China Renews Crackdown on Tencent’s Messaging App WeChat China’s state media announced Tuesday authorities will launch a month-long crackdown on Tencent’s popular WeChat messaging application. WeChat has become a source of more reliable news for mobile users in China. Twitter’s Growth Shifts to Developing Countries A new report by the research firm eMarketer shows Twitter’s […]
Tech Sightings, May 22, 2014
Posted May 22nd, 2014 at 2:00 pm (UTC-4)
Bitcoin Shows Signs of Stability as It Reaches $500 Passing the symbolic $500 mark for the first time in a month, Bitcoin seems to be stabilizing after months of turmoil. But the jump looks like it was spurred by a significant transaction from wealthy individuals tied to the system.. Do Mobile Heart Rate Monitors Actually […]
Tech Sightings, May 21, 2014
Posted May 21st, 2014 at 2:00 pm (UTC-4)
In Thailand, Martial Law Is a Backdrop for Selfies Waking up to Thailand’s new martial law reality, many people scrambled to take pictures of themselves with soldiers against the backdrop of the most recent of at least 18 military coups the country has seen since 1982. Facebook to Launch ‘I’m a Voter’ Feature Worldwide After […]
Tech Sightings, May 20, 2014
Posted May 20th, 2014 at 2:00 pm (UTC-4)
What is Tech Doing to Children’s Brains? Thousands of UK children are being recruited for the Study of Cognition, Adolescents and Mobile Phones, or SCAMP – the world’s largest study on the impact mobile phones have on memory and attention span. The project will examine whether mobiles and other wireless devices affect children’s ability to […]
Tech Sightings, May 14, 2014
Posted May 14th, 2014 at 2:00 pm (UTC-4)
Samsung Apologizes for Sick, Dying Workers in Its Factories Samsung apologized this week for not taking action to help sickened workers in some of its factories. Some of the workers died from their illnesses. One of the company’s CEOs said in a press conference a third-party agency will determine the amount of compensation the families […]
Tech Sightings, May 13, 2014
Posted May 13th, 2014 at 2:31 pm (UTC-4)
Ransomware Gang Targets Android Phones The Reveton Gang that pioneered the idea of locking up a victim’s computer and demanding a ransom to unlock it is now targeting the mobile market. Once Reveton mobile infects a phone, it will display a bogus warning that will hold the phone hostage until the extortionists get payment. One […]
Aid Groups Turn to Unmanned Aircraft for Disaster Support
Posted May 9th, 2014 at 2:30 pm (UTC-4)
Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs) just getting off the ground in commercial and private space are already running into some challenges. But concern surrounding their use has not stopped at least one humanitarian group from putting them to work for disaster relief operations. Drones or unmanned aerial vehicles (AUVs), as they are sometimes called, “have a […]