Forget black hats — the best hackers are going grey and getting legit

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/03/25/forget_black_hats_the_best_hackers_are_going_grey_and_getting_legit/ / bug bounty make going legit a tempting proposition report Rand Corporation increasing market software vulnerabilities sell sold legitimately legitimate tempting hackers crackers go legit vagaries black market code credentials economic seesaw market Michael Callahan VP security products Juniper Networks sell legitimate market verses selling sell online arms dealers driven economics black market lucrative drugs trade report risks police law enforcement is improving catch cyber criminals attackers upper hand double-crossing industry sellers black market bazar stolen credit cards and credentials bug bounty programs revenue security specialists legitimate source of income rewards major undiscovered vulnerabilities security organizations government buyers iOS zero-day serious Windows flaw flaw American government outspend market revenue streams malware generation exploit kits source illicit revenue market increasingly flooded dodgy practices security software /

How the ocean reins in global warming

http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2014/how-the-ocean-reins-in-global-warming.html / climate change response increasing anthropogenic emissions global warming greenhouse gases gasses excess heat accumulates Earth system thermal energy goes lower atmosphere land landmass Yavor Kostov graduate student Program in Atmospheres Oceans and ClimatePAOC MIT Department of Earth Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences EAPS saturated heat ocean’s capacity store heat global warming green house greenhouse gas CO2 carbon dioxide hot topic climate science climate models oceanic ocean heat uptake high-latitude regions North Atlantic Southern Ocean store heat different depths papers paper published Geophysical Research Letters predictions global warming over the coming centuries ocean circulation deep overturning circulation North Atlantic Ocean AMOC transports buries atmospheric heat Kyle Armour EAPS postdoc John Marshall MIT professor oceanography various assumptions major ocean feature model predictions Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change IPCC projections deeper stronger AMOC capacity store heat delay long-term global warming stronger overturning circulation climate predictions cloud responses improve predictions future warming real-world measurements geographical location depth geographical location ocean heat uptake climate change /

Google to offer Ray-Ban & Oakley versions of Glass

Credit: YouTube/Google/Mashable

http://mashable.com/2014/03/24/google-glass-ray-ban-oakley/ / Google fashionable versions Glass tech giant announced partnership Luxottica parent company Ray-Ban Oakley Glass devices device eyewear tech-oriented consumers technology push consumer pull wearable-technology products applications wearable-technology products applicationsAndrea Guerra CEO Luxottica Group expertise deep knowledge quality new generation revolutionary devices prescription-lens version device fashionable frames Glass retail stores retail debut retail wholesale distribution channels negative media reports mainstream consumers pricing availability /

Drayson B12 200 mph electric car (video)

0-100 miles per hour in 5 seconds ... 0-200 mph in 11.

Or as Paul Drayson puts it: "... & its just fab."

/ electric vehicle EV lithium ion LiIon lithium-ion record car race battery charge recharge fully charged electric racing car land speed record /

Galaxy S5’s killer feature could set a trend for iPhone 6 & beyond (video)

Credit: Gotta Be Mobile

Killer feature? Its waterproof/resistant. Is that important to you?

http://www.gottabemobile.com/2014/03/09/galaxy-s5s-killer-feature-could-set-an-trend-for-iphone-6-and-beyond// ships killer feature real consumers water-resistant water resistant design splash rugged phone average user Apple more rugged iPhone 6 Samsung Galaxy S5 rugged phone flagship consumer smartphone deliver blockbuster features specifications specs withstand water dust all major U.S. carriers carrier bigger bulkier phones old versions Android consumer friendly features amazing camera drop water rugged phone accident water water-resistant Android updates Google Apple hardware updates waterproof case pink sensor indicates water damage exposure /

Mugshots created directly from DNA

Credit: Geek

Got the DNA, but how to identify the perp without a DNA test? Now its possible to create a mug shot from DNA alone.

http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2014/03/these-eerily-accurate-mugshots-were-created-from-dna-alone/

http://www.geek.com/science/genetic-mugshot-could-make-dna-an-eye-witness-1588720/ / DNA solving crime genetic analysis generate precise mugshots criminals researchers new technique DNA analysis gene genes influence facial shape images predict looks like from biological samples Pennsylvania State University Catholic University of Leuven imaged face faces stereoscopic camera create 3D images mapped the surfaces face points statistical analysis genes sex racial ancestry shape face 76 different genetic mutations known to cause facial abnormalities researchers subtle variations affect shapes faces variants different genes sensibly predict face shape software genetic analysis predict shape face technique researchers generate face larger studies different populations variants broadly applicable dependable real-world use ancestors /

Does quick charging reduce battery service life?

Over time, the capacity of a battery diminishes. Just how fast depends on a number of factors, including battery chemistry (& there are an enormous number of variations, big & small), operating temperature, levels of maximum & minimum charge, & charge rate.

Its early days for LiIon batteries in automotive applications & nobody has all of the answers. One expression of this is the ultra-conservative approach General Motors has taken with battery mangement in the Volt: in the every first Volts, a "fully charged" battery was actually 80% of capacity, & a "flat" battery was actually 20% of capacity. I.e., only the middle 60% of battery capacity was used, with obvious negative effect on battery range.

Purpose was to extend battery service life. Reduced range is acceptable in the Volt, as the internal combustion engine+generator range extender allows unlimited range.

With relatively small changes in battery chemistry, GM has increased the useable capacity of the battery to 65%, & electric range by a few kilometers, in more recent Volts.

Tesla manipulates charge levels for battery durability in the Model S, by allowing two levels of charge: one for commuting & a slightly higher level when maximum range is required.

For electric vehicles (EVs) without a range extender, quick charging is virtually essential when operating beyond maximum battery range, or even close to. Downside of quick charging has been concern about its effect on battery life. Little hard data has been available. Now, the Idaho National Laboratory is running trials with 4 Nissan Leaf EVs:

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1090954_does-quick-charging-hurt-battery-life-total-miles-are-more-important / EV electric vehicle car makers Nissan Leaf recommend recommendations owners charge frequency frequently using quick-charging stations chemical processes rapid rapidly charging cell battery degrade faster regular charges reduce reduction reducing range recharge experiment Phoenix Arizona overall mileage Idaho National Laboratory Simanaitis Says evaluate evaluation evaluating electric cars Level 2 220 Volt 40 Amp recharging DC quick charge 80 percent capacity 30 minutes climate control results lost capacity fast charging degraded fast charged winter high summer temperatures report driving /