Technologies Area

The first scoop of soil analysed by the Curiosity rover reveals that fine materials on the Martian surface may contain "abundant" water, Xinhua reported Thursday citing US researchers. Curiosity touched down Mars last August and began its 100-day mission of collecting and analysing samples of all kinds in Gale crater, which is near the Martian equator, with its high-tech lasers and scoops. In this study, researchers from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute used the rover's scoop to collect dust, dirt and finely grained soil from a sandy patch known as "Rocknest". The researchers then fed portions of the fifth scoop into an instrument onboard Curiosity called the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) to heat them to 835 degrees Celsius. "One of the most exciting results from this very first solid sample ingested by Curiosity is the high percentage of water in the soil," said lead author Laurie Leshin, dean of science at the institute. "About...

After signing a pact to sell its handset business to Microsoft, Finnish phone giant Nokia can neither license the 'Nokia' brand for use in connection with mobile device sales nor use the brand on its own mobile devices for a specific period. "Microsoft has also agreed to a 10-year license arrangement with Nokia to use the Nokia brand on current and subsequently developed Mobile Phones based on the Series 30 and Series 40 operating systems," Nokia said in a recent US filing. Nokia, which will be left with only its telecom equipment, location and patent development businesses, would have the right to continue and maintain the Nokia brand, except for certain period as per the agreement. After the closing of the deal "Nokia would be restricted from licensing the Nokia brand for use in connection with mobile device sales for 30 months and from using the Nokia brand on Nokia's own mobile devices until December 31, 2015," it said. The transacti...

It looks like Google is getting rid of the black navigation bar it places on its sites and introducing a new menu which looks like the Chrome app launcher placed upside down. According to Google Plus Daily, the drop down launcher will offer nine popular Google services, namely Google+, Search, YouTube, Maps, Play, News, Gmail, Drive and Calendar in a 3x3 grid each represented by the icon and name of the service. The launcher also has a More button at the bottom clicking on which will make eight other Google services -Translate, Books, Offers, Wallet, Shopping, Blogger, Finance and Photos - appear. Update : Google has officially confirmed the changes coming to the navigation bar via a blog post and also given a glimpse at its new logo. The company also confirmed that both the changes will be rolling out worldwide gradually. Earlier, a screenshot of the new navigation bar was  posted  by Google+ Help community member, Gerson Castaneda, following which Goo...

Following the release of iOS 7, a new security hole has been discovered that lets users bypass the passcode on any iOS device and gain access to the Photos app and subsequently to the user's email and social networking accounts. A user named Jose Rodriguez has posted a video on YouTube demonstrating the security hack. Control center, the new settings and utility app shortcuts drawer that's included in iOS 7 can be used to bypass the passcode lock that allows users to protect their iPhones using a 4 digit code. All that someone needs to do is to fire up the control center by swiping up from the bottom of the iPhone's lock screen and open the Camera app. Since the phone is locked the intruders would not be able to see anything when they open the Photos app through it. However, they can then launch the Clock app from the control center and hold the iPhone's power/ screen lock button till they see Slide to power off button at the top and Cancel button at the bo...

I had such a fun weekend. After seeing a movie, I went down to the beach to ride the roller coaster on the pier and go jet skiing in the ocean. Afterward, I got a haircut and bought a new suit, and then I returned home to unwind with some fresh juice and a yoga session in my backyard. Later, I met up with one of my friends for drinks at a downtown watering hole. I live in Los Angeles, but I didn't do any of that stuff there. Nah, it all happened over the past 48 hours while visiting Los Santos, the virtual seaside metropolis cunningly depicted in "Grand Theft Auto V" (Rockstar Games, for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, $59.99). Oh, did I mention I also committed dozens of felonies? For the most part, it's illegal business as usual in the latest edition of "Grand Theft Auto." There are vehicles to swipe, schemes to plan and banks to rob. Unlike previous installments in the wildly successful - and violent - M-rated series, "GTA V" center...

Microsoft Corp Chief Executive Steve Ballmer has made an impassioned plea to investors to support his vision of the world's largest software company as a unified devices and services powerhouse in his swan song before Wall Street. Ballmer, who in August said he planned to step down within 12 months, told investors and analysts in an annual meeting on Thursday that Microsoft had a bright future, despite missteps under his 13-year tenure. "We have the tools. There's economic upside here. In the long run, we are almost uniquely poised to seize the opportunity," he said, in a typically high-volume presentation. "Today I'm speaking as an investor. You all own Microsoft stock, cheer for it, for God's sake." Ballmer, who took over from co-founder Bill Gates as CEO in 2000, did acknowledge that under his leadership the company was too focused on Windows to realize that Apple Inc's iPhone was revolutionizing computing. "If there's...

It looks like Android's latest iteration will see the light of day in October, as Nestle has revealed the first news about the launch of Android 4.4 KitKat on Facebook. While replying to a user who asked "When Android 4.4 KitKat will be available", Nestle's German KitKat Facebook handle replied "Android 4.4 KitKat is available from October" (Google translation). While this might not be an official confirmation about Android 4.4 KitKat's release, at least the German Nestle Facebook handle was kind enough to confirm that it is coming next month. Earlier this month, the search engine giant which has been known for nicknaming its Android mobile operating systems for smartphones and tablets after desserts, had for the first time announced a candy brand name for the version 4.4. However, Google made no mention of when the Android 4.4 update would rollout. The search giant has been in news ever since it announced the next iteration of its mobile...

Apple's first gold-colour iPhone sold out immediately in Hong Kong and mainland China, according to reports and online buyers desperate to snap up the new status symbol. State-run news website sh.eastday.com reported Wednesday that the Gold iPhone 5s models were quickly bought up after online pre-orders began Tuesday morning. "The Apple reservation page went down once. In forums, many people talked about how they were begging to buy the gold model," it said, adding that by 1:00 pm (0500 GMT) on Tuesday all three 5s colours in every store had been reserved. Favoured by emperors and representing wealth and luxury in Chinese culture, gold has become a badge of the country's newly wealthy. Pre-orders for the iPhone 5s -- also available in silver and "space grey" -- launched at 6:00 am Tuesday in both Hong Kong and mainland China. "Right after it started, the champagne gold model was sold out," Phoenix TV -- a Hong Kong-based broadcast...

Sony has the launched SmartWatch 2, the successor to its SmartWatch, at a price of Rs. 14,990 in the Indian market. The wearable device would be available in October. The SmartWatch 2 was initially announced in June and Sony had promised that it would be available 'worldwide' in September. The Sony SmartWatch 2 comes with a bigger 1.6-inch screen with higher resolution 220x176 pixels resolution, compared to the 1.3-inch screen 128x128 display on its predecessor. Sony is positioning the watch as a second-screen for your Android smartphones, letting you receive notifications from the phone as well as control its functionality. SmartWatch 2 makes it possible to access notifications from your wrist such as messages, calls, email, Facebook or Twitter, Calendar, or use it as a remote for your Walkman or other digital media player. The SmartWatch 2 comes with a bunch of pre-installed apps, with an option to load other apps as well. Other things you can do with the SmartWatch...

Sony has launched its latest flagship smartphone, the Xperia Z1, in India. The phone was unveiled at IFA, Berlin earlier this month. Sony Xperia Z1 comes with 5-inch full-HD display and the power of a 2.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, recently seen inside the blazing fast Sony Xperia Z Ultra  alongside 2GB of RAM. The Xperia Z1 comes with 16GB of internal storage, that can be expanded by up to 64GB via a microSD card. The phone runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean with a 3,000mAh battery underneath. One of the highlights of the Sony Xperia Z1 is its camera, with Sony's own G Lens with 27mm wide angle and f/2.0 aperture. The camera comes with a large 1/2.3-type CMOS 20-megapixel image sensor Exmor RS with BIONZ mobile image processing engine. The camera comes with software enhancements like Social live, which lets you broadcast live to Facebook and get your friends' comments right on your screen. Info-eye is a visual search function that ...

The Raspberry Pi is a credit-card sized computer that plugs into your TV and a keyboard. It’s a capable little PC which can be used for many of the things that your desktop PC does, like spreadsheets, word-processing and games. It also plays high-definition video. A team at Google Creative Lab recently turned to the $35 Raspberry Pi, the little machine that helps to teach kids how computers work. Talking about it led to what people at the Lab do best, and that is hatch. Raspberry Pi, they said, is not only great to teach young learners how computers work but it would also be great to teach them how the Web works. "So we built something for Raspberry Pi called Coder. Download it, put it on an SD card, plug it in and it turns your Raspberry Pi into a simple place to write code and a mini server to run it on, everything you need to get started making real web things, using real languages of the web." That is the message from Google Creative, telling the story of how ...

Man's best friend reacts sociably to robots that behave socially towards them, even if the devices look nothing like a human. Credit: Eniko Kubinyi Designers of social robots, take note. Bring your dog to the lab next time you test a prototype, and watch how your pet interacts with it. You might just learn a thing or two that could help you fine-tune future designs. So says Gabriella Lakatos of the Hungarian Academy of Science and Eötvös Loránd University, lead author of a study published in Springer's journal  Animal Cognition  that found that man's best friend reacts sociably to robots that behave socially towards them, even if the devices look nothing like a human. This animal behavior study tested the reaction of 41  dogs . They were divided into two groups depending on the nature of human-robot interaction: 'asocial' or 'social.'One set of dogs in the 'asocial group' first observed an interaction between two humans (the owner and the hum...

Japan went nuclear-free on Monday as it switched off its last operating reactor for an inspection, with no date scheduled for a restart amid strong public hostility to atomic power. Kansai Electric Power took offline the No. 4 reactor at its Oi  nuclear plant  in the western prefecture of Fukui at 1:33 am (1633 GMT Sunday) "without any problems," said a company official. The move left the world's third largest economy without atomic energy for the second time since the Fukushima nuclear crisis erupted in March 2011. Nuclear power supplied about one-third of the resource-poor nation's electricity before a tsunami knocked out cooling systems and sparked meltdowns at Fukushima, causing tens of thousands to flee their homes. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has openly backed a return to the widespread use of atomic energy, but the public remains divided over his support, with opponents concerned on safety grounds. Japan previously was without any nu...

Most of us don't give a second thought while connecting our USB-compatible devices to a computer for charging them.What looks like a normal Micro-USB port could have a computer at the other end copying data from the device without our knowledge.  In fact, the term juice-jacking has been assigned to illegal procurement of data from devices plugged by people with an intent to charge them. Now, Int3.cc a community of developers focused on information security have come up with a solution to the problem. The group has launched what it interestingly calls, USB Condoms. The USB Condom is a sleeve that can be put on any USB port. It cuts access to the pins that carry data and only enables the device to access the power supply from the other device it's plugged into. The exact design of the device is not known as the website only offers circuit diagrams, but the invention would surely be welcomed by individuals and organisations concerned about data privacy,...

Flipkart's customers who pre-ordered GTA V, and were expecting their copies to arrive on launch day Tuesday, September 17, will be bitterly disappointed, as the Indian online retailer has informed them by email that the games will be only shipped from Mumbai on September 16 night, and take 1-2 days to reach them, depending on their location. GTA V is one of the most anticipated game releases of 2013, and is widely expected to be Rockstar Games' biggest cash cow yet. The game, which will initially only be released for the Sony PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Xbox 360, is priced at Rs. 2,999, with fans having to dish out Rs. 3,999 for the special edition. Those who pre-ordered were offered freebies to sweeten the deal - including a GTA Double-Sided Poster, Metallic V Locket and Atomic Blimp DLC. Flipkart's email reads: "Please note that due to publisher regulations we are not permitted to start shipping before the evening of September 16th and since we are going to ...

New rumours revealing more details including an image of Nokia's rumoured Windows RT tablet have surfaced on the Internet. Paul Thurrott of Supersite for Windows has posted of forthcoming Windows tablets, expected to hit the markets in fall. Interestingly, the same list also includes Nokia's 'Sirius' Windows RT tablet. The website also notes some of the specifications and features of the alleged Nokia tablet. Nokia's rumoured Windows RT tablet is said to feature a 10.1-inch IPS full-HD (1920x1080 pixels) display and powered by a quad-core Qualcomm 8974 (ARM) processor. The tablet is likely to weigh about 1.3 pounds (590 grams) and offer a battery backup of up to 10 hours. The Nokia Sirius Windows RT tablet is rumoured to sport a 6.7-megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics and is expected to come preloaded with Nokia's own apps. The site also suggests that the tablet will come with a multi-function cover with keyboard and will be priced for $499 (R...

While we still wait for official confirmation of Nokia's rumoured Lumia 1520, which is expected to be launched on September 26, a fresh rumour has claimed that the company might be working on its first dual-SIM Lumia smartphone as well. Courtesy of the prolific phone tipster,  @evleaks  comes the latest rumour that the Finnish handset vendor Nokia may be working on a dual-SIM variant of the Nokia Lumia 720. If true, this will be the first Windows Phone-based Lumia smartphone with dual-SIM functionality. The tweet said, "Dual-SIM Lumia 720 may be on the way."  However, the post does not reveal any details related to the device. Considering that this comes from a source that has provided reliable phone leaks in the past, we can assume that Nokia might be working on such a device. Nokia launched the Lumia 720 in February alongside the Nokia Lumia 520. The Nokia Lumia 720 sports a 4.3-inch display and is powered by a Snapdragon S4 d...

In response to Apple's Siri and Google Now, Microsoft has plans to thwart its rivals, with its fully-featured digital assistant ever - Cortana. Early leaks of the much anticipated Windows Phone 8.1, included an app listed dubbed “zCortanaApp.” Cortana is the codename for Microsoft's voice-contrlloed, adaptable digital assistant - claimed to be much smarter than Apple's Siri. Microsoft is already in the process of testing Cortana's prowess. Testing is done on parameters such as ability to pull in notifications, weather and location info, calender details including much more, and the best part, Cortana'a ability to access phone's Bluetooth capabilities. The brainchild behind Cortana is said to be Bing's Satori engine - a colossal knowledge database, named after the first step on Buddhist path to enlightenment. Senior Microsoft officials have been constantly hinting that the software giant has been working on such an assistant for...

Michael Dell clinched shareholders' approval on Thursday for his $25 billion offer to buy and take Dell Inc private, ending months of bitter conflict with the company's largest investors and removing the uncertainty shrouding the world's No. 3 PC maker. The company plans to invest in the personal computer and tablet markets, in expanding sales coverage, and in growing its distribution network, founder and Chief Executive Michael Dell said in a conference call after the shareholder vote. End-user computing, defined as devices such as PCs and tablets, remains an important focus for the company despite the rapid decline of the global personal computer market, the CEO told reporters briefly, without elaborating or taking questions. A "significant incremental investment" is required to turnaround the company, and having two strong private investors will aid the restructuring, he added. Shareholders cast their votes at a special meeting on Thursday morni...

The Canadian handset maker has launched the BlackBerry 9720 in India, for Rs. 15,999. The company last month unveiled the smartphone, with the dated BB 7.1 OS operating system instead of the revamped BlackBerry 10 platform, and promised that the device will hit selected markets like Asia, EMEA and Latin America in the coming weeks. However, the pricing of the device was not revealed by the company then. The BlackBerry 9720 boasts aesthetics similar to the company's Curve series, measuring 12mm in thickness, and weighing in at 120 grams. It features a full physical QWERTY keyboard and a 2.8-inch touchscreen TFT LCD display with a 360x480 pixels resolution, boasting of a pixel density of 214ppi. It is powered by an 806MHz Tavor MG1 processor and has 512MB of RAM. The 9720 sports a 5-megapixel rear camera with 4X digital zoom and image stabilization alongside an LED flash, but lacks a front-facing camera. The latest addition to BlackBerry's 'affordable' handse...

With the swipe of a finger, Apple could jumpstart a new era of smartphone security and strip away fear of tending to banking or other business on mobile devices. Fingerprint recognition technology built into a sophisticated iPhone 5s set to hit the market on September 20 was hailed by computer security specialists as a welcome move that rivals will likely rally to match. "It could be amazing," Lookout principal security researcher Marc Rogers told AFP on Wednesday. "What is going to happen really depends on Apple's implementation," he continued. "We've seen Apple take obscure technologies and make them mainstream overnight." Apple on Tuesday unveiled two new iPhone models, one of them a top-of-the-line 5s with innovative features including a fingerprint sensor to use as a security measure in place of passcodes. "You can just press the home button to unlock your phone," Apple vice president Phil Schiller during an event a...

The Modular Integrated Stackable Layer (MISL) system currently has four layers: Power, Microcontroller, Communication and Interface. Image Credit:  NASA Engineers from NASA’s Johnson Space Center (JSC) will be collaborating with students in the Electronic Systems Engineering Technology (ESET) Program at Texas A&M to develop space-qualified hardware systems. NASA is looking to expand the capabilities of its Modular Integrated Stackable Layer (MISL) platform while Texas A&M students and faculty will gain valuable experience working with state-of-the-art technologies. “This partnership is the most recent in a series of design and development projects that have been accomplished by ESET undergraduate students over the past two years for our group and others at JSC,” says NASA’s Chris Culbert, Chief of the Avionic Systems Division at JSC. The MISL is a small, reconfigurable computer system that can be easily adapted to many differe...