APPLE RELEASES IOS 6.0.2 TO FIX REPORTED WI-FI ISSUES

Apple (AAPL) has just released iOS 6.0.2 to fix a number of bugs on the operating system including one bug that reportedly affected Wi-Fi performance on both the iPhone and the iPad. Some users on Apple’s support forums have in the past complained about an issue where their Wi-Fi connectivity symbol turns grey and prevents them from connecting to their home networks. Engadget’s German site writes that these Wi-Fi issues were supposed to be fixed with the release of iOS 6.0.1 but notes that users have still reported problems connecting to known Wi-Fi hotspots even after installing the patch.

http://bgr.com/2012/12/18/apple-releases-ios-6-0-2258170-258170/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

CONSUMER REPORTS LISTS ALL THE REASONS TO AVOID WINDOWS 8 FOR NOW

Like a lot of people right now, you might be thinking about buying a new PC for the New Year. But according to Consumer Reports, you’re probably better off sticking with an old Windows 7 machine for the time being because Windows 8 has some serious flaws that crimp usability and create frustrating experiences. In fact, the publication has created a handy list of reasons to avoid Windows 8 for a while and most of them are pretty compelling. 

Among other things, Consumer Reports writes that Windows 7 is still a very good PC operating system, that Windows 8 really only works if you buy a computer with a touchscreen, that the lack of a native Start button is annoying to many users, and that “Windows 8 models still are not performing as well as expected” and are delivering “less-than-optimal performance.” Windows 8 has taken criticism from a wide variety of sources, including an MIT professor and a very drunk person, for being needlessly confusing.

http://bgr.com/2012/12/18/consumer-reports-windows-8-criticism-257728/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Amazon's Bezos awarded patent for smartphone airbag system

There are quite a few among us who have at least once been through the hell of having a cracked, or worse, a shattered smartphone display. How about an unbreakable phone, then? As per a listing on the US Patent and Trademark Office, Amazon Chief Jeff Bezos now officially holds a smartphone airbag system patent, the mechanism behind which is a built-in accelerometer adept at detecting whether the phone is falling too fast. Once it detects that, it will quickly deploy an airbag. In a brief outline of the patent in question, the USPTO site adds, “A system and method for protecting devices from impact damage is provided. Prior to impact between a surface and a device, a determination of a risk of damage to the device is made. If the risk of damage to the device exceeds a threshold, a protection system is activated to reduce or substantially eliminate damage to the device.” For crack-free gadgetry (Image credit: Getty Images) In an elaborate description of the patent, it has been explained that it is essentially a damage avoidance system that is activated once the risk of damage is detected, before impact with the surface. In this sense, a damage avoidance system comprises one or more protection elements working together to reduce or prevent damage to the 'portable device' on hitting the surface.  Using a mobile phone, one of the most commonly used gadgets as an example, the patent description explains that a damage avoidance system on a mobile phone would come with a safety monitoring system and a protection system. For instance, if a user accidentally drops his mobile phone, then the safety monitoring system, using several detection elements, will detect that the device is no longer in contact with the user. It then measures a distance from an approaching surface and decides the velocity toward the surface. The explanation elaborates,"Based on the collected information, the safety monitoring system determines whether the risk of damage to the cellular phone, that will be caused by the impending impact, exceeds an acceptable threshold.  If the safety monitoring system determines that the risk of damage exceeds the acceptable threshold, the protection system is activated." In this case, a protection system deploys an airbag before the device hits the surface. This way, the airbag meets the surface at impact. The airbag will absorb the impact and protect the device to reduce or eliminate damage.  The listing on the USPTO page bears the names of Gregory Hart and Jeffrey Bezos as the inventors. The patent application had been filed on February 11, 2010.  Interestingly, the listing makes note of the fact that at least as per one report, 1 out of 3 cellular phones are damaged or lost in the first year of buying them. "Damage may occur when a cellular phone experiences an uncontrolled impact with a hard surface or even become submerged in a liquid. With the number of cellular phones in use exceeding several billion and repairs typically exceeding $25, the costs of damage and loss of cellular phones amounts to billions of dollars per year," it points out.  http://tech2.in.com/news/smartphones/amazons-bezos-awarded-patent-for-smartphone-airbag-system/647242

Facebook to launch Snapchat-like 'self destructing' message app

Not one to stay behind, Facebook is planning to introduce yet another feature to its kitty – the ‘self destructing’ chat message. The Snapchat-like app, which will destroy messages after having been received, is said to be in the testing stage, reports AllthingsD. Snapchat became a much used app and became prominent because of its ability to destroy messages within 10 seconds of being sent. A user can send messages that destroy themselves from not only their phones, but the receiver’s phone as well. Snapchat even destroys matter from its own servers. The company even added video capabilities to the app. Clearly, this app became very popular with the youth who used it to exchange messages and photographs. Facebook too will be looking at implementing similar functions in its chat app, including the capability of deciding the amount of time the message or image remains visible. This move is a part of Facebook’s blitzkrieg addition of features to its apps including standalone ones like Messenger and Camera. Destroy your messages after the user receives it on Facebook! There were rumours raging that Facebook was planning to acquire messaging service WhatsApp. However, it appears that the reports were merely speculative and multiple sources confirmed that they were unfounded. It was revealed that Facebook was actually implementingchanges to its Android app instead. Facebook has opened up its messenger service to people who aren't registered with the social network, and users can now use Facebook Messenger to chat using only their name and mobile number. Facebook updated its Android app earlier in December to embrace a wider audience base by removing the necessity of being a Facebook member to use the messenger service. It is supposed to help in enticing more non-members to use Facebook services while giving existing users a bonus by letting them chat with friends who are not on the social networking website. Covering bases of all that’s in vogue with users these days, Facebook had acquired photo editing and sharing app Instagram in September. The deal was valued at $1 billion when the companies agreed to it in April. But Facebook's stock price has lost half of its value since its IPO. With Facebook trading at $18.06 on Aug. 31 when the deal closed, it is worth about $715.3 million – $300 million of it in cash and the rest in stock. Facebook has steadily worked on making Instagram a bigger part of its family. Come January 16,Instagram's new Privacy Policy and Terms of Service will be effective, and in an official blog post, it has shared all that its users should expect. Sharing a few key updates, Instagram elaborates that nothing has changed pertaining to the ownership of a user's photos or bits about who can see them. Most importantly, Instagram shares that the updated privacy policy will help them function as a part of the social networking giant Facebook with ease by sharing information between the two of them. This way, it believes that they will be able to fight spam more effectively, detect system and reliability problems quicker and also build better features for users, by learning better how the platform is being used. The updated Terms of Service, Instagram shares, will help protect users and prevent spam and abuse. Facebook plans on releasing the Snapchat competitor app within a few weeks, aiming at releasing it before the end of the year. How Facebook will tighten the ropes around the kind of data and photos that are shared through its service, owing to its stringent Terms and Privacy Policies, remains to be seen. http://tech2.in.com/news/apps/facebook-to-launch-snapchatlike-self-destructing-message-app/649912

YouTube Capture for iOS lets you record, enhance and share YouTube videos

For all those iPhone and iPod touch users who love recording, enhancing and sharing videos on YouTube, Google has launched the YouTube Capture app. Reed Morse, Software Engineer at YouTube, has shared in an official blog post that the newly launched app is the search giant's attempt at speeding up recording, enhancing and sharing videos for users to share with their friends or the whole world.  The app is ready to record as soon as you open it. Once you are done filming your video, you can write a caption, select the audience you want to share it with and then hit Share. The video continues to be uploaded in the background, even if you have minimised the app. Users can decide the audience they want to share their video with – be it private (only the user can see it), unlisted (only those with a link to the video will be able to view it) or public.  Here's a video to introduce you to YouTube Capture: There are many enemies of a good video, shaky hands being one. As a solution to this common problem, the app allows you to touch up the video with YouTube enhancements like colour correction and stabilisation. Users can even trim the length and add free background music from YouTube. These edits can be added to existing YouTube videos on a user's device, and these can be reverted later on YouTube.com. Interestingly, the app will remind the user to rotate their phone to a horizontal position while recording the video. This way, not only will the videos be of high quality, it will also be devoid of the "Vertical Video Syndrome". The app is up for grabs on the App Store. Users can upload their videos to YouTube, Google+, Facebook and Twitter simultaneously. The YouTube Capture app is compatible with iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPod touch (3rd generation), iPod touch (4th generation), iPod touch (5th generation) and iPad. To be able to use this app, users will need devices running iOS 5.0 or later. This app is optimised for iPhone 5. Needless to add, folks at Google are working to bring this app for Android users too. By way of an official blog post recently, Raul Furnica, Vladimir Vuskovic and Pepijn Crouzen of the YouTube API Team, raised the curtain on the YouTube API version 3.0. YouTube API version 3.0 will enable users to to make better integrated video experiences. Elaborating further, the post adds that the new API is easy to use, courtesy the rich client library support, improved tooling, reference documentation and integration with Google’s common API infrastructure. “Version 3.0 only returns what you ask for and is using JSON rather than XML encoding for greater efficiency. The API introduces new core functionality including Freebase integration via topics, and universal search.  If you develop social media management apps, you’ll love channel bulletin post and full subscriber list management, also new in this release. Version 3.0 of the API constitutes the API's biggest overhaul to date and we’re eager for you to try it today!,” the blog post explains.  http://tech2.in.com/news/ios/youtube-capture-for-ios-lets-you-record-enhance-and-share-youtube-videos/649932

Instagram says it now has the right to sell your photos

In its first big policy shift since Facebook bought the photo-sharing site, Instagram claims the right to sell users' photos without payment or notification. Oh, and there's no way to opt out.

Instagram said today that it has the perpetual right to sell users' photographs without payment or notification, a dramatic policy shift that quickly sparked a public outcry.

The new intellectual property policy, which takes effect on January 16, comes three months after Facebook completed its acquisition of the popular photo-sharing site. Unless Instagram users delete their accounts before the January deadline, they cannot opt out.

Under the new policy, Facebook claims the perpetual right to license all public Instagram photos to companies or any other organization, including for advertising purposes, which would effectively transform the Web site into the world's largest stock photo agency. One irked Twitter user quipped that "Instagram is now the new iStockPhoto, except they won't have to pay you anything to use your images."

"It's asking people to agree to unspecified future commercial use of their photos," says Kurt Opsahl, a senior staff attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation. "That makes it challenging for someone to give informed consent to that deal."

That means that a hotel in Hawaii, for instance, could write a check to Facebook to license photos taken at its resort and use them on its Web site, in TV ads, in glossy brochures, and so on -- without paying any money to the Instagram user who took the photo. The language would include not only photos of picturesque sunsets on Waikiki, but also images of young children frolicking on the beach, a result that parents might not expect, and which couldtrigger state privacy laws.

Facebook did not respond to repeated queries from CNET this afternoon. We'll update the article if we receive a response.

Another policy pitfall: If Instagram users continue to upload photos after January 16, 2013, and subsequently delete their account after the deadline, they may have granted Facebook an irrevocable right to sell those images in perpetuity. There's no obvious language that says deleting an account terminates Facebook's rights, EFF's Opsahl said.

Facebook's new rights to sell Instagram users' photos come from two additions to its terms of use policy. One section deletes the current phrase "limited license" and, by inserting the words "transferable" and "sub-licensable," allows Facebook to license users' photos to any other organization.

A second section allows Facebook to charge money. It says that "a business or other entity may pay us to display your... photos... in connection with paid or sponsored content or promotions, without any compensation to you." That language does not exist in the current terms of use.

Google's policy, by contrast, is far narrower and does not permit the company to sell photographs uploaded through Picasa or Google+. Its policy generally tracks the soon-to-be-replaced Instagram policy by saying: "The rights you grant in this license are for the limited purpose of operating, promoting, and improving our services." Yahoo's policiesservice for Flickr are similar, saying the company can use the images "solely for the purpose for which such content was submitted or made available."

Reginald Braithwaite, an author and software developer, posted a tongue-in-cheek "translation" of the new Instagram policy today: "You are not our customers, you are the cattle we drive to market and auction off to the highest bidder. Enjoy your feed and keep producing the milk."

One Instagram user dubbed the policy change "Instagram's suicide note." The PopPhoto.com photography site summarized the situation by saying: "The service itself is still a fun one, but that's a lot of red marks that have shown up over the past couple weeks. Many shooters -- even the casual ones -- probably aren't that excited to have a giant corporation out there selling their photos without being paid or even notified about it."

Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom speaks at the LeWeb conference in Paris. Click for larger image.

(Credit: Stephen Shankland/CNET)

Another unusual addition to Instagram's new policy appears to immunize it from liability, such as class action lawsuits, if it makes supposedly private photos public. The language stresses, twice in the same paragraph, that "we will not be liable for any use or disclosure of content" and "Instagram will not be liable for any use or disclosure of any content you provide."

Yet another addition says "you acknowledge that we may not always identify paid services, sponsored content, or commercial communications as such." That appears to conflict with the Federal Trade Commission'sguidelines that say advertisements should be listed as advertisements.

Such sweeping intellectual property language has been invoked before: In 1999, Yahooclaimed all rights to Geocities using language strikingly similar to Facebook's wording today, including the "non-exclusive and fully sublicensable right" to do what it wanted with its users' text and photos. But in the face of widespread protest -- and competitors advertising that their own products were free from such Draconian terms -- Yahoo backed down about a week later.

It's true, of course, that Facebook may not intend to monetize the photos taken by Instagram users, and that lawyers often draft overly broad language to permit future business opportunities that may never arise. But on the other hand, there's no obvious language that would prohibit Facebook from taking those steps, and the company's silence in the face of questions today hasn't helped.

EFF's Opsahl says the new policy runs afoul of his group's voluntary best practices for social networks. He added: "Hopefully at some point we'll get greater clarity from Facebook and Instagram."

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-57559710-38/instagram-says-it-now-has-the-right-to-sell-your-photos/

HOW TO LAUNCH GOOGLE MAPS NAVIGATION USING SIRI WITHOUT JAILBREAKING

Millions of iPhone users rejoiced last week as the highly anticipated Google Maps app launched for iOS and put an end to users’ reliance on Apple’s (AAPL) awful Maps app.Who knows how many lives may have been saved? iPhone users aren’t completely out of the woods though, as Apple’s Maps app is still the default application used for mapping integration inside other third-party apps, and it’s also used by Siri when asking for directions. Using a simple trick that requires no jailbreak or hacking of any kind, however, users can easily bypass ties between Siri and Apple’s Maps app to get directions using Google Maps.

As noted by Cult of Mac on Saturday, adding “via transit” to the end of your sentence when asking Siri for directions jumps past Apple’s own mapping app and brings users to a screen that allows them to select Google Maps for directions. Google’s (GOOG) Google Maps app with then open with the destination already populated, and users will be given the option to get directions or navigate to the desired destination on foot, via public transit or in a car.

http://bgr.com/2012/12/17/google-maps-siri-trick-how-to-255870/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

10 James Bond Gadgets That Actually Exist—And One That Needs To

There have been 23 Bond movies made In the past 50 years—full of lethal, handy, futuristic, awesome, and sometimes funny gadgets. Most are still too fantastic to be real, but some have transcended the silver screen to become naturalized residents of the Real World. These are our favorites.

Homing beacon, Goldfinger (1964)

Tracking devices are a spy-world staple, now available to anyone, regardless of security clearance. In the photo are Digital Angel products made by Applied Digital Solutions; they provide satellite location tracking for individuals.

Photo: David Friedman/Getty Images

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Lasers, Goldfinger (1964)

Remember when Auric Goldfinger tried to cut James Bond in half (nuts-first) with a laser powerful enough to cut steel?. Well, that same technology is now available to anyone interested in amusing a cat. And, thanks to the Internet, even the convenience store modelpictured can be turned into something a little more villainous.

Photo: Danjaq/Eon Productions//Robert F. Bukaty/AP

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Remote-Controlled Doors, Thunderball (1965)

In 1965 this technology only about ten years old, so the audience was surely awed when Emilio Largo pushed a button on a handheld device and opened a secret door to the SPECTRE briefing room. Today such doors are found in most suburban homes, concealing secret stashes of old VHS tapes, empty bottles ("gonna take those in this weekend, seriously"), and broken bicycles.

Photo: Danjaq/Eon Productions//Wesley/Keystone/Getty Images

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Gyroplane, You Only Live Twice (1967)

This is a Wallis WA-116 Series 1 gyroplane (codename Little Nellie). In the movie it has rockets, machine guns, flamethrowers, and missiles. Though only released in very limited quantities to private citizens, these little birds were real! Sans weapons, natch.

Photo: Danjaq/Eon Productions//Ken Wallis//Wikimedia Commons

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Fingerprint Scanner, Diamonds Are Forever (1971)

Tiffany Case and her unique biometric scanner were fooled by Bond's fake fingerprint. These days the technology is so smart and widespread that there might be a small fingerprint scanner in your notebook computer-and it's probably way too sophisticated to be fooled by a lifeless prosthesis.

Photo: Danjaq/Eon Productions//Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images

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Minox Camera, On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)

Bond uses a small Minox A IIIs Camera in this movie. Spy cameras became so popular in the late-sixties and on, that you could find classified ads most science and tech magazines. These days: eBay.

Photo: Danjaq/Eon Productions//Hustvedt/Wikimedia Commons

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Seiko Wristwatch, For Your Eyes Only (1981)

Who cares that the Seiko H357 5040 can't receive digital messages or be used as a walkie-talkie like in this Bond movie. It's still hot, and I'd wear one.

Photo: Danjaq/Eon Productions//Vintage LCD

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Polarizing Sunglasses, A View to a Kill (1985)

With these special circular polarized sunglasses, Bond could see through tinted windows. Big deal: Oakley made sunglasses that not only have polarized lenses, but integrated headphones, a 128 MB music player, and a built-in bounty hunter.

Photo: Danjaq/Eon Productions//Reed Saxon/AP

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Ring camera, A View to a Kill (1985)

Nowadays miniaturized cameras are everywhere-like in the "Camer-ing," which is a discreet digital camera built in a ring. This neat device is designed by Hyeonsik Studio & Jeon Yengwon, and we're counting the minutes until it reaches production.

Photo: Danjaq/Eon Productions//Yanko Design

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Sony Ericsson K800 Casino Royale (2006)

Back in 2006, the Sony Ericsson K800i phone cyber-shot camera was a pretty nice bit of kit: GPS and a fast 3.2 megapixel digital camera is at your secret service. These days, well, it's declassified, to say the least.

Photo: Danjaq/Eon Productions

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Profile Touchscreen, Casino Royale (2006)

At MI6 headquarters, Bond's employers use a Profile Touchscreen Device in order to gather information about possible suspects. There's no magic in this digital table—it's basically theMicrosoft-Samsung PixelSense (formerly known as Surface).

Photo: Danjaq/Eon Productions//Microsoft

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Jetpack, Thunderball (1965).

At last: the coolest James Bond gadget ever featured. The Bell Rocket Belt—also known as the simulated Lunar Flying Vehicle (LFV). It was built by Bell Aerospace for NASA in the mid-Sixties. So, uhm, where's mine?

Photo: Danjaq/Eon Productions//NASA/USGS

http://gizmodo.com/5966242/10-james-bond-gadgets-that-actually-existand-one-that-needs-to?utm_campaign=socialflow_gizmodo_facebook&utm_source=gizmodo_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow

MAJOR VULNERABILITY DISCOVERED FOR GALAXY S III AND GALAXY NOTE II

Samsung’s (005930) flagship Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II smartphones may be vulnerable to app-based attacks following the discovery of a security hole in the company’s line of Exynos 4 processors. XDA Developers forum member “alephzain” uncovered the problem and noted that a Play Store app could potentially access information from the phone’s RAM or even inject malicious code directly into its kernel. It has also been reported that the vulnerability could affect all devices that are equipped with a Exynos 4210 or 4412 processor and utilize Samsung’s kernel.

“The good news is we can easily obtain root on these devices,” the hacker said. “The bad is [that] there is no control over it.”

A spokesperson for the company reached out to CNET and confirmed that it is “currently in the process of conducting an internal review” of the issue.

This isn’t the first big security issue to hit Samsung’s Galaxy line of devices. Earlier this year, it was discovered that a number of TouchWiz-enabled smartphones could be remotely wiped after visiting a webpage containing a simple script. That specific exploit was fixed through an over-the-air update a few days later, however.

http://bgr.com/2012/12/17/galaxy-s-iii-galaxy-note-ii-malware-255834/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) Has Started Selling its iPhone 5 in Russia

The U.S electronics giant, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), has officially started selling its iPhone 5 and iPad mini in Russia. Both the devices went on sale in the country on Friday.

The company has rolled out its latest iPhone 5 in Russia approximately three months after it was launched in the U.S and about 30 other countries. Apple’s iPhone 5 is 18% thinner and 20% less in weight as compared to its earlier version, the iPhone 4s.

Some industry sources revealed that the main reason behind this delay is a production shortfall at Foxconn, which is a key manufacturing partner of Apple. One of the key features of iPhone 5 is that it supports fast-speed LTE networks, however, users living in Russia will not be able to use this feature as none of the mobile vendors have networks compatible with iPhone 5.

The latest Apple (AAPL) device is expected to carry a price tag in between 35,000-45,000 rubles, or $1,140 to $1,330, on the basis of storage capacity. The company sold 5 million units of its iPhone 5 during the first week of its launch in September.

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) has introduced its iPad mini tablet in Russia much faster than the iPhone 5. The iPad mini made its way to the country just six weeks after its release in the U.S.

Initially, users in Russia will be able to purchase only the wi-fi versions of the tablet. Those including cellular capabilities will be introduced later. 16 GB version will carry a price tag of 14,990 rubles, or $490, while 64 GB model will be sold at $750. In the near future, Apple might start selling its TV digital media receiver in Russia, as the company has just launched its online iTune store in the country.

http://thepointdaily.com/apple-inc-nasdaqaapl-has-started-selling-its-iphone-5-in-russia/122798/