John Lister

The judge in the patent case between Apple and Samsung has suggested an Apple lawyer must be on drugs if he thinks his latest request will be taken seriously. It demonstrates that Judge Lucy Koh is exasperated with the behavior of both sides. The ... case involves several patents. However, the most prominent dispute is about whether or not Samsung copied the design of the iPhone and iPad when designing its own gadgets. Unlike many such disputes, the two sides have failed to reach a settlement and are now in the midst of a full jury trial. Koh had previously warned that the two sides would only be ... (view more)

Microsoft has announced that four companies will sell tablet computers running Windows 8 RT, the version of the Windows 8 operating system (OS) designed for portable devices. A fifth company, Toshiba, has dropped out of that market, due to problems ... acquiring necessary components. Virtually all Windows-based computing devices run on one of two types of processor: Intel's x86 chip and ARM. The former is used in almost all desktop, notebook, and netbook PCs, while the latter forms the core of nearly every tablet computer and smartphone. Although less powerful, ARM processors are more energy ... (view more)

A U.S. federal appeals court has ruled that police and other law enforcement officials have the right to use Global Positioning System (GPS) data from a suspect's cellphone without a warrant. The judges decided a technicality in existing law means ... such actions do not violate the Fourth Amendment, which forbids unreasonable search and seizure by the federal government. The Appeals Court ruling came in the case of convicted drug dealer Melvin Skinner, who was tracked down by GPS after an investigation. The investigation involved acquiring a cellphone number used by Skinner. Drug enforcement ... (view more)

Google has agreed to pay a $22.5 million penalty for misleading users of the Safari browser about its privacy policies. It's the largest penalty ever imposed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for this type of offense. The case involves cookies, ... the small text files which a website places on a user's computer to identify and help track them. In many cases, cookies help advertisers deliver particularly relevant advertisements (Amazon's "Recommended for You" feature is one example). Google Tricks Safari With Bogus Code Since many web users don't like being followed, Apple decided ... (view more)

Google has announced it will punish websites accused of piracy by moving them lower in its search results rankings. However, there are some questions flying around the Internet about whether Google's own YouTube video site will get special ... treatment. The changes include a minor tweak to the way Google decides how high or low specific sites should appear in a search results list. The search giant says its automated system considers more than 200 factors, but doesn't say how much emphasis it gives to each one. The new ranking method takes effect this week. Afterwards, search results will ... (view more)

Microsoft has confirmed its "Do Not Track" feature will be switched on by default in the new Internet Explorer 10 (IE10) web browser. The decision is intended to protect user privacy. However, it has earned a frosty reception from some online ... advertisers. The feature was introduced to prevent users' online activity from being reported to third-party groups, a concern when advertisers began gathering information from multiple websites to compile very detailed pictures about what individuals do online. Since then, browser makers have worked on a variety of measures to combat this ... (view more)

A Congressional agency has told regulators it is time to review the rules governing cellphone radiation. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) said existing rules might not be doing an effective job of measuring the risk to users. The GAO acts ... as support staff for Congress and also carries out audits to check that government departments are spending money effectively. Three members of Congress recently asked the GAO to look into the way the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates public safety with respect to cellphones. Cancer, Health Risks Not a GAO Concern The GAO's year- ... (view more)

Microsoft has made a change to the final edition of its new Windows 8 operating system (OS). According to a new report, the change forces users who prefer Windows' traditional desktop layout to use the system's new interface (formerly known as ... 'Metro') every time the new OS boots up. This requirement could represent a major irritant for many Windows users. The most significant change in Windows 8 is the new user interface. It's a much different design featuring very large icons known as 'tiles,' and has already become fairly popular among users of Windows-based smartphones. Microsoft ... (view more)

Hackers who support the Syrian government may be responsible for two separate attacks on the Reuters news agency. The hackers' efforts apparently caused false information about the political and military situation inside Syria to appear on the news ... agency's website. The first hack damaged the Reuters blogging platform, a section of the agency's website that allows Reuters correspondents to write personal accounts and opinion pieces under their own name. It appears Reuters reporters can post directly to the site, which may have made the hacker's job easier. Fake Interview Posted On Reuters ... (view more)

The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) plans to join the twenty-first century by using computer systems rather than paper to manage its cases. The change may improve detection rates by making it easier to cross-reference data between cases. ... The new computer system, called Sentinel, will also allow FBI agents to make notes on cases via dedicated software. A demonstration for reporters showed that Sentinel contains elements reminiscent of consumer software, such as web browsers, Microsoft Outlook, and tax preparation software. (Source: wsj.com ) FBI personnel have been using Sentinel ... (view more)