Category: Internet

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From Wired Top Stories: Appeals Court OKs Warrantless, Real-Time Mobile Phone Tracking

A federal appeals court on Wednesday said the authorities do not need probable-cause warrants to enable them to track a suspect’s every move via the GPS signals emitted from a suspect’s mobile phone. The decision, a big boost for the government’s surveillance powers, comes as prosecutors are shifting their focus to warrantless cell-tower locational tracking of suspects in the wake of a Supreme Court ruling in January that law enforcement should acquire probable-cause warrants from judges to affix GPS devices to vehicles and monitor their every move.

from Wired Top Stories

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From Ars Technica: Report says 15 percent of Mitt Romney Twitter followers are paid fakes

More than 15 percent of Mitt Romney’s Twitter followers may be generated by paid services that use fake accounts to artificially inflate the number of people subscribed to the presumptive Republican nominee for US president, according to a new report.

The report comes from researchers at security firm Barracuda Labs, and it cites the addition last month of 116,922 followers to @MittRomney in a span of just 24 hours. The infusion on July 21 represented a 17-percent spike in accounts following Romney. A quarter of those new accounts were less than four days old, and 23 percent of them had never issued a single tweet. Ten percent have since been suspended by Twitter for unspecified reasons.

“Based on the above distinguishable features, we believe most of these recent followers of Romney are not from a general Twitter population but most likely from a paid Twitter follower service,” Barracuda Labs Research Scientist Jason Ding wrote in the report. Such services allow customers to buy followers for any Twitter account, he stressed, so it’s not clear if the fakes were purchased by Romney, his supporters, or his political foes.

 

from Ars Technica

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From Popular Science – New Technology, Science News, The Future Now: Physicists Demonstrate Working Quantum Router, a Step Toward a Quantum Internet

Quantum Computer Chip Wikimedia Commons

As much as we love our silicon semiconductors, quantum computers are very much a technology of the future. Instead of the usual string of 1s and 0s, they’ll be able to send both types of information at the same time, dwarfing their traditional counterparts. But one major problem is that they can only move through one optical fibre. To push more information through, they need a router, and Chinese physicists have unveiled the first one.

In a quantum computer, photons ferry information to other sources. It’s possible to send the photons directly through one fibre, but routing comes in when another fibre is needed. Like the router you probably own, a control signal reads the data then sends it to its destination. But dealing with unruly quantum particles is a little more complicated; when a signal is read it’s also destroyed. So even though the data can be transferred with traditional methods, that doesn’t offer the kind of data-transferring power quantum computing offers.

This new quantum router proves it’s possible to truly guide a quantum signal. The information used is encoded in two different types of polarized photons (like 1s and 0s). Scientists then create a single photon that acts as both (the combined 1s and 0s). That photon is then broken down into two photons that share the combined state. The router picks up one to determine the route, then the other photon is used to transfer the information. A simple series of half mirrors guides the photons along the correct route.

Does this mean we’re now well on our way to a globally connected, super-fast stream of information? No. The scientists say it’s just a proof of concept–we know it’s at least theoretically possible to send quantum information through a router, but it’s still a limited way of doing it. In other words, when this sort of technology is usable (and it will be), it won’t look like this.

[Technology Review via Gizmodo]

 

from Popular Science – New Technology, Science News, The Future Now

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From Engadget: Verizon to stop blocking tethering apps, settles with FCC for $1.25 million

Verizon to stop blocking tethering apps, settles with FCC for $1.25

In May of last year, our free ride came to an end. US carriers started blocking third party tethering apps in the Android Market. Not long after, the built in feature was turned off on most phones. Our fortune may be reversing, however. The FCC has ruled that Verizon violated the rules governing the C Block of LTE spectrum by preventing consumers from using any application of their choice. The end result: Big Red will have to open up its airwaves and allow customers to circumvent its $20 a month tethering plan using apps from the Play store — so long as you’re on a “usage-based pricing plan.” Though it’s not explicitly stated, we assume that means those of you lucky enough to be grandfathered in to the unlimited data plans are left out. In addition to unblocking apps such as PdaNet and Barnacle, Verizon must pay a $1.25 million settlement to put an end to the investigation. For a few more details of the plan put in place to ensure compliance with the ruling, check out the PR after the break.

 

from Engadget

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From Droid Life: Google Announces Google Fiber, the Next Chapter of the Internet

Today, Google announced Google Fiber for Kansas City. Google Fiber is the “journey to bring ultra-high speed Internet to Kansas City.” With 1GB up/down data speeds, which is over 100 times faster than America’s average broadband connection, Google is setting out to re-shape what we think of the Internet and TV as a whole. Google also introduced an entire line of hardware that will work specifically with the service, including a network box, storage box, and even a TV box. From now on, buyers will be using Google for all of their Internet and TV needs.

So, how much will it cost? Google announced three separate packages that buyers can choose from. There is a basic installation/construction fee of $300, which includes a Google Fiber team member physically coming to your home and running a fiber cable straight from the line and setting up all of the equipment for you. But, depending on which package you order, the $300 fee is waived. Here is a basic outline of the packages they will offer once roll out is ready to take place:

Packages:

Gigabit + TV:  $120/month – Sign up for a 2 year contract which then waives the $300 construction fee. Package includes 1GB up and down connectivity, full TV channel lineup (HD), no data caps, a Nexus 7 tablet to act as a remote, TV Box, Network Box, Storage Box, and 1TB of Google Driver storage space.

Gigabit + Internet:  $70/month – With 1 year contract agreement, the $300 construction fee is waived. Included in the package is 1GB up and down connectivity, the Network Box, and 1TB of Google Drive storage space.

Google is offering a third package for customers who aren’t quite ready for a 1GB commitment. They released this statement for people who want to enjoy 5MB up/down speeds for free in their neighborhoods once Google Fiber arrives in their area:

We know that not everyone is ready to commit to a gig just yet. But we want to make sure you have the opportunity to upgrade when you’re ready. So if you pre-register and your fiberhood gets installed, you’ll have the option to get a 5 megabit per second (Mbps) connection for zero monthly charge, and your home will be wired and ready for the switch. The Free Internet option will cost $0 per month, although you will have to pay a $300 construction fee (which can either be paid at once, or in $25 monthly installments).

As for everyone else who does not live in KC, Google did not hint at any other cities that will see Google Fiber anytime soon. During the announcment, they kept mentioning how long the process was and how much work it took, so it could be many years before we see any type of country-wide access.

Lucky enough to live in Kansas City and witness the birth of Fiber? Register for Google Fiber here.

Full Event Video:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Promo Video:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Via: Google

from Droid Life