Today’s Tech Sightings:
Leap second Causes Internet Hiccup Overnight
Don’t say you weren’t warned. The infamous leap second – that extra second added to sync world clocks with the Earth’s rotation – crashed about 2,000 networks just after midnight Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), half of them in Brazil. Most networks recovered after rebooting their routers.
After WiFi at Taj, Modi Revives ‘Digital’ India Campaign
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi is reviving an $18-billion campaign to connect 250,000 villages to the Internet by 2019. The plan aims to bridge the country’s digital gap and increase investment in technology manufacturing
India Will Pass US to Become World’s Second Largest Smartphone Market
A new report from Strategy Analytics expects India to become the world’s second-largest smartphone market by 2017. That will push the United States to third place. Right now, China sits in the top spot. Strategy Analytics Director Linda Sui predicts Indians will buy up to 118 million smartphones in 2015, and as many as 174 million in 2017.
Zuckerberg: Future of Facebook Is Telepathy
Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg said one day, people will be able to exchange thoughts telepathically, without the aid of technology. With the advent of immersive technologies like Virtual Reality, Zuckerberg said people will have the power to share full sensory and emotional experiences with others.
Researchers Expose Dino, Espionage Malware With French Connection
ESET security researchers in Slovakia have uncovered what looks like another state-sponsored espionage tool that targets computers in Iran, among other countries. Built in a modular, backdoor fashion, the malware – named “Dino” – could have been developed in France by the Animal Farm espionage group, which created “Casper,” “Bunny” and “Babar” malware.
From Robots, Emails to Handwritten Letters: Using Tech to Reverse Tech
Remember when you used to write letters to friends and family? Thoughtful and meticulous? Email, instant messaging and various other tech advances have virtually killed personal letter writing. Now, Snail Mail My Email, a global art project, and companies like Bond are trying to revive that lost art. Snail Mail My Email’s community of volunteers handwrites strangers’ emails, and also has written and sent more than 23,500 letters around the world.
