As developers for tablets and smartphones we like to keep abreast of the latest mobile technology developments . This is a daily digest of mobile development and related technology news gathered from the BBC, the New York Times, New Scientist and the Globe and Mail to name a few. We scour the web for articles concerning, iPhone, iPad and android development, iOS and android operating systems as well as general articles on advances in mobile technology. We hope you find this useful and that it helps to keep you up to date with the latest technology developments.
FBI Investigating Purported ISIS Hacks Of Western Websites
Someone hacked into several U.S. and European websites over the weekend, claiming to be affiliated with ISIS.
The FBI is investigating the attacks, which changed websites’ homepages to show a black ISIS flag with the words, “Hacked by ISIS, we are everywhere.” At press time, the banner was up on The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, along with a link to a Facebook address that doesn’t seem to exist and a Flash audio plug-in that plays a song which is reportedly in Arabic.
Law enforcement officials are looking into the breaches, but initially suspected that the hacker or hackers had no actual ties to the so-called Islamic State, NBC News reports. In several previous cases, local investigators found that such purported affiliations with ISIS are a means for ordinary hackers to get more attention, rather than an actual ISIS attack.
Whoever is behind the hacks are certainly getting the victims’ attention. The Eldora Speedway website in New Weston, Ohio, was compromised at 2 p.m. on Saturday, according to WLWT.
“All of a sudden, our website was taken over by a hacker that took over a header stating that website was now under the control of the Islamic State,” said Eldora Speedway General Manager Roger Slack. “We removed the plug-in on our website that was thought to be the security hole that existed.”
The Darke County Sheriff’s Office told the station that the speedway likely wasn’t a target, but that the message may have come from a plug-in file that was picked up by their system accidentally.
Similar hacks were reported over the weekend at businesses in Cincinnati, Cleveland, St. Louis, Long Island, New York and others.
NBC reports:
Two companies in St. Louis: MERS Goodwill and the digital agency Elasticity. MERS Goodwill Executive Vice President Mark Arens told NBC station KSDK: “I had a lot of disbelief. Kind of turned to my wife to say we’ve been attacked by ISIS. She had a number of questions.”
Moerlein Lager House and Montgomery Inn in Cincinnati, in addition to Eldora Speedway.
The historic Montauk Manor, a condominium complex on New York’s Long Island. “It’s been a fun day,” Kathy Surrey, the complex’s night manager, told the newspaper Newsday. “I don’t mind the advertising, but this isn’t good advertising.”
Backbar, a ritzy cocktail bar in Somerville, Massachusetts. “Our website is now fully down… but the bar is fully open!” the bar’s managers wrote on Facebook. “It’s Saturday night! Come have a cocktail, don’t let ISIS win!”
Authorities don’t believe that any information has been stolen.
The hacks bring to mind the now infamous cyberattack on Sony Pictures, which prompted the White House to announce a new intelligence agency that would coordinate analysis of cyberthreats. In an unusual move, the FBI publicly accused North Korea of carrying out the attack.
Solar Impulse Plane Embarks On First Fuel-Less Flight Around The World
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A Swiss solar-powered plane took off from Abu Dhabi early Monday, marking the start of the first attempt to fly around the world without a drop of fuel.
Solar Impulse founder André Borschberg was at the controls of the single-seater when it took off from the Al Bateen Executive Airport. Borschberg will trade off piloting with Solar Impulse co-founder Bertrand Piccard during stop-overs on a journey that will take months to complete. The Swiss pilots say their aim is to create awareness about replacing “old polluting technologies with clean and efficient technologies.”
The plane is expected to reach its first destination — Muscat, Oman — after about 10 hours of flight.
Some legs of the trip, such as over the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, will mean five or six straight days of flying solo.
The lightweight Solar Impulse 2, a larger version of a single-seat prototype that first flew five years ago, is made of carbon fiber and has 17,248 solar cells built into the wing that supply the plane with renewable energy. The solar cells recharge four lithium polymer batteries.
The company says the plane has a 72-meter (236-foot) wingspan, larger than that of the Boeing 747, but weighs about as much as a car at around 2,300 kilograms (5,070 pounds).
The plane in June made an inaugural flight of two hours and 17 minutes above western Switzerland, just two months after it was unveiled.
After Oman, the plane will head to India, where it will make two stops, then to China and Myanmar before heading across the Pacific and stopping in Hawaii. Then it will head to Phoenix, Arizona, and New York’s biggest airport, John F. Kennedy International. The path across the Atlantic will depend on the weather and could include a stop in southern Europe or Morocco before ending in Abu Dhabi.
The round-the-world trip is expected to end in late July or even August.
Borschberg and Piccard say they want to push politicians, celebrities and private citizens to “confront the Conference on Climate Change of the United Nations, which will define the new Kyoto protocol in December 2015 in Paris.” All countries are supposed to present targets for a new global climate agreement that governments plan to adopt at the meeting.
Solar Impulse supporter Prince Albert of Monaco was present at the Monaco control center during Monday’s takeoff.
The UAE-based Masdar, the Abu Dhabi government’s clean-energy company, is a key sponsor of the flight. Additional sponsors include Omega, Google and Moet Hennessey, among others.
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Solar Impulse: www.solarimpulse.com
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10 Talking Points For Any Apple Watch Conversation
The Apple Watch is coming. We’re about to get more details, but we know it’ll ship in April and start at $349.
Expect a lot of water-cooler conversation about the new gadget as we get closer to people actually being able to buy the thing. (Too much conversation, perhaps.) You’ll want some smart things to say, so we dug through some insightful writing to help you piece together an opinion.
Will anyone buy the thing?
• Yes: “What matters for adoption of a technology isn’t what’s possible for the user — what matters is what’s easy.” — Christopher Mims, The Wall Street Journal
• No: “I don’t see myself texting, getting directions, or browsing cherished photo memories on my wrist. I have a smartphone for that.” — Eugene Kim, PCMag
• Maybe: “Solid survey research suggested not only that the iPhone would fail, but also that it would fail particularly hard in the United States because our phones and cameras are good enough, already.” — Derek Thompson, The Atlantic
• Who cares? “They say [the Apple Watch] will revolutionize the way we slowly and loudly repeat ourselves into electronic devices.” — Jimmy Kimmel, “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”
Who’s the device made for?
• Fashionistas: “Any tech worn that close to the body is going to have more of an emphasis on design specs and aesthetics, because it’s just so intensely personal.” — Dominic Basulto, The Washington Post
• Fitness buffs: “It reminds you to stand up at least once an hour, it suggests goals for how many calories you should burn each day, and it keeps track of your exercise.” — Lisa Eadicicco, Business Insider
• Apple fanboys: “I suspect many are jumping to the conclusion that the only reason someone will pay thousands of dollars for [a gold] Apple Watch is to wear it forever as a status symbol. Instead, people will pay thousands of dollars in order to have the opportunity to buy an Apple product that can be worn.” — Neil Cybart, Above Avalon
What else does Apple have going on?
• iPhone sales are superb: “Apple’s iPhone sales in the last three months of 2014 were more than triple Google Inc.’s total revenue reported in its last quarter ($16.52 billion). That means the iPhone is worth more than Android, Google search, Windows and Office combined.” — Thomas Halleck, International Business Times
• It’s launching a streaming service: “You better believe that when Apple’s streaming music service comes out later this year, it’s going to come hard.” — Josh Constine, TechCrunch
• It might be making a car: “The Cupertino, Calif., company has several hundred employees working secretly toward creating an Apple-branded electric vehicle, according to people familiar with the matter. The project, code-named “Titan,” initially is working on the design of a vehicle that resembles a minivan, one of the people said.” — Daisuke Wakabayashi and Mike Ramsey, The Wall Street Journal
So there you have it: 10 things you can bring up whenever someone mentions the Apple Watch. You’re welcome.
14 Mobile Games Frank Underwood Should Play
Frank Underwood, the megalomaniacal president in “House of Cards,” is really into video games. Like, “ignore the splendor of Robin Wright” into video games.
See?
In the most recent season, he’s all about “Monument Valley,” an indie puzzler for mobile devices. That makes a certain amount of sense, since it’s all about bending the world around you to accomplish your goals.
There’s a whole lot out there for Underwood to try once he’s done with that, though. Here are our favorites from the past year; we think he’d particularly like “The Banner Saga,” since he’s got some of that mythological blodtörst going on.
Take a look:
Facebook and Twitter Embrace Web Video — With Very Different Visions
For the past ten years there was only one answer to the question: “Who owns Internet Video?” It was YouTube, hands down.
But in the past 90 days — we’ve seen two major players get in the game in a way that will forever change how video on the web is shared and viewed.
Facebook is growing their native video product in a big way. And now Twitter has arrived with a new driving vision to become a video network provider. Both are strong new players — with very different plans for the future.
Let’s take a moment to explore both offerings — and why they matter.
FACEBOOK Video:
Here’s what we know. Facebook is out recruiting talent and content, with deals in place with the NFL, outreach to YouTube stars, and even overtures to Jerry Seinfeld’s Web original Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.
“Facebook is already a place where you consume content, and now they are dialing up video,” said Ezra Cooperstein, president of the MCN Fullscreen. “This is a year where YouTube is still the dominant platform for emerging talent. It’s going to be challenged, and Facebook has to crack [ads]. It could be pretty dangerous for YouTube if Facebook does crack that.”
Facebook executives have said publicly they don’t see room for pre-roll video ads running prior to content in people’s news feeds, citing a need to protect the site’s consumer experience.
Ran Harnevo, AOL’s head of video until just a few weeks ago, told the WSJ that Facebook has a unique opportunity to shape how Web video advertising works.
“The main advantage of the online video space in the last few years was the fact that it basically had the same ad product the TV industry had.” Harnevo said.
If Facebook can invite new short form ads, then it could be a driver to change how web video ads are shaped and delivered — the next evolution of this space has to include a better ad experience… Thirty-second ads were created for a different medium and are not a good service for digital consumers. Video pre-rolls would be super-effective if they would last five to seven seconds. If Facebook, with over a billion users under their belt, would stick to that format I have no doubt everyone will play along.
But the challenge for Facebook is that while cable TV is a series of channels controlled by a channel changer you hold in your hand, Facebook is a single channel that feeds to you with virtually no user control. It’s Facebook’s algorithm powered by data about what users “like” and “share” that drives what’s served to you. It’s TV backwards, with less user control and more behaviors driven by the network algorithm and their paying customers — advertisers.
So, at a time when users are hungry for MORE control and MORE choice — Facebook video has given them dramatically less of both. Now, that’s not to say that Facebook couldn’t give users more tools to find and filter video. But at the moment, there’s no evidence they’re moving in that direction.
Meanwhile, across the street — Twitter is moving in a different direction.
TWITTER Video:
Investor and YouTube instigator Jason Calacanis has been an active player in this space. He recently blogged about Twitter getting into video, saying it would double their growth in 18 months as brands throw more ad dollars at both web video and Twitter.
As Forbes contributor Jayson DeMers explained it — Twitter’s new video camera feature is more than just a new video toy for users. With Twitter video you can capture and upload up to 30-seconds of video. And it will share a thumbnail with followers in their feed. But DeMers goes further, “Twitter’s video camera is going to change the way many brands use video on the platform. Up until now, businesses had two options: share a 6-second Vine, or create and upload a video to YouTube then share a link.”
He says brands will be able to invite fans to share testimonial videos; they’ll be able to show off their products directly with fans; they’ll be able to get more personal with their followers, sharing product demos and share breaking company news. In simple fact, Twitter video will usher in the era of brand-centric narrowcast video in a way that YouTube never has.
While YouTube has been the big winner in the first round of web video hosting and delivery, most users will admit they’ve gotten low marks in the area of building community outside of a narrow demographic of teens. Twitter on the other hand, comes at video from the opposite direction. With fans and brands building communities around short bursts of text. Now, adding video has the potential to create explosive and viral video communities.
When I spent time at Twitter last spring, their new head of video, Bajeet Singh was just weeks into his job, but already laser beam focused on the power and importance of video for the Twitter platform. After almost six years at YouTube — Singh knows better than almost anyone today the importance and complexity of video. And now, with his first product at Twitter out in the wild, it’s clear that they’ve made some very smart bets. Calacanis, never one for small predictions said: “when brands can start hosting native videos they will go absolutely NUCLEAR on Twitter.” I’m not willing to go that far, but I do think it’s an important step in the right direction
Simply put — YouTube now has some big competitors for video. And they’re taking very different paths. Facebook is looking to drive views to things you’ve said you like, while Twitter is providing more of a tuner that gives users the control to reach out and subscribe to feeds of content that meets their needs. One thing is certain, web video is no longer a one horse town. Consumers are going to have more choice for how the view and share their video — and that’s going to make for an exciting chapter in the world of video.
Steven Rosenbaum is serial entrepreneur, author, and filmmaker. His book latest book, Curate This! is in print and ebook on Amazon.com. He is the CEO of Waywire.com (enterprise.waywire.com)
'Final Fantasy' Doesn't Look Like This Anymore
The “Final Fantasy” series has always been praised for its looks, but new images from “Final Fantasy XV” show you ain’t seen nothing yet.
On Saturday, game developer Square Enix unveiled screenshots showcasing the upcoming “Final Fantasy XV,” proving how far the series has come since it debuted in 1987 on the original Nintendo Entertainment System. Check it out:
“Final Fantasy XV” characters are seen fighting a beast outdoors.
Exploring the world of “Final Fantasy XV.”
Lighting effects are seen in a cave within “Final Fantasy XV.”
There’s a lot riding on “Final Fantasy XV.” The series’ popularity has fallen off since “Final Fantasy VII” was released in 1997. That game sold around 10 million copies worldwide and spawned its own spinoff series of games and even a movie (2005′s “Advent Children”).
XV’s co-director, Hajime Tabata, told Kotaku, “If ‘Final Fantasy XV’ doesn’t do well, perhaps there’s not much of a future for console games.” Yikes.
Critics have praised “Final Fantasy XV” so far based on impressions at PAX East, a gaming convention this weekend in Boston.
Square Enix has not announced a release date for “Final Fantasy XV,” but it will be available on both the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One systems. Eager gamers will be able to check out a gameplay demo titled “Episode Duscae” if they purchase “Final Fantasy Type-0 HD” when it releases on PlayStation 4 or Xbox One on March 17. Just try not to get tongue-tied when you ask your sales rep about the new games.
Twitter Traffic Reflects What People Like On TV, Study Says
Twitter might not be a window into the soul, but it does provide a clear view into what grabs our attention on television, according to new research being published this week.
'Just The Tip' Instagram Gives You Sassy (And Phallic) Life Hacks
We’ve all heard of life hacks. Now, one Instagram user is taking them to the next step with a queer sensibility through his new project called “Just The Tip.”
Vlogger Joel Kahn recently launched this new initiative using Instagram in order to bring users everyday life tips with a queer, tongue-in-cheek touch. For example, have you ever wondered how to get rid of those bags under your eyes? Well, Kahn is here to help with #TeaBagTuesdays:
It’s #teabagtuesday ! Check out a new use for tea bagging your eyelids! #whipoutthetips
A video posted by Joel (@joelstips) on Mar 3, 2015 at 6:02am PST
“I decided to put ‘Just The Tip’ on Instagram because these videos are supposed to be short and sweet,” Kahn told The Huffington Post. “It’s the perfect platform to bring these little tidbits to the people. They just pop into your feed, teach you something quickly, and (maybe) make you smile. We’re still collecting new tips and trying stuff out. Maybe this will all grow into something bigger and girthier, but for now this is ‘Just the Tip.’”
Happy #thirstythursday ! Here’s a tip for if you get sloppy before you start #drinking. #whipoutthetips
A video posted by Joel (@joelstips) on Mar 5, 2015 at 5:18am PST
Want to see more from Kahn and “Just The Tip”? Head here.
Apple Watch Faces Major Challenge In Fashion Industry
By Nandita Bose and Piya Sinha-Roy
CHICAGO/LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Apple CEO Tim Cook summed up the problem during a conversation with sales staff at a London Apple Store: “We’ve never sold anything as a company that people could try on before.”
With the expected launch next month of the Apple Watch, the company’s first new product in five years, Apple will be stepping into new territory.
To conquer the marketplace, the watch will have to appeal not only as a gadget but as a fashion statement, a fact tacitly acknowledged by Apple’s decision to launch its advertising campaign with a 12-page insert in the March issue of Vogue.
The company isn’t talking about plans for marketing the Apple Watch in advance of it’s much-touted “Spring Forward” event on Monday, but it clearly intends to keep a tight grip on initial sales and distribution, leaving many retailers guessing about when — or if — they’ll be able to sell it.
Sources with direct knowledge of the matter said that Best Buy Co Inc, one of the largest sellers of Apple products, may not get the watch at launch time, though the company wouldn’t comment on the situation.
Other large retailers, including Macy’s, Saks 5th Avenue, Bloomingdales and Barney’s said they had no immediate plans to carry the watch. Target and Nordstrom,along with all the major phone carriers, declined to comment on their plans, though a source with knowledge of the situation said Nordstrom has engaged in discussions with Apple.
“Apple is being cautious. There are too many unknowns around how this product will perform,” said Van Baker, research vice-president, technology research firm Gartner Inc.
That might mean restricting initial sales to company stores, where Apple has complete control over the experience and staff can be specially trained to sell the watch, Baker said.
Apple’s Cook seems very aware of the challenge. The Telegraph, which sent a reporter with the CEO to the company’s Covent Garden store, reported that he explained to the staff that selling the watch might require “tweaking the experience in the store.”
In the absence of hard information about what the tweaks might look like, speculation has been intense. The Washington Post last week suggested that Apple might add carpeting and mirrors and change store lighting to enhance the watch-buying experience.
Media outlets and Websites have also posited that the watch will be offered at special pop-up stores installed at luxury retailers such as Selfridges in London and Colette in Paris.
Apple hosted a private event at Colette last September, at which guests were able to try on the watch, but a spokesman for Colette declined to comment on whether the store would carry it.
Until now, wearable gadgets have not been big sellers for technology companies. Rival products such as Samsung’s Gear watches have sold poorly.
Apple hopes to change that, but it is still a big if whether the watch will appeal to buyers seeking a fashion accessory, especially if it needs to be upgraded every few years like Apple’s phones, tablets and computers.
“It could do wonders for the watch market if it means people might wear watches again, but realistically, there are a lot of doubts,” said Eric Wilson, fashion news director of InStyle.
“Fashion customers are more skeptical than anyone, so Apple has picked a tough crowd.”
(Reporting by Nandita Bose in Chicago and Piya Sinha Roy in Los Angeles, Additional reporting by Nathan Layne in Chicago, Alexei Oreskovic in San Francisco and Malathi Nayak in New York, Editing by Dina Kyriakidou and Sue Horton)
Thanks for reading our digest. Opinions in the articles above are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Digital Workshed ltd.