Technology news

• Defra 'breaking law' by not restoring hacked air-quality website, say users

  12-05-2015 20:26
  
  Environment department accused of violating European law for not getting UK Air site, which provides live data on air quality, online since Islamist cyber-attack Continue reading...
  
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• AOL sold to Verizon: its journey from tech giant to penny-ante side bet

  12-05-2015 19:02
  
  The $4.4bn price tag for the once-great internet player is a bargain compared to what it could have commanded 15 years agoFifteen years ago, when AOL effectively took over Time Warner in a deal often described as the worst in history, the gamble was that the internet was the future of communication. That bet was right even if it cost AOL and Time Warner almost everything.
  Given AOL’s subsequent collapse, Verizon’s $4.4bn purchase of the fallen internet star is a terrific deal for AOL. Finall
  
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• Firm sued over location-tracking app

  12-05-2015 18:56 via bbc.co.uk
  
  A lawsuit has been lodged in California alleging that location-tracking apps used by a firm invaded staff privacy.
  
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• Assassin's Creed: Syndicate – murder and mayhem amid the gangs of London

  12-05-2015 18:40
  
  Ubisoft is moving its historical adventure series to the foggy streets of 19th-century London, bringing new assassinations and a fresh approach to single-playerFor the past two years the 300-strong team at Ubisoft’s Quebec office has been pondering a vital question. It’s something that gets to the heart of the Assassin’s Creed series, a multimillion dollar action adventure franchise that follows a shadowy cabal of killers throughout history. The question is: how do you modernise a franchis
  
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• Review: TomTom Go 50

  12-05-2015 18:09 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  It feels as if we've been predicting the end of the sat nav for years, and yet here we are, taking another one out for testing on the open road. The smartphone may offer the next best solution, but plenty of drivers still prefer a dedicated navigation device for getting from A to B. It's a category that TomTom still excels in, and the TomTom Go 50 is a robust sat nav that is designed to be a friend to your smartphone, not a rival. You see, TomTom's done something quite clever here: it's made its
  
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• Testing the 'selfie drone' in Central Park – video

  12-05-2015 18:00
  
  Antoine Balaresque, 24, is the CEO of Lily, a California company that has attracted $1m worth of interest from investors so far. What does Lily do? It makes a self-operating drone camera that follows a little tracker around using a blend of WiFi connectivity and video recognition. Balaresque calls it a 'selfie drone' and said that he came up with the idea while on vacation with his family.Lily itself is a complicated machine – the versions he and his partner made in their workshop are clunky a
  
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• Third Bangladesh blogger murdered

  12-05-2015 17:42 via bbc.co.uk
  
  A secular blogger is hacked to death by suspected Islamists in Bangladesh, the third such deadly attack this year.
  
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• Verizon to buy AOL for $4.4bn

  12-05-2015 17:30 via bbc.co.uk
  
  US telecoms giant Verizon says it will buy internet firm AOL in a deal worth $4.4bn.
  
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• Information Commissioner's Office to review privacy in children's apps

  12-05-2015 16:27
  
  Plans to examine 50 apps and websites to find out what information they collect form kids and how they explain it to parentsChildren’s apps and websites are in the spotlight on privacy grounds again, after the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) announced a review of how these services collect data on their young users.
  The ICO will review 50 sites and apps to find out what information that collect, how they explain it to children, and how they seek parental permission. Its study
  
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• Web usage doubles in a decade thanks to tablets and smartphones

  12-05-2015 15:59 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  Research shows UK users are spending twice as much time online as they did ten years ago.
  
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• EE tops consumer telecoms complaints

  12-05-2015 15:57 via bbc.co.uk
  
  EE is named as the most complained-about phone and broadband provider.
  
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• Halfbrick launches maths-teaching sequel to Fruit Ninja mobile game

  12-05-2015 15:16
  
  Developer puts its fruit-slicing game engine to educational use in a maths learning app for five- to seven-year-olds Continue reading...
  
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• Jamie's website hacked a third time

  12-05-2015 14:44 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The website of British TV chef, Jamie Oliver has been hit for a third time by malware that potentially infects users' computers
  
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• ​Google pauses Map Maker after spam attacks - and a urinating Android

  12-05-2015 14:29 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  Google has suspended its community editing tool for Google Maps after a user with a strong reputation created a large-scale prank.
  
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• ​How open source Apache's survival of the fittest ethos breeds better software

  12-05-2015 14:03 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  The Apache Software Foundation operates on the soundest Darwinian principles, according to Hadoop firm Cloudera's CTO, Amr Awadallah.
  
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• Verizon to buy AOL in $4.4bn deal

  12-05-2015 14:02
  
  All-cash deal will give Verizon access to Huffington Post and MovieFoneAOL chief executive: ‘AOL is back … Let’s mobilize’ Continue reading...
  
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• Review: Garmin Vivofit 2

  12-05-2015 13:56 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Introduction, battery and displayI've been living with the Garmin Vivofit 2 for a couple of months now, and I've become quite attached to it. I've tested a few of these step-tracking wearables now and ended up frustrated and, so some of the smart bands have told me, with a high heart rate.For the sake of my 'wellness', I've decided that perhaps the best way to approach them is by setting expectations low and being pleasantly surprised. So, whereas in the past I've unboxed these things and expect
  
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• Do we need a Metal Gear action figure with squeezable breasts?

  12-05-2015 13:54
  
  Metal Gear developer Hideo Kojima has announced that an action figure of his mute female assassin Quiet will have pliable boobsContinue reading...
  
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• Vodafone tops list of most complained about mobile sevices

  12-05-2015 13:54
  
  Mobile provider overtakes EE as Ofcom figures show total complaints continue to decline Continue reading...
  
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• US employee sues after 'being fired for deleting app' that tracked her location

  12-05-2015 13:47
  
  Myrna Arias alleges her job in sales was terminated for uninstalling app that let her managers monitor her even when off-duty Continue reading...
  
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• Verizon to buy AOL for $4.4bn for mobile video, advertising

  12-05-2015 13:45 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  The telecoms giant is planning to acquire AOL to help it get a leg up in mobile video.
  
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• Review: Asus Transformer Book Flip TP300LA

  12-05-2015 13:30 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Introduction and designWith the release of the latest MacBook, Apple proved unwilling to dip its toes into touchscreen laptop territory just yet – leaving the market open for Asus and Lenovo to do a few backflips into the pool and make some big waves. This, the latest from Asus' (slightly confusingly named) Transformer Book Flip line features the new i7-5500U Broadwell Intel processor, beating its nearest rival the Lenovo Ideapad Yoga 3 which still currently has an i5-5200U.The Core i7 version
  
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• Google's Map Maker suspended

  12-05-2015 13:00 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Google stops the public contributing to its map service following some high-profile graffiti, including a urinating Android.
  
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• ​'Get the drone to drop the parcel off at my boat': Amazon details ambitious delivery plans

  12-05-2015 12:35 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  With a new FAA drone license in tow, Amazon has received a patent for its Prime Air drone delivery system.
  
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• Budget 2015: Human Services and Immigration score big on new IT systems

  12-05-2015 12:07 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  The Australian Department of Human Services and the Immigration and Border Protection departments are set to receive hundreds of millions of dollars in funding for new IT systems.
  
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• Budget 2015: Defence Materiel Organisation to be abolished

  12-05-2015 11:55 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  The Australian Department of Defence will take on the responsibilities of the Defence Materiel Organisation, with the federal government set to abolish the agency from July.
  
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• Budget 2015: Digital Transformation gets AU$254m boost

  12-05-2015 11:51 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  Australian government agencies have been asked to contribute almost half of the funding for improved digital services.
  
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• Budget 2015: AU$31.4m to be saved on ERP systems

  12-05-2015 11:40 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  The Australian government has outlined a raft of savings it expects to achieve as a result of consolidation of IT systems and processes across the public sector.
  
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• Budget 2015: Telcos get AU$131 million for data-retention costs

  12-05-2015 11:38 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  The Australian government has offered to fund between less than half and one third of the estimated costs for telecommunications companies to store communications data for law enforcement.
  
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• ​Google's self-driving cars have crashed 11 times

  12-05-2015 10:59 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  Google comes clean on the number of accidents its driverless cars have been in over the past six years.
  
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• ​Google's self-driving cars involved in 11 crashes

  12-05-2015 10:59 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  Google comes clean on the number of accidents its driverless cars have been in over the past six years.
  
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• Logitech ConferenceCam Connect review: Flexible video conferencing for small groups

  12-05-2015 10:41 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  Logitech's cylindrical ConferenceCam Connect delivers high-quality HD video conferencing for groups of up to six people. Useful extras include battery-powered operation and wireless screen mirroring for compatible mobile devices.
  
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• How to extend your phone, tablet or laptop battery life on the move

  12-05-2015 10:15
  
  Introduction and battery packsMaking sure you have enough power for your gadgets when you are on the move is a constant headache. As the number of devices we all carry has expanded, so has our consumption of power. Britons alone throw away 600 million batteries every year, but batteries are no longer the only way to carry the power you need to keep your devices working all day every day.When working on the move the importance of a reliable and plentiful supply of power is even more important. Ho
  
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• 10 best PC games: the must-play titles you can't afford to miss

  12-05-2015 09:40
  
  IntroductionThe PC is either making a comeback or never went away in the first place, depending on who you ask. Whichever camp you're in, a deluge of triple-A titles, virtual reality and (whisper it) decent console ports make picking the PC over the Xbox One or PS4 a no-brainer.Whether you're a mouse-and-keyboard diehard who mutters "boom, headshot!" in their sleep, or a joypad-wielding adrenaline junkie, the PC has no shortage of blockbuster and indie titles to help you waste away th
  
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• ​Australians trust technology brands: Ipsos

  12-05-2015 08:44 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  Google ranked as the most influential brand in Australia, followed by eBay, Microsoft, and Facebook, in the Ipsos most influential brands for 2015 report.
  
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• ​Qantas eyes customer insight to help with transformation

  12-05-2015 07:09 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  Qantas has recognised that customer data will play a vital role in aiding future operations and decisions for the airline.
  
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• Olympus launches new pro wide-angle lenses and a limited-edition E-M5 II

  12-05-2015 07:00
  
  Compact system cameras and DSLRs aren't just cameras, they're part of a system of lenses and accessories, and this is one of the biggest differences between 'amateur' and 'professional' brands.Pro photographers have a kind of 'holy trinity' of lenses – a constant-aperture f/2.8 standard zoom, a constant-aperture f/2.8 short-medium telephoto and a constant-aperture f/2.8 ultra wide-angle lens.Olympus already has the first two, and with the announcement of the brand new M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 7-14mm
  
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• Tim Cook opens Weibo account in China

  12-05-2015 06:32 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  Apple CEO Tim Cook has greeted Chinese fans on the country's largest chat service Weibo, signalling the US technology giant's determination to strengthen ties with its largest overseas market.
  
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• Tank Stream Ventures startup fund hits AU$20m mark

  12-05-2015 02:56 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  Tank Stream Ventures has announced the raising of AU$20 million, which it plans to invest in more startups looking to expand globally.
  
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• Stop what you're doing and watch these guys fly jetpacks over Dubai

  12-05-2015 01:28
  
  We're not living in the world of the Jetsons yet, but flight by jetpack is very real ... if you're Yves Rossy and Vince Reffet. The two Jetmen are featured in the video below, soaring over desert sands and flirting dangerously close to the spire-like structures of Dubai, not to mention coming hair-raisingly close to one another."I am not playing with death," Rossy muses. "I am playing with life."Their flights are filmed in stunning 4K, almost unreal in its clarity and beauty.
  
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• Spark piles heat on regulator over copper monopoly rent

  12-05-2015 01:17 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  Retail telco Spark appeals to the New Zealand public with Be Counted online campaign.
  
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• Will algorithms make business boring?

  12-05-2015 01:11 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Is the brave new world of AI going to make business boring?
  
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• Netflix reveals the best and worst Australian ISPs

  12-05-2015 01:04 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  Cut price internet service provider TPG has ranked highest among Australian ISPs
  
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