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Report: Invisible wearables to be an $80 billion industry by 2020
Invisible wearables, which are products indistinguishable from non-smart technology, will begin to see widespread adoption in the near future. The surging market could be worth $80 billion per year by 2020, as fashion items could help drive the market.
Physical appearance of products is becoming streamlined to be more aesthetically pleasing, so it won't be ideal for all products. To help drive this market further, expect hardware companies to recruit executives from the fashion and jewelry industries - hoping to create next-generation products that will spur development at a faster rate.
Wearables are packing more powerful hardware, and consumers are seeing a wider number of product choices available. Companies like Apple, Google, Intel, ARM, Intel, Lenovo, Sony, Withings, Microsoft, Qualcomm, and Omate are working with wearable-design teams to make products more visually appealing.
Continue reading: Report: Invisible wearables to be an $80 billion industry by 2020 (full post)
FBI aware of at least 60 state-sponsored cyberthreat groups
The FBI is aware of at least 60 cybercriminal groups with state-sponsored support, according to Joseph Demarest, senior bureau chief and head of the FBI cybercrime division.
Demarest also said the FBI was able to trace the Sony Pictures Entertainment hack was tied to North Korea within one month - showing that the unstable country has increasingly sophisticated cyberattack capabilities. State-sponsored cyberespionage is a booming business, with the FBI and other departments suspecting China, Russia, Iran, and other countries of relying on hackers.
In addition, the FBI announced a $3 million reward for the arrest or conviction of Evgeniy Bogachev, operator of GameOver Zeus. The bounty is the largest offered for a cybercriminal, and the Russian has been charged with computer hacking, conspiracy, wire fraud, bank fraud and money laundering - and faces a federal charge of bank fraud conspiracy.
Continue reading: FBI aware of at least 60 state-sponsored cyberthreat groups (full post)
LinkedIn offering $1 to previously compromised users
Do you remember when 6.5 million LinkedIn user's passwords were leaked in 2012 by Russian hackers? We leaned that apparently some people log-in to their professional social media with passwords like 'swampass' and 'squirter'.
A class action lawsuit has seen this company brought to their knees, offering a massive $1 each to the 800,000 Premium Users who joined up the fight. Just in case you were wondering if this might have been a typing error or mistake, it's not - they're giving $1 of cold-hard US dollar to each of the 800,000 Premium Users in which joined this lawsuit.
A LinkedIn spokesperson said to the New York Times that the purpose of this move is "to avoid the distraction and expense of ongoing litigation," even though they deny that they are at fault for the breach.
Continue reading: LinkedIn offering $1 to previously compromised users (full post)
Yahoo clashes with NSA regarding encryption backdoor demands
The National Security Agency (NSA) still has a fragile relationship with Silicon Valley companies, and both sides are trading shots at one another. In the most recent incident, a Yahoo executive challenged the NSA regarding its demand for encryption backdoors.
"If we're going to build defects, backdoors or golden master keys for the US government, do you believe we should do so for the Chinese government, the Russian government, the Saudi Arabian government, the Israeli government, the French government?" said Alex Stamos, CISO of Yahoo.
NSA Director Adm. Michael Rogers initially tried to deflect the question, and then offered the following answer: "I think that we're lying that this isn't technically feasible - now, it needs to be done within a framework. I'm the first to acknowledge that," Adm. Rogers said.
Continue reading: Yahoo clashes with NSA regarding encryption backdoor demands (full post)
Canadian intelligence accurately identified French Babar malware
The Communication Security Establishment Canada (CSEC) documented a French language cyberespionage piece of malware. Former NSA contractor Edward Snowden leaked the CSEC documents, which were published by the Le Monde French publication and German Der Spiegel newspaper.
The sophisticated Babar malware could record and transfer keystrokes and monitor data and audio conversations - it was a well-made, complex piece of software, according to cybersecurity experts. The Remote Access Tool (RAT) was the second piece of software tied to the Snowglobe spyware campaign.
"Babar is a highly developed spyware program that could only have been manufactured by very well-trained developers," said Eddy Willems, security evangelist at G DATA Software AG. "Babar is designed to work specifically in networks belonging to companies, authorities, organizations and research institutes and to steal sensitive data from them. As a result, audio conversations such as Skype chats, for example, can be recorded. Even a targeted attack on individual seems conceivable. A mass distribution of such malware, however, is very unlikely."
Continue reading: Canadian intelligence accurately identified French Babar malware (full post)
NVIDIA rumored to be working on its own VR headset
NVIDIA has teased its 'Made to Game' special event on March 3 during the Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2015, but according to some fresh rumors, the company could be unveiling its own VR headset. Chris Burns from Slashgear thinks that NVIDIA could unveil its own VR headset, and so do I.
The conclusion can be drawn from various technologies NVIDIA has been releasing over the last year, and still have close to their chest. With NVIDIA's Shield and Shield Tablet devices, its range of Tegra processors, G-SYNC, VR Direct, GRID, and so much more. Then we've heard from game developers like Tim Sweeney teasing that VR will look as good as real life within 10 years.
But where the pieces fit into the puzzle more is that G-SYNC and VR Direct technologies would go hand in hand with each other, which is something I asked the company back when they revealed their Maxwell architecture. At the time, my question was answered to the large number of other various press members, but wasn't elaborated on. I did ask if we would see VR Direct, VR SLI and G-SYNC work with the Oculus Rift, but maybe I should've asked if NVIDIA were working on its own VR headset, instead? With NVIDIA's CEO and founder Jen-Hsun Huang saying things like "More than five years in the making, what I want to share with you will redefine the future of gaming" when referring to the March 3 event, we can't help but get excited.
Continue reading: NVIDIA rumored to be working on its own VR headset (full post)
NSA director says 'backdoors' into tech companies doesn't harm privacy
It was only last week that it was revealed that the National Security Agency hacked into Gemalto, the largest SIM card maker in the world, which broke just after we wrote about the NSA reportedly having access to backdoors in Western Digital and Seagate firmware.
The NSA is back in the news once again, with its director, Mike Rogers, wanting to see calmer action in regards to the government's plans to keep its backdoors operating smoothly. Rogers said that maintaining these "backdoors" would not be harmful to citizens' privacy, would not "fatally compromise encryption and would not ruin international markets for US technology products", reports The Guardian. Rogers said: "If you look at the topology of that attack from North Korea against Sony Pictures Entertainment, it literally bounced all over the world before it got to California. Infrastructure located on multiple continents, in multiple different geographic regions".
Rogers wasn't too clear on how legal or technological protections could be installed so that the various government agencies wouldn't take advantage of having all of this data. The White House is working directly with tech giants like Apple, Yahoo and Google on their encryption for the government to access their mobile data, cloud computing and more.
Continue reading: NSA director says 'backdoors' into tech companies doesn't harm privacy (full post)
Apple, Google prepare to battle it out in connected car tech market
Google and Apple hope to see their respective in-car mobile operating systems have a major impact in the connected car market. Apple's CarPlay and Google's Android Auto go beyond just pairing smartphones to the infotainment system, hopefully designed to increase auto safety.
"Consumers have spoken," said John Maddox, assistant director at the University of Michigan's Mobility Transformation Center, in a statement to the New York Times. "They expect to have coordination between their phone and their vehicle."
Both companies want to improve Bluetooth connectivity and voice recognition functionality in connected cars. Automakers are creating working relationship with Google, Apple, and other Silicon Valley companies interested in developing in-car technology.
Continue reading: Apple, Google prepare to battle it out in connected car tech market (full post)
Early reports: Galaxy S6 Edge 'better than' iPhone 6 design
According to officials from various mobile carriers, Samsung's upcoming next-gen Galaxy smartphones are better than the best from Apple. In closed-door meetings, these officials used the new Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge smartphones, responding with nothing but praise.
Executives from companies like T-Mobile, Sprint, Vodafone and SK Telecom have said that both smartphones were reportedly "greatly satisfied" in terms of the new design, and were "wagering they could beat Apple's hot-selling iPhone 6 at least in terms of design". A source spoke with The Korea Herald, where they said: "Some executives said the new phones were the best of the best among Samsung-made phones. They said the Edge was better than Apple's iPhone 6 in terms of design".
Another source talked about the Galaxy S6 Edge model, where they said "It is doubtful whether the acclamations from the mobile carriers will directly lead to (high) sales. Samsung will need to increase the phone's functionality dramatically to appeal to customers".
Continue reading: Early reports: Galaxy S6 Edge 'better than' iPhone 6 design (full post)
Companies hiring hackers to help test their network cybersecurity
Companies nervous about their cybersecurity defenses are relying on white hat hackers to test systems and help identify security flaws. Offering a bounty allows additional skilled users outside of a company's software and IT team to help track down anything that may have unknowingly fallen through the cracks.
"We're curious, we want to test our skills, we want to help these companies," said Mike Santillana, white hat hacker for Bugcrowd, in a statement published by CBS News. "I've found several bugs where you can completely compromise another user's account."
Additional companies are paying security experts and programmers as part of increasingly lucrative bug bounty programs. These hackers enjoy the monetary incentive and the challenge of identifying security flaws that could pose problems for companies and their customers.
Continue reading: Companies hiring hackers to help test their network cybersecurity (full post)
US military testing GuardBot robot ball for surveillance duties
American Unmanned Systems wants to see its amphibious GuardBot used for surveillance missions by the US military, with the unique robot able to travel across land and water. The GuardBot can travel up to 20 miles per hour along the beach and cross water at speeds up to 4 mph, according to American Unmanned Systems.
The unique robotic ball can vary in sizes, from 10cm up to 9 feet, controllable by one operator or programmable via GPS. The GuardBot was created for non-intrusive surveillance and is extremely quiet as built-in cameras and sensors provide feedback from inside the sealed sphere physical casing. The team is looking to develop software supporting geographic information system data to increase autonomous activity.
American Unmanned Systems has a cooperative research development agreement (CRADA) with the US Navy, so they are able to use government research labs and resources to help develop the GuardBot. It was first presented to the military at Marine Corps Base Quantico in 2012, traveling through a volleyball pit - and was shown again in 2014 at the Naval Amphibious Base, deploying and returning to a naval craft.
Continue reading: US military testing GuardBot robot ball for surveillance duties (full post)
Star Wars: Battlefront preparing for a winter 2015 release
EA and DICE are currently walking the minefield that is game development, where it has to be careful with its next release after the not-so-well received Battlefield: Hardline. Star Wars: Battlefront is that next release.
During Sony's reveal on its upcoming games for the PlayStation this year, the Japanese giant teased Star Wars: Battlefront for a Winter 2015 release. We are being told to expect a large and expansive single player experience, where Star Wars fans being in their element. As for the multiplayer side of things, we can expect the usual goodness from DICE, we hope. With the Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2015 right around the corner, we could see EA and DICE tease it there, but E3 2015 is also not that far away now.
Star Wars: Battlefront has a Winter 2015 release date, and will hit the PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
Continue reading: Star Wars: Battlefront preparing for a winter 2015 release (full post)
New battery technology allows for full charge in just 1 minute
We all know how it feels: to be out for the day and your smartphone is beeping or vibrating at you alerting you to the fact that you're on less than 20% charge. Then you can literally feel the minutes clicking over with each percent going down into that drain that your battery slides into. Well, not for long.
An Israeli startup known as StoreDot is looking to solve this thanks to the by-product of research from the nanotechnology department of the Tel Aviv University, which was looking into Alzheimer's disease. The researchers have discovered that a particular peptide molecule has high capacitance, which means it has the unique ability to hold an electrical charge.
Batteries that use this technology can absorb charge much faster than others, but their overall capacity would be smaller. This new technology can't just be baked into current smartphones and devices, but StoreDot is currently in discussions with 15 smartphone makers, with the hopes to getting a contact with a couple of those companies before the end of the year.
Continue reading: New battery technology allows for full charge in just 1 minute (full post)
Apple is offering huge sums of money, bonuses to car battery experts
We've reported on Apple's car quite a few times, but things are becoming more real as the days flick over on the calendar. The New York Post is now reporting that Apple is offering some serious money and higher pay packages to secure car battery experts.
The New York Post has said that "Apple has been offering the best and the brightest in the car-battery field $250,000 signing bonuses plus salaries 60 percent higher than what they currently earn", something Tesla Motors CEO, founder and real-life Tony Stark, Elon Musk, said to Bloomberg Businessweek. Former Ford engineer Steve Zadesky is the boss of Apple's 'Project Titan', so there's some weight to the story, and to having Ford's former engineer working with Apple.
Marc Newson has also joined Apple, with The Post calling him "one of the more elegant engineers in the world" and is very close friends with Apple's design boss, Jony Ive. Zadesky on the other hand, has a huge 90 or so patents, and was the sole signatory on a 2010 business ocntract with a company called Liquidmetal. Liquidmetal is known for its Moldable Metal, or "Nanophosphate metal" which can be shaped like plastic. Apple, along with Liquidmetal, have filed 17 patents together, with 14 of those taking place in the last 12 months or so.
Continue reading: Apple is offering huge sums of money, bonuses to car battery experts (full post)
Halo: Master Chief Collection is still broken on the Xbox One
Microsoft and 343 Industries released Halo: The Master Chief Collection onto the Xbox One some four months ago now, but even to this day, the game is still broken. Matchmaking and lobby systems still don't work, and this is a serious problem.
There have been countless problems found in the game, various patches, and game breaking bugs that have plagued the game since launch. But don't worry, it gets better. 343 Industries has created an achievement in the game called "Stick With It" that awards players for sticking with the game. Except, this achievement is also buggy, and won't unlock.
Continue reading: Halo: Master Chief Collection is still broken on the Xbox One (full post)
Facebook wants to integrate virtual reality into your news feed
Facebook, the No. 1 social networking website, wants to integrate virtual reality into user news feeds, and is creating demo versions to show off the new feature. To take things a step further, Facebook users also have the ability to share their virtual experiences with other members.
In the live VR demos, Facebook members can visit Mongolia, or sit in an F/A-18 Hornet cockpit.
"Not a lot of people are going to get to Mongolia in their life... I've never been," said Chris Cox, head of product at Facebook, while speaking at the Code/Media conference. "You can look around. It's beautiful. And you immediately understand it's like one of these things... the first time you're in it, you realize you're looking at the future."
Continue reading: Facebook wants to integrate virtual reality into your news feed (full post)
Valve will be showing off its SteamVR hardware at GDC 2015
We reported yesterday that Valve would be talking about VR, physics engines and more but now the company has confirmed exactly what it will be teasing at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2015, and it has us very excited.
Valve will be showing off the final Steam Controller for its upcoming Steam Machine platform at GDC 2015, as well as its "previously-unannounced SteamVR hardware system". Valve also has plans to show "new living room devices" at GDC, which will most likely arrive as a slew of new Steam Machines. What has us excited however, is the idea of a full unveiling of its SteamVR platform.
GDC 2015 takes place between March 2-6 at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco.
Continue reading: Valve will be showing off its SteamVR hardware at GDC 2015 (full post)
UPDATE: More Pebble smartwatch information leaked and removed
Recently we told you about how Pebble are set to launch a new smartwatch featuring a color display, replacing its black and white e-paper technology.
Thanks to a leaked photo from Pebble's own servers by 9to5Mac, we're able to get a little more insight into how the color display will actually look. This smartwatch is rumored to feature a slimmer body, an updated OS and obviously the color display as seen above. Reports claim that this may be another e-paper display, said to help keep battery life long and stable.
With the full announcement to be completed tomorrow, we look forward to what is to come.
Continue reading: UPDATE: More Pebble smartwatch information leaked and removed (full post)
Apple spending big dollars investing in two new Euro data centres
Ireland and Denmark are in Apple's sights, with the tech giant announcing that we will see an environmentally sustainable data center constructed in each which country - set to cost them €1.7 billion ($1.93 billion US).
These centers will be 166,000 square meters in size each and used for Apple online and cloud services for European customers. These fully renewable energy supplied facilities will be supporting Apple's iTunes, App store, iMessage, Maps and Siri applications.
No details have been provided just yet of exactly how this renewable energy will be generated and when asked by iTnews "on the design for power usage efficiency, total rack space capacity and server hardware choice for the data centers" no answer was given.
Continue reading: Apple spending big dollars investing in two new Euro data centres (full post)
Professor Stephen Hawking congratulates 'Theory of Everything' star
Whilst it was no surprise that the Academy honoured 2014 drama 'Birdman' with the Best Picture Academy Award, it was a surprise that star Michael Keaton was overlooked, in favour of rising British star Eddie Redmayne's portrayal of Professor Stephen Hawking in 'The Theory of Everything'.
Whilst Hawking wasn't at the ceremony in person, he has sent his well wishes via his Facebook page, writing "Congratulations to Eddie Redmayne for winning an #Oscar for playing me in The Theory of Everything Movie. Well done Eddie, I'm very proud of you." High praise indeed from one of the smartest men on the planet.
'The Theory of Everything' is currently certified fresh by Rotten Tomatoes, with a 79% aggregate.
Continue reading: Professor Stephen Hawking congratulates 'Theory of Everything' star (full post)


