Author Archives: mea

Web privacy is the newest luxury item in era of pervasive tracking

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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.

The iPod effect: how near limitless storage made content worthless

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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

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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

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“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

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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.

via Chromium Blog: Hello HTTP/2, Goodbye SPDY.

Your Samsung SmartTV Is Spying on You, Basically

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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.

The First Ubuntu Phone Won’t Rely On Apps. Here’s Why That’s Brilliant

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“We’re producing an experience where content and services come directly to the screen in an unfragmented way,” says Cristian Parrino, VP of Mobile at Canonical. “It makes for a much richer and faster user experience

via The First Ubuntu Phone Won’t Rely On Apps. Here’s Why That’s Brilliant | Fast Company | Business + Innovation.

New High-Tech Farm Equipment Is a Nightmare for Farmers

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Manufacturers have every legal right to put a password or an encryption over the tECU. Owners, on the other hand, don’t have the legal right to break the digital lock over their own equipment. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act—a 1998 copyright law designed to prevent digital piracy—classifies breaking a technological protection measure over a device’s programming as a breach of copyright. So, it’s entirely possible that changing the engine timing on his own tractor makes a farmer a criminal.

via New High-Tech Farm Equipment Is a Nightmare for Farmers | WIRED.

Large Telecoms Strangle Municipal Broadband, But FCC Intervention May Provide Relief

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Greenlight provides Internet-only service ranging from 40 Mbps for $39.95 per month to 1 Gbps for $104.95 per month. There are also package bundles available that add TV and phone service.

And wouldn’t you know it; that finally got the big telecoms to respond. However, the response wasn’t to build out infrastructure in Wilson or compete on price; it was to kill municipal broadband efforts altogether in NC, citing unfair competition. In early 2011, House Bill 129 was introduced, which seriously hampered the ability of cities to create brand new broadband Internet networks, and put in place new restrictions to limit the pricing competitiveness of existing services versus private alternatives.

via Large Telecoms Strangle Municipal Broadband, But FCC Intervention May Provide Relief.