Gaza Hacks VoIP; Postcards From North Korea; Java Turns 20; 3-D Printing

Posted May 21st, 2015 at 2:10 pm (UTC-4)
1 comment

Today’s Tech Sightings:

Stuck in Gaza, Hackers Open Lines to the World

Tech-savvy Gazans isolated from the rest of the world by an Israeli and Egyptian blockade are now using Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) hacking to rout international calls for a fee. The practice requires dedicated servers to collect as many IP addresses as possible, which are then sold to third parties.

10 Instagram Users Post Photos From Inside North Korea

North Korea, also known as the “Hermit Kingdom” for its tight control over communication with the rest of the world, is not entirely off the Internet radar screen. Several people, including journalists and teachers, now are regularly posting photos to Instagram that shed some light on life in that isolated nation.

Injured Sea Turtle Gets Bite Back With 3-D Printed Jaw

Prosthetically-speaking, 3-D printing continues to deliver. More recently, it came to the aid of an injured loggerhead sea turtle. A boat propeller had struck the turtle, Akut-3, and smashed his jaw – an injury that typically would be fatal. But once a Turkish rescue team nursed the turtle back to health, researchers at R&D group BTech Innovation scanned Akut-3′s skull and outfitted him with a printed, custom-fitted jaw and beak made of titanium.

At 20, Java’s Key to Success Is Simplicity

This week, Oracle celebrated the 20th anniversary of its Java programming language – one that remains prevalent in the computing industry. Oracle estimates the language is used by more than 9 million developers and runs more than 7 billion devices. Writer Joab Jackson argues that Java’s success is due in large part to readability, cross-platform functionality and simplicity.

Security Flaw in Router Driver Could Compromise Peripherals

Security firm SEC Consult said a security flaw in a driver that powers NETUSB, a technology that allows any USB device plugged into a router to be available to other devices, could compromise the routers and the peripherals connected to them.

Streaming Giant Spotify Branches Out Into Video

Music streaming company Spotify now offers video, in addition to podcasts, radio and news. The video content will feature short clips – or what Spotify calls “video capsules” – similar to those provided on YouTube. The move emphasizes playlists that are designed for different times of the day and includes music, news and video.

Aida Akl
Aida Akl is a journalist working on VOA's English Webdesk. She has written on a wide range of topics, although her more recent contributions have focused on technology. She has covered both domestic and international events since the mid-1980s as a VOA reporter and international broadcaster.

One response to “Gaza Hacks VoIP; Postcards From North Korea; Java Turns 20; 3-D Printing”

  1. […] Gaza Hacks VoIP; Postcards From North Korea; Java Turns 20; 3-D PrintingVoice of America (blog)Tech-savvy Gazans isolated from the rest of the world by an Israeli and Egyptian blockade are now using Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) hacking to rout international calls for a fee. The practice requires dedicated servers to collect as many IP …Stuck in Gaza, hackers open lines to the worldWHBL Sheboygan […]

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