Tech Roundup: NSA XKeyscore, Flagship Wars & More
[A recurring feature on the latest trends in Science & Technology.]
NSA's XKeyscore can collect almost anything:
Continuing its disclosures on the USA's mass surveillance saga, The Guardian has revealed yet another tool used by the National Security Agency to collect user activity online. Called the XKeyscore, the top-secret program claims to cover "nearly everything a typical user does on the internet", including the content of emails, websites visited and searches, as well as their metadata.
Meanwhile, Lavabit - a secure email service reportedly used by whistleblower Edward Snowden - has been abruptly shut down after its owner Ladar Levison refused to comply with a US court order to participate in surveillance on its 350,000 customers. Levison wrote on the company's blog: "I have been forced to make a difficult decision: to become complicit in crimes against the American people or walk away from nearly ten years of hard work by shutting down Lavabit." One word, kudos!
Apple supplier Pegatron accused of labour violations; confirms budget iPhone:
An investigation by New York based watchdog China Labour Watch has once again brought to light some cases of serious labour violations, including employment of underage workers, insufficient wages and poor working conditions, at three of Pegatron's factories. Though Apple has vowed to investigate them, what got leaked was the company's plans for a budget iPhone: "Today’s work is to paste protective film on the iPhone’s plastic back cover to prevent it from being scratched on assembly lines. This iPhone model with a plastic cover will soon be released on the market by Apple," the report explains.
Moto X or LG G2 or Xperia Z Ultra?
As the first major product release after being acquired by Google, the Moto X from Motorola had been keenly anticipated. Expectedly since its launch, the phone has garnered praise for its polished Android experience. That it runs on a near stock version of the operating system (the always-listening feature sounds cool!) should come as a breather. But with the phone being Americas only at present, it might be too late to make a sizeable impact by the time it goes global. While Sony's Xperia Z Ultra has the looks, its 6.4 inch display sounds too big for a smartphone. With Xperia Honami all set for launch next month at IFA Berlin, Sony seems to be on a roll of late. Not to be left out in the Android race, it's evident that LG had its eyes set on the Samsung Galaxy S4 when it unveiled the G2 last week. Offering a myriad of (customization) features much like the Samsung's 2013 flagship, what's unique is its back-panel controls.
Climate change and human violence are connected:
A new study, undertaken at the University of California, has revealed a substantial correlation between climate change events and rise in violence around the world. The scientists found that slight changes in temperature or rainfall patterns were enough to trigger rapes, assaults, murder, and at times even war. The results, published in Science, have elicited divided opinions so far, with some researchers even questioning the authors' sweeping generalization and the absence of a 'strong causal link' in their study.
Lab-grown burger eaten!
The world's first lab-grown burger was cooked and eaten at a conference in London last week. The five-ounce burger patty was made out of stem cells harvested from a cow's shoulder, the scientists said. The project is said to be aimed at meeting the growing demand for meat in a sustainable way, and has the backing of Google co-founder Sergey Brin who has funded $330,000 for the research.
In other news:
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| Yahoo! makeover |
Continuing its disclosures on the USA's mass surveillance saga, The Guardian has revealed yet another tool used by the National Security Agency to collect user activity online. Called the XKeyscore, the top-secret program claims to cover "nearly everything a typical user does on the internet", including the content of emails, websites visited and searches, as well as their metadata.
Meanwhile, Lavabit - a secure email service reportedly used by whistleblower Edward Snowden - has been abruptly shut down after its owner Ladar Levison refused to comply with a US court order to participate in surveillance on its 350,000 customers. Levison wrote on the company's blog: "I have been forced to make a difficult decision: to become complicit in crimes against the American people or walk away from nearly ten years of hard work by shutting down Lavabit." One word, kudos!
Apple supplier Pegatron accused of labour violations; confirms budget iPhone:
An investigation by New York based watchdog China Labour Watch has once again brought to light some cases of serious labour violations, including employment of underage workers, insufficient wages and poor working conditions, at three of Pegatron's factories. Though Apple has vowed to investigate them, what got leaked was the company's plans for a budget iPhone: "Today’s work is to paste protective film on the iPhone’s plastic back cover to prevent it from being scratched on assembly lines. This iPhone model with a plastic cover will soon be released on the market by Apple," the report explains.
Moto X or LG G2 or Xperia Z Ultra?
As the first major product release after being acquired by Google, the Moto X from Motorola had been keenly anticipated. Expectedly since its launch, the phone has garnered praise for its polished Android experience. That it runs on a near stock version of the operating system (the always-listening feature sounds cool!) should come as a breather. But with the phone being Americas only at present, it might be too late to make a sizeable impact by the time it goes global. While Sony's Xperia Z Ultra has the looks, its 6.4 inch display sounds too big for a smartphone. With Xperia Honami all set for launch next month at IFA Berlin, Sony seems to be on a roll of late. Not to be left out in the Android race, it's evident that LG had its eyes set on the Samsung Galaxy S4 when it unveiled the G2 last week. Offering a myriad of (customization) features much like the Samsung's 2013 flagship, what's unique is its back-panel controls.
Climate change and human violence are connected:
A new study, undertaken at the University of California, has revealed a substantial correlation between climate change events and rise in violence around the world. The scientists found that slight changes in temperature or rainfall patterns were enough to trigger rapes, assaults, murder, and at times even war. The results, published in Science, have elicited divided opinions so far, with some researchers even questioning the authors' sweeping generalization and the absence of a 'strong causal link' in their study.
Lab-grown burger eaten!
The world's first lab-grown burger was cooked and eaten at a conference in London last week. The five-ounce burger patty was made out of stem cells harvested from a cow's shoulder, the scientists said. The project is said to be aimed at meeting the growing demand for meat in a sustainable way, and has the backing of Google co-founder Sergey Brin who has funded $330,000 for the research.
In other news:
- NASA celebrates 55 years of space exploration.
- Mars Curiosity rover completes its first year on planet Mars.
- Researchers report the first case of human-to-human transmission of bird flu that has emerged in China.
- Amazon boss and billionaire Jeff Bezos buys US newspaper group The Washington Post for $250 million in cash.
- Facebook stock closes above IPO price of $38 for the first time in over a year; adds 15 second video ads and Twitter-like Trending Topics.
- Yahoo! announces 30 days of change; to unveil a new corporate logo come September 5.
- Samsung Galaxy Note 3 to be 'unpacked' at a September 4 event.
- Microsoft cloud service SkyDrive to be renamed after losing a trademark suit against British Sky Broadcasting Group.
- HTC One and Galaxy S4 Google Play Editions get Android 4.3.
- Cross-platform mobile messaging app WhatsApp crosses 300 million users; adds voice messaging in latest update.
- Microsoft Office lands on Android (although free, you need to have a Office 365 subscription).
- Yahoo! acquires social reader Rockmelt; Android and iOS apps to be shut down by the end of this month.
- Sony finally returns to profit as smartphone shipments cross an impressive 9.6 million units.
- Apple colluded with publishers in raising ebook prices in an attempt to cut down Amazon's lead, US Department of Justice rules.
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