Today’s Tech Sightings:
YouTube Marks 10 Years of Uploads With New Studios for Filmmakers
A decade after its launch, YouTube still gets billions of views each day. To improve content, YouTube is investing in “YouTube Spaces,” or studios similar to what it has in Tokyo that give filmmakers access to everything they need to create low-budget productions to run on its channels.
Facebook Video Is on Course to Steal YouTube’s Video Sharing Crown
Facebook has been gaining on YouTube in video sharing popularity. Its video service delivers content to four billion viewers, up from a daily three billion views in January. Writer Owen Williams argues that YouTube should pay attention as Facebook builds a video powerhouse that may be hard to match.
Facebook’s Secret Plan to Kill Google
Writer Armando Biondi, cofounder of AdEspresso, a Facebook partner, argues that Facebook has it in for Google and is looking to become the second trillion-dollar company within the next 5-10 years.
Google Introduces Project Fi, Its Very Own Cellular Service
Google jumped into the U.S. wireless fray Wednesday with “Project Fi,” which aims to let users’ phones automatically switch between WiFi and cellular networks in areas their cell phone signal can’t reach. Using Wi-Fi networks will allow Google to cut costs and pass the savings to customers.
Inside the Hellscape Where Computers Go to Die
Do you even know where your computer, cellphone, or even your refrigerator go when they die? One of those wastelands is Ghana’s Agbogbloshie – a toxic graveyard where young people risk their lives to sift through the piles for something they could exchange for a few dollars.
Devices Running Older Android Versions Could Be Leaking Fingerprint data
Researchers at security firm FireEye claim that hackers can steal fingerprint data before it gets encrypted on mobile devices running Android KitKat 4.4 and earlier. Using this vulnerability, hackers can potentially access the kernel of the operating system to monitor and manipulate data.
You’re More Likely to be Struck by Lightning Than Infected With Mobile Malware
On the other hand, a study by researchers at security firm Damballa found that in the United States, people are more likely to be hit by lightning than get a malware infection on their gadgets. But researchers also found that requests from mobile devices to shady parts of the Internet are significantly higher than requests to mobile malware websites.
Logitech Moves Away From Computer Mice, Looks to Wireless
Gadget maker Logitech International SA saw its quarterly operating profits decline 34 percent as demand for computer accessories dropped. The company, which built its global brand name around computer peripherals, is focusing now on wireless music speakers, game controllers and videoconferencing tools to offset the decline.
