Prize Bond Rs,7500 Draw on
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Monday, 22 July 2013
Prize Bond Rs,7500 Draw Guess Hints, and Results
Prize Bond Rs,25000 Draw Guess Hints, and Results
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BBC to Launch Five New HD Channels
 Posted: 20 Jul 2013 05:00 AM PDT NASA has announced that it has successfully tested a 3D printed part for a rocket engine. The technique called selective laser melting (SLM) was used and resulted in the part being produced quicker and cheaper. The California based Aerojet Rocketdyne were able to make an injector component, a part that is used to deliver liquid oxygen and hydrogen gas to an engine’s combustion chamber.  Using the SLM method, a computer-designed object is turned into a real part by using high-powered laser beams that melt and fuse thin layers of metallic powders into the designed shape. According to NASA an injector component would normally take a year to make but by using this technique, they have been able to cut production time to less than four months and reduce the cost by more than 70 per cent. The test part is not full scale, it is smaller than what would normally be used in a full-size rocket but it is still big enough to give proof that the part is able to withstand the pressure and heat it would be exposed to. “Nasa recognises that on Earth and potentially in space, additive manufacturing can be game-changing for new mission opportunities, significantly reducing production time and cost by ‘printing’ tools, engine parts or even entire spacecraft,” said Michael Gazarik, Nasa’s associate administrator for space technology. The space agency are also exploring other techniques. It has asked researches at Washington University to explore the possibilites of producing 3D printed objects from lunar rocks. It is also testing a process called electron beam freeform fabrication (EBF3), which uses a computer controlled electron beam gun in a vacuum that then welds metal wires into complex shapes and patterns. All these techniques are making steps towards NASA’s astronauts being able to produce spare parts in space, thus saving more time and money during space exploration. |
BBC to Launch Five New HD Channels Posted: 20 Jul 2013 03:00 AM PDT The BBC has announced it plans to launch five new high definition channels by early next year. There will be High Definition versions of BBC News, CBBC, CBeebies, BBC Three and BBC Four. These channels will be available over rooftop aerials via Freeview receivers as well as cable and satellite services. This news coincides with the regulator Ofcom‘s announcement that is making it possible to launch a total of 10 new HD channels using airwaves freed up by the switch off of the old analogue TV signals. ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 had no statement at this time as to whether they intended to take advantage of Ofcom’s move. Surprisingly BSkyB said it had no plans to launch an HD service on Freeview. BBC’s director general Tony Hall said “BBC One HD and BBC Two HD have already proved to be highly valued by our audiences and I’m delighted that we’re able to follow this with the launch of five new subscription-free BBC HD channels by early 2014…These new channels will allow us to showcase more of our programming at its very best.” Currently there are four HD channels offered over Freeview, which launched its High Definition service in 2010. They are BBC One HD, BBC Two HD, ITV HD and Channel 4 HD. These include variants of the BBC One HD service for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.  Two of the BBC’s new channels, BBC Three HD and CBBC HD, will utilise existing unused capacity, and CBeebies HD and BBC Four HD will share a channel since they will not be broadcast at the same time. As a result there is still the potential for up to a further eight new HD channels to be offered over Freeview as a result of Ofcom’s move. Transmission company Arqiva will provide the infrastructure behind the new Freeview services, having being awarded a licence to do so by the regulator. It will handle other applications for the added capacity. The company has indicated that up to 70% of the UK population should be able to receive the new channels over their aerials. The 550-606MHz spectrum band being used was freed up as a result of the UK’s digital TV switchover, which was completed last year. Ofcom has said it reserves the right to take back the bandwidth from December 2018 if it needs to prevent a “capacity crunch” caused by the roll-out of future mobile broadband services. The BBC has indicated it also wants to launch English regional variants of its existing BBC One HD service as well as Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland editions of BBC Two HD. This would not need any of the new capacity, it would, however, need to be approved by the BBC Trust. Currently more than 50% of homes in the United Kingdom are already HD-enabled. The BBC said it expected that figure to grow a further 40% to around 90% by 2019. |
UN Warns on Mobile Cybersecurity Bugs to Prevent Attacks
BOSTON — A United Nations group that advises nations on cybersecurity plans to send out an alert about significant vulnerabilities in mobile phone technology that could potentially enable hackers to remotely attack at least half a billion phones.
The bug, discovered by German firm, allows hackers to remotely gain control of and also clone certain mobile SIM cards.
The bug, discovered by German firm, allows hackers to remotely gain control of and also clone certain mobile SIM cards.
Hackers could use compromised SIMs to commit financial crimes or engage in electronic espionage, according to Berlin's Security Research Labs, which will describe the vulnerabilities at the Black Hat hacking conference that opens in Las Vegas on July 31.
The U.N.'s Geneva-based International Telecommunications Union, which has reviewed the research, described it as "hugely significant."
"These findings show us where we could be heading in terms of cybersecurity risks," ITU Secretary General Hamadoun Touré told Reuters.
He said the agency would notify telecommunications regulators and other government agencies in nearly 200 countries about the potential threat and also reach out to hundreds of mobile companies, academics and other industry experts.
A spokeswoman for the GSMA, which represents nearly 800 mobile operators worldwide, said it also reviewed the research.
"We have been able to consider the implications and provide guidance to those network operators and SIM vendors that may be impacted," said GSMA spokeswoman Claire Cranton.
Nicole Smith, a spokeswoman for Gemalto NV, the world's biggest maker of SIM cards, said her company supported GSMA's response.
"Our policy is to refrain from commenting on details relating to our customers' operations," she said.
Becoming the SIM
Cracking SIM cards has long been the Holy Grail of hackers because the tiny devices are located in phones and allow operators to identify and authenticate subscribers as they use networks.
Karsten Nohl, the chief scientist who led the research team and will reveal the details at Black Hat, said the hacking only works on SIMs that use an old encryption technology known as DES. The technology is still used on at least one out of eight SIMs, or a minimum of 500 million phones, according to Nohl.
The ITU estimates some 6 billion mobile phones are in use worldwide. It plans to work with the industry to identify how to protect vulnerable devices from attack, Touré said.
Once a hacker copies a SIM, it can be used to make calls and send text messages impersonating the owner of the phone, said Nohl, who has a doctorate in computer engineering from the University of Virginia.
"We become the SIM card. We can do anything the normal phone users can do," Nohl said in a phone interview. "If you have a MasterCard number or PayPal data on the phone, we get that too."
IPhone, Android, BlackBerry
The mobile industry has spent several decades defining common identification and security standards for SIMs to protect data for mobile payment systems and credit card numbers. SIMs are also capable of running apps.
Nohl said Security Research Labs found mobile operators in many countries whose phones were vulnerable, but declined to identify them. He said mobile phone users in Africa could be among the most vulnerable because banking is widely done via mobile payment systems with credentials stored on SIMs.
All types of phones are vulnerable, including iPhones from Apple Inc, phones that run Google Inc's Android software and BlackBerry Ltd smartphones, he said.
BlackBerry's director of security response and threat analysis, Adrian Stone, said in a statement that his company proposed new SIM card standards last year to protect against the types of attacks described by Nohl, which the GSMA has adopted and advised members to implement.
Apple and Google declined comment.
CTIA, a U.S. mobile industry trade group based in Washington, D.C., said the new research likely posed no immediate threat.
"We understand the vulnerability and are working on it," said CTIA Vice President John Marinho. "This is not what hackers are focused on. This does not seem to be something they are exploiting."
VOA
July 21, 2013
QR Code Hacks Google Glass
 Posted: 21 Jul 2013 07:00 AM PDT Another security weakness has been found with Google Glass. Using a QR code, security analysts at Lookout were able to force the Glass device to perform certain actions, such as sharing a user's screen or joining wireless networks, without the user’s knowledge. Google Glass is set to automatically process any QR code that the device's camera detects; this is to help achieve the minimalistic design and interface. The moment Glass recognizes the command that the QR code contains, Glass executes it. All a hacker has to do is create malicious QR codes that commands Glass to do any number of actions. This is where Lookout created a QR code that forced Glass to initiate a Glass-cast, which is what a Google Glass user can see with a device connected via Bluetooth, without the user knowing. Theoretically, this could allow a hacker to completely spy on everything someone sees, including personal information and data, such as an ATM PIN or another secure data password. Lookout pointed out to PC Mag that this is not too threatening as it first appears to be, as a hacker would need physical access to a pair of Google Glass in order to pair a device with Bluetooth. The hacker would also have remain pretty close to the user to keep getting the feed. The QR code designed to force Glass to connect to Wi-Fi network, however, is a much more troubling problem. A hacker could monitor everything a user does with Glass while connected that network or even hack the device completely. For those of you unfamiliar with QR codes, they are those squares with black pixels that can be scanned with a smartphone or similar device. These are becoming more and more common on advertisements. A hacker could create one, print and copy it and post the copies anywhere. Someone could easily be tricked into scanning the code and giving up control of their Glass. Finding security issues has been an important part of the Explorer Edition of Google Glass and Google has been quick to fix these issues. In other news; another hacker successfully jail broke Google Glass a few months ago in May and pointed out some very serious security flaws that Google was able to address. Just two weeks after Lookout presented this QR code vulnerability to Google, the company updated Glass to prevent the device from automatically executing a command. Still, Google did not see QR codes as a potential avenue for an attack. Users should only scan a code if they know what it is going to do, right? Try telling the auto feature of QR scanning in Glass that! |
Rumour: Apple In Talks to Buy Xbox Kinect Sensor Company Primesense Posted: 21 Jul 2013 03:00 AM PDT Industry leader Apple is reportedly looking to acquire the Israeli fabless semiconductor company Primesense. According to local newspaper Calcalist, the Cupertino company has made an offer around the $280 million mark, to buy the company responsible for the 3D sensor found in Microsoft’s Kinect devices, following discussions over the embedding of its technology inside future Apple products.  In the past, Primsense worked with Microsoft to include its technology, chips, and designs inside the first Kinect accessory for the Xbox 360 games console. Primesense’s 3D-scanning technology is used in more than 20 million devices around the world, including sensors that can be used in both smartphones and tablets. Primesense technology can also be found in new portable scanners which are capable of generating finely detailed color 3D models of interior spaces. This is not the first time Apple has looked to purchasing an Israeli component maker. Back in January 2012, the company confirmed it had acquired the flash storage company Anobit in a deal worth in the region of $400 Million. While Primesense in the past, has been focused on the gaming world and what it encompasses i.e. technology surrounding the gaming environment, the company’s more recent projects include working with technology forerunners ASUS to provide the 3D sensing technology for its WAVI Xtion PC which allows you to enjoy PC content on the big screen with a wave of your hands through the Xition Portal, for intuitive entertainment in the living room. The future development of 3D motion-activated games are also rumoured and the company has also collaborated with various companies in the retail field as well as various industries in the fields of robotics and healthcare. |
Saturday, 20 July 2013
Nokia Lumia 1020 Price.
| Nokia Lumia 1020 Price in Pakistan. |
The New Nokia Lumia 1020 Posted: 13 Jul 2013 04:00 AM PDT Nokia have unveiled a new handset, the Lumia 1020, which boasts a feature that allows users to zoom in and reframe their photos without the risk of decreasing image quality. The Lumia 1020 comes with a 41-megapixel sensor and offers highly detailed photos at up to 38MP resolution. This isn’t the first time Nokia have used a 41-megapixel sensor in a phone. The Pureview 808 was launched last year but it did not appeal to many people, mainly due to the fact that it was running the old Symbian operating system. However, Nokia’s new handset runs on Microsoft’s Windows Phone platform. With more than 160,000 apps, hopefully it will prove more popular. It is not just photos that benefit from the extra resolution, but also the video recording capabilites. The user can zoom in four times while recording a 1080p high definition video and six times in a 720P version,without losing any quality. To help prevent shaky videos, the lens system has been mounted on ball bearings. A gyroscope and motors help to counteract any movement so the overall finish is alot clearer and more stable. What The Analysts Have to SayNokia have said that the handset is perfect for people who want to “shoot first,zoom later”. But with stiff competition from Samsung and Apple, is it enough to keep pace?The market research company IDC carried out a survey of smartphone owners to determine what drove them to purchase a particular handset. Of the 23 features suggested, camera resolution came 15th in the list, with people placing more importance on audio quality, battery life, device security and browsing. This suggests that perhaps the handset won’t be the most popular. Nokia have priced the Lumia 1020 at $300, on top of a two year contract. This high price tag will no doubt mean the handset will undergo some scrutiny to make sure it lives up to the cost of purchase. Francisco Jeronimo, a mobile phone analyst at IDC said that “For an amateur or professional photographer who needs a quality camera on the move, this is the best option available on a smartphone. But to be able to compete with Apple and Samsung, Nokia will need to price it aggressively and to increase activities in the stores to show consumers how much better the camera performs against the competition.” “Failing that, the Nokia Lumia 1020 will become a niche product for a niche segment – professional mobile photographers.” The Lumia 1020 goes on sale in the US on July 26, while parts of Europe and China can expect a release date before September. |
WiFi 802.11ac: What You Need To Know Posted: 13 Jul 2013 03:00 AM PDT Recently 802.11ac WiFi devices have started to emerge, but just what is WiFi 802.11ac and How fast is it? 802.11ac is a supercharged version of 802.11n, which is the current WiFi standard, offering link speeds ranging from 433 megabits-per-second (Mbps), through to multiple gigabits per second. To achieve these speeds which are dozens of times faster than 802.11n, 802.11ac works exclusively in the 5GHz band, uses a huge amount of bandwidth (80 or 160MHz) and operates in up to eight spatial streams (MIMO) and a utilizes technology called beamforming.  How 802.11ac works: At its core, 802.11ac is essentially an updated version of 802.11n, which itself introduced some very exciting technologies that brought massive speed boosts over 802.11a and g. Whereas 802.11n had support for four spatial streams (4×4 MIMO) and a channel width of 40MHz, 802.11ac can use eight spatial streams and has channels up to 80MHz wide, which can be combined to make 160MHz channels. Even if everything else remained the same, this means that 802.11n has 8x160MHz of spectral bandwidth to play with, vs. 4x40MHz, this is a huge difference that allows 802.11n to squeeze vast amounts of data across the spectrum. 802.11ac introduces 256-QAM modulation (an increase from 64-QAM in 802.11n), which fits 256 different signals over the same frequency by shifting each signal to a slightly different phase. In theory, this quadruples the spectral efficiency of 802.11ac over 802.11n. Spectral efficiency is a measure of how well a given wireless protocol/modulation/multiplexing technique uses the bandwidth available to it. In the 5GHz band, where channels are fairly wide (20MHz+), spectral efficiency is not so important; in the cellular or mobile bands though, channels are often 5MHz wide, which makes spectral efficiency very important. 802.11ac also introduces standardised beamforming (802.11n was non-standardized, which made interoperability an issue). Beamforming is essentially transmitting radio signals in such a way that they are directed at a specific device. This can increase throughput and also reduce power consumption. Beamforming can be done with smart antennae that physically move to track the device, or by modulating the amplitude and phase of the signals so that they destructively interfere with each other, leaving just a narrow, not-interfered beam. 802.11n uses this second method, which can be implemented by both routers and mobile devices. Finally, 802.11ac is fully backwards compatible with 802.11n and 802.11g, this means you can buy an 802.11ac router today and it will work with your older WiFi devices. Just how fast is WiFi 802.11ac? Well there are two answers: the theoretical max speed that can be achieved in the laboratory, and the practical max speed that we will receive at home or in the office, surrounded by lots of signal altering obstacles. The theoretical max speed of 802.11ac is eight 160MHz 256-QAM channels, each of which are capable of 866.7Mbps — a total of 6,933Mbps, this is slightly short of 7Gbps. That's a transfer rate of 900 megabytes per second! which is more than you can squeeze down a SATA 3 link. In the real world, due to channel contention, you probably won't get more than two or three 160MHz channels, so the max speed comes down to somewhere between 1.7Gbps and 2.5Gbps. Compare this with 802.11n's max theoretical speed, which was 600Mbps. |
New Nokia Lumia 1020 in Pakistan.
The New Nokia Lumia 1020 Posted: 13 Jul 2013 04:00 AM PDT Nokia have unveiled a new handset, the Lumia 1020, which boasts a feature that allows users to zoom in and reframe their photos without the risk of decreasing image quality. The Lumia 1020 comes with a 41-megapixel sensor and offers highly detailed photos at up to 38MP resolution. This isn’t the first time Nokia have used a 41-megapixel sensor in a phone. The Pureview 808 was launched last year but it did not appeal to many people, mainly due to the fact that it was running the old Symbian operating system. However, Nokia’s new handset runs on Microsoft’s Windows Phone platform. With more than 160,000 apps, hopefully it will prove more popular. It is not just photos that benefit from the extra resolution, but also the video recording capabilites. The user can zoom in four times while recording a 1080p high definition video and six times in a 720P version,without losing any quality. To help prevent shaky videos, the lens system has been mounted on ball bearings. A gyroscope and motors help to counteract any movement so the overall finish is alot clearer and more stable. What The Analysts Have to SayNokia have said that the handset is perfect for people who want to “shoot first,zoom later”. But with stiff competition from Samsung and Apple, is it enough to keep pace?The market research company IDC carried out a survey of smartphone owners to determine what drove them to purchase a particular handset. Of the 23 features suggested, camera resolution came 15th in the list, with people placing more importance on audio quality, battery life, device security and browsing. This suggests that perhaps the handset won’t be the most popular. Nokia have priced the Lumia 1020 at $300, on top of a two year contract. This high price tag will no doubt mean the handset will undergo some scrutiny to make sure it lives up to the cost of purchase. Francisco Jeronimo, a mobile phone analyst at IDC said that “For an amateur or professional photographer who needs a quality camera on the move, this is the best option available on a smartphone. But to be able to compete with Apple and Samsung, Nokia will need to price it aggressively and to increase activities in the stores to show consumers how much better the camera performs against the competition.” “Failing that, the Nokia Lumia 1020 will become a niche product for a niche segment – professional mobile photographers.” The Lumia 1020 goes on sale in the US on July 26, while parts of Europe and China can expect a release date before September. |
WiFi 802.11ac: What You Need To Know Posted: 13 Jul 2013 03:00 AM PDT Recently 802.11ac WiFi devices have started to emerge, but just what is WiFi 802.11ac and How fast is it? 802.11ac is a supercharged version of 802.11n, which is the current WiFi standard, offering link speeds ranging from 433 megabits-per-second (Mbps), through to multiple gigabits per second. To achieve these speeds which are dozens of times faster than 802.11n, 802.11ac works exclusively in the 5GHz band, uses a huge amount of bandwidth (80 or 160MHz) and operates in up to eight spatial streams (MIMO) and a utilizes technology called beamforming. How 802.11ac works: At its core, 802.11ac is essentially an updated version of 802.11n, which itself introduced some very exciting technologies that brought massive speed boosts over 802.11a and g. Whereas 802.11n had support for four spatial streams (4×4 MIMO) and a channel width of 40MHz, 802.11ac can use eight spatial streams and has channels up to 80MHz wide, which can be combined to make 160MHz channels. Even if everything else remained the same, this means that 802.11n has 8x160MHz of spectral bandwidth to play with, vs. 4x40MHz, this is a huge difference that allows 802.11n to squeeze vast amounts of data across the spectrum. 802.11ac introduces 256-QAM modulation (an increase from 64-QAM in 802.11n), which fits 256 different signals over the same frequency by shifting each signal to a slightly different phase. In theory, this quadruples the spectral efficiency of 802.11ac over 802.11n. Spectral efficiency is a measure of how well a given wireless protocol/modulation/multiplexing technique uses the bandwidth available to it. In the 5GHz band, where channels are fairly wide (20MHz+), spectral efficiency is not so important; in the cellular or mobile bands though, channels are often 5MHz wide, which makes spectral efficiency very important. 802.11ac also introduces standardised beamforming (802.11n was non-standardized, which made interoperability an issue). Beamforming is essentially transmitting radio signals in such a way that they are directed at a specific device. This can increase throughput and also reduce power consumption. Beamforming can be done with smart antennae that physically move to track the device, or by modulating the amplitude and phase of the signals so that they destructively interfere with each other, leaving just a narrow, not-interfered beam. 802.11n uses this second method, which can be implemented by both routers and mobile devices. Finally, 802.11ac is fully backwards compatible with 802.11n and 802.11g, this means you can buy an 802.11ac router today and it will work with your older WiFi devices. Just how fast is WiFi 802.11ac? Well there are two answers: the theoretical max speed that can be achieved in the laboratory, and the practical max speed that we will receive at home or in the office, surrounded by lots of signal altering obstacles. The theoretical max speed of 802.11ac is eight 160MHz 256-QAM channels, each of which are capable of 866.7Mbps — a total of 6,933Mbps, this is slightly short of 7Gbps. That's a transfer rate of 900 megabytes per second! which is more than you can squeeze down a SATA 3 link. In the real world, due to channel contention, you probably won't get more than two or three 160MHz channels, so the max speed comes down to somewhere between 1.7Gbps and 2.5Gbps. Compare this with 802.11n's max theoretical speed, which was 600Mbps. |
Xbox Concept GAME Store Opens In London
Xbox Concept GAME Store Opens In London Posted: 14 Jul 2013 05:00 AM PDT An Xbox-dedicated "one-of-a-kind concept store" has been opened by GAME in the BoxPark Retail Mall on Bethnal Green Road, Shoreditch, London, UK. The concept store will be exclusively promoting and retailing Microsoft Xbox products, with the sale of hardware and software, including limited edition "My Xbox" console skins and the new slim line Xbox 360. Customers can also interact with the products on offer and will have playable gaming pods and the store features a head-to-head challenge area. "Our partnership with GAME represents another way Microsoft is investing in retail and creating a unique offering for both partners and consumers, as we continue to build on the Xbox 360's success as the number one selling console in the UK," said Microsoft's Jon Grimes. This new store is hoping to boost sales and encourage players to stay loyal to Xbox, following the massive backlash from controversial features of the new Xbox One. In a move which received praise from GAME, Microsoft u-turned on their policy which limited lending and selling of used games as well as changing the constant internet connection requirement. Players will now only need to connect to the internet during the initial system set up. In spite of this though, the future of the Xbox One console is still uncertain amongst the new playing platforms that have emerged in the last eight years since the release of the massively popular Xbox 360 console. Online and smartphone content is currently the fastest growing sector in the global video game industry, which DFC Intelligence expects to be worth around the $82 billion mark in the next four years. The mobile platform has expanded, prompting general game titles to draw in larger audiences, leaving the traditional console market under threat. David Cole, DFC Intelligence analyst stated: "New console systems from Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony are expected to help the console segment regain some momentum in the 2014 to 2015 time frame. However, the steadiest growth is on the PC and mobile side." David Howard, a representative of GAME added: "The GAME Xbox store at BoxPark takes the shopping experience to the next level, presenting the world with a bold new face for retail and showcasing the very best of Xbox to the UK gaming community. This concept store comes with a wealth of potential and we look forward to revealing more about our plans in the near future." Could we eventually see a Playstation concept store too? |
Want Some Privacy? Get A Typewriter! Posted: 14 Jul 2013 03:00 AM PDT The Russian government has decided to purchase new typewriter equipment. According to the Russian procurement service website, the Federal Guard Agency has ordered 486,000 Roubles worth of electric typewriters. Could it be they feel this is the solution to privacy issues? Well to put it more into context, the amount spent on this equipment equates to $15,000, about 20 typewriters.  So to be fair they are not overhaluing their whole system for documenting the country’s goings-on but what is interesting is that according to a source for Russia’s Izvestiya newspaper; the Defense ministry, the Emergencies ministry and the “special services” are already using non-electronic devices to produce documents. Even President Putin is supposedly receiving some correspondence this way. “After scandals with the distribution of secret documents by WikiLeaks and the exposes by Edward Snowden,” the anonymous source explained, “it has been decided to expand the practice of creating paper documents” — especially because each document can be traced back to its unique typewriter signature. So if you are concerned about security, maybe a typewriter could be the answer. Some Brooklyn-based writers told the New York Times how much they love using typewriters. Users love the fact that they don’t have the delete key to fall back on, that they have to commit to their thoughts. They also don’t have to worry about recharging the device! Would you consider using a typewriter? Tell us your thoughts. |
Google Releases OEM Patch For Major Android Security Flaw
 Posted: 15 Jul 2013 08:00 AM PDT eBay has joined the craze for 3D printing after announcing the debut of a new iPhone app app called eBay Exact. Users are able to search through and buy customizable print-on-demand products from 3D printing companies MakerBot, Sculpteo and Hot Pop Factory. It is hoped this stand alone application will make it easier to find 3D printed items. So far there are 20 categories to browse through, with products mainly like jewellery and iPhone cases. The chosen product can be configured and then ordered all thorugh the mobile app, then shipped directly to the customer within 7 to 14 days.  Ebay are not the only company promoting 3D printed goods. Staples announced in May that it would start selling 3D printers and Amazon now has its own 3D printing store.  However consumers appear to still prefer to shop at sites like Shapeways, who have become an important role in making 3D printed goods more accessible to the general public. The site allows users to buy available print-on-demand goods or for those with a flair for design, turn their own ideas into products. Whether people will start turning to eBay for 3D printed products will show over time. Vice President of Innovation and New Ventures for eBay, Steve Yankovich said, “Shoppers today not only want to buy items anytime, anywhere through mobile devices, but they also want to be able to personalize their purchases”. But with this market still being relatively new, it may take time for consumers to become aware of the possibilites. |
Google Releases OEM Patch For Major Android Security Flaw Posted: 15 Jul 2013 07:00 AM PDT In a follow up to our recent report regarding how an Android Security Bug was found to let hackers gain system access, Google has released a fix to its Android original equipment manufacturers (OEM’s) for this bug, named: Android security bug 8219321 as unearthed by Bluebox Security in February this year. The flaw was confirmed from Google's Android Communications Manager, Gina Scigliano, she said "a patch has been provided to our partners." She also mentioned "Some OEMs, like Samsung, are already shipping the fix to the Android devices."  The flaw in question will allow a hacker to turn a legitimate app into malicious files by modifying APK code without breaking the app's cryptographic signature. In response to this, Google has already modified its Play Store's app entry process to scan for the exploit so apps that have been modified using this vulnerability can no longer be distributed via the Play Store. Bluebox Security discovered the hole in Android's code, which it claims could potentially affect 99 percent of Android devices, back in February and informed Google at that time. (but only made it public recently). Samsung's Galaxy S4 was named then as one Android device that had already been patched, so it seems likely that this model is the device Gina Scigliano referred to when she cited Samsung as a manufacturer already shipping a fix. The problem for Android users is that even though Google has now in fact released a fix to its OEMs, they still have to wait for the maker of their particular handset to implement and ship the fix. This also poses another question, how long before their particular carrier tests it? Having to wait around to receive updates is a byproduct of the freeness and fragmentation of the Android sphere, still, it does not sound like this particular Android flaw has been widely exploited thus far. Scigliano has told ZDNet: "We have not seen any evidence of exploitation in Google Play or other app stores via our security scanning tools. Google Play scans for this issue and Verify Apps provides protection for Android users who download apps to their devices outside of Play." But just because it has not been widely exploited yet, does not mean it will not be…does it? |
Buffer & Echofon Partner Up to Make Your Life Easier Posted: 15 Jul 2013 06:00 AM PDT There are countless tools online that you can use to make your life easier, especially if you are a social media professional. Every pro has his own particular favorite, but for those who have interacted with me, it is no secret that I love Buffer. What started out as a small startup – the founders even had problems with US visas in the beginning! – is now one of the most popular and most useful social media tools out there. For scheduling and spacing out tweets (and other social media posts) – Buffer is the way to go.  Now, Echofon has a little more on Buffer in terms of age, being one of the popular Twitter clients in existence. I use a different client for my needs, but Echofon certainly has more than its fair share of followers. Put together these two entities, and what do you have? A pretty neat experience for users. In a blog post published last week, Buffer co-founder Leo Widrich announced the partnership between Buffer and Echofon. If you’ve been using the scheduling tool for a while, you’ll know that they have cemented partnerships with other entities – Twitter clients, browsers, etc. – which is the logical thing to do. With this Buffer and Echofon hook up, though, more users are able to schedule their posts on the go. Echofon is available both for iOS and Android, and the new integration with Buffer is not limited to one platform; so, yay for everyone! If you’re an Echofon user, but you’ve never tried Buffer out, you really ought to give it a shot. You can thank me later. On the other hand, if you know what Buffer is all about but use another Twitter client, does this integration tempt you to switch to Echofon? I’m a Tweetbot fan, but I have to admit I am thinking of downloading Echofon… |
PS4 Can Alter Gaming Landscape, Sony Says Posted: 15 Jul 2013 05:00 AM PDT Okay, we all know by now that Sony's PlayStation 4 is likely to be a very big hit and probably outsell Microsoft's Xbox One, but there's no need to rub it in. Sony doesn't seem to have any intention of halting its "charm offensive": the new gaming platform's architect, Mark Cerny, recently said the upcoming PS4 has the potential to significantly alter the landscape of gaming. So how's that for raising the bar?  PS4 architect Mark Cerny says the next system can alter the landscape of gaming. And if that isn't enough, the PS4 is now touted to mark a renaissance of gaming, according to Cerny. The new system's lead architect also insisted that the console has the potential to have the highest variety of content and richness of material. Cerny talked about the flexibility of the new console and insisted that the next-generation system can give game developers and Sony more customization than a PC. He underlined that the PS4 will have an architecture that will be more accessible to independent game developers and make it easier for them to develop and self-publish their titles. Sony has already announced an impressive line-up of independently developed games for the new console, along with policies aimed at helping independent developers publish and promote their own titles, as part of the company's declared intention to focus more on consumers and developers. On their end, Microsoft officials say the Xbox One is the future of gaming and entertainment and will allow users to switch between experiences in a unique way, making the new system the best place to play games for many years to come. After backtracking on its DRM policies, the company has seen a marked increase in sales for its new consoles. It remains to be seen how the Microsoft-Sony competition will play out after gaming fans actually get the opportunity to try the two consoles for themselves. Both will feature at the GameStop Expo on August 28 in Las Vegas. Before that however, the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One will be playable at Comic-Con in San Diego this weekend. The Xbox One will be released in November. Sony has yet to specify an exact date for the PlayStation 4 launch, but gave assurances that it will definitely happen before Christmas. PS4 architect Mark Cerny says the next system can alter the landscape of gaming. |
Bukito: The Fast, Travel-Friendly Portable 3D Printer Posted: 15 Jul 2013 04:00 AM PDT Most of the 3D printers currently on the market are bulky, hard to carry around and rather slow. So it's pretty hard to imagine one of these gadgets being able to continue printing upside down or in flight. But the Bukito, from Deezmaker, can do all this and more: this portable 3D printer is sturdy, fast, very light and affordable, making it a promising addition to the personal-use 3D printing market.  The Bukito portable 3D printer weighs only six pounds and has a printable area of 5 x 6 x 5 inches. The device is equipped with sturdy aluminum rails, which make for a very stable printing platform. Due to this fact, the device is able to continue printing even when carried around or turned upside down. Deezmaker president Diego Porqueras said the printer was specifically designed to be lightweight and stable and therefore appropriate for travel. The device will be ideal for classroom use and can be easily shared between teachers or students, he explained. Its rigid construction and the lightweight extruder system allow the printer to work significantly faster than other similar devices. The extruder system is also shorter than others, which gives extra speed and accuracy: the device is able to print at speeds of over 100mm per second. The extruder system's nozzle is made of metal, which allows the Bukito printer to work with many different types of materials without risking any damage to the nozzle. The printer uses 1.75mm filament and works with materials such as PLA, ABS and nylon. For the time being, the printer needs a power outlet to work, but developers are planning to release a battery-powered model as well after they secure the necessary funds for mass production. Bukito is currently on Kickstarter, where it has already exceeded its $50,000 goal and still has 20 days left of its crowdfunding campaign. Backers can get an unassembled Bukito kit for as little as $549 and will receive their order in February next year. There are several kits available for higher pledges, and backers who donate $799 will get their hands on a pre-assembled Bukito, ready for use anytime and anywhere. Check out the video below to see the Bukito portable 3D printer doing its job in flight and share your thoughts in the comments below: |
Hippflow: Now With Google Glass Support Posted: 15 Jul 2013 03:00 AM PDT Hippflow, which provides a service that makes it easy to update investors, mentors, team members and other stakeholders on a startup's progress and future plans, has now added support for Google Glass. The new Glass app brings Hippflow updates, which are pushed on the hour to Google's wearable tech, once a user has linked their Hippflow and Google Glass accounts. It may seem risky to build an app for Glass ahead of an iPhone or Android app, but Hippflow's young Russian founder Kirill Chekanov is excited by the opportunities that the new Google Glass has to offer.  First off, he notes that the Glass platform, in which 'cards' are used to display small snippets of information in a user's peripheral vision, means that it fits with Hippflow's status update M.O. and mission to cut down on email to and from a startup's investors and other stakeholders. A Hippflow milestone update and other types of startup updates work well within the confines of the Google Glass User Interface. Second, Chekanov says that a Glass app enables him to reach a defined group of target users (those in the Glass Explorer program) including some of Silicon Valley's most prominent investors, founders and other influential early adopters within the startup sphere. This is exactly the type of user that Hippflow has been designed for. "I want to thank Google," he says, also revealing that he and his team actually built the first Hippflow Glass prototype 'blind' since he does not have Google Glass! Instead, he had to rely on help from others in the developer community for access to the Glass API. Chekanov says, "I wanted to help the community to experience an absolutely different way to do things, a way to do it in one click, organically, just as you breathe." In this way, Hippflow's main competitor is email. Instead of a founder having to send out monthly or weekly email reports to investors and mentors to keep them updated on progress, problems and plans, or even things like major purchases, these updates can be posted on Hippflow and appear in the startup's timeline. Then, it’s various stakeholders can 'follow' the startup, and while most updates will invariably be marked as private, updates can also be public, providing a nice way of keeping early adopters or maybe crowdfunding backers in the loop. For investors, it's also a way to help their portfolio communications scale. "How do you track 10, 20, 50 companies? You need your data systematized," says Chekanov. "This is a key to success. You want it on the go, short, good-looking." We look forward to seeing the full applications of this new tech. |
Microsoft Hint Skype Calls Can Be Intercepted & Handed to The NSA
 Posted: 19 Jul 2013 06:00 AM PDT A recent statement by Microsoft on the National Security Agency (NSA), indirectly hints that any communication via Skype could be intercepted and given to the NSA. In a blog post the company said it “[assumes] that all calls, whether over the Internet or by fixed line or mobile phone, will offer similar levels of privacy and security.” In other words, Skype calls are no different to traditional phone calls made by a landline or cellphone. So the U.S goverment, through the PRISM program, can force Microsoft to hand over any Skype communication; something which they have always denied is technically possible. Privacy researcher Ashkan Soltani says “They’re implying that until they can say more, all they’re going to say is ‘don’t assume Skype is different.’" In a tweet, ACLU’s principal technologist and senior policy analyst Christopher Soghoian echoed Soltani’s thoughts: “Microsoft, a company with dozens of cryptographers, aims to offer same security and privacy for Internet calls as regular phones (aka none).” In 2008, Skype was owned by eBay and claimed that due to “peer-to-peer architecture and encryption techniques,” it was impossible for them to comply with wiretap requests. When Microsoft were asked to explain the sentence, a spokesperson said that when the company was last asked about that, it declined to comment and its position has not changed since. Documents leaked by Edward Snowden suggest that Microsoft has changed Skype’s architectuure making it possible to provide audio and video calls. In response to the allegations that they have actively helped the NSA and FBI, Microsoft released a long statement. “To be clear, we do not provide any government with the ability to break the encryption, nor do we provide the government with the encryption keys,” Smith wrote. “When we are legally obligated to comply with demands, we pull the specified content from our servers where it sits in an unencrypted state, and then we provide it to the government agency.” Microsoft has also sent a letter to the U.S Attorney General Eric Holder, requesting that he get involved and allow them to reveal more details on how it responds to government requests. They have made requests to the Depatment of Justice, the FBI and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) but so far the court has not responded to Microsoft’s requests. “We believe the U.S. Constitution guarantees our freedom to share more information,” reads Smith’s blog post. “The United States has been a role model by guaranteeing a Constitutional right to free speech. We want to exercise that right. With U.S. Government lawyers stopping us from sharing more information with the public, we need the Attorney General to uphold the Constitution.” |
Windows Phone 8 to Get Vine, Path & Flipboard Posted: 19 Jul 2013 05:00 AM PDT Windows users have a lot to look forward to these days. Not too long ago, Nokia unveiled its new high end phone the Lumia 1020, which has a ridiculously high resolution camera. While it probably won’t be the go-to phone of the average Windows Phone user, the device will certainly have its takers. Then there is the news of Surface RT price cuts. Those two things alone make it good times to be on the Windows side.  In any case, we are set to see Vine, Path, and Flipboard on Windows Phone 8 devices soon. I say soon, although news aggregator Flipboard has not revealed any info as to when the app will be ready. We do know, however, that Flipboard has a huge following on iOS and Android. As for Path, I used to hear about it more, and while it does have its fair share of users (not to mention funding), it does not seem to stand out as much. Still, they are more than alive, and they are working directly with Nokia to bring the app to Windows phones. In a blog post, the guys at Path highlighted their focus on the new supercamera Nokia phone, so this should be an interesting collaboration. Last, we have Vine, the relatively new kid on the block. Again, details about its arrival on Windows Phone 8 are not out, but the fact has been confirmed. In other news, Instagram is staying out of the fray, so perhaps, Vine will come out on top with this move. |
Intel Involved in Making Better 3D Movies Posted: 19 Jul 2013 04:00 AM PDT The Intel Corporation is tapping a new business opportunity in South Korea and it is not anything to do with supplying more mobile chips to Samsung Electronics Co. It is actually helping to make better three-dimensional movies. The Korean animation film market lacks the technological finesse of their Western counterparts, this explains why science fiction movies are not popular locally or form a part of the big, global Korean hits. But the global chip maker is testing the market, by providing its high-end processor chips and cloud computing technology to Dexter Studios to make Mr. Go, a new Korean movie that features a 3-D gorilla character named Ling Ling.  While computer graphics are used in a variety of areas, the data storage capacity needed to make detailed computer graphics like those used in natural disaster movies or Sci-Fi movies are enormous, experts say. "For the depiction of a realistic move of a big wave, each and every drop of water is drawn through detailed and complicated calculations of an equation," H.S. Lee, president of Intel Korea said during a news conference in Seoul recently. "The same goes for the movement of an animal’s fur." Dexter Digital, the film studio's CG unit, says Mr. Go's Ling Ling comes with 2 million to 3 million strands of fur. "Without the right hardware performance, it would have been impossible to make the movie," said Lee Yoon-suk, the planning and marketing director at Dexter Studios. The company used supercomputers that ran on Intel's Xeon E5 processors to make the film. The audience will get to decide for themselves now the movie has been released, if they find the baseball-playing, computer-generated gorilla endearing enough to make it a summer hit movie. The movie will be available in other Asian countries later this month. Intel Korea's Mr. Lee said the company plans to continue cooperating with Dexter Studios, noting that the CG business will develop into a key industry for South Korea in the future. |
Xbox One & PS4 Pre-Orders Double Previous Generations Posted: 19 Jul 2013 03:00 AM PDT For all the fuss about which next-generation console is better, both Xbox One & PS4 are actually selling like hot cakes. Last week Amazon ran out of launch bundles for both gaming systems and yesterday it was reported that pre-order numbers are already double those of previous generation consoles. According to the CEO of games publisher Ubisoft, Yves Guillemot, some retailers are reporting Xbox One and PlayStation 4 pre-order numbers that are double those of predecessors Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Guillemot did not name the retailers in question, but said they were all receiving more orders than before.  Both next-generation consoles are currently sold out at Best Buy and GameStop, while Amazon ran out of day-one editions last week. Amazon announced that standard editions were still available for pre-order, but without a clear delivery date. It is yet unclear whether the stock for both consoles' launch editions will be replenished. PS4 beating Xbox One? But even if both consoles are selling so well, it seems PlayStation 4 still has the edge, at least according to Amazon's best sellers chart. The PS4 Standard Edition was still in the top 5 best sold products in the video game category on Friday, while the same edition of the Xbox One is nowhere in sight in the top 20 category, although it is available for pre-order. It remains to be seen if this ranking will hold for long, but what's certain is that the PlayStation 4 has been a more popular choice with gamers so far. Gaming industry analysts say the more affordable price tag, its technical specs and the overall more favorable publicity since launch have gone a long way to helping Sony's new console secure a solid lead. Both Xbox One & PS4 will launch this holidays season. Microsoft will release the new console in 21 countries in November, for a retail price of $499 in North America. Sony has not officially revealed a launch date, but the new PlayStation will retail for $399. Have you already pre-ordered you next-generation console? Which one did you get and why? Let us know in the comments below. |
Facial Recognition Method Reads Vein Patterns Posted: 19 Jul 2013 02:00 AM PDT Facial recognition methods are generally regarded as a pretty reliable method of biometric identification, but if you've seen one too many Mission: Impossible episodes, you'll know that they are not by any means failproof. However, a new facial recognition method developed by researchers with India's Jadavpur University brings a unique take on traditional facial ID system: it can identify someone based on their face's blood vessel patterns.  Apparently vein patterns are as unique as one's fingerprint, but a lot tougher to duplicate, so security specialists have begun looking at ways of using these patterns for identification systems for a while now. Many palm and fingerprint scanners on the market are already able to analyze vein patterns, even from a distance, with the help of infrared technology. The same kind of technology was used by Indian scientists when developing their facial vein pattern identification system. By using a thermal imaging camera, the system performs an infrared scan of a person's face. The resulting image is then processed and analyzed by a computer, being run through a special algorithm that can detect all the veins and arteries, down to the smallest capillaries. The system has an impressive accuracy rate of 97% and according to scientists, it is virtually impossible to foil, unlike other biometric systems that are based on fingerprint or eye scanning. Fabricating a realistic mask that can accurately simulate another person's facial pattern is almost impossible. Moreover, no matter how good the mask is, the infrared camera would still detect the imposter's own blood vessel patterns, researchers explained. The impressive accuracy rate of this method makes it ideal for high-security systems. For the best results, scientists suggest using this method together with other forms of identification such as photo ID, PIN codes, security cards, etc. What do you think of this method of identification based on facial vein patterns? Is it as reliable as it sounds? |
Saturday, 13 July 2013
Stealth Wear Goes on Sale at $490
 Posted: 12 Jul 2013 05:00 AM PDT The stealth wear project may be the solution to droning and facial technology government projects. Or at least New York City based designer Adam Harvey thinks so. It may sound like something straight from a science fiction book or like some sort of super-cool standard issue James Bond type of equipment, but these outfits seem to actually do the job. The countersurveillance clothing was created by Adam Harvey, a designer with the School of Visual Arts. Harvey, who underlines that his clothing serves a growing need for products that can offer privacy, recently exhibited several of his stealth wear prototypes at an art show in London. His designs make the wearer virtually invisible to technology. Among his garments are hoodies and cloaks that can reduce a person's thermal footprint, protect one's heart from X-rays and even cut out phone signals. By using metallic, reflective fabric similar to the one used for firefighters' protective equipment, Harvey created clothing that keeps the wearer hidden to any kind of surveillance attempts that use heat imaging cameras. The designer also found a way to block someone from taking unwanted pictures, which would be a very efficient technique celebrities could employ against paparazzi. More specifically, Harvey created a purse equipped with extra bright LED lights. The purse can be activated when someone is taking an unwanted picture, turning it blurry. Harvey further created a special hairstyling and makeup application guide that could prevent a camera from recognizing the person applying the guidelines. He named the technique CV Dazzle, from computer vision and dazzle, inspired by the type of camouflage used to prevent enemy radars from detecting the shape and size of a warship during the Second World War. The stealth wear prototypes have not yet been tested extensively by security experts and many of them are still in their early concept stages, with a long way to go before being ready for mass production. Harvey said that what's more important than producing the designs is that the concept behind them could empower people to control their identity a little more. The first versions of Harvey’s stealth wear concept clothing are now available to purchase on primitivelondon but come at a hefty price: $490 for the hoodie and a whopping $2,300 for the burqa. What do you think of the stealth wear prototypes? How useful would they be to offer people the privacy they need in a world that is under growingly tighter surveillance? |
EU & Japan Team Up for 100Gbps Fiber Optic Internet Posted: 12 Jul 2013 04:00 AM PDT Unhappy with your current Internet broadband speed? Well, fingers crossed for this new project to succeed: the European Union and Japan have joined forces to build 100Gbps fiber optic Internet, about 5,000 times faster than the average broadband speed in Europe – 19.7Mbps. The project is called STRAUSS and is just one of a total of six research projects that the EU and Japan have partnered for. More details about the six projects were recently unveiled by the European Commission. The partnership is aimed at finding ways to increase the efficiency of data transfer networks, given the massive online data explosion. The trend is expected to continue over the next ten years.  According to a press release from the European Commission, up to 1.7 million bytes of data are generated worldwide every minute. Moreover, the volume of data traffic has already doubled since last year and is believed to grow 12 fold by 2018, but current networks are not able to keep up with this growth rate. Besides the 100Gbps fiber optic Internet project, the EU and Japan will also tackle issues such as network storage, cyber security, energy efficiency and high density data traffic, both for terrestrial and wireless networks. The six projects will receive 18 million euros in funding over the next years. Let's take a closer look at the six projects: - STRAUSS, geared at obtaining 100Gbps fiber optic Internet would do so by combining optical transceivers, packet switching technology and new controlling software. It would then have to be tested on a large scale, so don't expect to personally benefit from such data transfer speeds any time soon. - MiWEBA, aimed at boosting ultra-high speed and mobile connections by enhanced use of radio frequencies. - NECOMA, designed to enhance cyber security, especially in sensitive areas (for instance medical records) by developing new metrics. - GreenICN, aimed at ensuring efficient use of information networks energy, designed to improve network reliability, especially in post-disaster situations. - ClouT, integrating Cloud Computing and Internet of Things, so as to enable smart city operations such as traffic flow, emergencies, energy use. - FELIX, designed to set up EU-Japan research and testing platforms. The EU-Japan partnership is the latest effort to develop more efficient terrestrial and wireless data transfer networks. A team of German scientists recently achieved a record 40Gbps wireless data transmission rate, while American network equipment giant just unveiled new core router technology designed to double the Internet speed. |
Why Handset Subsidies Are Bad Deals Posted: 12 Jul 2013 03:00 AM PDT Let’s be honest – some of us would not have the best smartphone in the world (you tell me what that is) if it weren’t for the subsidized plan that telcos offer their subscribers. In some parts of the world, prepaid plans are the norm, and postpaid plans are considered a luxury. With the handset subsidies that telcos make, however, postpaid plans do make more sense and as such, have become more popular. Or am I wrong?  I am just an average consumer who takes time to go over plans, subsidies, discounts, and all that stuff. According to an authority in these things, though, handset subsidies are bad deals. In general. The Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) carried out a study that might very well turn it into a Santa killer. The study took into consideration the overall cost of two different setups. One, handset subsidies, or as they prefer to call it, phone plus contract bundle. Two, separate contract and phone. (The second setup basically being that you buy your own phone.) The study discovered that in some countries, subscribers have no option to buy their own phone if they want a contract with a telco. That is, they always have to buy the bundled deal. In other countries, those two options exist, and it is in t The OECD study points out that in countries where those two options are offered, the chances are that the consumer is getting the bad end of the deal. This is because of the fact that the bundled option ends up costing the user more than if he had bought his phone separately. In short, the contract is priced so as to cover the “subsidized” handset! France and the United States were pinpointed as such countries, where handset subsidies with contracts end up $10 to $20 more expensive per month. That surely adds up over the months, especially with a 2-year contract! So, have you checked your contract lately? You might want to give it a think before getting your new “subsidized” phone! Pebble Smartwatch: 1 Million Apps Sold & 257K Units Pre Ordered |
Posted: 12 Jul 2013 02:00 AM PDT Smartwatch start-up company Pebble revealed today for the first time that it has received 190,000 pre-orders for its wearable technology through its own web store, following on from the enormously successful Kickstarter campaign it ran last year. That means it collectively closed in around 275,000 pre-orders total for the smartwatch, which is impressive early traction for a device that did not have a proven market niche to trade in.  Pebble co-founder Eric Migicovsky explained the company wanted to reveal the total order volume now as a follow-up to its Best Buy availability announcement, in order to provide some context around the challenges that the startup has faced in terms of shipping product to backers. Response at Best Buy has also been very good, Migicovsky has said, though the team is not yet ready to focus on specific numbers. The Pebble has sold out at many of Best Buy's retail locations already. For the first six to ten months following the close of the Kickstarter campaign, the focus for Pebble was exclusively on shipping. The startup is getting to a point where it can change its focus to start working towards accomplishing its longer term goals as a company. Part of that includes meeting demand and making sure everyone who pre-ordered receives their device, which should happen over the next year, Migicovsky says. But developers are the other big priority that Pebble is now turning its attention to. "Our focus as a company is now shifting to supporting third-party developers," Migicovsky says. The company has seen over 1 million watch apps downloaded to Pebble devices, as measured by installs made through its iOS and Android apps. There's already an active online community around the Pebble Software Development Kit, and Migicovsky says that fostering that will be where the startup shifts spending and development efforts. "This means our developer tools will get better, we'll be focusing on how developers can get their tools out to users," he said. "It's in our best interest, as well as in the interest of developers to share this these stories." So now that Pebble has come good on getting into the market, it will focus on these two goals to help build the smartwatch into a lasting, robust platform to trade from. Of course, those 275,000 pre-orders, whilst this figure is impressive on its own, might not look so stupendous, should Apple release an iWatch as it appears to be preparing to do. But this cannot be quantified as it is still an unknown speculation (despite rumours and patents) and Pebble are doing their best to solidify their current market positioning, this is the best thing the startup can do right now. |
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