Technology news

• Amazon doubles down on entertainment with 'indie' movie bet

  19-01-2015 23:27
  
  Amazon.com Inc is making a high-stakes foray into the challenging realm of independent movies, the latest step in its attempt to move beyond simply distributing digital entertainment content to creating it. Amazon said on Monday it was aiming to produce close to 12 movies a year for theatrical release which would then be available on its Prime video service within two months, significantly faster than the roughly one-year wait it normally faces to stream Hollywood releases. Amazon expects to foc
  
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• Samsung's round smartwatch might ditch the cradle for wireless charging

  19-01-2015 22:56
  
  It's not yet a certainty, but word is Samsung is working on a round smartwatch - and that it will feature wireless charging.Current Samsung smartwatches must be placed into a charging cradle to resupply, but the unannounced Samsung "Orbis" will have wireless charging tech built in, reports SamMobile.The site's sources have been right before, so this one may hold water.It would bring the round Samsung smartwatch even closer in line with the Moto 360 - which features its own wireless cha
  
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• Google sticks to EU only application of 'right to be forgotten'

  19-01-2015 21:47
  
  By Julia Fioretti BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Google is only removing search results from European websites when individuals invoke their "right to be forgotten", contrary to regulators' guidelines, but will review that approach soon, the company's chief legal officer said on Monday. The issue of how far the so-called right to be forgotten should extend has concentrated the minds of Europe's privacy regulators since the continent's top court ruled in May that individuals c
  
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• The new Mario is self aware. How long before he goes inside you to fix things?

  19-01-2015 21:00
  
  Researchers have created a version of Mario that experiences basic emotions – now he needs a purpose that affects the real world Continue reading...
  
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• Down under hunger for online video

  19-01-2015 20:57 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Over 300,000 Aussies are skirting the law to watch online content
  
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• Microsoft's new spin on 'do not disturb' mode actually looks rather useful

  19-01-2015 20:43
  
  "Do not disturb" modes are nothing new, but Microsoft's newest patented feature proposes making it a lot smarter - and potentially more useful.The "inconspicuous mode," spotted by Twitter user Patent Yogi, would detect when a user is in a theater, meeting or other place they'd like their smartphones to shut up, and automatically turn their volume and brightness down.The mode also reportedly would reduce the number of notifications on your lockscreen for when you're tempted to
  
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• Serious Fraud Office drops investigation into HP-Autonomy deal

  19-01-2015 20:19
  
  Investigators say there is insufficient evidence to prove wrongdoing in Hewlett-Packard’s botched $11bn takeover of UK software firm Continue reading...
  
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• Amazon builds on TV successes to enter movie business

  19-01-2015 20:13
  
  Amazon.com Inc is getting into the movie business, building on some early successes in TV productions, the latest sign of the Internet retailer's eagerness to build itself into a major Hollywood player. Amazon said on Monday it was aiming to produce close to 12 movies a year for theatrical release which would then be available on its Prime video service within two months, a huge drop from the roughly one-year wait it normally faces to stream Hollywood releases. Amazon expects to focus on &q
  
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• The best drones to fly in 2015

  19-01-2015 19:30
  
  DJI Inspire 1Not content with having cornered the consumer drone market – and every news bulletin – with its amazing Phantom 2 Vision+, DJI has now launched a stunning mid-range drone aimed at prosumers. Like the Phantom, the new Inspire 1 is ready to fly straight out of the box using an iPad or Android tablet to monitor the action. The high-tech hand controller is a joy and equipped with ultra smooth joysticks and extra switches for controlling the quad's retractable carbon fibre prop arms
  
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• Global patents reflect advances in connected and self-driving cars

  19-01-2015 19:03
  
  By Hyunjoo Jin and Paul Lienert SEOUL/DETROIT (Reuters) - Technology advances in telematics and driver assistance systems are gathering steam as the enablers of future connected and self-driving cars, according to an analysis of global patent applications released Monday. South Korean automaker Hyundai Motor posted the biggest gains in the number of patent filings over the past five years, narrowing the gap with industry leader Toyota, according to the report by Thomson Reuters IP & Science.
  
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• Industry voice: Security automation should help topple the IT silos

  19-01-2015 18:20
  
  Over the years, IT departments' development, operations and security teams grew so far apart that it was easy to forget they were all working towards a common goal – to make sure IT delivered what the business needed as quickly, efficiently and securely as possible. Each of these three critical IT areas knuckled down to its own challenges without much heed to what the other two were up to. Developers thought little about infrastructure beyond how it affected their ability to roll out applicati
  
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• Amazon to make movies for theatres, Prime video service

  19-01-2015 18:04
  
  (Reuters) - Amazon.com Inc said it would produce movies for the big screen and offer them on its Prime video service within two months of their theatrical release. Netflix Inc, with which Amazon's video service competes, said in September it would jointly produce a sequel to "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon". Amazon has been investing heavily in digital media, hoping to draw traffic and drive sales as consumers increasingly spurn traditional TV offerings in favour of on-demand cont
  
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• Industry voice: Key trends for retail technology in 2015: the rise of hyper-personalisation

  19-01-2015 18:00
  
  This year, customer experience management will be mostly focused on customer personas, rather than portfolios. It is increasingly critical for retailers to innovate in terms of customer experience to keep shoppers engaged.Only by serving the changing needs, preferences and behaviour of the customer, will retailers and brands be able to meet today's hyper-connected consumers on their terms, across all channels of interaction.The rise of hyper-personalisationOver the course of last year, we saw a
  
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• HTC One M9 set to feature 20 megapixel camera

  19-01-2015 17:05
  
  According to a source close to HTC, the upcoming HTC One M9 smartphone will come with a drastically improved camera capable of 20 megapixel resolution.Not only will the rear camera be improved, but according to the source the front-facing camera will also be getting some love with the HTC UltraPixel technology.This technology uses fewer pixels that are larger in size in a bid to get clearer images in low light situations. The HTC One M9 will also include Dolby 5.1 audio technology for when you w
  
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• Updated: Sony Xperia Z4 release date, news and rumors

  19-01-2015 16:55
  
  Xperia Z4: release date, design and displayIt might not seem that long ago since the Xperia Z3 was released, but with Sony's rapid release schedule for its flagship smartphones the rumour mill has already been working overtime.We've started to hear plenty rumours about Sony's next flagship, including one report which reckons the Japanese firm will return to an annual launch of its top device, ditching the recent trend of every six months, though not until after the Z4 launches.Updates: Passing J
  
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• Amazon to produce movies for theatres, Prime video service

  19-01-2015 16:45
  
  (Reuters) - Amazon.com Inc said Amazon Studios would produce and buy original movies to be released in theatres and for early-window distribution on Prime Instant Video. The company has been investing heavily in digital media, hoping to draw traffic and drive sales as consumers increasingly spurn traditional TV offerings in favour of on-demand content. Amazon said on Monday its movies would premiere on Prime Instant Video in the United States in four-eight weeks after their theatrical debut. The
  
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• Expert panel: Creating innovation in the federal government

  19-01-2015 16:33 via zdnet.com
  
  Craig Newmark, founder of craigslist, David Bray, CIO of the Federal Communications Commission, and Karen S. Evans, former Executive Branch CIO, share important lessons on leadership, culture, social media, and much more.
  
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• GCHQ captured emails of journalists from top international media

  19-01-2015 16:04
  
  • Snowden files reveal emails of BBC, NY Times and more
  • Agency includes investigative journalists on ‘threat’ list
  • Editors call on Cameron to act against snooping on media Continue reading...
  
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• Windows 10: Can Microsoft get it right this time?

  19-01-2015 15:34 via zdnet.com
  
  Microsoft wants Windows 10 to boost its mobile play, but that's not the only battle the software giant will have to fight.
  
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• SFO closes probe into Autonomy sale

  19-01-2015 15:02 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The Serious Fraud Office closes its investigation into the 2011 takeover of UK software firm Autonomy by computer giant Hewlett-Packard.
  
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• Gamergate targets launch anti-harassment network

  19-01-2015 14:54
  
  Crash Override aims to provide support to targets of online harassment after its founder, Zoë Quinn, became the first target of the videogame movement Continue reading...
  
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• Genius plans to let users annotate the whole of the web

  19-01-2015 14:46
  
  The company formerly known as Rap Genius has grand ambitions to be a platform for annotating anything but faces copyright concerns Continue reading...
  
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• Review: Garmin Forerunner 920XT

  19-01-2015 14:21 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Intro, design and field testing The idea that we should just "know" our fitness abilities is outdated: the technology exists to rebuild us, though it isn't necessarily cheap. There are a plethora of lower-cost fitness-tracking bands and watches for the aspiring athlete, but the Garmin Forerunner 920XT is something altogether more serious: a powerhouse of a watch that's like a coaching team that sits on your wrist. It's designed to be your perfect companion for running, swimming, cycling
  
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• Serious Fraud Office closes investigation into Autonomy's sale to HP

  19-01-2015 14:10 via zdnet.com
  
  An investigation by the Serious Fraud Office into the sale of Autonomy has been brought to a close.
  
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• Dating apps 'expose' location data

  19-01-2015 14:08 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Many mobile dating apps can be hacked to expose the exact location of users, warn security experts.
  
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• US 'tapped N Korea computers in 2010'

  19-01-2015 13:47 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The US began looking into North Korea's computer network in 2010, reports claim
  
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• It's-a-me, Mario! And soon I'll be playing my games without your help …

  19-01-2015 13:43
  
  German researchers working on giving Nintendo hero adaptive learning artificial intelligence to become a ‘living and conversing agent’There are gamers who can complete Super Mario Bros in less than five minutes, and gamers who still struggle with the finer elements of mushrooms, pipes and coins. But how would Mario fare playing his own games?Thanks to a team of cognitive modelling researchers at the University of Tübingen in Germany, we may soon find out. Their latest project: “An Ada
  
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• 70 years after the Holocaust, new app brings its voices to modern devices

  19-01-2015 13:12
  
  70 Voices will enable Android and iOS owners to hear from ‘victims, perpetrators and bystanders’ to commemorate anniversarySeventy years after the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp, an Android and iOS application is aiming to provide new insights into the Holocaust for modern-day smartphone and tablet users.70 Voices: Victims, Perpetrators and Bystanders is the work of the Holocaust Educational Trust, which has made it available as a free download through Google, Amazon and Apple’s ap
  
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• After Gmail blocked in China, Microsoft's Outlook hacked, says GreatFire

  19-01-2015 13:01
  
  Chinese users of Microsoft Corp's Outlook email service were subject to a hacking attack at the weekend, just weeks after Google Inc's Gmail system was blocked in China, an online censorship watchdog said on Monday. People using email clients like Outlook, Mozilla's Thunderbird and apps on their phone with the SMTP and IMAP email protocols, which are used to send and receive messages, around Saturday were subject to a "man-in-the-middle" (MITM) attack, said China-based G
  
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• EE customers to share £1m refund

  19-01-2015 12:57 via bbc.co.uk
  
  A "small" number of EE customers will share a refund of roughly £1m after they were wrongly charged VAT.
  
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• Micro-machines journey inside animal

  19-01-2015 12:55 via bbc.co.uk
  
  In a case of science fiction meeting reality, microscopic machines have journeyed inside a living animal for the first time.
  
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• Lizard Squad's LizardStresser hacked and customer details made public

  19-01-2015 12:35
  
  Researcher says hacker group took $11k worth of bitcoin payments for its DDoS service, but stored usernames and passwords in plain textHacking group Lizard Squad made a name for itself with high-profile attacks on Sony and Microsoft’s online gaming networks. Now the group appears to have been hacked itself, as it tried to profit from its fame by selling a service to take other websites down.The group unveiled LizardStresser at the end of 2014, after its Christmas attacks on PlayStation Network
  
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• AI Mario character plays his own game

  19-01-2015 12:33 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The character can learn about his environment and respond to voice commands, thanks to researchers at a German university.
  
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• China's Tencent apologises for 'civil rights' blunder

  19-01-2015 12:30
  
  Chinese internet heavyweight Tencent Holdings Ltd apologised on Monday for rewarding WeChat app users who sent a message with the English phrase "civil rights" with a screen full of fluttering U.S. flags. The animation was intended to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the United States, and was only meant to be available to WeChat users in that country, wrote Tencent's WeChat team on their official microblog. A technical error allowed users elsewhere to see the U.S. flags
  
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• Four in five malware alerts are a 'waste of time'

  19-01-2015 12:24 via zdnet.com
  
  Malware raises the cost of doing business by $1.3m a year, largely due to the burden of responding to false alarms, according to a survey.
  
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• Mark Zuckerberg picks Steven Pinker as his book club’s next choice

  19-01-2015 12:12
  
  Facebook founder’s second selection for online reading group is psychologist’s study claiming violence is declining in human society Continue reading...
  
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• Review: Garmin Vivosmart

  19-01-2015 12:12 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Intro, design and fitness functionsFitness bands are now a well established part of the tech canon, and they're aimed at a specific kind of person – does this sound like you?You're someone who, halfway through the decade, decided to get moving. Naturally, you want to log these new bursts of momentum – else what's the point, right? – and for a small price you can now do so discreetly, at the cost of a recharge every week or so, only having your day-to-day life interrupted by a digital pat o
  
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• Three owner reportedly in talks to buy O2 in the UK

  19-01-2015 11:56
  
  After BT passes on Telefonica’s O2 to buy EE, Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing reportedly in talks to buy Britain’s second largest mobile phone operatorThree-owner Hutchison Whampoa is in talks to buy Britain’s second-largest mobile phone operator O2 for up to £9bn, according to reports.The Hong Kong conglomerate owns the UK’s smallest network, Three, which has 8 million customers but bought O2 in Ireland in 2014 to combine with Three Ireland and Orange Austria in 2012. Continue readin
  
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• VIDEO: London hosts first mobile games week

  19-01-2015 11:19 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The first ever mobile phone games week is being held in London this week.
  
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• Uber promises 50,000 new European jobs

  19-01-2015 11:08
  
  The taxi app has made a bid for regulatory partnerships with EU cities, promising 10,000 new jobs per city over the next four yearsTaxi-hire firm Uber is planning rapid expansion in Europe, promising to create 50,000 new jobs in 2015.Uber’s chief executive, Travis Kalanick, told a conference in Munich: “We want to make 2015 the year where we establish a new partnership with EU cities.” Continue reading...
  
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• VIDEO: Device helps track elderly health

  19-01-2015 10:47 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The hub which can help families monitor the health of elderly relatives remotely.
  
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• ​Microsoft's Denim update for Windows 8.1 Lumia phones begins rolling out worldwide

  19-01-2015 10:41 via zdnet.com
  
  It's taken a little longer than expected but Microsoft's Denim update should be arriving soon for Lumia owners.
  
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• Viber banned in Bangladesh

  19-01-2015 10:36
  
  Authorities have closed down the smartphone messaging service after it became popular with anti-government protesters
  Bangladeshi telecoms authorities have shut down smartphone messaging service Viber, which had become a popular communication medium for anti-government protesters.
  Continue reading...
  
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• RetroN 5 review – nostalgia made neater

  19-01-2015 09:00
  
  Hyperkin’s console allows you to play your original NES, SNES, Megadrive and Gameboy cartridges – it’s retro gaming without the rat’s nest of wiresRetro gaming can prove to be a nuisance, a pastime that caters to clutter. It festoons living rooms with a host of tangled wires and weathered, troublesome consoles that may still need a ritualistic blow in the cartridge slot to bring them to life. It’s a situation the much-delayed RetroN 5 hopes to address. This Frankenstein’s monster of
  
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• Best Android Wear smartwatch apps 2015

  19-01-2015 08:31
  
  Android Wear apps 1-5Launched less than a year ago, Android Wear is now coming into its early golden age with devices such as Sony's Smart Watch 3, LG's G Watch R, Motorola's Moto 360 and more. There are now several hundred apps available for the OS, augmenting your Android Wearable's powers beyond the standard notifications 'n' fitness realm. Here are 20 of your favourites, in no particular order… 1. UhrArt WearFacesFreeOne of the simplest yet key USPs of a smartwatch is being able to customi
  
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• Platform Panic review – imaginatively ups the mobile gaming ante

  19-01-2015 08:30
  
  iOS, Android, Nitrome, cert 4
  Infinite runner titles have come to the fore on mobiles, but by fusing the format with an old-school 16-bit platformer, Nitrome has elevated the genre. Platform Panic begins with a small robot dropping into view, but although the landscape is there to be traversed, there’s no cumbersome virtual D-pad to negotiate. Instead, the miniature mechanoid is in perpetual motion, diverted around the world with swipes to the side to change direction, and up to jump. W
  
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• ZipJet, Zomato review – dry-cleaning and restaurant-booking apps

  19-01-2015 08:00
  
  Now dry-cleaning as well as restaurant booking can be done from your phone Continue reading...
  
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• Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones review – still sharp, if not looking its best

  19-01-2015 08:00
  
  Wii U Virtual Console, Nintendo, cert: 7 Continue reading...
  
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• Snowplow tracking apps hold cities accountable for cleanup

  19-01-2015 07:36
  
  As another storm flung snow at Chicago, Alexandra Clark wondered how she'd get to work. Like an increasing number of snowbound city dwellers, she had a ready tool at hand: an app that tracks hundreds of ...
  
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• Snowden docs reveal NSA digital warfare capabilities

  19-01-2015 07:31 via zdnet.com
  
  The United States government is gearing up for digital war, with classified documents leaked by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden published by Germany's Der Spiegel outlining the agency's moves to appropriate foreign attacks for its own use.
  
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