Instabridge invites friends to join your Wi-Fi, no password necessary (video)

Not only your home WiFi, but any network you sign into using your Android device.  And you can delete users any time you chose.  Much better than a password written on a piece or paper!  Even if you enter a password into your friend's phone yourself, you still need hands on access to their phone to remove the password.

Android only for now.

http://lifehacker.com/5990203/instabridge-logs-your-friends-into-your-wi%20fi-no-password-necessary?utm_campaign=socialflow_lifehacker_twitter&utm_source=lifehacker_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow     / Android friend's house join their Wi-Fi network illegible password scribbled sheet of paper Instabridge solves solve problem phones phone instantly log situation Instabridge elegant solution connected network you can invite any of your friends to join the network without having to locate and type in the password. If you decide you don't want them on your network access remove. Obviously, you should only do this with people you trust, lest you open your Wi-Fi to the entire world. Check out their security info for more on how Instabridge workstation app only works on Android now, but the site hints at other platforms in the works, so keep an eye out. In the meantime, download it now at the link below to try it out. /

Manufacturers getting creative with electric vehicle marketing

Production version of the BMW i3 electric
Credit: BMW/ MIT Technology Review

Car makers are very much feeling their way with EV marketing.  Renault & Better Place are leasing batteries.  GM is going with the on board, petrol (gasoline) powered, range extender in the Volt.

Tesla has had a long term, progressive plan:

• Roadster — expensive, niche market, high performance 2 seater which dealt with range issues with a very big, very expensive battery.

• Model S — less expensive, high performance, 5/7 seater. Solved the passenger space problem inherent in the Roadster.  Niche market only by virtue of (somewhat reduced) expense.

• Model X — no production examples yet, although a prototype has been displayed. Appears to be a Model S in crossover configuration.

• Mass market vehicle — no sign of this yet, apart from infrequent throw away lines.  Presumably will take advantage of falling cost & improving performance of battery technology to bring the Tesla range solution to the mass market.  To a degree, this is what happened between the Roadster & Model S — more practical, similar range & performance at lower cost.

We all know there is considerable doubt that any manufacturer is making a profit from EVs.

With the i3 electric, BMW is getting creative:

• one tactic is to lend EV buyers an internal combustion engine powered vehicle for longer trips
http://www.technologyreview.com/news/511906/bmws-solution-to-limited-electric-vehicle-range-a-gas-powered-loaner/

• another tactic is a variant with a petrol powered range extender
http://hhg2tech.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/bmw-i3-electric-car-motorcycle-size.html     / EV electric vehicle ICE internal combustion engine battery range cost expense range anxiety extend extended LiIon lithium ion economics market internal combustion engine ICE /

Best touch screen styli • Top picks

Credit: Digital Trends

My take: Wacom Bamboo Stylus is the best because of its small tip size with no loss of sensitivity.  Replaceable rubber stylus tip is a plus too.  It's the one I use very day.  For a few dollars more, the Bamboo Stylus Duo, with a ballpoint pen under the removable pen-clip cap saves carrying two writing instruments.

Agree too, that Adonit Jot Pro is best for fine work, though sensitivity is not as good as the Wacom.

http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/best-ipad-stylus/     / Wacom Bamboo Stylus Solo Duo Studio Neat Cosmonaut Appledea Maglus Lynktek TruGlide Sensu Brush Hand Stylus Spigen SGP Kuel H10 iPad iOS Android pad tablet slate capacitative touch screen /

Meet the "Corporate Enemies of the Internet" for 2013

Unfortunately, there's a steady stream of people & organizations that will do anything for a buck.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-57573707-38/meet-the-corporate-enemies-of-the-internet-for-2013/     / national governments purchase purchasing surveillance devices manufactured small number corporate suppliers using them to control dissidents spy journalists violate human rights advocacy group Reporters Without Borders warns new report released 2013 report names five private-sector companies Corporate Enemies of the Internet digital mercenaries sell surveillance censorship technology authoritarian regimes company companies products spy on journalists dissidents netizens U.K. Gamma Group Germany Trovicor Italy HackingTeam, France Amesys Blue Coat Systems Sunnyvale, Calif. California USA security surveillance technology Paris advocacy group nations most repressive Internet censorship worst governments list Syria China Iran Bahrain Vietnam five nations surveillance citizens WikiLeaks international surveillance-industrial complex surveillance industrial big business companies restricted access restricted-access conferences spy technologies technology most popular conference government governments most avid buyers surveillance software equipment Amesys French technology firm Bull SA,m eavesdropping on one person full country traffic monitoring automatic translation mapping real-world social networks one-stop shop for nationwide monitoring GSM mobile cell phone communications satellite signals Internet communications phone calls tout touts sensors analyzing probes former East German secret police centralized intelligence system information Moammar Gadhafi secret police  technology monitor Internet traffic Libya Wall Street Journal reported sell hardware software targeted wholesale surveillance break encryption monitor encrypted files emails PGP Skype VoIP voice over IP chat communication identification target's location relationships remotely activate microphones cameras computer works worldwide Reporters Sans Frontières RSF comment response /

Comic books with soundtracks?

Hindsight is 20-20 so this seems obvious now.  The hardware is sitting there waiting to be used in phone or tablet.

Almost as obvious is animation.  How far this can go before comic books disappear as a separate genre & become video is another question. 

http://www.Centives.net/S/2013/comic-books-with-soundtracks/     / Marvel dynamic soundtracks turn page don’t loop dependent context doing adapt to you rather than you being add emotional content resonance comics movies background score enhance experience writers suggest a colour color palette write script recommending musical cues two track tracks Project Gamma soundtracks music comics adaptive audio score musical elements sound effects turn panel page dynamically, instead of looping the audio mid-bar next bar sounds really smooth go backwards through panels audio is rolled back two mix types panel viewing full-page version issue launch launching /

After leaving users exposed, Apple fully HTTPS-protects iOS App Store (video)

Apple pushes the idea that they tightly manage devices & control what software the user can install in the interest of security.  Then they overlook something as simple & fundamental as this!

http://arstechnica.com/security/2013/03/after-leaving-users-exposed-apple-finally-https-protects-ios-app-store/     / password attack Apple didn't fully encrypt traffic between App Store end users iOS customers open to attack because engineers failed implement standard technology encrypt encrypted encrypts traffic between handsets App Store HTTPS encrypted communications prevent attackers from intercepting manipulating sensitive traffic sent online banks merchants native iOS app connects Apple's App Store fully deployed the protection Elie Bursztein Google researcher discovered security hole blog post reported various iOS flaws Apple's security post gave no indication that the iOS app had ever fully used HTTPS significant omission has been present for years Apple doesn't comment on security matters impossible for Ars confirm precise timeline level protection readers know HTTPS basic security measure almost as old as the Web ensures that traffic traveling between end-user webserver encrypted prevent prevents connection between the two endpoints from listening in. HTTPS cryptographic assurance server answering calls itunes.apple.com truly impostor Google Facebook Twitter end to end end-to-end HTTPS harder attackers exploits bypass customers using iOS app unnecessary risk iPhone iPad download an app unsecured Wi-Fi connection attackers connected same network freely available tools social-engineering trick retrieve passwords log-in credentials fake App Stores issue fake apps upgrades Apple legit legitimate fix fixing vulnerabilities iOS App Store fake upgrade attack Paul Ducklin, a researcher at antivirus provider Sophos, has more here on why HTTPS protection for the App Store is crucial /

The dazzling glory of San Francisco’s 25,000 LEDs (video)

Credit: Ars Technica

The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge has been transformed into a massive public art project & will continue for the next 2 years from dusk to 2 am.

http://arstechnica.com/business/2013/03/the-dazzling-glory-of-san-franciscos-25000-leds-now-on-video/     / San Francisco evening 1.8 mile western span two-year-long public art project The Bay Lights northern side bridge section between San Francisco neighboring Treasure Island display a dazzling array 25,000 LEDs LED animated patterns strung vertically twisted steel cables individually addressable over Ethernet copper wire fiber optic network strung filtered 528 custom versions Philips power data supply boxes organizers project constant stream of approximately 32Mbps data flowing across that network control the entire constellation of lights artist Leo Villareal project motion laptop during event local Ferry Building custom-built software press conference Bay Lights debut Mayor Ed Lee  tourism lights big art expensive inexpensive cheap $8 million private donations budgeted display de-installation Silicon Valley Google Gmail electricity bill energy efficient one draws a single watt boxes data cables power lights /