Kim Dotcom offers whistleblowers $5 million to help Megaupload case
The basic facts of how Megaupload was shut down in 2012 are public knowledge. But the founder of the file-sharing service, Kim Dotcom, believes there’s a subtext to what really happened — and he’s looking for your help to prove it. In essence, he claims to be the victim of a “corrupt” plot between two back-scratching parties: the US authorities, which supposedly wanted to secure the re-election of President Barack Obama, and the movie moguls of Hollywood, who allegedly offered influence over votes in return for having MegaUpload terminated for copyright abuse. The only problem? Dotcom will actually have to prove all of this to a New Zealand court, otherwise he’ll face extradition to the US, not to mention a string of further civil lawsuits. And so far, it isn’t going well.
My case is unfair:
I was declined discovery
I didn't get my own data back
I need Whistleblowers
I am offering USD $5M
http://t.co/OhE7k3KlUL
– Kim Dotcom (@KimDotcom) June 8, 2014
In a recent tweet, Dotcom claimed that he’s been unfairly denied access to the other side’s evidence, and that he’s also been prevented from seeing his own confiscated data. His latest tactic, therefore, is to offer a cold (or at least recently defrosted) cash bounty: $5 million if you’re a “whistleblower” inside the movie industry or a law enforcement agency who can convince the court that MegaUpload was illegally targeted. If that sounds like you, Dotcom suggests that you start your bounty-claiming process by uploading submitting your evidence to an anonymous leak site, or to a newspaper.
(Editor note: the lead image comes from Kim Dotcom’s Internet Party website and features an Obama lookalike.)
Filed under: Misc, Internet, HD
Via: IB Times
Source: Torrentfreak, @KimDotcom
Microsoft E3 2014 Xbox liveblog!
Microsoft’s annual E3 press briefing on its Xbox business is, if nothing else, never a dull affair. Heck, last year, a car rose out of the stage! And one year, some of The Beatles showed up. What’s gonna happen today? That’s the question! We get the feeling that our friend the Master Chief will make an appearance in at least one Halo game announcement, the couch-sized men of the Gears of War universe are likely to show up, and we’ve got our fingers crossed for a hovercraft or some madness rising out of the stage this morning. We’ll get started shortly after 9AM PT/12PM ET.
Archos Droid Book swings by the FCC
Android on a laptop isn’t necessarily a new concept. We’ve seen the Archos ArcBook, the Lenovo A10, and the HP Slatebook, and we may see another hit the shelves in the future to the tune of $170. Recent FCC filings suggest that perhaps a new model of the ArcBook will be launching soon, dubbed the Archos Droid Book.
Archos’ recent trademark on the “Droid Book” name and this FCC filling make quite a pair, pointing to the imminent release of this new 10-inch Android laptop. Whether the Droid Book will be a new addition to the ArcBook line or simply a standalone computer is unclear. We do, however, have some recently released specs from Archos regarding their next ArcBook laptop.
- Android 4.2 Jelly Bean
- 1.2 GHz Rockchip RK3168 ARM Cortex-A9 dual-core CPU
- 1GB of RAM
- 8GB of storage & microSD card reader
- 10.1 inch, 1024 x 600 pixel capacitive multitouch display
- 2 MicroUSB ports
- Stereo speakers and headset jack
- Webcam and mic
Android laptops certainly aren’t the biggest sellers, and who really knows if the line is a dying breed. We’re still happy to see Archos continue the support for this line of laptops.
Source: Liliputing
The post Archos Droid Book swings by the FCC appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Transit Directions Icon for iOS Maps Briefly Shown in Apple WWDC Session Slides
While improvements such as transit directions had been part of the early rumors for iOS 8, a follow-up report from 9to5Mac on May 1 had indicated that the feature might not make the cut for initial versions of iOS 8 as Apple was pulling resources from the iOS team to work on what would be introduced as OS X Yosemite.
Indeed, Maps improvements went essentially unmentioned at the WWDC keynote last week, and sources speaking to TechCrunch outlined “internal politics” including the departure of several key members of the Maps team as one of the reasons for Maps improvements not being ready for a WWDC presentation or inclusion in the initial iOS 8 beta.
As highlighted by BGR, one developer spotted a slide in an Apple WWDC session video showing an iPad version of the Maps app with a “bus” icon in the center of the bottom toolbar. While it is unsurprising that Apple is indeed working on transit directions for Maps given previous rumors and Apple’s several corporate acquisitions in the area over the past year or two, the inclusion of a slide showing the feature suggests that discussion of the transit features may indeed have been a fairly late cut from the keynote presentation.
The screenshot, which can be seen above, shows an icon of a train or a bus at the bottom center of the screen, which presumably indicates transit directions. It comes from the session titled “Power, Performance and Diagnostics: What’s new in GCD and XPC,” and BGR was pointed to it by Jesper.
Interestingly, Apple has moved quickly to address the errant inclusion of the screenshot showing a transit-enabled Maps app and has already pulled the session video and slides from the developer website.
Apple’s scheduling plans for transit directions in Maps are still not entirely clear, as there is still plenty of time of the feature to be added during the beta testing period prior to public launch, which is expected around September. Alternatively, the feature could be held back for a later update such as an iOS 8.1 to give Apple more time to polish it.
Target Offering Non-Retina Wi-Fi iPad Mini for $199 In-Store for Father’s Day [iOS Blog]
As part of its Father’s Day promotional push, Target is offering the 16 GB non-Retina Wi-Fi iPad mini for just $199 in either white or space gray, a savings of $100 over Apple’s standard pricing. The offer is only valid in-store, although customers can purchase online for store pickup. Quantities do, however, appear to be very limited, as most stores are currently showing no available stock.
The discounted pricing is valid through June 14, so customers looking to take advantage of the big discount should check back frequently if their local stores are currently out of stock.
(Thanks, Steve!)
Facial recognition software helps convict a robber
Watch Dogs‘ vision of a super-connected Chicago may be truer than you think. A local judge has convicted Pierre Martin of armed robbery after police used facial recognition software (NEC’s NeoFace) to match surveillance camera footage with an existing mugshot. While the cops still used witnesses to confirm their findings and make an arrest, the technology was vital to pinpointing Martin in the first place — it’s doubtful that investigators would have had time to sift through 4.5 million booking photos.
If you’re thinking that the conviction has a slightly Orwellian vibe, you’re not alone. However, it’s notable that Chicago’s software is only really useful for catching repeat criminals who already have a database presence, like Martin; it won’t help with first-time arrests. That tidbit won’t be completely reassuring given ongoing concerns about a surveillance-happy US government, but it’s now clear that the system can at least prevent habitual offenders from slipping through the cracks.
Filed under: Science, Software
Via: Sky News
Source: Chicago Sun-Times
This kids blanket can stop a bullet
Throughout the history of blankets, hiding behind one to escape the boogeyman has been a largely pointless tactic. Now, however, an Oklahoma company has developed a blanket that’ll protect you against fictional monsters as well as the very real dangers of tornado damage and 9mm bullets. Inspired by a tragedy where 24 people died at an elementary school that didn’t have a tornado shelter, Steve Walker hassled other locals to come up with a solution. A materials scientist suggested making large pads out of Dyneema, a super-thick polyethylene that’s meant to be tougher than Kevlar, that kids could hide under during tornados or incidents of gun violence. The company admits that the blankets don’t come cheap, since they’ll cost $1,000 per child, but it’s still significantly cheaper than trying to find the cash to build a shelter for every school in the state.
Filed under: Misc
Via: The Oklahoman, Yahoo / AP
Source: Bodyguard Blanket
Boost Mobile calls up waterproof Kyocera Hydro Icon
Boost Mobile on Monday added a new smartphone to its portfolio with the waterproof Kyocera Hydro Icon. Set to arrive on June 17 with a $149.99 price tag, it’s an Android 4.3 Jelly Bean device designed to withstand drops, dust, water, and shocks. Thanks to its MilSpec 810G rating the phone is what Kyocera terms as “Everyday Durable”. Take it to the beach, drop it in the pool, or whatever – this guy won’t flinch.
Featuring a 4.5-inch qHD display, the handset is powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core processor, and offers 8GB internal storage. Additional specifications include an 8-megapixel rear camera, front-facing 2-megapixel shooter, 3G/4G LTE connectivity, wireless charging, microSD expansion, and a 2000mAh battery.
The Kyocera Hydro Icon can be paired with any of Boost Mobile’s new Unlimited Select rate plans. Prices start as low as $40 per month for unlimited talk, text, and 500MB data.
The post Boost Mobile calls up waterproof Kyocera Hydro Icon appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Samsung Galaxy F leaks yet again, release imminent?
The Samsung Galaxy F is a device that hasn’t exactly remained much of a secret, with various leaks already surfacing across the net.
The Galaxy F is a device which mimics Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S5 device but substitutes the plastic rear case for a metal body. A new leak seems to just reinforce what we know about the device, in that the Galaxy F appears to be aimed at Samsung’s premium Galaxy S line.
Samsung’s Galaxy F is expected to include a 5.3-inch 2K display with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processor, as well as sharing the same heartrate monitor and water/dust resistance present on the Galaxy S5.
With leaks ramping up for the device, it wouldn’t be surprising if we see Samsung make an official announcement for the Galaxy F very soon.
SOURCE: PhoneArena
The post Samsung Galaxy F leaks yet again, release imminent? appeared first on AndroidGuys.
‘Try Then Buy’ promo cut short, makes way for 64GB Moto X
Motorola allowed customers to sample a Moto X with their ‘Try Then Buy’ scheme which loaned a device for two weeks for the price of only 1¢, but Motorola have now cut short the campaign claiming they have sold all the devices allocated to the promotion.
The ‘Try Then Buy’ scheme only went live this morning, but the company claim the response was overwhelming and quantities didn’t last long at all, forcing Motorola to cut the campaign short.
However, it seems the scheme may have been a way to shift the last few units of stock in order to make way for the Moto X 64GB variation, as Motorola have announced the availability of the device for $449.99.
You can still buy a Moto X 16GB and 32GB outside of the promotion, which sell for $349.99 and $399.99 respectively.
The post ‘Try Then Buy’ promo cut short, makes way for 64GB Moto X appeared first on AndroidGuys.
AIVAnet 