Robber arrested after Facebook suggests the victim adds him
People know people. It’s how Facebook works. Now it’s a random force for good, helping to track and convict a thief in Birmingham in the UK. Omar Famuyide was spotted on the social network’s “people you may know” feature by one of his victims, after which UK police connected him to multiple robberies and firearms offenses. The BBC reports that he was jailed for 17 years for robbery, attempted robbery, possession of a firearm and possession of a knife.
Facebook’s “people you know” feature not only digs into your friends and their connections, but also lighter connections in the network. It’ll also use your work or education information, as well as location and your Instagram account, to sniff out possible new BFFs… or people who have wronged you. Detective constable Rhiannon Daff said the Facebook tip was “a crucial part of the investigation” and “the final piece of the jigsaw” — not quite as easy a case as the Lucozade Bandit.
Via: Gizmodo UK
Source: BBC
Brain glucose levels can predict someone waking from a coma
Watching a loved one exist in a vegetative state can be absolutely heartbreaking, but there isn’t a lot that can be done aside from waiting to see if they’ll come out of it. A big problem is that doctors have a hard time discerning between patients in an unresponsive wakeful state (eyes open but their bodies physically unresponsive) and those who are in a minimally conscious state and sometimes respond to stimulus, as Stat writes. People suffering from the latter are more likely to regain consciousness. However, new research from Cornell University hopes to identify which patients might exit their unresponsive state and wake up.
The Cornell team used position emission tomography to measure brain metabolism in these patients because, unlike behavioral measurement, it isn’t really affected by an interpretational bias. The PET scans offer objective evidence of what’s going on in a patient’s brain, and the equipment is commonly found in most hospitals. Studying the glucose metabolism in the least-injured cortical hemisphere, according to the researchers, is a better indicator of consciousness than whole-brain activity would be. The method proved accurate a vast majority of the time, correctly predicting eight out of ten recoveries in patients with unresponsive wakefulness syndrome.
Previously, expert physicians only had a 60 percent success rate determining who would and wouldn’t recover from such symptoms. The scientists say that their findings give simple and objective markers of consciousness — clear, precise indicators — and that the testing means can be readily implemented in the field.
Source: Stat News
The best smartphones on the UK High Street
Picking the right smartphone can be tough. With Apple, Samsung, LG, HTC and plenty of other manufacturers releasing handsets at a steady clip, it can be difficult to keep up with each and every launch. We use our smartphones for work, play and everything in between, so it’s important to settle on the right blend of hardware, operating system and price tag that makes sense for you.
After all, you’re likely going to be spending anywhere from 18 months to two years of your life with your new handset, unless your budget allows you to upgrade on whim. Deciding between so many candidates can be a bit of a struggle, but we’re here to help with our guide to the best smartphones around.
Article prices are based on the RRP, but more up-to-date listings can be found in the buyers guide widget below.
Apple iPhone 6s
Score: 91/100
Apple’s follow-up to the iPhone 6 isn’t as much of an incremental update as some were expecting. The 6s is more powerful and carries a pressure-sensitive display, not to mention significant improvements in the camera department. As well as simply being another easy-to-use iOS device, new features include the “3D Touch” panel, which lets you “peek” inside apps, surfacing information and actions without opening the app fully. The upgraded 12-megapixel camera has a few tricks of its own, too, like the new 4K video mode and animated “Live Photos.” New Rose Gold option aside, though, the iPhone 6s is practically identical in looks to its predecessor. It’s not cheap either, so iPhone 6 owners might find it hard to justify an upgrade.
In a sentence: Apple’s iPhone 6s is a great phone and safe bet, especially for anyone moving from an older 5 or 5s.
Price: £539 and up
Samsung Galaxy S7
Score: 90/100
Samsung’s Galaxy S7 takes everything that made the S6 great and improves upon it. The outcome is a flagship with a gorgeous Quad HD display, outstanding performance and subtle design tweaks that make the marriage of metal and glass that bit more appealing. Those already leaning in Samsung’s direction will be thankful for the return of expandable storage, with cards of up to 200GB capacity finding a microSD slot to call home. An IP68 water- and dust-resistant rating only sweetens the proposition. Only minor progress has been made in the imaging department, but the S7 has a capable and versatile camera nonetheless. A steep price is one of the only downsides of the device, but you’re paying for premium.
In a sentence: Easily one of the best Android smartphones available.
Price: £569
Moto X Style
Score: 90/100
Motorola’s made a name for itself putting out great devices at reasonable prices, and the Moto X Style is a perfect example of that philosophy. A fondness for larger displays is a must. If that’s the case you’ll get a pleasing 5.7-inch Quad HD display to poke at, and Moto Maker means you can customise an already expedient design with whatever colour and texture combination you see fit. Purists in particular will enjoy the vanilla Android build with a light drizzle of Motorola chocolate sauce on top. The Moto X Style has a great camera, too, even if it isn’t quite as good as those on some rival devices. Similarly, the handset offers flagship performance, but it’s not the most powerful device around. There are compromises, but none that should tempt you to overlook the Moto X Style considering its relatively low price.
In a sentence: An expert lesson in striking the balance between user experience and price.
Price: £369 and up
Apple iPhone SE
Score: 89/100
Many people felt left behind by Apple’s turn to bigger-screened iPhones, and the SE is an attempt to regain their favour. The 4-inch form factor feels both familiar and fresh in its design — like an iPhone 5s with softer curves — and the SE benefits from the inclusion of the same internals found in the iPhone 6s, meaning it’s lightning fast. The two also share the same, excellent camera, though the iPhone SE lacks “3D Touch” functionality and possesses an older, slower Touch ID fingerprint sensor. Still, it offers fantastic battery life and happens to be the cheapest iPhone Apple’s ever sold. Oh, and lest we forget: Rose Gold.
In a sentence: A no-brainer for champions of the 4-inch form factor wanting to upgrade from an older iPhone.
Price: £359 and up
HTC 10
Score: 88/100
The HTC 10 marks the end of a few uneventful years at the company, defined by a series of unremarkable flagships. But what a return to form. The HTC 10’s sleek, all-metal design packages a 5.2-inch Quad HD display and internals that are almost unmatched in their performance. While its competent 12-UltraPixel camera isn’t the best on the market and battery life is distinctly average, HTC has cleaned up its Android skin and included a few attractive extras like hi-res audio support and AirPlay compatibility. HTC has again created a flagship handset that can hang with the best of ’em, but that means you’re looking at premium pricing to match.
In a sentence: On the podium as one of the top Android smartphones on the market.
Price: £570
Google Nexus 6P
Score: 87/100
The Nexus 6P is another device for those who prefer a larger-than-average screen. The 5.7-inch, Wide Quad HD display isn’t all the handset has to offer, though, with an abundance of processing power and impressive battery life. Being a Google device, the Nexus 6P also receives Android updates as soon as they become available, so you’ll always be on the latest version. Combine all these features with a solid camera, and you get a large-screen smartphone at a pretty competitive price. However, it’s worth bearing in mind the Nexus 6P lacks a microSD slot to expand storage, and its all-metal design is like the smartphone equivalent of Marmite.
In a sentence: A great option for people who like a larger screen that also benefits from the most up-to-date Android software.
Price: £449 and up.
Moto G
Score: 87/100
When Motorola launched the first Moto G a few years ago, it immediately stood out as offering unparalleled value for money. Now in its third generation, the Moto G is still one of the best all-round smartphones for anyone on a budget, or those that would rather not pay for bells and whistles they’ll get little use out of. While it doesn’t excel in any one area and ignores flagship-grade components to keep costs down, there are no particularly uninviting compromises either. The Moto G’s outward appearance can also be heavily personalised using Moto Maker, at which point avid mobile gamers and users of more demanding apps might want to pay a little extra for more RAM and internal storage.
In a sentence: A decent, affordable Android smartphone that makes minimal sacrifices to hit its low price point.
Price: £149 and up.
OnePlus 2
Score: 86/100
OnePlus is in the business of making serious smartphones and selling them for a fraction of the price of competitors. Case in point: the OnePlus 2. It has all the guts and performance of a market-leading flagship, with style and build quality being far from an afterthought. Those features alone make the price tag easy to justify, and that’s without mentioning the versatile 13-megapixel camera. OnePlus has held back in a couple of areas, understandably, such as opting for a 5.5-inch 1080p display instead of a Quad HD panel. Other compromises include a lack of expandable storage and NFC, which are likely to be either deal-breakers or features you can easily live without.
In a sentence: A inexpensive, near-flagship device that prioritises performance and price.
Price: £249
LG G5
Score: 81/100
LG has released some excellent flagship smartphones in the past, but this year the company has skipped an incremental upgrade in favour of something much more adventurous. Top-tier performance and fun, flexible dual-camera array aside, the bottom bezel of the device is completely removable, making space for a couple of modular accessories LG calls “Friends.” These include a hi-res audio attachment and a camera grip that also extends battery life, which is pretty average otherwise. At this point, however, you have look beyond the few accessories currently available and hope others will explore the potential of the modular design even further.
In a sentence: A powerful Android smartphone that dares to be different
Price: £449
Sony Xperia Z5
Score: 80/100
The Xperia Z5 is either another of Sony’s beautiful, polished products, or a slightly lazy attempt to tweak its tired “Omnibalance” design. Regardless of which side of the fence you find yourself on, you can’t dispute the build quality and high waterproof rating. The Xperia Z5 offers the kind of performance you’d expect from a genuine flagship, but pairs that with a 5.2-inch 1080p display. Gorgeous it might be, but it does fall short of competitors’ higher-resolution screens. What your money is primarily going towards is the 23-megapixel rear camera, which happens to be one of the best on the market. The Xperia Z5 isn’t cheap, but it won’t disappoint serious smartphone photographers.
In a sentence: Another lovingly built Sony smartphone with one of the best cameras around.
Price: £469
Wileyfox Swift
Score: 79/100
Fledgling British brand Wileyfox has made an extremely good first impression with the Swift. Like the Moto G, the Swift is all about crafting a low-cost smartphone that still provides an excellent user experience. With a relatively charming, all-plastic design, a bright 5-inch, 720p display and easily customisable Cyanogen software, there’s plenty to like. You also get a decent amount of processing power for an affordable device, though the 13-megapixel camera leaves quite a lot to be desired. However, aside from its underwhelming camera, the Swift deserves serious consideration if you’re after a good smartphone that doesn’t weigh heavily on your wallet.
In a sentence: An affordable Android smartphone that represents excellent value for money.
Price: £129
Your phone probably won’t be Daydream VR-certified
If you can’t wait to get your hands on Daydream, Google’s new mobile VR platform, then there’s some bad news coming. The company’s Clay Bavor has conceded to RoadToVR that you’ll probably have to buy a new handset for it to work. He says that existing handsets, even high-spec flagships, won’t be marked as compatible with the new standard. While the firm has told developers to use the Nexus 6P as the platform to work for, it seems clear that not even the handset that’s used to build Daydream apps will be certified. Then again, we give it a week before someone finds that it’ll work on current devices anyway.
Google’s requirements for the new VR standard don’t seem to be particularly onerous, but we have a theory as to why existing handsets won’t qualify. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 820 will be arriving shortly with a huge emphasis on improving the mobile VR experience. In addition, the system will boast faster cellular and WiFi networking, as well as better augmented reality. That dovetails nicely, too, with the rumor about the Nexus 6P getting a refresh for 2016 with 4GB RAM and, uh… a Snapdragon 820. But it looks as if, even if your phone contract is up for renewal between now and the end of the year, you might wanna hold off buying anything new.
Source: RoadtoVR
Massachusetts, desert, pneumonia, diarrhea, gray, vacuum
To celebrate the culmination of Scripps’ National Spelling Bee, Google decided to find out what words most Americans struggle with. The search engine aggregated every query that began with “how to spell” and then identified which one was the most popular in each state. Surprisingly, diarrhea isn’t the word most people struggle with, which is Desert and / or Cancelled, depending on where you live. Other terms that have users stumped include Neighbor, Vacuum, Gray and Pneumonia — the latter of which is a preoccupation for the folks in Washington State, Missouri and North Carolina. We’re not sure that the results say anything meaningful except to make us wonder why Nevada and Arkansas are so preoccupied with Leprechauns. Oh, and people who live in Massachusetts don’t know how to spell Massachusetts — so here’s a tip, it’s spelled Massachusetts.
It’s the #spellingbee finals! These are the top “how to spell” searches for words by state, mapped #dataviz pic.twitter.com/rjXllJfOoE
— GoogleTrends (@GoogleTrends) May 26, 2016
Via: Washington Post
Source: Google Trends (Twitter)
Stringray phone tracker use in the UK admitted for the first time
Stingray devices that can intercept mobile calls, track users and block signals are definitely being used in the UK, it’s come to light. The first official confirmation that these “IMSI catchers” are out in the wild comes from the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), by way of a freedom of information request from The Ferret. Stringrays have been installed in two Scottish prisons (only one is still active, apparently) to jam the outgoing calls of inmates — mobile phones being contraband behind bars and all.
The Stingrays, which mimic cell towers to intercept mobile traffic, haven’t proven all that useful to the SPS though. As mobiles have grown more sophisticated, and network technology has quickly moved from 2G through 3G to 4G, the IMSI catchers have become less effective. More interesting than the “innovative countermeasures” prisoners have also reportedly come up with to dodge the devices, though, is the admission that Stringrays are being used in the first place.
While the use of Stringrays by authorities in the US is common knowledge, never before has their deployment in the UK been officially confirmed. It has long been suspected, of course, with plenty of believable if not conclusive evidence they’ve been used in surveillance for many years. Now we know for sure the SPS has them to hand, you can bet that law enforcement and intelligence agencies are well-acquainted with Stringray technology.
Via: Ars Technica
Source: The Ferret
‘Dragon Quest Builders’ comes to the West this October
It’s hard to talk about Dragon Quest Builders without mentioning Minecraft. Clearly, Square Enix has taken inspiration from the block-building phenomenon developed by Mojang. But the two play quite differently — Builders is a more structured adventure with clear objectives and villagers to help. The game launched on PS4, PS3 and PS Vita back in January, but that was only for Japan. Today, Square Enix has confirmed it’ll be coming to the West too, arriving on PS4 and PS Vita (digital-only) this October.
I played the new, localized version for roughly 30 minutes and came away pleasantly surprised. It’s set after the original Dragon Quest and explores what might have happened after the so-called “bad” ending, where you choose not to fight the Dragonlord. The world of Alefgard is ruined and you wake up with no memories (surprise, surprise) and the power to build. Your task is to venture out into the world and teach the art of creative construction to everyone you meet, healing the land along the way.
The characters, items and monsters are all Dragon Quest-themed, offsetting the blocky visuals taken from Minecraft. I enjoyed the simple quests, which served to explain the crafting system and blueprints — unlockable patterns which you set on the ground and build on top of. Once you’ve laid down the necessary number of blocks, and thrown a pre-determined list of items inside, the game recognises that you’ve built a certain structure. Villagers can then use and inhabit them, building out your tiny empire.
It won’t be for everyone, but if you fall into one of two camps — a diehard Dragon Quest fan, or someone that’s been looking for a more guided and focused Minecraft experience — this could be up your alley.
ICYMI: ISS inflation failures, remote controlled muscles and more
Today on In Case You Missed It: That newly installed inflatable habitat aboard the International Space Station has refused to fully inflate and nobody’s sure why just yet. A Japanese inventor has devised a system that enables users to hijack another person’s limbs simply by moving their own. And Disney released a special edition LP set for Star Wars: The Force Awakens soundtrack that features hidden, laser-engraved images of the Millennium Falcon and TIE Fighters.
As always, please share any great tech or science videos you find by using the #ICYMI hashtag on Twitter for @mskerryd.
Apple Shares Soar 9% on News of Warren Buffett Stake in Company
Apple shares have soared 9 percent since American business magnate Warren Buffett revealed his company’s $1.2 billion stake in the company on May 16 (via Fortune).
Apple stock looked to be on the wane following Apple’s earnings call at the end of April, when the company announced its first ever drop in iPhone sales and its first year-over-year revenue drop in 13 years.
Shares of Apple subsequently fell below $90 for the first time in nearly two years amid investors’ concerns over the slump. Later it was revealed that Apple investor Carl Icahn had earlier decided to sell his stake in the company due to concern over China’s attitude towards Apple, while a second Apple investor, David Tepper, had also dumped shares as its value continued to lessen.
However, just over two weeks ago, a regulatory filing by multinational conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway – which is run by Warren Buffett – revealed that as of March 31, the company owned 9,811,747 shares in Apple stock. Since then, shares of Apple have risen by 9 percent and breached the $100 mark, its highest point in a month.
Buffett has something of a reputation for being able to effect stocks, according to Fortune, which points to a dramatic 11 percent upturn of Kinder Morgan shares in February, shortly after Berkshire Hathaway disclosed its stake in the company.
However, Apple has also enjoyed a reversal of fortune in recently reported production targets for its next-generation iPhone 7, which is expected to launch this September.
Contradicting previous claims of projected weak demand for the upcoming device, Apple has reportedly asked its Asian suppliers to prepare for the highest iPhone production target in “about two years”.
Apple investors also appeared unperturbed by news this week that the company’s retail expansion in India may fall through, following a ruling from the Indian government that Apple must sell locally sourced goods if it wants to open stores in the country.
Apple remains eager to expand its business in India, where last quarter the company saw its revenue grow 56 percent, surpassing $1 billion. CEO Tim Cook’s recent weeklong visit to the country garnered significant media attention and Apple will have regarded it as a positive step towards its global expansion goals.
Tag: Berkshire Hathaway
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Political Will for Encryption Law Has Weakened Since Apple-FBI Dispute
Support for encryption legislation in the U.S. has flatlined and the push for changes in federal law following the San Bernardino shootings has petered out, according to sources in congressional offices, the administration and the tech sector (via Reuters).
On February 16, a U.S. federal judge ordered Apple to help the FBI to unlock the iPhone owned by Syed Farook, one of the shooters in the December 2015 attacks in San Bernardino that left 14 people dead.
Senate Intelligence Committee leaders Richard Burr and Dianne Feinstein.
The FBI asked Apple to create a version of iOS that would both disable passcode security features and allow passcodes to be entered electronically, allowing it to then brute force the passcode on the device.
Apple announced that it would oppose the order in an open letter penned by Tim Cook, who said the FBI’s request would set a “dangerous precedent” with serious implications for the future of smartphone encryption.
Apple claimed the software the FBI asked for could serve as a “master key” able to be used to get information from any iPhone or iPad – including its most recent devices – while the FBI claimed it only wanted access to a single iPhone.
Apple’s dispute with the FBI ended on March 28, after the government found an alternate way to access the data on the iPhone through the help of “professional hackers” and withdrew the lawsuit as a result.
During the controversy, a Senate Intelligence Committee encryption bill was announced by committee leaders Richard Burr and Dianne Feinstein, which aimed to force companies to provide “technical assistance” to government investigators seeking locked data.
A released draft of the encryption bill in April revealed the scope of the proposed legislation, which was heavily criticized by security experts and the wider technology community, and described variously as “absurd”, “technically inept”, and “dangerous”.
An open letter expressing “deep concerns” about the draft bill was subsequently signed by four coalitions representing Apple, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and other major tech companies. At the same time, the White House chose not to offer public support for the legislation, and the administration remained deeply divided on the issue.
The CIA and NSA were also ambivalent, according to several current and former intelligence officials, because agency officials feared any new law would interfere with their own encryption efforts.
Now, despite Burr repeatedly insisting that legislation is imminent, no timeline exists for the bill, Democrats and Republicans on the Intelligence Committee have apparently backed away from the issue, and the political will to support its advance no longer appears to exist.
Despite the change in the political landscape, however, the FBI remains adamant that litigation over the encryption of mobile devices will continue.
In a briefing with reporters earlier this month, FBI director James Comey called encryption an “essential tradecraft” of terrorist organizations like ISIS, suggesting that the debate over whether the government can compel tech companies to unlock personal devices in the interest of national security is far from over.
Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Tag: Apple-FBI
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