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BetaNews.Com (6 non lus)

Apple now a more popular camera brand than Nikon -- on Flickr anyway

Publié: janvier 10, 2015, 6:26pm CET par Wayne Williams

If asked to name the top camera brands, the chances are you’ll start with Canon and Nikon, followed by names like Samsung, Sony, Olympus, and Fujifilm. Apple probably wouldn’t make most people’s top five, but it’s long been incredibly popular on Flickr.

The photography website has released its yearly list of the most popular camera brands (based on the number of photos uploaded) and reveals that in 2014 Apple claimed the second spot, behind Canon, nudging photography giant Nikon into third place.

Flickr reveals the top five brands as Canon (13.4 percent), Apple (9.6 percent), Nikon (9.3 percent), Samsung (5.6 percent), and Sony (4.2 percent). In 2013, Apple had 7.7 percent, and Nikon 8.8 percent, so both brands saw an increase in popularity year-on-year.

Apple also totally dominates the list for "mobile cameras" used on Flickr, taking seven of the top ten spots, with different iterations of iPhone and the iPad and iPad mini. Samsung Galaxy S3 and S5, and the HTC One were the only non-Apple products to make the list. In 2013, Apple accounted for eight out of ten products.

Flickr also revealed that over 10 billion photos were uploaded last year by more than 100 million users.
Can an 'anonymous' social network using Facebook login ever be trusted?

Publié: janvier 10, 2015, 4:20pm CET par Mark Wilson

Despite its unwavering popularity, Facebook continually finds itself under fire for one thing or another. We've had debate about the social network's real names policy, a raft of people thinking they can rewrite the rules, advertising woes, and constant complaints when changes are made to how timelines operate. But one thing crops up time and time again -- people's desire for privacy.

This may seem rather at odds with use of a social network (there's a clue in the name there), but a new contender thinks it has the answer. Social X describes itself as a social platform where users can set up numerous identities, including an anonymous one. There's one problem -- Facebook credentials are used to sign into Social X, and this is undeniably going to be a massive stumbling block.

Social X was created with the aim of enabling people to freely express themselves and "have honest dialogues without saying too much in their own voices". By default, users are assigned three profiles -- a personal one which pulls in profile picture from Facebook, a professional one which has no image, and an "anonymous" one. Except it's not anonymous is it? Social X is, essentially, an app that runs on top of Facebook. Any data you add to any of your Social X accounts is undeniably, and inextricably linked to your Facebook account.

Your "anonymous" profile cannot be considered such -- at least it is no more anonymous than any other social network. Sure, your name isn't displayed, you can choose any avatar you want, and pick a meaningless name, but you can do that anywhere. Facebook may have a real names policy, but who's to know that your name isn’t Jessica Fletcher instead of Steven Patrick Morrissey?

The point of any social network is to connect with other people, otherwise you might as well climb a mountain and shout at the wind. In the course of discussions, you need to have an idea of who you are dealing with -- is this person who claims to have great medical advice for you really someone you can trust? Even if we accept that Social X offers complete anonymity an online footprint is still built up by anyone participating in a community; it would not be practical for every single message to be completely anonymous, not linked to a user, or there would be no sense of narrative, no flow to a conversation.

Opt to sign up for an account and you'll immediately be met with a Facebook prompt advising you that "Social X will receive the following info: your public profile, friend list and personal description" -- an interesting start to the idea of anonymity.

I asked the CEO of Virtual Artifacts, the company behind Social X, if anonymity was actually possible:

Yes, Social X offers users complete anonymity within Social X communities. They choose a persona before entering a community – which is essentially a room that provides a setting for users to share on a particular topic. Anything they contribute or do in that room will not leak out onto their Facebook profile.

That's not to say that Social X is regarded as a complete solution. Virtual Artifacts recognizes that providing users with three different profiles is potentially problematic:

However, as with all technology, there’s a need to be careful. If a user switches identities in a Social X community, they will reveal a new persona that will be attached to every post they have previously made in that setting.

If anything Social X should be regarded as dangerous. It lures users into a false sense of security about their anonymity whilst at the same time drawing information from another social network eyes suspiciously when it comes to privacy. It could be argued that there is a place for anonymous discussion of certain subjects -- people looking for help and advice with a personal problem might well prefer to do so without revealing who they are -- but when there's a risk of accidentally using the wrong profile, this safety net is all but taken away.

Without a doubt, it is the connection with Facebook that will raise the most eyebrows. I asked how this obstacle had been tackled:

Social X enables users to enter communities connected to Facebook Pages. While a user may enter a Social X community through Facebook, they are not required to disclose their Facebook identity in that community. These communities are basically rooms that give users a place to share about a certain topic. Our patented technology and privacy algorithm allows users to decide how they appear in these rooms. Offering customizable Personal, Professional and Anonymous personas, Social X gives people the power to choose how they represent themselves in a particular community. Content shared through one persona can never pass into another. Equally, a user’s Facebook profile cannot be traced through their Social X persona. Moreover, nothing that is posted through Social X will appear in a user’s Facebook News Feed.

Really, this is not good enough. It's snake oil. We're talking about Facebook being used as a basis for a new platform, and this is not a company anyone in their right mind would associate with anonymity. Social X is no more anonymous than any of the tens of thousands of message boards and newsgroups out there. And don’t think that Social X is offering anonymity in the true sense of the word:

There are many reasons why a user would decide on a certain persona for a specific Social X. For example, someone may wish to use an anonymous identity to share about a sensitive topic, an embarrassing illness or a niche interest. However, if a user was to misuse any of their Social X personas to bully or harass, the person behind that identity -- anonymous or otherwise -- would still be held accountable. Users can report all posts and comments made on Social X and any reported content will be addressed accordingly. We will take appropriate actions against anyone that misuses Social X and acts of bullying or harassment could lead to account termination and the notification of the relevant authorities.

You might not be asked to use your real name, to display a verified photo of yourself, or asked for proof of ID, but don’t for one minute think that you can’t be identified.

Photo credit: Stepan Kapl / Shutterstock
Twitter makes predictions for Golden Globe Awards

Publié: janvier 10, 2015, 1:18pm CET par Mark Wilson

What's happening on Twitter is often a fair reflection of what is happening in the world. While it may not represent a perfect cross-section of society, a quick glance at what's being tweeted about -- and the tone being used -- can help to give a sense of the global mood surrounding a subject.

Twitter has been used to predict the outcome of elections, who will win X Factor, and much more; now it's being used to guess movie award winners. The 72nd Golden Globe Awards takes place this weekend, and the numbers have been crunched to see which movies and shows people are talking about the most -- whether these end up as winners remains to be seen, but these are what's on people's lips at the moment.

It should come as no surprise that Game of Thrones has been one of the most talked-about shows since nominations were announced around a month ago. The hit HBO show is the most mentioned entrant in the Best TV Drama Series category, while heading up the Best TV Comedy/Musical Series category is Jane the Virgin.

But it's the movie categories that are of particular interest, as the awards handed out at the Goldenm Globes tend to be an indication of what is going to happen at the Oscars next month. We've already got something of an idea of what the popular choices are thanks to the movies that have been torrented. Twitter is suggesting that Selma and Birdman could snatch the Drama and Comedy/Musical motion picture crowns, but we'll have to wait until tomorrow to see if these predictions are correct.

If you want to catch up with the nominees and follow along on Twitter, a Golden Globes list has been created to help bring all of the relevant accounts into one place.

Photo credit: Fernando Cortes / Shutterstock
Anonymous breaks hacker stereotype, stands up for what is right

Publié: janvier 10, 2015, 9:24am CET par Alan Buckingham

This is a story I never thought I'd write. After all, while we're all for finding and fixing flaws in systems, hacking goes a bit against our principals. Well, certain kinds of it at any rate, there's a debate there that I will not be starting as it becomes complex in a hurry. One of the most notorious groups known is Anonymous, those folks in the Guy Fawkes masks. You've likely seem them around if you look at news of the tech slant.

The thing is, lately the news coming from them isn't too scary -- well depending on who you are. The organization has been active and a couple of groups of people certainly should be scared, as Anonymous is not to be taken lightly when it comes to a fight or attack.

Things began just over a week ago when the group declared war on Lizard Squad, a rival gang, if you will. That loosely run outfit had claimed responsibility for the takedown of Christmas for many people. In other words, it attacked the networks of both Sony Playstation and Microsoft Xbox on the day everyone was getting a new console. A cowardly act that they claimed was done just for fun.

The fun is over, as the group did a poor job of disguising members' identities and several are now in the hands of authorities. Worse for them, Anonymous declared war, which is the last thing anyone wishes to have happen to them.

Now Anonymous is setting its eyes, and considerable technological firepower, on Jihadist groups, looking to retaliate for the recent tragedy that took place in Paris, France. The shootings left 17 people dead.

Anonymous released a video declaring its intended actions. Unfortunately the video was uploaded to a Belgian site and comes without translation, but you can view it here. Meanwhile, the group states "freedom of expression has suffered inhuman assault ... and it is our duty to react".

As I stated previously, I never expected to write that I was backing the most well known and notorious hacker group in the world. It's amazing how things come around.

Photo Credit: arindambanerjee/Shutterstock
But first a look back at Bob's predictions for 2014

Publié: janvier 10, 2015, 9:14am CET par Robert X. Cringely

This is the time of year when when I typically write my technology predictions, an annual exercise in ego and humiliation I’ve been doing for about a dozen years. Historically I’ve been around 70 percent correct, which is more accurate than a random walk and therefore maybe -- maybe -- worth reading. You decide.

But first let’s look back at my predictions from a year ago to see how I did. Understand that I’m the only pundit who actually reviews his previous year’s predictions. If only I could be a weasel like those other guys!

#1 -- Microsoft gets worse before it gets better

MISS -- Satya Nadellaa longtime Microsoft veteran became the CEO. The early fear was an insider would continue Ballmer’s culture.Nadella has not and has brought a new management approach to Microsoft. He has opened communications with customers and partners, recognized Microsoft mistakes, and seems to be finding a place for Microsoft in a cross platform mobile world. The reins of Microsoft are clearly in Nadella’s hands. There is no apparent sign of resistance or conflict from Gates and Ballmer. So things did not get worse.Microsoft has clearly turned the corner and it headed in a better direction. Amazing things are possible when you hire the right person for CEO. I didn’t think Microsoft would.

#2 -- IBM throws in the towel. Any minute some bean counter at IBM is going to figure out that it is statistically impossible for the company to reach its stated earnings-per-share goal of $20 for 2015

HIT -- After 3 disappointing quarterly earnings in 2014, IBM admitted the $20 EPS would not be possible in 2015. Cuts throughout 2014 in IBM have seriously damaged the company. IBM continues to alienate itself with its customers. Revenue continues to drop. There are management crises in many parts of IBM but this isn’t obvious to the outside world yet. The board is getting a lot of heat.

IBM’s new strategy in 2014 was to double down on its old strategy -- CAMSS -- Cloud, Analytics, Mobile, Social, and Security.The only problem is IBM’s existing businesses are declining faster than the new businesses can grow. Until IBM stops damaging its Services divisions and repairs them, IBM will continue to falter.

#3 -- Blackberry to Microsoft (assuming Elop gets the top job at Microsoft).

MISS -- Microsoft did not buy Blackberry following its Nokia acquisition. In 2014 Microsoft squandered its investment in Nokia.The value of the Nokia brand and team is gradually being lost.Microsoft even has plans to get rid of the name Nokia.

#4 -- Intel does ARM, kinda.

MISS -- This has not happened… yet. IBM’s spinoff of its semiconductor operations to Global Foundries shows how hard and how long it takes to make changes like this. In 2014 most of the legal issues between Apple and Samsung were resolved. This dark chapter may be coming to an end and there may be less need for Apple to change foundries. Still, ARM is about to take over the world.

#5 -- Samsung peaks. With Apple gone (as a customer) and Samsung phone margins eroding, what’s the company to do? 4K TVs aren’t it. Samsung needs to actually invent something and I don’t see that happening, at least not in 2014.

HIT -- For the most part this prediction was correct. The good news is Samsung did not sit idly by in 2014. Early in 2015 at the CES show it announced a number of products, and a vision of a fully smart home.

#6 -- Facebook transforms itself (or tries to) with a huge acquisition.

HIT -- This prediction was correct. In 2014 Facebook acquired several companies.Instead of pursuing Snapchat, it bought WhatsApp. It also purchased Oculus VR, Ascenta, ProtoGeo Oy, PrivateCore, and WaveGroup Sound. It spent over $21B in acquisitions in 2014.

#7 -- Cable TV is just fine, thank you. Avram thinks cable TV will go all-IP.

HIT -- This prediction is on track! Over the last couple years cable TV has been quietly going 100 percent digital. With the recent announcement of the Sling TV by Dish Network there is a clear trend towards a true IP television service. Improvements by Roku and Google, and Amazon’s new Fire TV are all part of TV’s future. To stay competitive and relevant cable TV will have to offer low cost Internet devices for TVs and provide programming for them.

#8 -- The Netflix effect continues, this time with pinkies raised. Hollywood is for sale.

HIT -- Hollywood is still confused. Is Netflix just another distributor, or a producer, or a competitor? The late in 2014 cyber attack of Sony shows how out of touch Hollywood is with the Internet.

#9 -- What cloud? The cloud disappears.

HIT -- This prediction is correct, but not yet. If you ask IBM cloud is growing and strategic. It is growing and important, but is becoming a commodity service super-fast.Important progress is being made in cloud technology -- containers, Docker, Rocket, CoreOS, etc. The net result is there will be very little for a cloud provider to do to other than maintain a datacenter full of servers. Prices and profit margins will be tight.

#10 -- Smart cards finally find their place in America. I covered smart cards in Electric Money, my PBS series from 2001, yet they still aren’t popular in the USA. Smart cards, if you don’t know it, are credit or debit cards with embedded RFID chips that impart greater security though at a cost. They’ve been popular in Europe for 15 years but American banks are too cheap to use them... or were. The Target data breach and others will finally change that in 2014 as the enterprise cost of insecurity becomes just too high even for banks Too Big to Fail.

HIT -- This prediction was correct. Card readers across the country are being upgraded to support smart cards. Most responsible retailers are working to improve their credit card security at warp speed. Some retailers had no "change freeze" during the 2014 holiday shopping season. Normally during this peak sales period no changes to a retailer systems and networks is allowed. This year was different. Security projects continued through the holidays. The major credit card providers are retooling their systems. There were a few companies that did not take security seriously and left the front door wide open and unlocked -- Home Depot and Sony.Both were subjects of big data breaches in 2014.

Counting on my fingers I see that 2014 maintained my 70 percent average. My next column, coming soon will be my predictions for 2015. I think you’ll be surprised by what I see on the technical horizon.
Toshiba releases its first DVR for 960H resolution security cameras

Publié: janvier 10, 2015, 2:58am CET par Alan Buckingham

Home security is always in demand, and many people pay to have alarms systems installed and monitored. These systems can call the police when intrusion is detected or the fire company if there's smoke. Cameras are one of the newer additions to this home arsenal, though they've been around for a while. However, they come with an added complication -- the recording and saving of the video. After all, it's useless if you can't see what happened.

For this recording of video, you generally have two options -- a DVR or the cloud. Both have advantages and disadvantages. The DVR is obviously local and allows for more control and less chance of your video being hacked. Now Toshiba is looking to provide you with that solution, announcing the new EAV16-480 DVR, built for 960H resolution cameras.

"Configured with 16 channels, the EAV16-480 records at frame rates up to 480fps and supports the latest ultra-high resolution 960H analog cameras. Although analog, 960H cameras produce an image similar in quality to a one-megapixel IP camera. Their 960 horizontal by 480 vertical pixels resolution is 34 percent larger than D1 (720 x 480) and more than 500 percent larger than CIF (360 x 240), allowing the cameras to capture more scene details and making subjects easier to identify by police and security staff", Toshiba announces.

Capacity isn't entirely clear, as Toshibs simply states that it can hold several days of video and audio. It does feature Toshiba's SCS Video Management system which allows for both local and internet access to the recordings. There are also apps for iOS and Android which will allow you to access the footage.

There is no mention made of pricing or availability date, so we'll have to wait on further news. You can head for the Toshiba Security site to keep tabs on those things when they become known.