Silent Text: Basic Anonymity at a Hefty Price
- Nov
- 08
The Tibetan government, law firms in Thailand and human rights groups in Sudan are all using a relatively new encrypted communications tool — one that fits easily, if not cheaply, onto your smartphone. Silent Circle is an encrypted voice, video, text and file-transfer protocol that’s available in app forms for Android devices, among others.
Ubuntu’s Saucy Salamander is a Slick but Spiritless Upgrade
- Nov
- 07
Ubuntu’s latest desktop OS release, Ubuntu 13.10, is more of a plain-Jane release than its “Saucy Salamander” nickname might otherwise suggest. This release comes six months after the Raring Ringtail version, which was also a bit of a yawner in terms of offering any must-have-the-upgrade enthusiasm. Like the last release, Ubuntu 13.10 also does not deliver much “wow.”
How to Back Up Data on Your Android Smartphone
- Nov
- 06
We all back up our PCs, right? Okay, well, we should back up our PCs, right? Well, smartphones and tablets have become so ubiquitous that we need to back them up now too. It’s time. Important photos, videos, contacts and music are now strewn across small, easy-to-lose, easy-to-break, highly pilferable devices. Fail to back up this stuff at your peril.
Niantic Opens Ingress to AR Gamers Hot to Trot for Exotic Matter
- Nov
- 05
Google’s Niantic Labs on Monday announced that it was lifting the invitation-only restriction on its augmented reality game Ingress. The game launched in beta about a year ago, and interested players needed an invitation code to participate. Now all Android users can download the free massively multiplayer game from Google Play. The game will officially exit beta status on Dec. 14.
FOSS in the Enterprise: To Pay or Not to Pay?
- Nov
- 05
One of the big attractions behind the growing popularity of open source software is the ability to get it and use it for free. In a world of ever-rising costs in pretty much every other aspect of business and life, “free” is an offer that’s increasingly difficult to refuse. Support is one area, however, where “free” may not be all it seems — particularly for enterprises.
ARM and the Single-Purpose Server of the Future
- Nov
- 04
Servers don’t have to do everything to be useful: devices that do just one thing really well will find a niche, too.
Read more at Enterprise Open Source Toolkit
Ode to Project Ara
- Nov
- 04
Ever since Burger King hit the proverbial nail on the head with its famed “Have It Your Way” slogan back in 1974, everyone has known that people like to — well, have it their own way. Customization has been a growing trend, but until recently, smartphones were a glaring exception. Linux Girl can no longer even count the number of times she’s asked for a big “L” and an image of Tux emblazoned on her device.
Google Debuts Nexus 5, KitKat Combo
- Nov
- 01
Google has unveiled the highly anticipated Nexus 5, its flagship smartphone running the new KitKat release of the Android OS. The Nexus 5, manufactured by LG, has a 5-inch 1080p display. At 4.59 oz., it is lighter and thinner than its Nexus predecessor. It’s also faster — it runs on the speedy Snapdragon 800 processor. It comes with an 8 MP rear camera and a 1.3 MP front-facing camera.
Google, Partners Caught in Patent Lawsuit Blizzard
- Nov
- 01
A consortium of technology companies is suing Google and Android manufacturers in its first patent lawsuits after it outbid the search giant for thousands of patents previously owned by Nortel. Rockstar, owned by Apple, Microsoft, BlackBerry, Ericsson, Sony and EMC, has accused Google of infringing on seven patents relating to technology that matches search terms to advertising.
