Meet TAO: The NSA’s Elite Hacking Team

I doubt that anyone would be surprised if the United States government went outright and said “We have an elite hacking team.” It’s the stuff we see in movies, but we also know that behind every conspiracy theory lies a grain of truth. No matter how small that grain may be. And, in the case of hacking and cyber terrorism, the United States government is certainly not going to let itself be left behind. Else, how can they ensure their own security?

So, meet TAO: the NSA’s elite hacking team

From Wikileaks to Snowden, the controversy surrounding government secrets and their activities has riled up the rest of the world’s population. And now, we hear of a special unit called TAO, Tailored Accessed Operations to be exact. The full name is as cryptic as can be. The acronym suits the nature of the job just as well.

So what is TAO?

The Washinton Post featured TAO recently, and it quoted Matthew M. Aid, who described TAO as:

“…a highly secret but incredibly important NSA program that collects intelligence about foreign targets by hacking into their computers, stealing data, and monitoring communications. Aid claims TAO is also responsible for developing programs that could destroy or damage foreign computers and networks via cyberattacks if commanded to do so by the president.”

That’s is coming out of the closet and admitting that the government has an elite hacking team, yes?

The team is based out of Fort Meade, where the NSA is headquartered. It is composed of about 600 team members who work round the clock (in shifts, naturally) to make sure that the government is on top of online activities that need their attention.

If you want to know more about TAO, you might want to snoop around on LinkedIn. Apparently, some members of the team have profiles that do not really hide what they’re doing. Or maybe that’s a smokescreen in itself. I wonder if they’re hiring?

[Image via brookings]

Meet TAO: The NSA’s Elite Hacking Team

I doubt that anyone would be surprised if the United States government went outright and said “We have an elite hacking team.” It’s the stuff we see in movies, but we also know that behind every conspiracy theory lies a grain of truth. No matter how small that grain may be. And, in the case of hacking and cyber terrorism, the United States government is certainly not going to let itself be left behind. Else, how can they ensure their own security?

So, meet TAO: the NSA’s elite hacking team

From Wikileaks to Snowden, the controversy surrounding government secrets and their activities has riled up the rest of the world’s population. And now, we hear of a special unit called TAO, Tailored Accessed Operations to be exact. The full name is as cryptic as can be. The acronym suits the nature of the job just as well.

So what is TAO?

The Washinton Post featured TAO recently, and it quoted Matthew M. Aid, who described TAO as:

“…a highly secret but incredibly important NSA program that collects intelligence about foreign targets by hacking into their computers, stealing data, and monitoring communications. Aid claims TAO is also responsible for developing programs that could destroy or damage foreign computers and networks via cyberattacks if commanded to do so by the president.”

That’s is coming out of the closet and admitting that the government has an elite hacking team, yes?

The team is based out of Fort Meade, where the NSA is headquartered. It is composed of about 600 team members who work round the clock (in shifts, naturally) to make sure that the government is on top of online activities that need their attention.

If you want to know more about TAO, you might want to snoop around on LinkedIn. Apparently, some members of the team have profiles that do not really hide what they’re doing. Or maybe that’s a smokescreen in itself. I wonder if they’re hiring?

[Image via brookings]

First Miniature Human Brain Grown In Laboratory

A group of Austrian researchers have grown miniature human brain in a lab dish, in an attempt to better understand neurological disorders and their triggering mechanisms. These artificially grown mini organs in the future may serve to illustrate how brains develop and function throughout a person’s life, and illustrate what happens when the brain is affected by such disorders as autism or schizophrenia.

This is the first time when a scientific experiment has actually managed to replicate a three-dimensional map of how the brain tissue develops. These organoids will help researchers create a complex biological model of how such rare and difficult to understand condition like microcephaly works. The study provides a promise of a major new tool for testing possible treatment for these major disorders.

Scientist Juergen Knoblich and his team used a set of embryonic stem cells to produce that particular part of an embryo which develops into a brain and neuroectoderm (or the spinal cord). The organoid was grown in a special spinning bioreactor using a bath of nutrient gels and oxygen.

The cells in the mini brain were able to grow and develop into separate areas of the brain: a cerebral cortex, a retina and an undeveloped hippocampus. Although this is a far from perfect result, the artificial brain matches the development of a nine week old fetus. The small tissues managed to reach a maximum size of 4 0.1 in after two months. Although they survived for about a year, the organoids did not grow any larger, as no blood supply was feeding the brain tissue and oxygen was unable to penetrate into the middle of the brain-like structure.

According to Dr. Juergen Knoblich: “These organoids will serve a project that aims to model the brain development and will eventually help us study anything that causes a defect in both functioning and development. But the ultimate scope of this research is to move towards common disorders like autism or schizophrenia and map a way in which these diseases function and how they can be properly treated.”

One of the good things about growing these mini lab brains is that new treatments could from now on be tested on actual brain tissue and replace rats and mice in drug research.

Verizon Agree To Pay $130 Billion For Vodafone Wireless Business

On Monday Verizon Communications agreed to buy the U.S. wireless business from Vodafone Group for $130 billion, making  history as the third largest corporate deal announcement.

For Verizon this will mean full access to the profits from the United States largest mobile operator. It will give the company the power needed to ward off competition in this ever increasing tough market.

Meanwhile Vodafone Group will be able to return 71 percent of the net proceeds – that is $84 billion including all the stock – to shareholders, as well as increasing investment in its networks to set it apart from its rivals.

The deal has come about thanks to the two companies’ chief executives, Vittorio Colao and Lowell McAdam. Although there has been a history of clashes surrounding the Wireless dividend and full ownership, the two men have rebuilt the relationship. After discussing the possibilty of combining Verizon and Vodafone, it was decided that a stake sale was more benficial for both parties.

Under the terms, Vodafone will get $58.9 billion in cash, $60.2 billion in Verizon stock, and an additional $11 billion from smaller transactions in a deal that is due to close in the first quarter of next year.

Colao told reporters, “We think we have a balanced approach here. We are reducing our debt level which will enable the company to be very robust and take opportunities if they arise.”

McAdam said that it was a self-funding transaction as Verizon’s earnings per share will increase immediately by 10 percent.

“I think there’s going to be a burst of rocket fuel in the Verizon engine as a result of this transaction,” he said. He added that the tie was right to buy.

Analysts feel that this new debt for Verizon will limit its ability to carry out major investments for some time into the future, as paying off the debt will become a priority.

All of this should not affect the company’s 100 million customers though and once some of the debt has been repaid, it will have the power neccessary to compete against rivals.

[Image via Cult of Android]

SOURCE: http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/09/02/us-vodafone-verizon-idUKBRE97S08C20130902

Sony QX10 And QX100 Smartshot

The fight to get a decent camera inside a smartphone has been a long and arduous battle.  There are a few devices on the market that give you a really good camera experience, such as the Nokia Lumia 1020 with 42 megapixels, but even that has no digital zoom and erm, well, just looks weird.

There are a couple of manufacturers on the market that are trying to change the norm by splicing the best of the two devices together, a camera/phone hybrid, I know nearly all smartphones have a camera, but let’s face it, apart from the elite, they are not very good.  Samsung are trying with theirGalaxy S4 Zoom and Galaxy Camera.  However, some manufacturers seem to be taking a different slant on the subject.  Sony has made recent waves regarding their camera attachments that we have heard about for the last couple weeks.

We now know the 2 cameras will be branded Smartshot. (which is a combination of smartphone and Cybershot branding.)  The cameras will be called QX10 and QX100. The QX10 has the sensor and lens from the Cyber-shot DSC-WX150 and the QX100 is based on the DSC-RX100m II Cyber-Shot. While the QX10 will cost $250 and the QX100 $400, which is a little on the high side ,their full sized counterparts retail for $400 and $750 respectively online.  The QX10 has a 1/2,3 inch 18 megapixel CMOS sensor and  f/3,3-5.9 lens which is capable of shooting 1080p video at 30 frames per second. The QX100 has the best lens with its 1-Inch 20.2 MP Exmor R sensor. The QX100 is also capable of 1080p, only it can shoot at a smoother 60 frames per second. Both lenses feature optical image stabilization, which is great for camera novices and jittery people, who are incapable of taking a non-blurry picture. The cameras both have Optical zoom, the QX10 beats the QX100 with a 10x zoom compared to the 3.6x on the Qx100.  The lens will probably initially pair with your phone via NFC, then switch over to WiFi for quicker data transfers, but this is yet unclear.  The app used for pairing the cameras, PlayMemories, does not have great reviews on Android or IOS though. But, these cameras should offer a great mix between your perfect smartphone and a fantastic camera without having to carry around a DSLR.  As I said, they are a bit expensive, but as is always the case, if you pay a little more, you get a quality product.

[Image via gsmarena]

SOURCE: http://www.androidheadlines.com/2013/08/information-sonys-camera-attachments-leak-look-spectacular.html

The Galaxy Gear In More Detail

The wearable tech hype is certainly going nowhere but up. Last weekend, I gave in and went to one of the handful of local stores selling the Pebble watch. Not that I was totally excited, but I just had to see how it works. The final verdict is yet to be given, but let’s say it will not blow you out of the water. The Pebble may be at the head of the pack, but others are quickly catching up, and Samsung is certainly contributing to the hype with its Galaxy Gear.We already know a bit about the Galaxy Gear, especially the fact that it is arriving on the 4th of this month – tomorrow! Over the weekend, there was another leak – screenshots of apps and NFC capabilities.

But wait, there’s more!

GigaOm got hold of sources who claim that the Galaxy Gear will have 10 hours of battery life. That’s awfully poor if you ask me, but given the fact that the smartwatch will have (supposedly) a 2.5-inch 320×320 OLED display, that’s understandable. Then again, it was not clear whether that time period includes idle time or only when the watch is in use. I think it’s reasonable to say that it’s the latter.

Other details about the Galaxy Gear:

• 1 GB of memory
• 6GB and 8GB of storage. I agree with the GigaOm article – the numbers are weird, and I can’t come up with a theory as to their choice.
• An integrated camera – 4 megapixels and 720p recording

Looking at those specs and thinking about the Pebble, the Galaxy Gear might just be a smart smartwatch for real. Then again, can you imagine using your watch to take photos/videos? Wouldn’t you look more idiotic than the dude/gal struggling as he/she does the same thing with a tablet?

Whether the Galaxy Gear disappoints or delights when it finally does come out, I think we can all agree that we will all be wearing some sort of smart device in the next couple of years or so.

[Image via venturebeat]

Pavlov Poke: Electric Shocks To Cure Facebook Addiction

Your deadline is looming yet you can’t stay away from checking your Facebook news feed every five minutes? You are most likely a social media addict and the sooner you accept that the better.

This new invention might help you on your path to recovery. Called Pavlov Poke, it aims at curing Facebook addiction using some good ole’ electric shock based aversion therapy. Sounds scary, right?

Well, it isn’t actually that bad. The electric shocks the machine delivers are mild and definitely non-lethal and their main purpose is to highlight the addictive behavior rather than cure it.

The Pavlov Poke concept was invented by two MIT PhD students who realized that together they were spending more than 50 hours on Facebook every week. Users of the social network spend around 400 minutes per month on the site, according to Dan McDuff and Robert R. Morris. And some studies suggest social media addiction is even harder to combat than smoking and drinking.

And that’s how Morris and McDuff came up with the idea. The DIY device is not intended for sale, but more as a joke meant to underline a serious issue. The concept is aimed at highlighting the addictive behavior and maybe suggesting ways to combat it or at least emphasize the fact that addiction to modern digital technology is a huge problem.

So how does the device work? The system consists of a user interface monitor that watches the user’s actions and computer apps usage. It keeps track of how often the users visit the social media site and how long they spend there.

If the frequency of visits or time spend on Facebook exceeds certain parameters, the system sends a signal to an Arduino platform connected via USB to the computer. A processing code pops up on screen and signals a shock, while the actual electric shock is triggered by the Arduino and delivered through the keyboard. The electric shock are harmless, but very unpleasant and will most likely cause the user to think twice before going back to updating their Facebook status.

The two MIT students also came up with a less invasive way of dealing with Facebook addiction. Instead of delivering electric shocks, the Pavlov Poke system can use Amazon’s Mechanical Turk service to get strangers to call the social media addict and scold them for wasting time on Facebook.

It’s still hard to tell if such a system would work, but it does indeed pose a serious question about our social media habits. What do you think of Pavlov Poke? Would you consider using such a device?