Technology: Syria crisis: Western military options

Technology: Syria crisis: Western military options: Syria crisis: Western military options All the signals from Washington and London suggest that military action against Syria is now ...

Syria crisis: Western military options

All the signals from Washington and London suggest that military action against Syria is now a strong possibility. Contingency plans are being drawn up, potential target lists are being reviewed and various military assets are being moved into position.

The US Navy is re-positioning several vessels, including four cruise missile-carrying destroyers in the eastern Mediterranean and probably a missile-firing submarine.

A British Trafalgar class submarine is also a potential launch platform.

If more firepower is needed, two US aircraft carriers could launch air strikes, and land bases in Turkey and Cyprus might also be used. French air power could also play a part.

But what kind of military action is being proposed ? What risks are involved ? What is the rationale behind such action? And, perhaps most importantly, how might Western military action contribute to a resolution of the Syrian crisis, if at all?

Forces which could be used against Syria:

• Four US destroyers - USS Gravely, USS Ramage, USS Barry and USS Mahan - are in the eastern Mediterranean, equipped with cruise missiles
• Cruise missiles could also be launched from submarines, including a British Trafalgar class boat. HMS Tireless was reportedly sighted in Gibraltar at the weekend
• Airbases at Incirlik and Izmir in Turkey, and in Jordan, could be used to carry out strikes
• Two aircraft carriers - USS Nimitz and USS Harry S Truman are in the wider region
• The Royal Navy's response force task group- which includes helicopter carrier HMS Illustrious and frigates HMS Montrose and HMS Westminster - is in the region on a previously-scheduled deployment
• RAF Akrotiri airbase in Cyprus could also be used
• French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle is currently in Toulon in the western Mediterranean
• French Raffale and Mirage aircraft can also operate from Al-Dhahra airbase in the UAE.
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Mobile phone drivers 'not linked' to accident figures

Researchers have found no link between the number of US drivers making phone calls while on the road and the number of accidents recorded.

A team at Carnegie Mellon University and the London School of Economics analysed more than eight million incidents of car crashes and all fatalities on roads in eight US states.

They examined data before and after 9pm local time over a three-year period.

However they say their results do not include texting or internet browsing.

The timeslot was chosen because during the period studied (2002 - 2005) many American mobile phone operators offered free calls after 9pm during the week.

Prof Saurabh Bhargava from Carnegie and Dr Vikram Pathania from the LSE found that while there was an increase in callers using multiple phone masts after 9pm, there was no corresponding increase in the number of road accidents.

Dr Pathania told the BBC they were "very surprised" by the results.

"At first we thought the numbers were wrong. We went back and checked everything - but there was nothing going on at all," he said.

"We just know that we saw a big jump in cellphone use and there was no impact on the crash rate."

How Google Glass brings the ‘Google brain’ to anyone who wear it

How Google Glass brings the ‘Google brain’ to anyone who wear it

Marcio Cyrillo is the marketing director at CI&T.

My father used to say that some ideas are like pizza dough: they need to rest for some time until they grow.

I’d add to that the fact that some ideas need to find an echo somewhere before one can believe in their potential.

Google appears to be following both when it comes to the careful development of Google Glass, a potentially disruptive device with the opportunity for its own apps ecosystem. Even with a slow introduction to the developer community and huge potential to enable a smarter user experience, Google Glass remains at risk of not being adopted by the masses at all.

A colleague responsible for one of our smart computing products and I were watching the first session about Google Glass at Google I/O in San Francisco last May when we were presented a very simple diagram that depicted how Google defines the Google Glass Apps architecture. (This diagram is shown below.)

Since the room was packed with curious developers and members of the press, we were sitting far away from each other, but as soon as we saw the slide and even before the presenter fully explained it, we simultaneously texted each other with a “That’s it!” message.

We had been looking for the simplest architecture for our company’s smart digital marketing solution to serve content and functionality to users in real time, regardless of their device, while still taking their context into consideration.

The solution actually found us right then and there.

The architecture presented by Google for Google Glass is simple yet extremely powerful. It clearly makes Google the mediator of the user experience while the user wears and interacts with Google Glass.

Much has been discussed about this move, comparing it to the restrictive rules set by Apple and its iOS platform, but this is a shortsighted view in my opinion. Google is not exclusively imposing restrictions, but more importantly, it is intending to add a layer of intelligence to the whole process to foster relevance and avoid creepiness.

To protect personal privacy, many bars have already prohibited the use of Google Glass on their premises, and many other venues will likely follow suit. The only way to revert this trend is to make Google Glass highly relevant to real experiences.

Google chose cards as the interface for the apps running on Glass, which not only appears to be the right choice given the limited interface flexibility but also creates the opportunity to reuse them in future devices.

The simplicity and stickiness of cards have been proven by applications like Google Now and Google+, and for the distracted observer it looks like things are tightly connected. They certainly are.

Now let’s think about that innocent green circle with the word “Google” in it. By forcing every service to pass through Google before hitting Google Glass, Google is able to leverage everything it knows about you and your interests on top of a contextual layer (Google Glass is essentially a mobile device that you carry with you and is constantly on) to boost content and functionality relevance.

Google is literally showing its cards in this game by using sophisticated algorithms to correlate all the data it knows about users. In summary, a Google Glass unit comes with a big brain — the same brain that has been powering Google Now and surprising users by anticipating content and functionality that users will probably need in their next steps of their digital daily journeys.

People say smartphones have become our external brains: They have all the information we need when we decide to look for it. But a real external brain would be that one that can help you make decisions by collecting information around you and taking what it knows about you and your behavior. Google Glass and its big Google brain is a better contender to be our external eyes and external brain and the augmenter of our experiences in an intelligent way.

As we know, when things are new or become cool, many people try to join in on the trend. As far as this is concerned, one thing Google has going for it is that it’s cool to be smart. Google Glass is actual proof that glasses make you smarter, in this case with custom apps built to optimize the “always on” experience.

For certain, Google needs to make sure any hint of creepiness is left out of the equation with Glass and people feel comfortable wearing it. Most importantly, people not wearing Glass need to feel comfortable to be around those who do. Having the Google brain in the middle is definitely Google’s best shot.

Apple wins key patent case against rival Samsung in US

Apple wins key patent case against rival Samsung in US

Apple has won a key patent case against rival Samsung at the US International Trade Commission (US ITC).

The US ITC upheld a 2011 decision which found that Samsung had infringed Apple patents in the production of mobile phones, media players and tablets.

The US ITC has ordered that Samsung devices affected by the ruling are banned from the US.

But that ban is on hold while US President Barack Obama reviews the decision.

The President has 60 days to assess the US ITC's findings, although analysts say he is unlikely to overturn the commission's decision.

"We are disappointed that the ITC has issued an exclusion order based on two of Apple's patents," Samsung said in a statement.

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The noose is tightening. Apple step by step actually is gaining leverage against Samsung”

Florian MuellerFoss Patents

"The proper focus for the smartphone industry is not a global war in the courts, but fair competition in the marketplace."

Apple hailed the decision, placing it in the context of the tech giants' global patent battles.

"With today's decision, the ITC has joined courts around the world in Japan, Korea, Germany, Netherlands and California by standing up for innovation and rejecting Samsung's blatant copying of Apple's products," said the company.

Two patents

The ruling applies to two patents.

The first is the so-called "Steve Jobs patent", named after the company's founder, which involves touch-screen technology.

The other patent is related to the audio socket on devices.

"It's another significant victory for Apple," intellectual property analyst Florian Mueller told the BBC, "especially because the famous Steve Jobs patent is a pretty foundational patent."

Four other patent infringements asserted by Apple were turned down by the US ITC.

Ongoing battles

Apple and Samsung have been fighting patent battles for years and across 10 countries.

The fight has escalated after Samsung overtook Apple last year to become the global leader in smartphone sales.

Battles between Apple and Samsung have escalated as Samsung has eaten into Apple's market share

In Washington on Friday, a federal appeals judge heard testimony in a separate patent case between the two companies relating to a decision last year, in which Samsung was found to owe Apple $1bn (£645m) for infringing on patents.

That penalty was later struck to $450m, but Apple appealed against the ruling. A verdict in that case has not yet been issued.

Separately, last weekend President Obama issued the first presidential veto in 26 years relating to a US ITC decision.

That veto overturned a ban on older models of Apple's iPhones and iPads because of its "effect on competitive conditions in the US economy".

Friday's ruling is widely seen as a victory for the company.

"In a way. the noose is tightening. Apple step by step actually is gaining leverage against Samsung," says Mr Mueller.

Smart Phone App Introduces for Bathrooms

Smart Phone App Introduces for Bathrooms

Flexible Wireless Key Board

First domestic surveillance drones approved for commercial use in the US

First domestic surveillance drones approved for commercial use in the US

The US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) hasauthorised the first domestic drones that can be used commercially for aerial surveillance.

Unmanned aerial drones have previously been the

exclusive reserve of the military, particularly the US military. Infamously used used to target militants -- and whoever they happen to be with, civilian or otherwise -- unmanned drones have been highly controversial. Human Rights Watch even launched aCampaign to Ban Killer Robots.

Domestic use among police authorities and the FBI in the US has steadily crept up. In June of this year, the FBI's director Robert Mueller admitted that the FBI uses drones for surveillance during investigations, adding that it was in "nascent stages" and that the use was limited. In the UK, police minister Damian Green has backed the domestic use of drones by the government, saying they should be used " like any other piece of police kit".

However, the use of surveillance drones for commercial purposes has been restricted. The FAA's decision on 26 July changes that in the US and lays the groundwork for the widespread use of surveillance drones this year.

Insitu's Scan Eagle X200 and AeroVironment's Puma drones were granted licenses for commercial operation, with the Scan Eagle expected to be used off the coast of Alaska by an unnamed "major energy company" and the Puma to be used by emergency response crews, also off the coast of Alaska.


In September 2012, President Obama signed a billforcing the FAA to speed up the introduction of aerial drones into domestic commercial life. Uses could include anything from crop dusting to traffic monitoring to relaying telecommunication signals.

Hands on with Motorola's new Moto X

Motorola is bringing its  Droids to all the networks that aren't Verizon, but the company is concealing them in a different package. The new Moto X is almost functionally identical to the Droids that were announced recently, down to Motorola's  new X8 "mobile system," camera app tweaks, and contextual awareness.

But the Moto X not only works on more carriers, it comes in a much more appealing body. In fact, Motorola's focus is almost entirely on the package. The company seems to think it has the  internals and functionality down pat enough that it can apply minimal alterations to Android and focus on the appearance. While we can't quite agree with that premise, the Moto X does look and feel pretty good.

The look of the phone from all sides is asymmetric from top to bottom. The curvature of the back puts the bulk of the weight and volume of the phone toward the top. But the asymmetry can only be seen, not felt. The phone feels completely balanced and very nice to hold. I found that the tip of my index finger tended to rest right on the indentation of the Motorola logo while holding the device.

The front cover of the phone is a glossy white or black plastic, while the back is a softer plastic that covers a black or white weave pattern. More colors will be available in certain circumstances.

The micro-USB port is centred on the bottom of the phone, with the volume rocker and sleep button on the right-hand side. Per the design paradigms of the later versions of Android (Android 4.2.2, in this case), there is no home button. But Motorola has worked out a better approach than buttons: a contextual processor that uses sensors to wake the screen when the phone is moved or flipped over.

When the phone wakes up this way, it presents a handful of notifications, the clock, and an unlock slider. You can get in to the phone with no hardware interactions required. Not a game-changer, but a nifty trick.

This feature worked nearly perfectly when I picked the phone up from facing down on a table, but it only triggered sometimes if I picked it up when it was facing up. To benefit from this setting, I'd have to get in the habit of putting the phone face down on different surfaces, which gives me moderate anxiety about the screen touching or being scratched by damaging objects or substances. The bezel is not raised in comparison to the screen, which won't give you a whole lot of protection from putting it down on unsavory surfaces.

The contextual processor also affords the same camera activation gesture as the Droids. A few twists of the wrist will unlock straight to the camera screen, where you tap on the screen to take a photo or hold down for a burst mode.

Because of that processor and the phone's sensors, it's also possible to access Google Now while the phone is asleep. The phrase "OK Google Now" brings it to attention, and then speaking a command will get the phone to execute it without requiring you to touch anything. The phone does customise its responsiveness to your voice, says Motorola, so in theory someone shouldn't be able to cause mayhem by walking into a room full of Moto X phones and saying "OK, Google Now, call John."

Setting up voice activation involved saying "OK Google Now" three times in different cadences. The phone woke consistently, but the commands are as good (read: middling) as they've ever been with Google Now. If it doesn't understand a word, it ignores it and doesn't ask for clarification. This sometimes leads to incomplete commands.

Like the Droids, the Moto X has a Clear Pixel camera that purportedly captures 75 percent more light than an RGB Bayer sensor. Lacking the dimly lit bar and nighttime scenarios that manufacturers are scrambling to account for with this emphasis on low-light, we didn't have ample opportunity to test this.

But in the modestly dim shots we could take, the darker parts still seemed fairly grainy. The Moto X also has an "auto" HDR feature that seems to trigger when the phone figures it's a good idea. Whether this is on, auto, or off can be toggled in settings.

The big selling point of the Moto X over its Droid doppelgangers is supposed to be its customisability. The Moto X will launch concurrently with a site entitled Motomaker, which allows users to customise the front, back, and color accents of their phone. There's no price premium for this process, though it will only be available at launch for AT&T customers. It will also be the only source of a 32GB version of the phone (the stock version is 16GB).

Motorola pitches the Moto X as the "relaunch" of the mobile division under the aegis of Google. But this constitutes the second or third time Motorola has reinvented its mobile approach. This is neither an Android flagship nor Google partner device. The company is taking a different tack than the Verizon-exclusive, pseudo-macho Droids it keeps iterating on. Ultimately, this phone  does lack compelling hardware or software beyond a couple of neat tweaks, so it's hard to say how it will capture the attention of customers.

The Moto X will launch in the US at the end of August or beginning of September depending on the carrier partner (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, and US Cellular will all carry the phone). The suggested price is $199.99 (£132) on a two-year contract or $249.99 (£165) for the 32GB version offered through Motomaker and AT&T.

Obama vetoes ban on Apple products

The Obama administration has used its presidential veto to prevent a ban being imposed on the import and sale of some iPhones and iPads following a court victory for Samsung.

Apple and Samsung have been fighting a protracted battle over patents across the globe. In June the US International Trade Commission found that some older iPhones and iPads infringed a Samsung patent, and banned their import.

However, US trade representative Michael Froman exercised the administration's right to veto that ban, over worries about patent holders gaining "undue leverage" as well as harming consumers and competitive conditions. It's the first time that a president has vetoed an import ban since the Reagan administration in 1987.

Apple had complained that the ban wasn't appropriate because Samsung had made a commitment to license patents associated with "standard essential" technology. Samsung said that it had offered to license the patents, but Apple didn't want to pay for those licences.

Samsung cannot appeal the veto, but it can continue to press further cases against Apple in the courts on other patents. It's a pretty safe bet that it will.

WhatsApp on iPhone now charges small annual subscription fee

WhatsApp on iPhone now charges small annual subscription fee

WhatsApp is now free to download on the iPhone, with the messaging app moving to the same annual subscription model that its Android app currently uses. Until now, iPhone users have had to pay a one-off fee of 69p when first downloading the app, but now will pay a fee of $0.99 (65p) every year.

WhatsApp eschews ads in favour of charging for use, and this change has been planned for some time. The change will only affect new users and not those who have already downloaded the app.

The app is over-the-top (OTT) messaging service that uses the phone's data or Wi-Fi connection to send and receive data. Earlier this year, WhatsApp CEO Jan Koum claimed the the app had a bigger user base than Twitter, and on 13 June the service handled a record 27 billion messages in a 24-hour period.

Even though unlimited text messaging is now an almost universally standard feature of UK phone contracts, the popularity of comparatively cheap OTT messaging apps continues to grow. Pay as you go customers often still have to pay over the odds for texts, and even contract customers incur extra charges when texting from abroad. The ability to send messages from anywhere in the world using Wi-Fi and send picture messages for free give the apps the edge over the traditional text.

Many phones now come with free messaging apps built in -- the two most famous examples being iMessage (for iOS and OS X devices) and BBM (currently only available on BlackBerry devices, though iOS and Android apps are coming soon). The downside of these native apps is that the person you're messaging will usually need to be using the same brand of phone as you, which is why cross-platform apps like WhatsApp and Viber are now dominating the market.