Google buys solar-powered drone company Titan Aerospace

Credit: Titan Aerospace/Google/Cnet

What would Google want with a solar-powered drone company? Try low-cost fast Internet.

Picture this: a big glider with all available surfaces covered with solar cells. Fly it high enough, & sunlight is available 365 days a year. Add power storage & the big glider (read "drone") can stay aloft indefintely. Such a drone can provide fuctionality similar to a communication satellite at a fraction of the cost.

That's the theory. Depend on Google to turn it into reality.

http://www.cnet.com/news/google-buys-solar-powered-drone-company-titan-aerospace/ / technology company Internet Net solar-powered drones beam broadband Internet access developing world Web users startup unmanned aerial vehicles UAVs drones site 20-person startup New Mexico former Symantec CEO Vern Raburn Facebook Google's Project Loon moon shot facility Google X Glass self-driving car deliver Internet via air balloon wing-mounted solar panels aircraft batteries aircraft developed countries State of the Internet report imaging technology Google initiatives Maps high-resolution imaging Earth atmospheric sensors cellular functions data voice call connection technology developing atmospheric monitor environmental damage oil spills deforestation /

Has the NSA been using the Heartbleed bug as an Internet peephole?

http://www.wired.com/2014/04/nsa-heartbleed / government contractor Edward Snowden exposed expose NSA’s eavesdrop encrypted encrypt encryption spy agency snooping whistleblower strong crypto systems properly implemented endpoint security existed for two years spy agencies exploit exploiting discovery caveat researchers security hole OpenSSL software websites encrypt traffic vulnerability encrypted connection your computer cryptographer Bruce Schneier security vulnerabilities catastrophic core of SSL encryption protocol trusted protect their data vulnerability SSL Matt Blaze, cryptographer computer security professor University of Pennsylvania hack hacking hackers steal usernames passwords sensitive services banking ecommerce web-based email private keys vulnerable web sites encrypt your traffic private key Nginx server busy website /

Piracy — more compex than it looks at first sight

Credit: HBO

Fact: when music was first played on radio, content providers complained that it would be the end of live performance. Did it happen?

Fact: when Monty Python decided to stop suing the people who were posting their content on YouTube & created their own Channel, sales went up 23,000%.

Fact: In Australia, the only way to see Game of Thrones before it is released on DVD is to subscribe to the Foxtel cable TV service & pay for a lot of other content you may not want. Result: Australia is number one in Game of Thrones torrents

Discussion at the links listed below. Some of the comments are worth a read too:

http://www.choice.com.au/blog/2014/april/watching-game-of-thrones-in-australia.aspx

http://hhg2tech.blogspot.com.au/2013/08/time-warner-cable-ceo-admits-game-of.html

http://www.cnet.com.au/australia-number-one-in-game-of-thrones-torrents-339347038.htm

http://www.abc.net.au/technology/articles/2014/04/08/3980980.htm / DVD Foxtel copy Torrent download radio tape pirate piracy pirating hack hacker hacking Internet copying copyright copyleft intellectual property rights IP patent CD music movie video file upload download media content creator produce production /

How the Heartbleed bug works

Credit: xkcd

As usual, xkcd is right on the money. / vulnerability vulnerable exploit exploiting hack hacker hacking theft OpenSSL sensitive data server revealed attacker usernames passwords credit card numbers dangerous allow access server's digital keys impersonate servers decrypt communications major new security vulnerability severe implications entire Web Internet bug server server's memory sensitive user data stored private data usernames passwords credit card numbers extremely serious issue Netcraft Internet research firm information protect protected security experts log into accounts afflicted sites patch patched problem confirm fix progress customer service teams information John Miller security research manager TrustWave security compliance firm Yahoo OKCupid sites caution red flag change passwords security experts confirmation fix further activity vulnerable site security patch change passwords sensitive accounts banks email first two-factor authentication another piece of identifying information /

Solar Impulse 2: First airplane to attempt a round-the-world solar-powered flight!

Credit: Solar Impulse & Jean Revillard/ Rezo.ch/Inhabitat

http://inhabitat.com/meet-the-solar-impulse-2-the-first-plane-to-attempt-a-round-the-world-solar-powered-flight/ / adventure Solar Impulse solar power sun-powered airplane night flight in 2010 intercontinental journey cross-country trip Swiss André Borschberg Bertrand Piccard Solar Impulse 2 aircraft solar airplane journey five consecutive days nights continent fuel prototype broke world records solar-powered flight Borschberg Piccard next big challenge world around entire planet bigger Solar Impulse difficulties arduous trip across America USA design complex simulations test flights first prototype new technologies electrolytes energy density batteries nanotechnologies carbon fibers lighter in weight Solar Impulse website /

Boostcase for iPhone 5/5s

http://www.cultofmac.com/232558/boostcase-for-iphone-5-is-a-do-it-all-case-with-a-ton-of-attachments-review/

Attachments include:

● 1500 & 2200 mAh batteries

● card holder back (2 cards)

● fold over leather wallet which covers both the back & screen & has 5 card slots & 2 cash slots

http://boostcase.com/shop/ / Boostcase iPhone 5 charge battery back up backup removeable case attachments slide grooves back extra functionality kickstand hand strap external battery pack card holder a wallet case clutch case remove colours colors patterns attachments holes snap-on iPhone attachments test /

How to protect yourself from the "Heartbleed" bug

Credit: Cnet

Heartbleed is a bug in open-source software called OpenSSL. It's widely used to encrypt Web communications. 500,000 servers world wide are potentially vulnerable. The most sensitive data on a server can be revealed to an attacker, including usernames, passwords & credit card numbers. Perhaps even more dangerous is its potential to allow access to a server's digital keys which can be used to impersonate servers & decrypt communications.

http://www.cnet.com/news/how-to-protect-yourself-from-the-heartbleed-bug/

http://www.businessinsider.com.au/heartbleed-bug-explainer-2014-4 / major new security vulnerability severe implications entire Web Internet bug server server's memory sensitive user data stored private data usernames passwords credit card numbers extremely serious issue Netcraft Internet research firm information protect protected security experts log into accounts afflicted sites patch patched problem confirm fix progress customer service teams information John Miller security research manager TrustWave security compliance firm Yahoo OKCupid sites caution red flag change passwords security experts confirmation fix further activity vulnerable site security patch change passwords sensitive accounts banks email first two-factor authentication another piece of identifying information /