Tech Roundup: Android's Malware Problem, Panspermia & More
[A recurring feature on the latest trends in Science & Technology.]
Sony and Oppo try a different tack with Android:
Japanese tech behemoth Sony may have had mixed success since joining the Android bandwagon, but with their latest Xperia Z, Z Ultra and the upcoming Z1 (codenamed Honami) smartphones, and a developer friendly attitude, prospects are looking bright for the company. The latest rumor concerns a Honami Mini, a mini version of the Z1. But before you jump into conclusions about its specifications, here comes the real surprise. According to tech grapevine, the Xperia Honami Mini will supposedly cut back only on the screen size (4.3 inch) and the battery, with the rest of the Z1 specs kept intact. Would this be the perfect smartphone for a single handed use? We'll have to wait and watch!
Meanwhile Oppo, the Chinese electronics manufacturer, is aiming to target Android enthusiasts by taking a markedly different approach with the R819. "Your phone is a reflection of you. The operating system you run should be too. Use the original ROM or choose from Stock Android or OPPO's Color ROM to get the experience you want," reads the ad on the phone's website, effectively handing users the power to choose between their Color ROM and stock Android (4.2.1).
Nokia Launches Lumia 925 and 625 in India:
While the Finnish handset maker has not refrained from voicing its displeasure over the slow progress of Windows Phone platform, it still hopes WP8 is the only way to stand out amongst the crowd. Hence it's no wonder that Nokia has launched its latest WP8 based Lumia 925 and 625 in India, where it still continues to have a big fan following. Equipped with a PureView camera and other features, the 925 is available for Rs. 33,499, the 4.7-incher Lumia 625, on the other hand, for Rs. 19,999, clearly targeting the budget conscious.
US Government labels Android a 'malware magnet':
Android is all cool and flexible, but fragmentation still continues to be a major problem plaguing the mobile operating system. With a gazillion Android devices from umpteen manufacturers running on different versions of Android in various forms and shapes, fragmentation not only poses a significant headache to app developers, but is also a pain point in terms of security. Just jump to this link to view the present state of Android: Android Fragmentation Visualized. And apparently looks like the US Government's Department of Homeland Security is pretty concerned as well, stating Android devices entail a significantly higher malware threat when compared to iOS or Windows Phone.
Project Loon gets a competitor from Facebook et al:
With people in developed nations having access to Internet, tech companies have turned their attention to the rest of the world to expand its reach and in the process turn them into business opportunities. Months back Google launched Project Loon, with the aim of providing cheaper Internet access to rural and remote areas. Now Facebook, Nokia, Samsung, Opera, Ericsson, Qualcomm and others have partnered together to form a new alliance called Internet.org, an organization dedicated to bringing the Internet to the two-thirds of the world that is still without it. Just imagine a Samsung or Nokia smartphone, using Opera browser, Ericsson's wireless capabilities and Qualcomm's chipset to access Facebook!
Steve Ballmer to step down as Microsoft CEO:
In a totally unexpected development, Microsoft announced that its CEO for over a decade, Steve Ballmer, is set to retire within the next 12 months and that a hunt is on for a successor to take his place. That Microsoft is still a major technology player aside, it can be bluntly put that it failed to capitalize on its market dominance to bring out truly life-changing products, and completely missed the boat when it came to smartphones and tablets - the price it's paying now for letting Android and Apple leap ahead.
Life on Earth came from Mars?
Evolution has taught us that life on Earth came about as a result of chemical transformation of organic molecules, creating something of a 'primordial soup', which formed the basis for further chemical changes. But new research suggests that minerals such as molybdenum, thought to have acted as a catalyst in the aforementioned chemical transformation, couldn't have been available on Earth at the time life first began, because three billion years ago the surface of the Earth had very little oxygen, but Mars did. "It's yet another piece of evidence which makes it more likely life came to Earth on a Martian meteorite, rather than starting on this planet," says Prof Steven Benner who led the research. Panspermia has been widely considered as one of the mechanisms of evolution, but the idea that microbes from Mars may have colonized Earth seems like fantastic!
Cocaine changes brain structure:
Taking cocaine can change the structure of brain within hours, according to latest findings by US researchers. Tests conducted on mice showed their brains learning to get addicted to the drug, those with the most brain changes demonstrating a greater preference for cocaine. Brain is one remarkable piece of organ I must say!
In other news:
Sony and Oppo try a different tack with Android:
Japanese tech behemoth Sony may have had mixed success since joining the Android bandwagon, but with their latest Xperia Z, Z Ultra and the upcoming Z1 (codenamed Honami) smartphones, and a developer friendly attitude, prospects are looking bright for the company. The latest rumor concerns a Honami Mini, a mini version of the Z1. But before you jump into conclusions about its specifications, here comes the real surprise. According to tech grapevine, the Xperia Honami Mini will supposedly cut back only on the screen size (4.3 inch) and the battery, with the rest of the Z1 specs kept intact. Would this be the perfect smartphone for a single handed use? We'll have to wait and watch!
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| NY Times website hacked |
Nokia Launches Lumia 925 and 625 in India:
While the Finnish handset maker has not refrained from voicing its displeasure over the slow progress of Windows Phone platform, it still hopes WP8 is the only way to stand out amongst the crowd. Hence it's no wonder that Nokia has launched its latest WP8 based Lumia 925 and 625 in India, where it still continues to have a big fan following. Equipped with a PureView camera and other features, the 925 is available for Rs. 33,499, the 4.7-incher Lumia 625, on the other hand, for Rs. 19,999, clearly targeting the budget conscious.
US Government labels Android a 'malware magnet':
Android is all cool and flexible, but fragmentation still continues to be a major problem plaguing the mobile operating system. With a gazillion Android devices from umpteen manufacturers running on different versions of Android in various forms and shapes, fragmentation not only poses a significant headache to app developers, but is also a pain point in terms of security. Just jump to this link to view the present state of Android: Android Fragmentation Visualized. And apparently looks like the US Government's Department of Homeland Security is pretty concerned as well, stating Android devices entail a significantly higher malware threat when compared to iOS or Windows Phone.
Project Loon gets a competitor from Facebook et al:
With people in developed nations having access to Internet, tech companies have turned their attention to the rest of the world to expand its reach and in the process turn them into business opportunities. Months back Google launched Project Loon, with the aim of providing cheaper Internet access to rural and remote areas. Now Facebook, Nokia, Samsung, Opera, Ericsson, Qualcomm and others have partnered together to form a new alliance called Internet.org, an organization dedicated to bringing the Internet to the two-thirds of the world that is still without it. Just imagine a Samsung or Nokia smartphone, using Opera browser, Ericsson's wireless capabilities and Qualcomm's chipset to access Facebook!
Steve Ballmer to step down as Microsoft CEO:
In a totally unexpected development, Microsoft announced that its CEO for over a decade, Steve Ballmer, is set to retire within the next 12 months and that a hunt is on for a successor to take his place. That Microsoft is still a major technology player aside, it can be bluntly put that it failed to capitalize on its market dominance to bring out truly life-changing products, and completely missed the boat when it came to smartphones and tablets - the price it's paying now for letting Android and Apple leap ahead.
Life on Earth came from Mars?
Evolution has taught us that life on Earth came about as a result of chemical transformation of organic molecules, creating something of a 'primordial soup', which formed the basis for further chemical changes. But new research suggests that minerals such as molybdenum, thought to have acted as a catalyst in the aforementioned chemical transformation, couldn't have been available on Earth at the time life first began, because three billion years ago the surface of the Earth had very little oxygen, but Mars did. "It's yet another piece of evidence which makes it more likely life came to Earth on a Martian meteorite, rather than starting on this planet," says Prof Steven Benner who led the research. Panspermia has been widely considered as one of the mechanisms of evolution, but the idea that microbes from Mars may have colonized Earth seems like fantastic!
Cocaine changes brain structure:
Taking cocaine can change the structure of brain within hours, according to latest findings by US researchers. Tests conducted on mice showed their brains learning to get addicted to the drug, those with the most brain changes demonstrating a greater preference for cocaine. Brain is one remarkable piece of organ I must say!
In other news:
- Poverty can take a toll on a person's mental faculties, a new study concludes.
- Scientists from Lund University in Sweden confirm the existence of the 115th element on the Periodic Table.
- Words such as selfie and phablet enter the Oxford Dictionary.
- Skype turns 10 years old; confirms it's working on 3D calls.
- BlackBerry Messenger could be spinned off into a new company, reports Wall Street Journal.
- Facebook updates its privacy policy to include profile picture for facial recognition.
- Microsoft looking for strategic investment in the location-based social networking site Foursquare.
- Twitter rolls out Beta app to try out its new features.
- Google Chrome stores passwords in plain text; stirs up debate.
- Google's media streamer Chromecast lands on iOS.
- New York Times and Twitter come under DNS hack attack from Syrian Electronic Army; says more on the way.
- Nokia rumored to be working on a 6-inch phablet under the codename Bandit.
- YouTube for Android gets a major interface redesign.
- HP revenues fall, as Lenovo continues to beat Street.
- Samsung confirms smartwatch for September 4 unveil alongside Galaxy Note III.
- Microsoft Windows 8.1 development is complete.
- Sony next-gen gaming console PlayStation 4 to launch in North America and Europe come November.
- Latest update for Nexus 7 2013 edition said to fix multi-touch and GPS issues.
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