This Is My Idea of the Beginning of the End of the World [Video]

If there's something that I hate more than one of those freaking winged sons-of-dinosaurs known as birds, that's a few thousand of them invading the entire sky, networked like a single individual. It's a natural phenomenon called murmuration. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/PMYFibpU2tM/this-is-my-idea-of-the-beginning-of-the-end-of-the-world

Ingrid Schur Emily Trautmann Charlotte Kadelbach Hugo Ruß

iSpy software can read texts and steal passwords with its little eye (video)

We spy, with our bleary eye, a new piece of software that could make it dramatically easier to steal personal data. The program, known as iSpy, allows devious voyeurs to remotely identify and read text typed on touchscreen displays. That, in and of itself, isn't exactly new, but iSpy takes shoulder surfing to slightly terrifying new areas -- namely, those beyond the "shoulder." Developed by Jan-Michael Frahm and Fabian Monrose of the UNC-Chapel Hill, this program, like those before it, takes advantage of the magnified keys found on most touchscreens. All you'd have to do is point a camera at someone else's screen and iSpy will automatically record whatever he or she types by stabilizing the video footage and identifying the enlarged keys. If you're using a smartphone camera, you'll be able to eavesdrop from up to three meters away, but if you opt for a more heavy duty DSLR device, you could steal passwords from up to 60 meters away. The software can also recognize any words typed into a device, and, according to its architects, can identify letters with greater than 90 percent accuracy. When used with a DSLR camera, iSpy can even pick up on reflections of touchscreens in sunglasses or window panes from up to 12 meters away. To avoid this, Frahm and Monrose recommend disabling the magnified key function on your smartphone, or using some sort of screen shield. We recommend checking out a video of the program, after the break.

Continue reading iSpy software can read texts and steal passwords with its little eye (video)

iSpy software can read texts and steal passwords with its little eye (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 Nov 2011 19:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/04/ispy-software-can-read-texts-and-steal-passwords-with-its-little/

Steven Walnsch Lennart Tonn Simone Temme Heidemarie Stegmann

Windows 8 now available to OEMs via Microsoft Connect

windows 8Select Microsoft Connect partners -- major players like HP -- have been given their first taste of Windows 8. According to various sources, the build string currently sits at 7971.0.110324-1900, which is the third milestone build of the successor to Windows 7.

So far, there haven't been many details revealed about Windows 8. An actual System Restore -- which is being referred to as History Vault -- has been reported, and the feature will allow users and administrators to completely roll back a system to a previous state. A factory reset option is also said to be included.

We've also seen Windows Live integration taking shape on the desktop. It's believed that you'll be able to log in to Windows 8 using your Windows Live credentials, not just a traditional offline Windows username and password.

All that's left now is for a leaked Windows 8 build to show up on a torrent site. Feel free to tip us if you see that happen.

Windows 8 now available to OEMs via Microsoft Connect originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/31/windows-8-now-available-to-oems-via-microsoft-connect/

Rosemarie Ramsauer Jörn Domenighini Marion Dallmeyer Hanna Wohlrab

Internet Explorer Desertion Continues as Usage Drops Below 50 Percent [Web]

Internet Explorer has long been declining in popularity, but it hit an abandonment milestone in October as its market share dropped below 50 percent for the first time in more than a decade. What browsers are reaping the benefits? More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/uh5DtimtwIQ/

Annika Schäffer Edgar Betz Antonia Koppe Gertrud Hölzl

T-Mobile unleashes HTC Radar 4G, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, myTouchQ and more today

We knew it was getting cold and dreary outside, but today at T-Mobile it's shiny and warm. The carrier has released several handsets today, including the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, HTC Radar 4G, myTouch and myTouchQ (online only until November 9th), LG DoublePlay, and the Samsung Exhibit II 4G. It's not too often we see six devices launch on the same day, but 'tis the season, right? If you've been eyeing any of these luscious gadgets for yourself or a loved one, it's high time to make the move.

T-Mobile unleashes HTC Radar 4G, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, myTouchQ and more today originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 Nov 2011 15:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/02/t-mobile-unleashes-htc-radar-4g-samsung-galaxy-tab-10-1-mytouc/

Ulrike Kellner Nicola Kohnen Laura Ungricht Edith Berner

Engadget's holiday gift guide 2011: tablets

Welcome to the Engadget Holiday Gift Guide! We're well aware of the heartbreaking difficulties surrounding the seasonal shopping experience, so we're here to help you sort out this year's tech treasures. Below is today's bevy of curated picks, and you can head back to the Gift Guide hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the holiday season.

Of all the electronic gifts you could buy someone right now, a tablet seems like one of the safer bets. It's a cheaper way of saying "I love you" than bestowing a $1,000 laptop, and it takes less chutzpah than signing someone up for a smartphone (along with two years of data fees). And let's be real here: what's more festive than flopping onto the couch in pajamas after opening gifts and lazily playing Angry Birds while It's A Wonderful Life airs in the background? Yeah, we can't think of anything either.

Sadly, we don't have any webOS-flavored tablets this time around, and we couldn't include some hotly anticipated numbers like the Transformer Prime, since they're not shipping yet and we don't even know much they'll cost. Still, we managed to find a slew of Android tablets (and one iPad) across a range of budgets. Been on the fence about what to get? Skip past the break for some ideas.

Continue reading Engadget's holiday gift guide 2011: tablets

Engadget's holiday gift guide 2011: tablets originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 Nov 2011 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/qBT4BghILLY/

Vivien Strupp Elena Lasch Hans-Jürgen Haake Arno Zimmerling

Qualcomm announces Q4 earnings: rakes in $4.12 billion in revenue

Qualcomm Earnings
The Qualcomm juggernaut just keeps on rolling. As the company's financial year comes to a close it's celebrating yet another stellar quarter, reporting $4.12 billion in revenue -- up 39-percent from the same time last year and a dramatic 14-percent higher than its Q3 earnings. Of that incoming green, $1.06 was profit. For the year as a whole, Qualcomm saw profits rise 31-percent over 2010 to $4.26 billion while revenues were 36-percent higher than last year, reaching $14.96 billion. Qualcomm exceed expectations not only for earnings but also sales -- moving 127 million MSM chips in Q4, when analysts were estimating between 120 and 125 million units sold. You'll find some PR after the break but, for all the pretty financial charts you'll have to hit up the source.

Continue reading Qualcomm announces Q4 earnings: rakes in $4.12 billion in revenue

Qualcomm announces Q4 earnings: rakes in $4.12 billion in revenue originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 Nov 2011 17:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/02/qualcomm-announces-q4-earnings-rakes-in-4-12-billion-in-revenu/

Laura Ungricht Edith Berner Lea Linden Kevin Fickenscher

Soundfreaq's Sound Stack Bluetooth speaker sports dual subwoofers, $400 pricetag

Soundfreaq doesn't release speaker systems often, but it's safe to expect something spectacularly sexy when it does. Such is exactly the case with its latest audiophile-aimed creation, the Sound Stack wireless speaker. The company is toting this $400 Bluetooth-enabled HiFi rig as a "2.2" speaker system, thanks to its DubSub design -- a duo of active subwoofers pump out lowend in an effort to complement its two other "full-range" drivers. Soundfreaq's also packed this puppy with its UQ3 processing to keep the soundstage wide despite the unit's size. Better yet, downloading a free Remote App (available on Android and iOS) unlocks the system's FM radio -- perfect for when you're feeling nostalgic. If that wasn't enough, the Sound Stack's also loaded with an iThing dock and a USB input, both of which can be used to re-juice your devices while streaming. If your Gadget Acquisition Syndrome is already kicking in, fret not, the Sound Stack is available for purchase now. You'll find more details past the break.

Continue reading Soundfreaq's Sound Stack Bluetooth speaker sports dual subwoofers, $400 pricetag

Soundfreaq's Sound Stack Bluetooth speaker sports dual subwoofers, $400 pricetag originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 Nov 2011 03:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/k27pUb5HiR8/

Elena Lasch Hans-Jürgen Haake Arno Zimmerling Jacqueline Kiesel