Electron microscopes stop thieves from covering their tracks
Ask the police and they’ll tell you that serial numbers seldom help catch thieves — dedicated crooks are usually smart enough to file off those digits so that stolen items can’t be linked to a crime. Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology might have just found a way to recover those numbers and stop criminals in their tracks, however. Their new technique uses electron microscopes to spot damaged crystal patterns in steel, revealing characters even when they’ve been polished into oblivion. Current recovery approaches (like acid etching or electrolytic polishing) only sometimes work, and frequently provide faint clues at best — the microscope produces clear evidence that you could use to convict someone in court.
It’s going to be a while before the cops are using this method. Right now, it takes three whole days to identify eight numbers. That time could shrink to an hour through optimization, though. If that happens, gun runners and burglars may have a considerably harder time escaping the long arm of the law. Unless nogoodniks get particularly creative, you’d have little trouble tracing many weapons and fenced items back to their sources.
[Image credit: White/NIST]
Filed under: Science
Source: NIST
BlackBerry Rio to be called the BlackBerry Leap at launch?
By now, most folks who keep up on the latest BlackBerry news should be aware of the device known as the BlackBerry Rio and since it first leaked out, we’ve been wondering whether or not BlackBerry would roll with the Rio name when it was announced or if it would be something like the Z20 as it has also been referred to many times.
LG Watch Urbane video highlights the classic design of the smartwatch
LG rolled out its first video for the Watch Urbane, the manufacturer’s latest smartwatch. The all-metal watch which will be available in gold and silver trims, with LG stating that the Watch Urbane is the closest we’ll come to seeing an analog watch face on an Android Wear-powered smartwatch.
Sony Xperia Z4 Dual variant possibly confirmed by leaked screenshots
Last year, Sony had a limited release of a dual-SIM variant to their flagship Xperia Z3 and it appears from these leaked screenshots that they may do this again with the Xperia Z4.
A few of the screenshots show the settings menu of a Sony device running with specs that are consistent with the rumors for the Xperia Z4 and also shows there is a category called “Dual SIM settings”. Additionally, you can see what Lollipop is going to look like on this smartphone.
Sony is not expected to release the Xperia Z4 during Mobile World Congress 2015 this year. Sadly, we’ll have to wait patiently to see when Sony plans to unveil the smartphone and its variants, like this Dual.
Source: Digi-Wo via Xperia Blog
Come comment on this article: Sony Xperia Z4 Dual variant possibly confirmed by leaked screenshots
T-Mobile brings device software update page to life, lacks any real information
Keeping customers in the know on when their device may, or may not, receive a software update is tricky business. In the beginning we really never knew. We just waited and hoped it would come. Then things got heated where an update would land on one device in one country and never make it to […]
The post T-Mobile brings device software update page to life, lacks any real information appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
PS4’s game-sharing feature used to delete a kid’s ‘Destiny’ characters
The very conceit of PlayStation 4’s Share Play feature is futuristic as all get-out, but it has a dark side too. Take 5th grader Henry Kramer’s recent Destiny woes for example. After virtually passing his DualShock 4 to another player to access a glitch that Kramer hoped would quickly boost his characters, the other party urged him to go grab something from another room as a distraction, according to Eurogamer. Twitch viewers (Kramer was streaming at the time) watched as the nefarious user proceeded to delete two of his three characters: a nearly maxed out level 31 Warlock and a level 26 Titan, but it wasn’t until Kramer came back that he saw the damage done. You can hear him crying upon his realization in the video linked here, and, well, it’s hard to not be affected by it at least a little bit.
Developer Bungie won’t transfer any high-level gear to Kramer’s account, despite petitions from the game’s community, but in an effort to spread the word, made the video that Kramer’s mom sent in part of last Friday’s weekly update. Sadly, because Kramer knowingly gave control of his account to the troll, no wrongdoing had occurred. To Bungie’s credit, Kramer’s mom says that members of the Destiny development team have offered to play with him to make the leveling process a bit faster. What’s more, the team says it “has plans to make regrettable deletions less permanent,” as it works on new features for the game.
And the person that did the deleting? Game Informer contacted the account owner and the story isn’t as cut and dried as you might think. Turns out that the troll wasn’t the account owner himself, but a visitor. Twenty-three year-old “Adam” was in a pretty serious car accident not that long ago and as such, he’s been at home recovering and has a lot of friends passing through to spend time with him. The jerk that deleted Kramer’s save files was one such pal, but Adam says because of the amount of painkillers he’s on, he sleeps a lot while people are over and he can’t pinpoint exactly who did it.
The team says it “has plans to make regrettable deletions less permanent,” as it works on new features for the game.
So, there are a few takeaways from this. One, this could’ve been prevented with the safety measures available for kids’ PlayStation Network accounts (those that prevent Twitch streaming and limit messaging, for instance). Secondly, don’t let strangers jump into your game sessions with Share Play. Perhaps most importantly though, follow Wheaton’s Law to the letter: Don’t be a dick.
Filed under: Gaming, Internet, HD
Via: Eurogamer
Source: YouTube, Game Informer
Apple Acquires Popular Instrument and Effect Plug-In Maker Camel Audio
Apple appears to have acquired popular music plug-in and effect maker Camel Audio, based on information found on corporate registry site Companies House [PDF]. Camel Audio’s address has been updated to 100 New Bridge Street, which is Apple’s London address, and the company’s sole director is now listed as Apple lawyer Heather Joy Morrison, suggesting the company is in the possession of Apple.
Camel Audio is known for its range of plug-ins, synthesizers, effects, sound libraries, which were available via the company’s Alchemy software. Previously available for $249, Alchemy included more than 1000 sounds, 5.5GB worth of samples, a powerful additive resynthesis engine, spectral resynthesis, a virtual analog synthesizer, and more. Its powerful engine was highly useful to those who liked to create and manipulate audio for unique sounds.
Camel Audio first shut its doors on January 8, 2015, removing all access to its software from its website. At the time, the company did not divulge why it had suddenly ceased selling its content, but Camel Audio fans speculated about a potential takeover.
We would like to thank you for the support we’ve received over the years in our efforts to create instruments and effects plug-ins and sound libraries. Camel Audio’s plug-ins, Alchemy Mobile IAPs and sound libraries are no longer available for purchase.
We will continue to provide downloads of your previous purchases and email support until July 7, 2015. We recommend you download all of your purchases and back them up so that you can continue to use them (Instructions: How to Download and Backup Your Products).
It is not known what Apple plans to do with Camel Audio, but it’s possible the company’s technology could be incorporated into a future version of Logic Pro X, Apple’s software designed for professional musicians.
(Thanks, Sepp!)
Chromebook Pixel 2 said to be coming “soon”
![Samsung Chromebook [1] - aa](https://i0.wp.com/cdn03.androidauthority.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/IMG_1981.jpg?resize=640%2C426)
Back in February of 2013 Google took the wraps off the Chromebook Pixel, a high-end Chromebook that was more of a proof of concept than something truly aimed at everyday consumers. While most Chromebooks were (and still are) budget-friendly products meant to act as a portal to the web for everyday users, the Pixel was jam-packed full of advanced features, a touchscreen and bore a much more premium design.
Are you among those that had Pixel envy? Hoping to see the series catapult its way into 2015? You may just get your chance! It is worth noting that rumors of a Chromebook Pixel 2 have been whispered for a while now, but now we have at least a semi-official confirmation that it really is happening. Google’s Renee Nieme let the cat of the bag early this week at an event in San Diego. Here is the gist of what she said, as reported originally by OMG Chrome:
We do have a new Pixel coming out and it will be coming out soon. We will be selling it but I just have to set your expectations: this is a development platform. This is really a proof of concept. We don’t make very many of these — we really don’t.
So what can we expect from the Pixel 2? Honestly we know very little at this point, other than it is coming “soon”. That said, we wouldn’t be surprised if the device continues pushing the boundaries of what we expect from a Chrome OS device, while also coming in at pricing that is way beyond a typical Chromebook. For those that need a reminder, the original was a whopping $1,300.
While the Pixel is obviously aimed at developers and hardcore Google enthusiasts, I’d personally rather see a device that meets the current budget-friendly Chromebooks and the original Pixel somewhere in the middle, say a $500 to $650 laptop with high-end specs that is better than your average Chromebook, but doesn’t completely break the bank. How about you? Let us know what you think in the comments.
Google confirms a Chromebook Pixel refresh is coming soon
According to a YouTube video that Google posted, then subsequently pulled earlier today, the company is pretty close to releasing a follow-up to the Chromebook Pixel, a high-end Chromebook the company released all the way back in 2013 for a hefty (at least by Chromebook standards) $1300.
HTC teaser points to more powerful BoomSound speakers on the One M9
HTC’s latest teaser for the upcoming One M9 suggests that we may see a more powerful BoomSound stereo speaker configuration on the device. The Taiwanese manufacturer teased a video on Twitter with the tagline “Get your hands on bigger boom”, followed by a reveal date of March 1, which is when the One M9 is set to officially debut.
AIVAnet 