Comcast switches on the first public gigabit cable modem

Comcast’s gigabit internet access doesn’t officially go live until sometime in 2016, but that isn’t stopping the company from flicking the switch a little early. The cable giant recently activated what it says is the first public-facing DOCSIS 3.1 cable modem in the world — a fortunate customer in Philadelphia now has the kinds of speeds that previously required at least a partial fiber optic link. There are additional tests running in parts of Atlanta, northern California and Pennsylvania, too.

The trial run will seem old hat if you’re using an existing gigabit internet service like Google Fiber or AT&T’s GigaPower. To some extent, Comcast is playing catch up in hopes of preventing its rivals from getting too strong a foothold on the market. Even so, the upgrade is a big deal. However much you might prefer one of the alternatives, DOCSIS 3.1 (whether from Comcast or another cable provider) is more likely to be widely available — cable companies don’t have to overhaul their networks to enable the faster speeds. Ultimately, this deployment is the first step in bringing gigabit-class internet access to the mainstream.

[Image credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images]

Via: ZDNet, The Verge

Source: Comcast

UK claims its spying bill will protect you from cyberbullies

When politicians want approval for controversial security measures, they sometimes like to lean on insecurities about your kids’ safety — the “won’t somebody think of the children?” trope is so common that it became a joke in The Simpsons. And the British government isn’t above using that tactic to get its draft Investigatory Powers Bill past critics, apparently. Home Secretary Theresa May tells a member of Parliament that the far-reaching surveillance legislation would help tackle the “pernicious” problems of cyberbullying and trolling. She claims that the bill would make it easier for police to pinpoint both the harassers and their victims, making it harder to threaten someone anonymously. See? Your young ones will be safer!

As you might have guessed, that defense doesn’t hold up that well under scrutiny. How would extensive web logs help fight harassment when it’s already easy to document most incidents? Is law enforcement really going to take advantage of potential encryption backdoors to hack into a bully’s phone? While the bill might go some way toward catching online meanies in the act, it still boils down to giving up privacy in the name of a little extra security.

[Image credit: AP Photo/Matt Dunham]

Via: Daily Mail, The Verge

Source: The Times (subscription required)

Anonymous takes credit for cyberattacks crippling Turkey

Apparently, the hacktivists from Anonymous aren’t just targeting ISIS directly — they’re causing chaos for indirectly responsible countries, too. The collective is taking credit for an escalating series of cyberattacks that have disrupted banks, internet backbones and government websites in Turkey. The campaign is meant to punish Turkey for allegedly turning a blind eye to activities that fund ISIS’ extremism, such as oil smuggling. According to Radware, the attacks have been so fierce that they took down access to 400,000 sites and left Turkey blocking traffic in an attempt to keep sites online.

Whether or not Anonymous is primarily responsible isn’t certain. While a site address administrator says that the attacks stem from “organized sources” outside of Turkey, there is the concern that this may be Russian retaliation for Turkey shooting down one of its warplanes. As it stands, the government refuses to point fingers and says only that it has things under control. It may be a long while until there’s a break in the digital assault, let alone a clear idea of who’s to blame.

[Image credit: AP Photo/Hussein Malla]

Via: Reuters, The Hill

Source: Radware

Pluto gets rainbow-hued in NASA’s latest images

Pluto may have been imaged six ways from Sunday, but it’s clear that the New Horizons probe still has a few surprises up its sleeve. NASA has posted both a photo and a video showing how the spacecraft can produce vibrant colors from the seemingly drab-looking dwarf planet. The key is New Horizons’ infrared spectrometer. Its linearly-varying filter produces a stained glass window effect as it looks for reflected chemicals, like in the clip you see below — the dark bands come when Pluto’s methane ice absorbs those materials. And when researchers plug the results into visible color channels, the result is the almost festive mix of red and green (with hints of blue) that you see above.

These images aren’t just meant as art, of course. Infrared scans were crucial to confirming the presence of water ice on Pluto, and further research using this data should help understand how both Pluto and its main moon Charon have evolved over time. You may well have to rethink your perception of the Solar System thanks to these pretty pictures.

Source: NASA (1), (2)

Columbia House hopes you’ll come back for vinyl records

To put it mildly, Columbia House has seen better days. The mail-order service went bankrupt this summer, and it’s hard to see the allure of regularly buying movie discs when downloads and streaming are within easy reach. The company thinks it has an answer, however: it’s restarting the Columbia House Record Club with a focus on vinyl records. It’s betting that the resurgence of the old format and the popularity of subscription services (think Birchbox or Lootcrate) will draw in a younger audience. Columbia hasn’t nailed down the launch details yet, but it’d return to the outlet’s roots with membership and steep discounts.

Whether or not it succeeds is another matter. Although vinyl sales are soaring, they still make up just 7 percent of the music market. Moreover, Columbia House isn’t exactly a household name for younger generations. If you grew up with iTunes, Spotify and YouTube, why would you yearn for a mail service that even your parents don’t use? Still, you have to give credit to the firm for seeking out a niche where physical copies are still in vogue — it beats trying to pretend that online media doesn’t exist.

[Image credit: Tom Simpson, Flickr]

Via: Wall Street Journal

Source: Columbia House Record Club

Translogic 191: Best of 2015

It’s been another stellar year for Translogic. We explored the futuristic world of electric and autonomous cars, as well as drones, robots and hoverboards.It’s been another stellar year for Translogic. We drove the updated Tesla Model S, raced against an autonomous Audi, and explored the futuristic world of drones, robots and hoverboards. We even encountered a few zombies.

The future is now, and we’ll be back next year to continue bringing you the latest and greatest in transportation technology.

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