F-BOMB $50 surveillance computer hides in your CO detector, cracks your WiFi

What happens when you take a PogoPlug, add 8GB of flash storage, some radios (WiFi, GPS) and perhaps a few sensors, then stuff everything in a 3D-printed box? You get the F-BOMB (Falling or Ballistically-launched Object that Makes Backdoors), a battery-powered surveillance computer that costs less than $50 to put together using off-the-shelf parts. The 4 x 3.5 x 1-inch device, created by security researcher Brendan O'Connor and funded by DARPA's Cyber Fast Track program, is cheap enough for single-use scenarios where costly traditional hardware is impractical. It can be dropped from an AR Drone, tossed over a fence, plugged into a wall socket or even hidden inside a CO detector. Once in place, the homebrew Linux-based system can be used to gather data and hop onto wireless networks using WiFi-cracking software. Sneaky. Paranoid yet? Click on the source link below for more info.

F-BOMB $50 surveillance computer hides in your CO detector, cracks your WiFi originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 Jan 2012 08:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/28/f-bomb-50-surveilance-computer-hides-in-your-co-detector-crack/

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Microsoft reportedly working on Kinect-enabled laptops

It remains to be seen when or if they'll turn into actual products, but The Daily reports that Microsoft is at least working on getting its Kinect technology shoved into laptops. While details are light, the iPad-based publication says that it's seen a pair of prototypes that "appear to be Asus netbooks running Windows 8," but which have had their webcams replaced with an array of sensors that run along the top of the screen (a set of LEDs are said to be at the bottom). The Daily also says that it's confirmed with a source at Microsoft that the devices are indeed official prototypes of a Kinect-enabled laptop, and it unsurprisingly suggests that Microsoft would likely license the technology to laptop manufacturers rather than build its own hardware.

Microsoft reportedly working on Kinect-enabled laptops originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/27/microsoft-reportedly-working-on-kinect-enabled-laptops/

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FCC Fridays: January 27, 2012

We here at Engadget tend to spend a lot of way too much time poring over the latest FCC filings, be it on the net or directly on the ol' Federal Communications Commission's site. Since we couldn't possibly (want to) cover all the stuff that goes down there, we've gathered up an exhaustive listing of every phone and / or tablet getting the stamp of approval over the last week. Enjoy!

Continue reading FCC Fridays: January 27, 2012

FCC Fridays: January 27, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/27/fcc-fridays-january-27-2012/

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Report: U.N. nuclear team arrives in Iran

International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors arrived in Iran early Sunday for a three-day visit to examine the nation's controversial nuclear program, state media reported.

Source: http://rss.cnn.com/~r/rss/cnn_topstories/~3/G9Pv42xWoQ0/index.html

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Google upgrades Earth with better rendering, teaches it to sing in perfect harmony

Google's bringing a number of changes to its Earth service courtesy of version 6.2, including Google+ integration and improvements to search. Most notable here, however, is a new method of rendering that stitches aerial photos together in a manner less patchy than before, making for "the most beautiful Google Earth yet," according to the company. The new version is available now for download -- more info in the source link below.

Google upgrades Earth with better rendering, teaches it to sing in perfect harmony originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/27/google-earth-upgrade/

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Toshiba announces color e-reader in Japan, hopes people buy more e-books from its store

If you're gonna be late to a party, you should at least be fashionably late. That's the mindset behind Toshiba's entry into the dedicated e-reader space with its new 7-inch BookPlace DB50. Toshiba hopes adding an e-reader alongside its existing AT200 and Thrive tablets will push more eyeballs towards the 100,000 or so titles in its BookPlace online bookstore. The ¥22,000 ($284) BookPlace DB50 sports a TFT-LCD screen with an LED backlight, a 1GHz Freescale i.MX535 processor, 8GB of internal flash memory and a microSD slot. The device also measures 120mm wide, 190mm tall, 11mm thick and weighs 330 grams (11.6 ounces), with battery life rated at up to 7.5 hours. Toshiba did not mention the operating system in its release though the hubbub in the Interwebs is that it will use customized versions of Linux and Android Gingerbread. The Japanese debut is pegged for February 10th and the company is apparently considering a release outside the country, too.

Toshiba announces color e-reader in Japan, hopes people buy more e-books from its store originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 11:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/27/toshiba-announces-color-bookplace-db50-e-reader-in-japan/

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Jon Rubinstein leaves Hewlett-Packard

Former Palm chief Jon Rubinstein has left Hewlett-Packard, having completed the 24-month commitment period he agreed to when HP acquired Palm. An HP spokesperson has confirmed the story, first reported by AllThingsD, in a brief statement: "Jon has fulfilled his commitment and we wish him well."

Rubinstein rose to fame as a hardware guru at NeXT, ultimately joining Apple after the company acquired NeXT in 1996. He was instrumental in developing the iMac and PowerMac desktops before spearheading the iPod project that would herald the company's business dominance. After retiring in 2006, he joined Palm to revitalize the flagging device maker's fortunes, developing the Palm Pre and WebOS software before being crowned as its CEO in 2009. A year later, Hewlett-Packard purchased the company for $1.2 billion: but just a year later, pulled the shutters down as Rubinstein was shifted (or "dumped") to a "product innovation role" within HP, where he saw out the last of his retention period before departing. In a terse comment to The Verge, the man himself has said that he's "going to take some well deserved time off," and after the last twelve months, we wouldn't blame him.

Jon Rubinstein leaves Hewlett-Packard originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 11:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/27/jon-rubinstein-leaves-hewlett-packard/

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