systems

Most city-dwellers have had at least one scare while crossing the street or riding a bicycle through traffic. But General Motors now believes it can prevent pedestrian and cyclist injuries and fatalities with a new smartphone application. According ... to GM and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2010 more than 4,000 pedestrians and more than 600 cyclists lost their lives after being struck by a moving vehicle. Clearly, something needs to be done to prevent such tragedies from occurring. (Source: csmonitor.com ) WiFi Tech: Vehicles, Smartphones Interact GM has been working for ... (view more)

Several major websites were briefly knocked offline this past weekend by a quirk in the calendar: a 'leap second' -- the rare additional tick added worldwide to clocks that fixes a natural flaw in our time-keeping systems. The 'leap second' is used ... around the world on computerized time systems because a year on our clocks is slightly shorter than the actual the time it takes the Earth to go once around the sun. Nowadays, we take most of our time signals from an atomic clock, which measures the vibrations of atoms in a metal called cesium so accurately that a one second error is nearly as ... (view more)

A new Microsoft want ad indicates that the Redmond, Washington-based software giant is planning to bring Windows 8 and Kinect hands-free technology to the automotive market. In a recent job notice placed on Microsoft's web site, the company notes ... that "for the next generation of the Connected Car Platform, we plan to leverage the full power of the Microsoft ecosystem including Kinect, Windows 8, Windows Phone, Windows Live, Bing, Azure, and Tellme." (Source: cnet.com ) Systems Keep Drivers in Touch Behind the Wheel According to the job listing, Microsoft hopes to bring many of the features ... (view more)

Cyber-crooks have reportedly used fake Microsoft credentials to spread the new Flame malware. In response, Microsoft has issued an 'emergency security advisory', along with a guide telling people how to protect their computer systems and networks. ... The Flame virus is a bit unusual, in that it is designed to steal data rather than corrupt or take down computer systems. Described by researchers at Kaspersky Lab as a "complete attack toolkit," the Flame virus is considered by many to be an even bigger security threat than the massive Stuxnet worm, which it closely resembles. Flame Masquerades as ... (view more)

Recently media reports have focused on the dangers posed by complex and high-tech in-car communications and media systems that seek to entertain but ultimately distract drivers. However, a new report suggests that different types of in-car ... communications systems -- those that allow drivers of different vehicles to communicate with one another -- could save millions of lives. In a recent presentation before the Society of Automotive Engineers World Congress at the Cobo Center in Detroit, Michigan, National Highway Traffic Safety Administrator David Strickland proclaimed that vehicle-to-vehicle ... (view more)

A new report suggests that in-car tech systems intended to simplify the navigation of media and communications platforms may create more problems than they solve. According to the report, which originated in the United Kingdom, more than seven in ... ten people find the systems distract them from driving. The publisher of the report, the UK-based publication 'Which?,' says it asked 1,000 of its members to report on their in-car technology. About one in four said they owned cars with advanced systems such as satellite navigation, touchscreen displays, and steering wheel-based control buttons. ... (view more)

A major microprocessor company has designed a new chip that requires far less energy to work than more conventional chip designs. The breakthrough could allow millions of non-computing devices to benefit from an Internet connection. The new design ... comes from British-based firm ARM Holdings, which builds the processors used in most smartphones. While PC chips generally require so much power from batteries that they are limited to only a few hours of portable operation, the new ARMchip allows smartphones to run for several days without recharging. Cheap and Tiny 'Flycatcher' Chip Uses One-Third ... (view more)

According to NASA (the National Aeronautics and Space Administration), in recent years, it has become an increasingly popular target for high-tech hackers. In 2007 and 2008, China was suspected to have hacked into NASA satellites , though no formal ... evidence linking China to the attacks has been brought forward. The agency says its systems were hacked approximately thirteen times in 2011 alone. "The threat to NASA's information security is persistent and ever-changing," noted Congressman Paul Braun at a recent meeting of the House Science, Space and Technology subcommittee. "Unless NASA is ... (view more)

A group of cyber-security experts told US lawmakers Wednesday that American facilities could be the next target of the Stuxnet virus . The Stuxnet virus made headlines this past summer when it infected USB memory sticks and attacked Siemens ... industrial automation systems. Security experts believe that the virus went beyond the work of an individual prankster and was instead a sinister "game changer". That's because unlike most viruses, which aim either to merely cause disruption or to make money through stealing data or by redirecting web browsers to pay-per-click ads, Stuxnet is ... (view more)

The United States government is said to be considering plans that would force all communications firms to make their systems available for "wiretapping" in the event of a court order. A Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) lawyer says the idea ... would not mean expanding the ability of law enforcement and security officials to demand access to data through the court system. Instead, the changes would deal with cases where court orders are effectively meaningless because the communications firms concerned are unable to hand over the relevant data, either because it can't be intercepted ... (view more)