood studio after furore

  25-12-2014 11:07
  
  TOKYO/LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Sony Corp's Tokyo headquarters is changing its usual arm's-length relationship with its U.S. studio following a massive cyber attack and the controversy over the comedy "The Interview", with the group CEO being consulted on key decisions, company officials said. Before the devastating cyber attack, Sony Pictures Entertainment was relatively independent of the Tokyo HQ, despite the company's slogan that it is "One Sony" across an em
  
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• In Depth: Best of TechRadar 2014: our articles of the year

  25-12-2014 10:46
  
  Best of TechRadar 2014With 2014 at an end, we decided to take a look back at some of our favourite bits of writing for the year. From buying guides to reviews, opinion pieces to our favourite interviews and news exclusives, it's been a great year, and we hope you enjoy our look back at some of the highlights.Below are the articles that made TechRadar what it is - your ultimate place for news, features and reviews of the greatest gadgets and a ton of tech teases. Thanks for reading and commentati
  
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• Hack threat comedy released in US

  25-12-2014 10:22 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The Sony Pictures comedy The Interview opens in some US cinemas and online, after a major cyber-attack and threats over its release.
  
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• The best apps of 2014 for Android, iPhone and iPad

  25-12-2014 10:00
  
  If you’ve unwrapped a new smartphone or tablet for Christmas, here is the Guardian’s guide to the best new apps to download Continue reading...
  
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• Seven things to do with your new tablet this Christmas

  25-12-2014 09:48
  
  Whether it’s an iPad or an Android tablet, here are seven things to get you going with your new Christmas gadget Continue reading...
  
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• Industry voice: Where do traditional banks fit in the FinTech revolution?

  25-12-2014 09:42
  
  The FinTech revolution has created a great deal of buzz and excitement in recent months. This article considers the moves banks will need to take to stay competitive in the New Year. As one of the oldest institutions in the world, the traditional finance industry regularly uses its long-standing history as a key proof-point of its credibility. Yet as new technologies rise and the financial landscape continues to evolve at a rate not yet seen before in the industry, the very history that many ban
  
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• Chatterbox: Christmas Day

  25-12-2014 09:27
  
  The place to talk about games when you have enough of the relatives Continue reading...
  
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• Interview: Ultra Low Energy standard set to make smart homes ubiquitous

  25-12-2014 09:18
  
  TechRadar Pro interviewed Avi Barel, Director of business development for the ULE Alliance to talk about the Ultra Low Energy standard (ULE) which has the potential to transform the current smart home market by making building automation, security and climate control solutions more eco-friendly, secure and affordable.TRP In which areas and sectors do you see the biggest potential for ULE?AB ULE technology can add value to a wide range of applications. At the ULE Alliance, we are currently focusi
  
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• Interview: Can SQL and NoSQL databases live happily together?

  25-12-2014 09:00
  
  Open source database pioneer Rasmus Johansson shares his views on the current debate around SQL and NoSQL database. Johansson has been VP of Engineering for SkySQL since 2013 and the merger of SkySQL and MariaDB. Prior to the merger he functioned as COO for Monty Program Ab since 2010. He has earlier worked in various IT project positions for Microsoft, WM-data, Icon Medialabs and Finnair.TechRadar Pro: Why are databases so important to businesses?Rasmus Johannson: No large business can be co
  
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• Industry voice: What's on the horizon: the giant leaps for tech in 2015

  25-12-2014 08:30
  
  2014 has been an amazing year for new tech. With the launch of Oculus Rift, the new iPhone and massive leaps made with wearable tech, we're being taken in new and exciting directions. 2015 will only see this level of innovation grow - especially in business. Companies are now recognising the potential new technology can bring - not only in terms of the tech itself, but how they use it. But we need to ensure that they have the right skills to use it to the best advantage. With that in min
  
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• Streaming release of 'Interview' test for industry

  25-12-2014 06:57
  
  ATLANTA (AP) — Sony's "The Interview" has been a hacking target, a punchline and a political lightning rod. Now, with its release online at the same time it debuts in theaters, it has a new role: a test for a new kind of movie release.
  
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• Keeping your Christmas gadgets safe

  25-12-2014 05:06 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Basic steps to keeping your Christmas gadgets safe
  
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• Sony statement on the on-demand release of 'The Interview'

  25-12-2014 03:35
  
  Sony Pictures Entertainment issued the following statement Wednesday on the on-demand release of "The Interview": "It has always been Sony's intention to have a national platform on which ...
  
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• YouTube's release of 'The Interview' a chance to show off paid video chops

  25-12-2014 02:18
  
  By Malathi Nayak SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Google Inc's decision to screen Sony Pictures' film "The Interview" may help legitimize its YouTube platform as a serious rival to paid video streaming services, Netflix and Amazon.com Inc . Sony Pictures made the controversial film available online on Wednesday, expanding distribution of a comedy that triggered a destructive cyberattack against the company that has been blamed on North Korea. The studio reversed its decision to halt
  
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• Sony puts 'The Interview' on YouTube, other digital platforms

  25-12-2014 01:28
  
  By Eric Kelsey and Mary Milliken LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - "The Interview," the provocative comedy that triggered a devastating cyberattack on Sony Pictures, went straight to U.S. consumers on Wednesday in an unprecedented online debut after hacker threats prevented its wide release on Christmas day. The film was available for rental on Google Inc's YouTube site as of early Wednesday afternoon. Microsoft Corp and Sony itself are also showing the comedy, a day before the hastily sche
  
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• Industry Voice: Are employees putting your data at risk?

  25-12-2014 01:00
  
  With what seemed like continual breach headlines shaking the confidences of nearly every business across every industry in 2014, it is all the more important to button up security practices in the New Year. Now the question becomes: where does one begin when cleaning house? Survey findings from Ipswitch say start with your employees. In a survey of more than 200 IT professionals and practitioners, Are Employees Putting Your Company’s Data at Risk?, findings show that employees are circumventin
  
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