Today’s Tech Sightings:
A man reads tweets on his phone in front of a displayed Twitter logo in Bordeaux, southwestern France, March 10, 2016. (Reuters)
Twitter Makes Important Changes to Its 140-character Limit, Ditching ‘@mention’
Twitter is moving forward with changes to its 140-character limit that take links and @replies out of the word count. Pictures and other attachments will no longer count toward the 140-character count. A retweet button will also be added to personal tweets. VOA has more here.
Google Wants to Kill Off Passwords for Logging Into Android Smartphones
Google is launching a new experiment, also known as Project Abacus, to work out a better system for Android users to log onto their smartphones without a password. The trial, which will begin in partnership with banks, will replace passwords and PINS that unlock smartphones with biometric data.
Ransomware Hackers Get Their Money, Then Ask for More
Surprise! Once hackers who lock down a system receive ransom, they sometimes come back for more money. In the most recent incident, ransomware hackers who targeted Wichita’s Kansas Heart Hospital demanded more money after receiving payment instead of decrypting the hospital’s computer files. The hospital broke off negotiations and put a backup plan in place instead. Sounds like that should have been the original plan.
More:
- Microsoft Awards First Grants to Help Expand Global Internet Access
- Facebook Changes Policies on ‘Trending Topics’ After Criticism
- FBI: Beware of Keystroke Loggers Disguised as USB Phone Chargers
- London Is Almost the Tech Capital of the World
- Apple Said to Hit Setback in Push to Open Stores in India
- Apple Sued Over iPhones Making Calls and Sending Email
- Tim Cook Rules Out Apple Mobile Carrier
- Google’s Paris HQ Raided by French Investigators Over Tax Case
- Google’s Project Ara Is About More Than Just Modular Phones
