VoteUpIndia » Technology http://voteupindia.com Top News of India... Sat, 19 May 2012 05:37:29 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= Google reveals Gmail hacking, likely from China | Reuters http://voteupindia.com/google-reveals-gmail-hacking-likely-from-china-reuters/ http://voteupindia.com/google-reveals-gmail-hacking-likely-from-china-reuters/#comments Thu, 02 Jun 2011 04:02:20 +0000 superblogger http://voteupindia.com/?p=9755
The unknown perpetrators, who appeared to originate from the city of Jinan in Shandong province, recently tried to crack and monitor email accounts by stealing passwords, but Google detected and “disrupted” their campaign, the world’s largest Web search company said on its official blog.

The revelation comes more than a year after Google disclosed a cyberattack on its systems that it said it traced to China, and could further strain an already tense relationship between the Web giant and Beijing. Google eventually all but pulled out of the world’s largest Internet market by users.

“We recently uncovered a campaign to collect user passwords, likely through phishing,” Google said in a post on its corporate blog, referring to the practice where computer users are tricked into giving up sensitive information.

“The goal of this effort seems to have been to monitor the contents of these users’ emails.”

It “affected what seem to be the personal Gmail accounts of hundreds of users, including among others, senior U.S. government officials, Chinese political activists, officials in several Asian countries (predominantly South Korea), military personnel and journalists.”

Google did not say the Chinese government was behind the attacks or say what might have motivated the intrusions.
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]]> http://voteupindia.com/google-reveals-gmail-hacking-likely-from-china-reuters/feed/ 0 Apple takes control of iCloud.com domain http://voteupindia.com/apple-takes-control-of-icloud-com-domain/ http://voteupindia.com/apple-takes-control-of-icloud-com-domain/#comments Thu, 02 Jun 2011 03:58:21 +0000 superblogger http://voteupindia.com/?p=9754
Apple today took administrative control of the iCloud.com domain less than a week before CEO Steve Jobs is to unveil his company’s new cloud-based service.

According to WHOIS searches Wednesday, Apple is now listed as the owner of the iCloud.com domain. As late as Tuesday, the domain was still registered to Swedish firm Xcerion, which had used the URL for its online file-storage service.

Reports that surfaced in late April said Apple paid Xcerion $4.5 million for the iCloud.com domain. Several weeks before those reports, Xcerion had changed the name of that service to CloudMe and registered a new domain, cloudme.com, to support it.

As of late Wednesday, iCloud.com still redirected users to Xcerion’s site.

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]]> http://voteupindia.com/apple-takes-control-of-icloud-com-domain/feed/ 0 Google versus Apple http://voteupindia.com/google-versus-apple/ http://voteupindia.com/google-versus-apple/#comments Thu, 02 Jun 2011 03:47:49 +0000 superblogger http://voteupindia.com/?p=9753
As I was completing my thesis on “rapid innovation“, one of the frequent comment was: “and you’re lucky to work in the digital industry because you can include in your case studies Google and Apple”. As if they were two innovation champions of the same kind…

Google and Apple may seem to share similar innovation patterns from afar, but under the hood, they play totally different ball games. This way, they demonstrate their ability to build their own identity based on a genuinely personal innovation model. Let’s get more in-depth into the comparative analysis.

Leadership and Culture

Google was founded in 1998 by two brilliant engineers and strong leaders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin. To take their growth to the next stage, and in response to the well-meaning but strong pressure exerted by their shareholders, they strengthened the team in 2001 by recruiting Eric Schmidt, a manager with an international reputation, as Executive Chairman. On joining the business, Eric Schmidt discovered that 60% of searches were run from areas outside of the USA and set up sales teams to develop operations in Europe. The management style is characterized by the care dedicated to recruitment: Larry Page has always carefully considered each and every application from potential candidates and it is not uncommon for up to 10 recruitment interviews to be held. However, this does not mean that there is no scope for thoughtful open-mindedness: to boost the performance of its network of servers, Google’s 18th employee was a neurosurgeon who had qualified at Harvard and the Yale School of Medicine. Finally, one should note the sense of fun “which is taken very seriously” at Google; the Googleplex site is playfully decorated, with toys, benefits and services available on the premises, while the delicious, cosmopolitan and healthy cuisine symbolizes the sense of enjoyment that presides at Google.

Even though Apple was co-founded by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, it is really the “baby” of one leader, Steve Jobs, who has not ceased to act as its visionary, charismatic and authoritative head except for during the period when he left the company between 1985 and 2000. It would be possible to say that Steve Jobs has invented himself a super hero outfit in order to be better identified: he is invariably dressed in a black, high-collared T-shirt, jeans and white New Balance tennis shoes; the round spectacles and carefully neglected beard complete his American student look which creates the illusion of eternal youth reminiscent of our childhood heroes. Steve Jobs does not hesitate to get involved: on welcoming Didier Lombard, former Orange France Telecom CEO, and presenting the first iPhone release, he got up, walked around the table and got down on his knees next to the President of France Télécom to show him he could zoom in on pictures using two fingers and how to access his address book. This contagious enthusiasm is one of Apple’s strengths. What is more: Steve Jobs has not become obsessed by power and, according to his colleagues, continues to be a man who is open to criticism provided that it is backed up arguments.

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]]> http://voteupindia.com/google-versus-apple/feed/ 0 Today’s Trendy: Twitter FOLLOW button for websites http://voteupindia.com/todays-trendy-twitter-follow-button-for-websites/ http://voteupindia.com/todays-trendy-twitter-follow-button-for-websites/#comments Thu, 02 Jun 2011 03:33:42 +0000 Ankit Garg http://voteupindia.com/?p=9745
Tired of re-directing people from your blog/website in order to make them follow you on Twitter?
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]]> http://voteupindia.com/todays-trendy-twitter-follow-button-for-websites/feed/ 0 Sony Begins Phased Restoration Of PlayStation Network http://voteupindia.com/sony-begins-phased-restoration-of-playstation-network/ http://voteupindia.com/sony-begins-phased-restoration-of-playstation-network/#comments Wed, 18 May 2011 02:34:09 +0000 prashant agarwal http://voteupindia.com/?p=9707
Sony Corp. began a limited and phased restoration of its PlayStation Network and Sony Online Entertainment videogame services Saturday, bringing the company a step closer to normalcy following an attack on its systems that compromised personal information for more than 100 million user accounts last month.

The Japanese electronics giant said that following the release of a mandatory software upgrade for all PlayStation 3 videogame console units, it would begin bringing its PlayStation Network back online in the Americas, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and the Middle East. The network will be limited at first, the company said, restoring Internet-based game play, movie rentals, music services and online video streaming through companies like Netflix Inc.

Sony said some customers will be able to regain access on Saturday. Full service should be restored by the end of the month, the company added.

In Japan and seven other Asian locations — South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia — Sony is not restarting the PlayStation Network yet. The company doesn’t yet know when customers in Asia will regain access, but it aims to restore full service in the region by the end of the month, just like the rest of the world.

“We know even the most loyal customers have been frustrated by this process and are anxious to use their Sony products and services again,” Kazuo Hirai, head of Sony’s game division, said in a statement. “We are taking aggressive action at all levels to address the concerns that were raised by this incident, and are making consumer data protection a full-time, company wide commitment.”

The intrusion, which occurred last month, led to the theft of names, addresses, passwords and possibly credit card numbers from its PlayStation Network and Sony Online Entertainment gaming services. Sony shut down both services as it investigated the attack, which the company said was highly sophisticated.

The events led to multiple inquiries from Congress and several lawsuits against the game maker, which has been producing videogame consoles for nearly two decades. Sony’s brand image also took a hit, according to surveys by YouGov’s BrandIndex, dropping significantly following the shutdown and subsequent revelations of the data breach.

Sony has said it will provide its customers with free identity-theft services for a year, including a $1 million insurance policy.

As part of the phased restoration, Sony said all PlayStation 3 customers will need to download a security patch before regaining access to the online gaming services. As a precaution, Sony said customers will be required to change their passwords when they first log back into the systems.

Sony will also be offering “welcome back” packages, including access to otherwise limited content and other freebies in attempts to appease frustrated users.

PlayStation Network has about 77 million user accounts around the world, and about 31 million are in the U.S.

The restart this time doesn’t include Asia because Tokyo-based Sony is still in talks with Japan’s industry ministry, which is asking for more detailed explanation on how Sony’s online service works and what security measures the company is implementing, according to a person familiar with the situation. Because Japan doesn’t have a local equivalent of Debix, which has services that cover thefts and misuses of not only credit cards but also other personal information, Sony and the ministry are still figuring out the best way to protect Japanese customers, the person said.

As the vast majority of PlayStation Network users in Asia are in Japan, the service in the region won’t resume until the Japanese service is ready to relaunch. And Sony can’t restart the service in Japan unless the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry gives the green light.


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]]> http://voteupindia.com/sony-begins-phased-restoration-of-playstation-network/feed/ 0 Nokia X7 coming to Three next month | Crave | CNET UK http://voteupindia.com/nokia-x7-coming-to-three-next-month-crave-cnet-uk/ http://voteupindia.com/nokia-x7-coming-to-three-next-month-crave-cnet-uk/#comments Wed, 18 May 2011 02:34:09 +0000 prashant agarwal http://voteupindia.com/?p=9708

Three is planning to stock the Nokia X7, helpfully updating its “coming soon” page to reflect the fact. Sitting next to the HTC Flyer, which launched today, it’s scheduled for a June launch along with the HTC Sensation — which everyone wants to sell.

Ever since last year’s leak we’ve been anticipating its rival-killing credentials. Don’t be too worried about its Symbian roots, as Nokia is still breathing life into the old dog despite some shaky moments.

Though we haven’t got our mitts on it yet, we’re pretty happy with the X7′s spec sheet. That lovely widescreen 4-inch AMOLED screen is a beauty, while the 8-megapixel camera — fast becoming a mobile-standard — features a dual-LED flash and 720p high-definition recording.

It may not be the fastest critter around, as it has ‘only’ a 680MHz processor (we’ve been getting used to typing ‘GHz’ for mobile processor speeds of late), but all the other newfangled bits you’d expect are on board too — GPS, accelerometer and Wi-Fi. What do you mean, you want a compass?

The updated version of Symbian (named after a woman, Anna, rather than a dessert) will include a better interface, a portrait Qwerty keyboard (for those who love narrow touchscreen keys), Ovi Maps and social-media integration. It will be interesting to see how the X7 and other Symbian-based phones fare against the company’s new Windows Phones and MeeGo devices.

There’s no word on pricing, contracts or other networks yet, but you can be sure there’ll be a rush on soon enough. When we find out we’ll let you know.

Read more: http://crave.cnet.co.uk/mobiles/nokia-x7-coming-to-three-next-month-50003749/#ixzz1MPgCmg3K
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]]> http://voteupindia.com/nokia-x7-coming-to-three-next-month-crave-cnet-uk/feed/ 0 A Second Coming http://voteupindia.com/a-second-coming/ http://voteupindia.com/a-second-coming/#comments Wed, 18 May 2011 02:34:09 +0000 prashant agarwal http://voteupindia.com/?p=9709

The iPad 2 is lighter, and it’s double the fun

I can’t help but feel sorry for those who bought an iPad before April 29, the day the second generation tablet from Apple was launched in India. They missed out on what is without doubt the best tablet available in the market. The iPad 2 is the original iPad on steroids. So if you liked the iPad 1, you will love the sequel.

Why, the sceptics might ask. Well, to start with, the iPad 2 is 33 per cent thinner and 15 per cent lighter than its predecessor. “Less in your hands. More at your finger tips,” as Apple likes to put it. So if you hold it along with a bunch of magazines, the chances are you will have to shuffle through to find the gadget.

But a smaller size doesn’t mean Apple has reduced the efficiency of the iPad. Thanks to the Dual-Core A5 chip, this version is twice as fast. It is fast enough to render HD video without even a whimper, fast enough to let me edit high-resolution pictures from my DSLR without any hassle — a task which my PC at home seldom does without complaint.

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]]> http://voteupindia.com/a-second-coming/feed/ 0 Mini black holes `pass through Earth everyday` http://voteupindia.com/mini-black-holes-pass-through-earth-everyday/ http://voteupindia.com/mini-black-holes-pass-through-earth-everyday/#comments Wed, 18 May 2011 02:34:09 +0000 prashant agarwal http://voteupindia.com/?p=9706
London: Planetary scientists have claimed that a number of miniature black holes pass through the Earth almost everyday, but without causing any damage to our planet.

And, unlike the larger black holes — formed by the collapse of giant stars — that swallow everything even light, past a certain point, the mini black holes would instead hold objects in an orbit, say the scientists.

According to the research, led by Aaron P VanDevender from Halcyon Molecular in California, and J Pace VanDevender from Sandia National Laboratories in New Mexico, the orbiting effect is similar to the way electrons orbit a nucleus without collapsing inwards.

In their study, the scientists theorise that some theoretical mini black holes are so small that they are able to exist on Earth as well as passing through the planet without causing any damage, the ‘Daily Mail’ reported.

They believe that the microscopic size of mini black holes means they obey similar quantum laws to atoms, making nearing particles orbit the holes, rather than being absorbed.

So, while entire planets could be swallowed by a large black hole after passing its event horizon, mini black holes could gravitationally bind matter around them in orbit.

The scientists have labelled this theory the Gravitational Equivalent of an Atom and have calculated that millions of kilogrammes of mini black holes in dark matter form should pass through Earth each year.

And, there’s potentially no risk of the Earth being swallowed up as the mini black holes would pass so quickly through the planet that particles already bound in orbit would be rapidly stripped from the mini black hole.

While the black holes would survive the particles being stripped away, flashes of radiation emitted in the process could disprove noted physicist Prof Stephen Hawking’s theory that microscopic black holes should boil away quickly.

“It would be difficult, but not impossible (to detect one of the mini black holes passing through the Earth),” the scientists said in research posted on ‘arXiv.org’.

“The available power of a GEA to emit detectable radiation is small but not negligible. It would likely be substantially easier to observe a GEA in orbit around the Earth, rather than one that is passing through at a tremendous velocity,” they said.


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]]> http://voteupindia.com/mini-black-holes-pass-through-earth-everyday/feed/ 0 NASA astronauts use robot to inspect shuttle http://voteupindia.com/nasa-astronauts-use-robot-to-inspect-shuttle/ http://voteupindia.com/nasa-astronauts-use-robot-to-inspect-shuttle/#comments Wed, 18 May 2011 02:34:08 +0000 prashant agarwal http://voteupindia.com/?p=9714
Computerworld – Astronauts on NASA’s space shuttle Endeavour are using the spacecraft’s robotic arm to inspect the shuttle’s heat shield for damage today.

This is the Endeavour’s second day in orbit. The shuttle lifted off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida Monday morning. The six-man shuttle crew is on a 16-day mission to bring equipment, experiments and spare parts to the International Space Station.

This is Endeavour’s last space flight before the shuttle is retired. Next month, space shuttle Atlantis is scheduled to go up on its final flight, marking the official retirement of NASA’s entire shuttle fleet.

On their first full day in orbit, the shuttle crew is using the 50-foot Orbiter Boom Sensor System attached to the end of Endeavour’s robotic arm to take images of the spacecraft’s wings and nosecap. They’re inspecting the vehicle’s thermal protection system tiles and reinforced carbon panels for any damage that might have occurred during takeoff. The inspection, which is standard procedure following any shuttle launch, uses cameras and lasers at the end of the boom to provide 3-D views of the shuttle.

The images will be sent to NASA’s ground facilities, where engineers inspect them for any problems with the shuttle’s thermal protection system. That system is needed to protect the spacecraft during the blazing temperatures it will encounter upon re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere.

The shuttle’s robotic arm is a critical piece of machinery for the astronauts. They use it to inspect the space station during fly-bys, as well as to work “hand-in-hand” with the robots on the space station to unload massive pieces of equipment and move them around during spacewalks.

During today’s inspection, shuttle astronauts Mike Fincke and Drew Feustel will work on preparing the spacesuits that will be transferred to the space station for use during the mission’s four spacewalks.

Endeavour is bringing up an interesting variety of equipment to the space station.

For instance, while it’s carrying an S-bad communications antenna, the shuttle also is holding spare parts for the station’s Dextre robotic arm, along with a spare arm and hand for the humanoid robot that recently took up residence on the orbiting station.

And Endeavour is bringing three satellite prototypes aloft. The thumbnail-sized satellites will be attached to the outside of the space station where they are expected to work for several years, collecting data on solar winds. Scientists hope that within 10 years a fleet of these tiny satellites will be released to travel solar winds all the way to Saturn.

Sharon Gaudin covers the Internet and Web 2.0, emerging technologies, and desktop and laptop chips for Computerworld. Follow Sharon on Twitter at @sgaudin or subscribe to Sharon’s RSS feed . Her e-mail address is sgaudin@computerworld.com

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]]> http://voteupindia.com/nasa-astronauts-use-robot-to-inspect-shuttle/feed/ 0 Sony’s Stringer Calls Hacker Attack ‘Hiccup’ http://voteupindia.com/sony%e2%80%99s-stringer-calls-hacker-attack-%e2%80%98hiccup%e2%80%99/ http://voteupindia.com/sony%e2%80%99s-stringer-calls-hacker-attack-%e2%80%98hiccup%e2%80%99/#comments Wed, 18 May 2011 02:34:08 +0000 prashant agarwal http://voteupindia.com/?p=9715
The hacker attack that crippled Sony Corp. (6758)’s PlayStation Network and Qriocity entertainment services was “a hiccup” in the company’s online strategy, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Howard Stringer said.

“Nobody’s system is 100 percent secure,” Stringer said today in a phone interview, his first public comments on the attack. “This is a hiccup in the road to a network future.”

Stringer, 69, spoke in an interview almost a month after Sony, maker of the PlayStation console, shut down its online movie, music and games services. Hackers obtained data on more than 100 million users, the company acknowledged.

The Tokyo-based company is working to determine whether other computer systems were invaded, Stringer said. Authorities in the U.S., Europe and elsewhere haven’t provided Sony with details of criminal investigations into the attacks, he said.

Stringer has been pushing to link Sony’s televisions, mobile devices, tablets and computers via Internet connections to its movies, television shows, games and other content. The company will continue to implement that strategy, he said.

Stringer apologized on May 5 in a blog and offered U.S. users of Sony’s PlayStation Network and Qriocity services a year of free identity-theft protection, backed by a $1 million insurance policy per user covering legal and ID-restoration costs, as well as lost wages that occur after data is stolen.

The company today also offered users a package of free games and movie services as compensation.

Kazuo Hirai, Sony’s executive deputy president in charge of consumer products and network services, informed Stringer of the breach shortly before shutting down the online services.

“Kaz and I together worked out what we need to do,” Stringer said.

Sony gained 6 cents to $27.88 at 11:47 a.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. The American depositary receipts had fallen 22 percent this year before today. The shares rose 34 yen to 2,275 yen in Tokyo.

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