Today in Tech Sightings:
How Intel Helped Stephen Hawking Communicate With the World
Celebrated astrophysicist Stephen Hawking, Director of Research at the Center for Theoretical Cosmology in Cambridge, suffers from a degenerative motor neuron disease that has made it impossible for him to communicate with the world without the aid of technology. Now, Intel has announced a new system that will considerably enhance Hawking’s ability to run a computer.
Did North Korea Hack Sony Over Kim Film?
A group calling itself the Guardians of Peace has hacked into Sony Pictures. The attack, which is being blamed on North Korea, has crippled the company’s systems and leaked several movies scheduled for release on DVD online. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) found that some of the software used in the attack was compiled in Korean. Sony is now investigating possible links to North Korea.
FBI Warns of ‘Destructive’ Malware in Wake of Sony Attack
The FBI has also issued a warning to businesses following the cyberattack on Sony Pictures without mentioning how many companies have been affected by similar destructive attacks. The report did provide technical details and advice on how to counter the malware.
Vietnam Detains Blogger for ‘Bad Content’ Posts
Police in Vietnam detained sixty-five-year-old blogger, Hong Le Tho, and searched his home for posting comments critical of the country’s communist government in what appears to be the latest crackdown on dissent.
Once Celebrated in Russia, Programmer Pavel Durov Chooses Exile
Russian entrepreneur Pavel Durov, known for his widely-popular social network, VKontakte, fled Russia once the Kremlin tightened Internet controls and started asking for data on Ukrainian protest leaders. He now moves from country to country.
Internet Explorer Continues to Grow, but Chrome is Gaining Fast at Firefox Expense
According to Net Applications’ latest stats, Internet Explorer now controls 58.94% of the global browser market, while Google Chrome has a 21.25% piece of the pie. At the same time, Firefox continues to lose market share and now holds a 13.26% slice of the market.
