Sneaky Blackmailing Virus That Encrypts Data

"Kaspersky Lab found a new variant of Gpcode which encrypts files with various extensions using an RSA encryption algorithm with a 1024-bit key. After Gpcode.ak encrypts files on the victim machine, it changes the extension of these files to ._CRYPT and places a text file named !_READ_ME_!.txt in the same folder. In the text file the criminal tells the victims that the file has been encrypted and offers to sell them a decryptor. Is this a look into the future where the majority of malware will function based on extortion?"

How Laptops in Education Can Help Dictators, Hurt Learning

holy_calamity writes "New Scientist reports on worries that the OLPC's BitFrost security protocols could hand a ready-made surveillance system to controlling 3rd world governments. The laptops identify themselves regularly to a server that can disable individual machines reported stolen — a system that hands a government a kill switch for every unit. BitFrost also has the potential to have machines attach a unique ID to every internet transaction, helping out anyone wanting to track net internet use. A freely available paper from a recent USENIX conference spells out the concerns." Relatedly, an anonymous reader points out a story at Slate about a study which examined the impact that free PCs had on poor students in Romania, writing that "giving the kids machines without a corresponding level of parental supervision just resulted in distractions which ultimately damaged academic performance. By contrast, allowing children access to machines in a supervised setting, say an after school program via school labs, might mitigate some of the negative effects."

Edison, Make Way for the L.E.D.’s

If you’re looking for the latest advancements in incandescent light bulb technology, one place you don’t want to go is to a lighting trade show. I learned that in about five minutes last week, while touring the aisles of Lightfair, the lighting industry’s big convention, held this year in Las Vegas.

In case you didn’t know it, Thomas Edison’s invention, in use for more than 100 years to illuminate virtually everything, is quickly heading for the exits. What will eventually take its place is the light-emitting diode (L.E.D.) bulb, made up of tiny light sources the size of a head of a pin that use a fraction of a regular light bulb’s electricity, produce little heat, and last for tens of thousands of hours of use.

This is not some comic book dream. The exhibits at Lightfair were filled with new L.E.D. products, many shipping now: standard-type room lights, under-counter lights, commercial spotlights, garden lights and huge L.E.D. displays designed to light the Empire State Building.

I saw L.E.D.’s controlled by a cell phone. Forgot to turn on your porch light? Just dial in a command.

L.E.D.’s are not widely used today because of their high cost: An L.E.D. bulb can run as high as $90. Even if they would save money in the long run, few people are willing to spend that much up front.

But costs will come down, and when they do, expect to see the end of what is in essence an interim technology: the compact fluorescent bulb. Fluorescents, while using much less power than incandescent light bulbs, are sometimes too bulky, often can’t be dimmed and produce light that is less pleasing than incandescents.

L.E.D.’s, on the other hand, can produce literally millions of colors, which you will be able to witness yourself at the end of this year, when Philips, the Dutch electronics giant, introduces its $199 Living Colors product into the U.S. market.

Living Colors is Philips’ L.E.D. Trojan horse, an electronic lava lamp that uses L.E.D.’s to project a palette of 16 million colors against a wall. Operated with a remote control, you change the projected color by touching a point on the iPod-like color wheel, then push other buttons to decrease the brightness or alter the color’s saturation.

The company has already sold 250,000 Living Color products in Europe; in the U.S., it will offer the regular model plus a $79 mini version that offers a limited palette and no remote.

I’ve been playing with one for several weeks, and after some initial resistance to its corniness, I’ve taken a liking to it. Every night, I set the color of one wall of our bedroom to a different hue, hopefully matching our moods. It’s a nice change from standard yellow light and gives some added dimension to the space.

Philips points out that you can set up a chain of Living Color units around a room and control them all with a single remote. For me, that’s just a bit over the top. I don’t fancy turning my house into a Las Vegas facade.

Quantum computing advance—diamonds are a qubit’s best friend

Another week, another quantum computing story. Quantum computing is a very hot topic in the world of physics at the moment because, for the first time, we can actually contemplate the sort of control required to make a quantum computer. It happens to also be true that a truly scalable quantum computer would have applications in the real world as well—code breaking, and simulating quantum systems are two common examples.

The key to quantum computing is the ability to manipulate and maintain quantum states. Unfortunately, these quantum states are hard to create, hard to manipulate, and very, very hard to stabilize. Now, researchers have demonstrated that qubits based on the electronic and nuclear states of nitrogen vacancies in diamond may be the way of the future.

Diamond is supposed to be a material made purely of carbon. Each carbon atom attaches itself to four other carbon atoms that sit at the apexes of an imaginary pyramid. However, if nitrogen is introduced during growth, it will become incorporated into the diamond. But nitrogen can only attach to three carbon atoms, so associated with every nitrogen is a gap where a carbon atom would normally sit. These vacancies distort the electronic structure of diamond so that each vacancy is associated with an electron that is free to move around the neighboring atoms. Moreover, that electron is more strongly coupled to the nuclear states of the surrounding atoms, meaning that, if one manipulates the state of the electron, then one can also place a nucleus in a well-defined state.

Researchers have taken advantage of the mobility of these electrons, using them to act as a local communications channel between qubits. The qubits used by the researchers were the spin orientation of two C¹³ nuclei that happened to be adjacent to a vacancy. They manipulated the state of the electron associated with the vacancy using microwaves, and then watched the radio frequency response of the adjacent nuclei.

They were able to entangle the two nuclei in a controlled manner and, perhaps more surprisingly, that entanglement lasted for milliseconds. Furthermore, it was also possible to entangle the electron with the two nuclei; that three-way entanglement lasts for a few hundred microseconds.

Provided the qubit state can be transfered to photonic qubits, then it should be possible to scale the entanglement up so that it can involve more than a single nitrogen vacancy—having the entanglement lasts for milliseconds helps in this regard. Furthermore, qubits based on nitrogen vacancies aren't too hard to scale, since it is a solid-state material—no vacuum pumps required, thank you very much. Finally, the longevity of the entanglement should also enable the development of a refreshable quantum RAM.

On board: dial-an-auto

New Delhi, June 6 UD ministry plans radio auto-rickshaws for Capital; transport network to include modern cycle rickshaws

The Capital’s public is set to go more mobile. First the Delhi government planned to put in a total of 4,000 radio taxis on road in time for the 2010 Commonwealth Games. Now the Union Urban Development Ministry has gone a step further: it plans to introduce radio auto-rickshaws in Delhi and Chandigarh soon.

The ministry has already commissioned feasibility studies to see how this can be done.

“What is happening in Delhi right now is that transport is being conceptualised as independent projects,” a ministry official told Newsline. “So you have a BRT corridor coming up and then a proposed LRT. But the feeder system to various networks has not been conceptualised. What Delhi, or any other city, needs is a comprehensive transport network, not scattered projects.

“Non-motorised vehicles comprise nearly 30 per cent of the Capital’s traffic, and auto-rickshaws are here to stay. So they need to be incorporated in the city’s transport system in a more organised fashion.”

This, then, is how it looks on the ministry’s drawing board: auto-rickshaws in the city will be fitted with a GPS-monitoring system; a call centre will be set up on the lines of call centres working with radio-taxi services; and stoppage points for autos will be fixed.

When the project is implemented, Delhiites will be able to call an auto through an SMS or a phone call.

“We are conceptualising plans on how cycle-rickshaws can also be integrated in the transport network,” a transport official in UD ministry said. “The problem with cycle-rickshaws is that they cannot be fitted with GPS system. But we will decide haltage points for them as well, and organise them in a way that they can provide feeder services to other transport corridors.”

The official said their studies have shown cycle-rickshaws have been the “main feeder service” for Delhi Metro so far.

According to the official, all cycle-rickshaws and their owners need to be registered by the municipality. The owners should pay taxes, maintain the rickshaws, and conform to rules and regulations of traffic safety, which are not enforced till date, the official pointed out. “With carbon emission creating a hazard for the environment, cycle-rickshaws have been introduced in cities such as Frankfurt, London, Paris and New York,” the official said. “So it is just a question of improving their aesthetics and making them more viable” to make them more attractive for Delhiites.

The ministry has envisioned cost-recovery of cycle-rickshaw project with advertising hubs at its stoppage points. There are plans to make modern rickshaw stands with sitting facility, fare charts, drinking water and even railway ticketing stations.

The Institute of Urban Transport will conduct the two pilot studies sanctioned by the ministry; they will be completely funded by the ministry.

“Whether they are auto-rickshaws or cycle-rickshaws, it is not possible for individual owners to afford new, upgraded technology,” an official said. “That is why the ministry is stepping in. We are also talking to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) for the project.”

Sony Unveils Two New Handycams

With high-definition (HD) being the strategy to conquer camcorder markets in India this year, Sony India recently launched its latest range of HD Handycam Camcorders -- HDR-SR10E and HDR-HC9E.

Both camcorders incorporate "Face Detection" technology for both video and photos. Unlike other Handycam models with face detection, the new Sony camcorders allocate more pixels to images for the best possible pictures when people are subjects, says the company.
Sony says ClearVid CMOS sensors (with Exmor-derived technology) that utilize column analog/digital conversion to minimize picture noise, are used in these camcorders. Together with the high processing speed and noise reduction capability of the Bionz processing engine and Dynamic Range Optimization, the new camcorders produce high-resolution video and photos with natural color reproduction and rich details.

Both camcorders record in Dolby Digital 5.1-channel surround sound and feature built-in zoom microphones that zoom the audio along with the video for clear recording of subjects. The camcorders also allow for quick data transfer via USB from the camcorders to compatible devices like DVD burners and recorders.

The company claims that the 40GB HDR-SR10E camcorder provides a continuous recording time (1920 mode) of nearly five hours. It features Hybrid Movie recording on media cards, as well as built-in hard drives. It also has Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T optics and Super SteadyShot optical image stabilization.

The other new camcorder, HDR-HC9E, is based on the HDV format for recording of 1920 x 1080 HD video; it offers compatibility with a wide range of video-editing suites. HDR-HC9E features Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T optics, a 3.2 mega pixels ClearVid CMOS sensor, and 6.1 mega pixels photo capture. The model offers extensive manual controls to meet the demands of advanced videographers that include focus to infinity spot meter and focus to change exposure; center mark to use as guide frame in the LCD screen or view-finder; and peaking to facilitate better focusing by outlining objects with a color line. White balance, shutter speed, and focus can also be adjusted manually.

The HDR-SR10E and HDR-HC9E HD handycam camcorders are priced at Rs 49,990 and Rs 59,990 respectively.

Users Invited to Test New Gmail Features

Google is inviting users to test thirteen new Gmail features by adding a new Labs option next to the Web-clips option in the Gmail Settings page.

Reportedly, Gmail Product Manager, Keith Coleman, said the idea was to make Gmail more flexible, get users' feedback, and include popular features in it. Coleman said they would open-up integration of third-party codes with Gmail and enhance its interface for better performance. Currently, only Google engineers can code features to be listed under Labs.

Here's a snapshot of some of the new features:

Specific Gmail messages can be bookmarked with a quick-link tool

Mail can be labeled with custom stars using the Superstars feature

Email accounts can lockout after fifteen minutes using "email addict" tool

Messages can be viewed within a fixed-width font

User signatures can be automatically placed before quoted text in email replies using signature tweaks

Buddies' status can be hidden in your list using muzzle tool

Navigation can be done with mouse movements using mouse gestures

Keyboard shortcuts can be customized

MobileNXT.com is Launched

MobileNXT Online, in partnership with MobileNXT Teleservices, has launched an online specialty retail store dedicated to mobile phones and accessories.

MobileNXT.com claims to have a range of mobile phones with over 250 handsets to choose from and accessories ranging from memory cards, head sets, mobile carry cases, and batteries to Bluetooth devices.

Built with Web 2.0 features, the site encourages user-generated content; making it social and interactive. It has detailed product specifications, customer ratings, reviews, and shopping features like phone comparisons so users can make informed purchase decisions, say the Web site owners.

As a special launch offer, MobileNXT.com is offering mobiles with a shipping charge of Rs 2.

Rahul Sethi, business head of MobileNXT Online, says that MobileNXT.com is being launched as an end-to-end mobile ecosystem, which covers the online and offline space seamlessly, enabling visitors to research and buy a phone from this ecosystem. They intend to have a comprehensive range of handsets and accessories with complete information, detailed expert reviews, and more.

Bangalore-based MobileNXT currently has 22 retail stores spread across India. The company plans to expand its footprint in the country through more stores.

The Nokia N78 is Now Available in India

The Nokia Nseries N78 is now available in India. Nokia claims the device not only offers multiple experiences on one device but also helps merge experiences to create newer ones.

The highlight of N78 is its "Location Tagger" application that automatically tags location data to pictures, allowing users save pictures by date plus geographical co-ordinates. The phone offers the full suite of Nokia services such as Nokia Maps and integrated A-GPS.

Looks-wise, N78 comes in two colors: cocoa brown and lagoon blue and sports a signature sleek black surface. It is claimed to be the slimmest of Nseries devices and boasts a 2.4-inches screen, packing a 3.2 mega pixels camera with Carl Zeiss optics, and technologies including high-speed connectivity via WLAN and HSPDA 3.5G. Nokia has preloaded Maps of eight cities across India on to its N78 -- these are complete with points of interest across 52 categories such as bars, cafes, restaurants, hotels, etc. And, N78 comes with an integrated three-month navigation license. The N78 is also the first to feature widgets such as Weatherbug and RSS feed that are enabled by Web Runtime technology. The device supports microSD cards up to 8GB, internal speakers, and standard 3.5mm headphones.

The N78 comes with Nokia Original Accessories including the Nokia Stereo Headset WH-600 and the Nokia Bluetooth Speakers MD-7W. The headset has a headband style while the Bluetooth Speakers feature a click-and-go magnetic attachment system allowing consumers carry their music with them.

The Nokia N78 will retail for around Rs 19,999 (wonder why they didn't make it a round figure?).

Google to Build R&D Campus at NASA

Larry and Sergey's SPACE dreams have finally gotten them to that final frontier -- Not quite!

For now, the dynamic duo are content with a 40-years lease term with NASA to build a high-tech R&D campus at NASA's Ames Research Center in Mountain View. Their company Google retains the option to extend the lease term to 90 years with construction expected to start 2013 onwards. Initially, lease payable by Google would be $3.66-million a year.
The initiative has been lauded by both NASA and Google officials. Given the campus space i.e. 42.2 acres, Google plans to have its offices up to 12 million square feet, expand its workforce by a couple of thousands, and include housing for its highly-talented employees.

Google's association with NASA isn't new; earlier they've worked together on Google Earth and other such projects. The latest endeavor is billed to help NASA too -- in the expansion of its Research Park for space exploration, scientific discovery, and other such.

Aksh Optifibre to widen its IPTV reach with BSNL

Cable and optical fibre manufacturer, Aksh Optifibre, has entered into a deal with state-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL)for delivery of Interactive Personalised Television (IPTV) on its broadband network in the north Indian market.

As per the deal, the company needs to have 10,000 subscribers in the next nine months across 20 cities in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh (West) in north India, a press release stated here today.

BSNL has a total landline network of 40-million across India, and six-million in north India, which indicated the immense potential in the market for IPTV services, the release said.

The incremental cost for acquiring, creating content and subscribers is expected to be Rs 500 crore.

The project would be funded through resources raised from the international market, the release said .

In January, the company had concluded a global depository receipts (GDR) and foreign currency convertible bonds (FCCB) issue of USD 40-million to part finance the IPTV and Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services in Delhi and Mumbai, the release said.

Aksh-tel, Aksh Optifibre's IPTV delivers television programming, which comes with a high-quality reception and several unique add-on features.

IBM Hatching Mini Pipes for Chip Cooling

With chips getting smaller and cramming more processing power into even smaller spaces, existing measures to cool-off miniature chip circuits including heat sinks may fall short of the requirements of Gen-Next computers. In fact one particular microprocessor design envisaged by IBM includes chips stacked vertically with a heat-to-volume ratio which exceeds that of a nuclear reactor.

However, researchers at IBM have also come up with a solution for the problem: piping water in between chips that are sandwiched together; the kind of pipes to be used would measure just 50-microns (50-millionth of a meter) in width and would be sealed in order to prevent leaks and electrical shorts.

The fact is even micro amounts of water can handle humungous cooling tasks because water is much more efficient than air at aborbing heat. The trick here is doing it on a miniature scale inside the chips.

While aspects of IBM's approach have already been showcased by other researchers, the company deserves some credit for trying to push the idea towards commercialization. All said, the miniature pipes are a good five years away from being made available.

Firefox RC 2 Now Available for Download

Firefox 3 Release Candidate 2 (RC 2) is now available for download from the Mozilla Web site.

Just last month, Mozilla had released Firefox 3 Release Candidate 1 (RC 1) after which the Mozilla Team reportedly fixed nearly 40 bugs, applying patches including localization updates.
One of the issues was the Windows XP bug that resulted in the browser crashing while surfing Web sites such as Facebook, eBay, and Hotmail. The other issue was with Linux that resulted in hanging of the user interface (UI) rendering it useless. Meanwhile, Firefox 3 RC 2 does not include any new features, Mozilla said. The final Firefox 3 release is scheduled for mid this month.