Independent Iranian media have reported that “elements within the government and the Revolutionary Guard provide support to a number of VPN sellers,” according to a 2014 report from Small Media. “Reports hypothesize that this is a mutually profitable arrangement; lining the pockets of officials at the same time as it allows VPN sellers to continue in their work without the threat of state interference.”
BBC Persian journalist Hadi Nili says that not only do Iranian authorities sell VPN accounts, the Iranian government even uses VPNs in order to protect their own connections.
The Dream of Delivery Drones Is Alive (And On A Truck)
But there’s hope yet for drone delivery. Cincinnati-based Amp Holdings is currently developing a drone, called Horsefly, that deploys from a compartment in the roof of an electric delivery truck. After each delivery, the aircraft would return to the truck for its next package. It’s strong enough to carry parcels as heavy as 10 pounds (double what Amazon is shooting for), and durable enough to fly through, wind, rain and snow on its appointed rounds.
via The Dream of Delivery Drones Is Alive (And On A Truck) | Popular Science.
I had this idea a couple years ago when Amazon announced this. Launching from the truck is the most feasible both logistically and technically. The truck does not need to be connected to the Internet. All drone coms can be done via a local wifi and perhaps a server in the truck. This can make the truck driver more efficient and less dangerous as he/she doesn’t have to get out of the truck in traffic.
The Face Detection Algorithm Set to Revolutionize Image Search
The great promise of this kind of algorithm is in image search. At the moment, it is straightforward to hunt for images taken at a specific place or at a certain time. But it is hard to find images taken of specific people. This is step in that direction. It is inevitable that this capability will be with us in the not too distant future.
via The Face Detection Algorithm Set to Revolutionize Image Search | MIT Technology Review.
Web privacy is the newest luxury item in era of pervasive tracking
Another is Ekko.net, a privacy-focused service that is currently invite-only. It gives users the ability to create policies that govern specific accounts or even communications, explains Ekko.net founder Rick Peters. For example, a user might decide to assign a password to protect a specific e-mail thread, text message, or social media communication. Or they might set a “self destruct” date for a message, causing it to be erased at a predetermined time.
via Web privacy is the newest luxury item in era of pervasive tracking – CSMonitor.com.
Will tools such as Blur and Ekko.net tilt the playing field in favor of consumers and their privacy?
Privacy experts say: Probably not.
▶ NASA | SDO: Year 5
The iPod effect: how near limitless storage made content worthless
As faster bandwidth and bigger storage have become the norm, we’ve become used to the idea of a cornucopia of content. But in the absence of tough decisions about what media to bring with us, we’re losing our appreciation of its value altogether. Without clear opportunity cost, all digital content is becoming worthless.
via The iPod effect: how near limitless storage made content worthless | Media Network | The Guardian.
Google Glass Is Being Trialled At European Airport
In the enterprise sector the promise of wearables is increased efficiency by speeding up the dissemination/capture of information to staff out in the field, or who are in the midst of work or customer engagement. So Glass just becomes another tool for a particular type of worker.
Given Glass’ visibility, it is perhaps especially suited for workers in a position of authority, who may already be marked out by their uniform (fluorescent jackets in the case of Schiphol’s authority officers), becoming another ‘badge of office’.
via Google Glass Is Being Trialled At European Airport | TechCrunch.
Researchers design bionic leaf capable of converting sunlight into liquid fuel
“We’re almost at a 1 percent efficiency rate of converting sunlight into isopropanol,” Nocera said. “There have been 2.6 billion years of evolution, and Pam and I working together a year and a half have already achieved the efficiency of photosynthesis.”
via Researchers design bionic leaf capable of converting sunlight into liquid fuel – Techie News.
Mayfield told CBS News that the exact same thing – turning electrons into biomass – has already been done many a times previously by using the same bacteria.
Hello HTTP/2, Goodbye SPDY
HTTP/2’s primary changes from HTTP/1.1 focus on improved performance. Some key features such as multiplexing, header compression, prioritization and protocol negotiation evolved from work done in an earlier open, but non-standard protocol named SPDY. Chrome has supported SPDY since Chrome 6, but since most of the benefits are present in HTTP/2, it’s time to say goodbye. We plan to remove support for SPDY in early 2016, and to also remove support for the TLS extension named NPN in favor of ALPN in Chrome at the same time. Server developers are strongly encouraged to move to HTTP/2 and ALPN.
Your Samsung SmartTV Is Spying on You, Basically
A single sentence buried in a dense “privacy policy” for Samsung’s Internet-connected SmartTV advises users that its nifty voice command feature might capture more than just your request to play the latest episode of Downton Abbey.
“Please be aware that if your spoken words include personal or other sensitive information, that information will be among the data captured and transmitted to a third party,” the policy reads.
via Your Samsung SmartTV Is Spying on You, Basically – The Daily Beast.