Air Force Doles Out Cash to Microwave Computers

Fried Microwave Computers


Nice work if you can get it. BAE Systems just won $150,000 to bombard computers with high-powered electromagnetic radiations to see whether they’ll fritz out. The objective: learn how to fry the other guy’s electronics while protecting your own.

Yesterday, the Air Force announced that Europe’s biggest arms company will develop the first tests for its High Power Microwave Technological Electromagnetic Susceptibility with Laboratory Applications project. Basically, much as microwave jammers stop homemade bombs by interfering with the signals sent from their remote detonators, the Air Force wants to find out how much damage it can inflict on other systems, and how much damage its own systems can handle. Or, in its words, figure out “cost effective, innovative solutions for determining the susceptibility/vulnerability of U.S. and foreign systems to high power electromagnetic (EM) environments.”

Photo: Flickr / Pyroclastichawk

Source: Wired.com

Acer Iconic Dual Screen Laptop/Tablet Launched...takes on its tablet competitors head-on, with an "entire family" of tablets

Acer's Dual Screen Laptop/Tablet

Few minutes back Acer today launched their Iconic Dual Screen laptop/Tablet to take on its competitors Head-On in Acer's Global Press Conference (Going On Live)..

Dual Screen: Acer's iconic definitely seems to be strange and unique beast, the first of its kind. It consists of two 14 inch HD screens with a hinge which separates the screens. The screen can be spread out nearly flush on a table for use in presentations.

Both the screens can be used at the same time. You can open your facebook in one screen and have a live streaming video open in the other one. It can be of tremendous help for work purposes where you can have multiples charts open and compare them with their graphical trend.

The Virtual keyboard:

If you put both hands on top of the display, a virtual keyboard automatically appears, anticipating your needs. There are gesture controls, as well, for easy interaction with the system.
You can use the whenever you need to type something though typing can be stressful if used for a long time.

Configuration:

As per update from Techradar.com, it has the following specs-

OS-Windows 7
A Calpella i5 processor
Intel HD graphics
2x DDR3 memory (4GB and above)
A 4-cell battery.
Acer systems as usual continues to provide good battery backup.The laptop is expected to give a battery backup of around 3 hours which is pretty good for a dual screen laptop.

The Acer overlay has been called the Acer Ring – this is a place where you can easily access documents, bring up web pages and use the capacitive screens to resize pictures.

The Acer overlay has been called the Acer Ring – this is a place where you can easily access documents, bring up web pages and use the capacitive screens to resize pictures.To summon the Acer Ring, you have to put one palm on the screen. Both screens can work independently of each other and connectivity on the device comes in the form of three USB ports (one is USB 3.0), HDMI and there is also Wi-Fi and 3G support.


(Pictures:Techrader,Engadget,Gizmodo,Slashgear)

Latest pictures from PCWorld:

Acer's Live Global Press Release in Scribd

Acer ICONIA Press Release

Facebook launched their new email service called "Social Inbox"..with Microsoft Office Integration Features,Panicked Google plans new features with Lotus Notes..

Facebook's new email service called Social Inbox..goes after Google...

The much awaited Facebook email service has been finally launched. You can soon get an email address @facebook.com. Young facebook is clever enough and decides not to directly take on Google. CEO Mark Zuckerberg said it is a single “social inbox” for every kind of communication that people use online or from their mobile phones, including email, SMS, instant messaging and Facebook chat messages. The CEO did not want to provoke its tough opponent Google by saying-

“This is not an email-killer. This is a messaging system that 
  includes email as one part of it.” The email here is nothing other then Gmail..

First Off if you want it ASAP, go ahead and apply to get an invitation from Facebook Messages page.

  Whats included in the Modern Messaging System of Facebook?

• According to facebook it is not Facebook mail or Facemail but a centralized application that you can use to send messages via different methods, be it an e-mail, or an SMS message.
•  The email service where you can have an email address @facebook.com will also be included but users will not have to register one, rather, they could use their existing e-mail addresses from other service providers such as Google’s gmail service.
• As facebook says messages are not emails, the service will not have a subject line unlike emails because most of the messages exchanged in facebook do have any subject line other than "Hi".
•  Users will also be able to view select Microsoft Office documents such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint presentation documents from their messages directly from the messaging application in Facebook.
•  Another important addition will be Micorosft Exchange Support will is expected to be launched in coming weeks.
  
  The new email feature has been a huge concern for Gmail lately. Google being a tough competitor is aggressively pursuing Lotus Notes customers by offering enhancements that include integration with GMail.
  
   The War of the Web Giants is definitely going to give us some great features. So go ahead and apply for an invitation from Facebook email till we get another update from Google.                                       
  
  

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Fake Hacker Alerts circles around Facebook...This time its spammers taking on hackers...

Spammers take on Hackers....

New Hoax Hacker Alert messages are circling around in Facebook and many other socio-net sites warning users not to accept friendship inquiries from Roland Dreyer, Matthias Damberger, Mario Sommer, Fabian Berneder or Frank Becker because they are hackers intent on destroying your hard disk.

However if you get any such messages please delete it. Its all spammer nonsense trying to scare people by mentioning the names of famous hackers. There is absolutely no way any hacker can take full control of your computer just by getting added into the contact list, not even the best hacker in the world. For hackers to take control of a computer they must trick the user to install a trojan first and  just by getting added in the contact list doesnt install a trojan. So ignore any such messages or report it to the facebook security team if you are not sure about any such messages.

These hoax messages initially are not malicious and only intent to spread and fill inboxes but gradually becomes nasty. So it is always best to delete them before it spreads the plague.

And yes, the names mentioned above are some of the leading hackers in the world and are dangerous too. But these are guys who would not waste there time spamming mailboxes and hoaxes. 

Bandage Changes Color to Indicate State of Wound Underneath

Researchers in Germany have created bandages that turn purple at the first sign of infection.

A new wound dressing, developed at the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Modular Solid State Technologies EMFT in Munich, includes a special dye that reacts to different pH values.

The new trauma bandage insulates wounds just like any other bandage, but it provides a special window into how a wound is healing. Typically, healthy skin and healed wounds have a slightly acidic pH, around 5 or 6. If this value increases into the alkaline range, that can indicate infection, reports Gizmag.

If the pH value is between 6.5 and 8.5, the new bandage will turn purple, according to Dr. Sabine Trupp, a scientist at the EMFT. The indicator strip can allow patients and doctors to monitor for infection without having to change dressings. This is an advantage because removing a bandage can let in germs. The next step is to test the strips at a German hospital’s dermatology clinic.

Eventually, the researchers want to integrate an optical sensor, which could measure pH values and indicate the results on a screen, providing precise data about whether a wound is getting better.

[Gizmag]

Mcdonalds Virus Hits Facebook..Beware of the Fakes

Facebook: Paradise for Rogues

Facebook is turning out to be a "Virus Paradise". Its so easy to trick the users that even after continuous awareness from facebook and other security sites these bad guys are able to achieve what they need.The never ending story of malicious attacks is getting better everyday. The trouble is these guys are good advertisers and always come out with new innovative ideas that makes every user anxious and excited to try something new. In present situation try to avoid anything that makes you feel anxious to know what is after that click. The latest one that seems to have already infected many facebook users reads:

"OMG The World's Worst Mcdonald Customer (Shocking Video and music..see more..)" followed by a shortened link as below..

or,

“The Truth Behind McDonald’s” and “McDonald Shocking Video”

 Or,

“OMG! I cant BELIEVE a WOMAN found THIS in her McDonalds Nuggets! WTFF!! >> [link to content],” or “Holy CRAP!  I just saw your MOM in this VIDEO!!!!”. 

Clicked on it....What Happens Next?

i) It'll ask your permission to post on your Wall (it may also ask you confirm that you are 18 years old), access your data at any time, access your contact information and your list of friends, amongst other things.

ii) Though it is sensible to cancel out of this at this time but sadly there are still users who would be so anxious to watch the video that would grant the permission
Permission granted...
iii) Hurray..you have just handed over the control to the rogue facebook app.

iv) Next the same message will be posted on your wall thus completing the cycle again. From next time onwards you do not even have to worry about your status updates..it'll be automatically sent out by the rogue..

This overall process is called Clickjacking. Once the link is clicked, the attack then tricks victims into making a series of additional clicks, which give the attackers the ability to spam the malicious content on the victims wall.

So far, these attacks primarily have been used to promote Cost Per Action (CPA) affiliate programs, which helps the attackers to earn dollars in exchange for completed surveys or other traffic driven actions.  Weaponizing or activating these attacks is fairly trivial, so you should proceed with extreme caution when clicking links that appear to be from friends on social networks.

It is possible you might have made a mistake or got lured by the rogue. But the most important thing now is how to get rid of rid and protect your privacy. The Facebook security team is doing a great job. It doesnt take much time for the facebook security team to block the fake ones but not fast enough to save the first 10,000 users. I have added a quick guide and steps to get rid of the rogue in my technical blog. Please click to see the removal process..XsTechx

"Tablets are cannibalizing Netbooks"..says Intel's newly launched news site called Free Press

Reports of Netbook’s Death Greatly Exaggerated 

Intel is known for its innovations and sudden unique decisions that makes everyone ponder "What are they Upto?..
Before anyone can figure out Intel's motive behind acquiring Mcafee, it has come out with another surprise.Intel now entered the media market by launching a news website called "Free Press". The news site is hosted and published by Intel. Though it was a surprise but the lead story gives a solid indication of the kind of aggressive PR lifting it is going to do in the future. The lead topic in the site starts off with " Reports of Netbook’s Death Greatly Exaggerated, Experts Say. 
It tries to make people understand the difference between Tablets and Netbooks. The point it  highlights is quite right. The amount of work that you can do in a netbook is much more than a tablet. A tablet can basically be used only to browse the internet when you are travelling. If you are looking for business work, good battery life and apps while travelling then tablet is absolutely not the right device, at least till date. Yes in the future Tablets will take over Netbooks in a similar way as Netbooks had taken over notebooks but its not quite there yet. 

Malicious Links in Facebook spreads again....

Two Malicious Links circling around Facebook Friends. Delete these if you see it in your profile....

i) LOL have a look at this... 5 things every girl does before she meets her boyfriend http:// tiny.cc/ krola

 

  - There is absolutely nothing to know what a girl does before she meets her BF...DELETE IT

     IMMEDIATELY. 

 

Why should i delete it?

 

- Remove the spaces from the above link and open it (facebook have already blocked it). Anyway it

would have taken you to a page where you will have to Allow the application to access your 

profile...Along with the Allow button there are two already checked boxes which will change your 

homepage to "My Websearch" and also install a toolbar. "My Websearch" is a known nasty adware 

which will continuously open backdoors for other Malicious Trojans to enter and after that u know 

whats going to happen..And..Lets say you uncheck the check boxes and then allow the application to 

access your facebook profile.What next?...Your profile will be automatically posting links to all your 

friends till your account gets suspended by facebook(Defensio guys).

 

ii) OMG OMG OMG... I cant believe this actually works! Now you really can see who views your

      page!..See Who Viewed Your Facebook Page! on page-view.info.

   -  This is never going to happen in Facebook. It is against Facebook's privacy and security policy

       to track and display who visited your profile unlike Orkut....DELETE IT IMMEDIATELY. 

You can visit the facebook security page to read the policies. If incase u follow the message it'll end

up doing the same thing as the first one.. 

Report any security issues to facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/help/#!/help/?page=420














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Painless Flexible Tattoos: You can Switch ON and OFF your Tattoo now...

Electronic Tattoos are IN...

If you still thinking about getting a tattoo done then its time you change your mind. The fashion of getting Tattoos are Out. Tattoos have been around for ages but with absolutely no change and innovation. Tattoos are something that you make once and have it lifelong unless you spend more money to get rid of it. But not anymore. This problem has been solved now after medical experts launched the electronic tattoos earlier this month...














Whats in: Flexible LED Tattoos that can be implanted under the skin which can glow with changing colors. 





John Rogers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has headed up a research team with participants from the US, China, Korea, and Singapore, who have together produced and demonstrated a new flexible and implantable LED array that can be inserted under the human skin with upto 75% Flexibility and Stretch.


Coated in thin silicon rubber, they're also waterproof and safe to implant under the skin. That means that you could, in theory, spell out your name in flashing lights under the skin.This technology is actually designed to help monitor diseases, wounds and activating light-sensitive drug delivery and other medical terms which goes beyond our thinking ability. But what makes it famous is that you can now control and customize your tattoo under the skin without pain.. At least, unlike a real tattoo, you can switch this one off.

The XM-25 Smart Computerized Grenade Launcher is Headed to Afghanistan

Futuristic, Computerized, Explosive, Grenade launcher

Words like “futuristic,” “computerized,” “explosive,” and “grenade launcher” really tickle our sensibilities, so perhaps it was no surprise that we honored the XM-25 grenade launcher – that futuristic-looking, computerized-targeting infantry weapon that hurls smart explosive rounds downrange – with a Best of What’s New award last year. But with so much defense tech falling victim due to cost overruns, impracticality of deployment, or simple bureaucratic indecision, we’re always pleasantly surprised to see new systems hit the battlefield. And that’s exactly where the XM-25 is headed next month.

The shoulder-fired XM-25 supposedly deployed with Special Forces in Afghanistan this summer, though we couldn’t tell you anything about that. The weapon packs 25-millimeter “smart” grenades that can be programmed to explode at a predetermined range. Each round contains a small magnet that generates AC current as it spins through the air, allowing a tiny on-board microprocessor to determine how far it’s traveled.
The soldier can dial in the range on the weapon itself before firing, essentially giving him or her the ability to fire around corners. If an enemy combatant is hiding out of line of sight, the soldier can simply fire a round over the enemy’s head or around a corner, programming the round to explode near the target (a laser range finder mounted on the gun helps the soldier make precise distance measurements). The ensuing burst of shrapnel makes for an unwelcome addition to any combatant’s day.
The Army initially said it would incorporate some 12,000 of the weapons into its arsenal starting in 2012, but it appears the XM-25 made an impression on someone up the chain of command. Defense blog Soldier Systems reports five developmental XM-25 systems are bound for the 101st Airborne in eastern Afghanistan, slated for arrival in November. An additional 36 weapons will arrive to replace the original five sometime thereafter.
[Soldier Systems via Danger Room]

Facebook Launches Better Security Features

Facebook in their latest updates includes some good and meaningful security features. Now you can do the folloing to make your facebook account more secure:

1. First, there will be one-time passwords to make it safer to use public computers in places like hotels, cafes or airports. If you have any concerns about security of the computer you're using while accessing Facebook, then you can get a one-time password through a text message instead of your regular password. This temporary password expires in 20 minutes.Simply text "otp" to 32665 on your mobile phone, and you'll immediately receive a password that can be used only once and expires in 20 minutes. In order to access this feature, you'll need a mobile phone number in your account. 

2. Next is Session Control- the ability to sign out of Facebook remotely.These session controls can be useful if you log into Facebook from a friend's phone or computer and then forget to sign out. From your Account Settings, you can check if you're still logged in on other devices and remotely log out.Using this you can also see all your active sessions and previous sessions.

3. Lastly, facebook will be regularly prompt you to keep your security information updated. This could be annoying at times but remember its for your security.

China UFO Sightings, Back-To-Back, Alarm Residents and shuts down Airport

What is it with China? Is it becoming a favourite spot for Aliens. 

There has been atleast 4 to 5 UFO sightings reported in China in the last 6 months. This is creating a tension and fear among people in China. So what should China do..Shoot the UFO on sight or invite them to visit us. As usual the army and NASA are constantly denying the reports but are busy investigating the report. So the Question still remains "Are UFOs Real"

Check the pics of some of the latest UFO Sightings in China..

 The most Recent one in Octobor'2010:

 

The New Facebook: New Dashboard, Download Your Stuff, and Groups [Facebook]

The New Facebook: New Dashboard, Download Your Stuff, and Groups [Facebook]: "

As expected, Facebook's big event today was yet another redesign. Updating live. More »

"