Archive for October, 2014
Michelle Phan Is Building a Beauty Empire (Full Session Video)
At the Code/Mobile conference last week, the speaker lineup included two self-made stars who have built their personal brands to translate across many mediums: Kim Kardashian West and Michelle Phan. While Kardashian West is better known, the deliberateness and effectiveness of Phan — who first rose to fame making make-up tutorial videos on YouTube — is pretty stunning. Continue reading →
Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo rocket plane crashes on test flight
Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo rocket plane crashed during a powered test flight over California’s Mojave Desert on Friday, leaving one pilot dead and another seriously injured, according to news reports. Continue reading →
The Fall of the House of Bertone
In August 1996, 82-year-old Nuccio Bertone came home from a holiday in the south of Italy feeling poorly. Six months later, on February 26, 1997, he was gone. The man who had transformed his father’s unnotable coachbuilding shop into one of the world’s most respected automotive design houses, with a factory in Grugliasco capable of producing 70,000 cars per year, had died 11 days before the Geneva Motor Show. Continue reading →
How to leak sensitive data from an isolated computer (air-gap) to a near by mobile phone – AirHopper
Security researcher Mordechai Guri with the guidance of Prof. Yuval Elovici from the cyber security labs at Ben-Gurion University in Israel presented at MALCON 2014 a breakthrough method (“AirHopper) for leaking data from an isolated computer to a mobile phone without the presence of a network. Continue reading →
New Outlook for Mac available to Office 365 customers
Today we are announcing the new Outlook for the Mac, which delivers improved performance and reliability and a fresh look and feel that is unmistakably Microsoft Office. This release offers a more familiar and consistent experience between Outlook on the PC, Outlook on the web and Outlook Web App (OWA) for iPad, iPhone and Android devices. Continue reading →
Microsoft working on smaller, cheaper Xbox One processor
There’s a fascinating report over on Eurogamer today about Microsoft’s potential plans for a smaller, cooler and cheaper Xbox One processor and how that could result in a thinner Xbox One “Lite” console. Continue reading →
Meet Obi: Ex-Apple CEO’s new smartphone brand
Obi Mobiles, the new kid on the smartphone block, was launched by co-founder and former Apple CEO John Sculley in Singapore on Thursday as part of the brand’s global rollout. Continue reading →
HOW TO Jailbreak iOS 8.x with Pangu 1.1 and install Cydia
Pangu 1.1.0 update adds highly anticipated integrated Cydia installation, English translation, says Mac version is coming
It’s been a bit of a wait, but the wait is finally over for those of you who want the absolute simplest way to jailbreak iOS 8. Continue reading →
Apple Unveils Thinner iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 with Touch ID
At a special event in Cupertino on October 16, Apple introduced the iPad Air 2, its thinnest tablet yet at just 6.1mm, featuring an anti-reflective screen, the A8X chip, and Touch ID fingerprint sensor. The iPad mini 3 gained Touch ID and a gold color option, while the iMac with Retina 5K display showcased a stunning 5120×2880 resolution.
The event also marked the official release of OS X Yosemite, bringing a redesigned interface and Continuity features that allow seamless handoff between Mac and iOS devices. Apple Pay launched in the US on October 20, enabling contactless payments with the new iPhones and Apple Watch. The iPad Air 2 started at $499, with the iPad mini 3 at $399, both available for pre-order on October 17. Continue reading →
Google Takes on Phablets and Tablets with Nexus 6 and Nexus 9
Google announced the Nexus 6 smartphone, built by Motorola, and the Nexus 9 tablet, made by HTC, on October 15. Both devices debuted with Android 5.0 Lollipop, the most significant Android update in years, featuring Material Design, improved notifications, and battery-saving features.
The Nexus 6 sported a 6-inch QHD display and a 13-megapixel camera, priced at $649 unlocked, while the Nexus 9 offered an 8.9-inch screen with a 4:3 aspect ratio and the powerful 64-bit Tegra K1 processor, starting at $399. Lollipop brought a new runtime (ART), project Volta for battery, and enhanced security with Smart Lock and encryption by default. Pre-orders opened in late October, with availability in November. Continue reading →
Microsoft Enters Wearables with the Band and Microsoft Health
Microsoft surprised the tech world on October 29 by launching the Microsoft Band, a fitness-focused smartwatch that works across iOS, Android, and Windows Phone. Priced at $199, the Band includes 10 sensors for heart rate, UV, and sleep tracking, and integrates with the new Microsoft Health platform.
Unlike competitors, Microsoft emphasized cross-platform compatibility, making it an intriguing option for users not locked into a single ecosystem. The Band also features a curved 1.4-inch touchscreen, GPS, and guided workouts. Microsoft Health aggregated data from various apps and devices, using machine learning to provide insights. The Band sold out quickly online and in stores, indicating strong demand. Continue reading →
Shellshock Vulnerability Puts Millions of Servers at Risk
Following the discovery of the Shellshock bug in late September, security researchers spent October assessing the fallout from one of the most severe vulnerabilities in Unix-based systems. The flaw in the Bash shell allowed remote code execution on affected servers, potentially compromising everything from web servers to embedded devices.
Vendors rushed to patch systems, but the long tail of unpatched devices remained a concern for enterprise security teams. Researchers found that many routers, IoT devices, and industrial control systems were vulnerable and would not receive updates. The incident highlighted the risks of widely used foundational software and spurred calls for better security practices in open-source projects. Continue reading →
Windows 10 Technical Preview: A Step Back from the Brink
On October 1, Microsoft released the first technical preview of Windows 10, the operating system designed to win back desktop users alienated by Windows 8. The preview reintroduced the Start menu and allowed modern apps to run in windows, while adding virtual desktops and an improved command prompt.
Microsoft framed Windows 10 as a unified platform across PCs, tablets, phones, and Xbox, signaling a shift toward a more iterative development model with continuous updates. Early feedback from testers was largely positive, particularly for the return of familiar desktop conventions. The preview was available via the Windows Insider Program, allowing enthusiasts to shape the final product due in 2015. Continue reading →