A cyberspy group using tools similar to those of U.S. intelligence agencies has embedded spy and sabotage firmware in systems and networks in countries including Iran, Russia, Pakistan and China, a report by security vendor Kaspersky Lab claims. Kaspersky said that the tools can't be combated by antivirus products and are also able to stealthily obtain a computer's encryption keys in order to read otherwise protected data.
Sony forges ahead with its SmartEyeglass
Google may have backed off from Glass, but Sony is moving ahead with plans to get its own specs into the hands of developers. It said Tuesday that it will release its Android-compatible smart glasses for US$840 in early March, targeting developers and industrial applications ahead of a commercial release in 2016.
Infosys buy will let it automate some jobs
Tech workers' worries about jobs being outsourced seem almost quaint now that AI developments are leading to more jobs being taken over by machines. The latest indicator of the trend: To help boost its bottom line without adding headcount, Indian outsourcer Infosys will acquire U.S.-based Panaya, which sells technology for automated testing of enterprise software deployments.
Samsung is ready to push its chip manufacturing to the next level
Samsung Electronics is set to begin manufacturing chips with 14-nanometer process technology, and will likely use those processors in its next flagship phone, the Galaxy S due to debut at Mobile World Congress next month, re/code reports. The chips should be faster and more power-efficient in mobile devices than those such as Qualcomm's, which are manufactured at 20-nm.
Microsoft aims to prove its cloud is really private
In a move that is meant to assuage international customers' ongoing sensitivities over storing their data with American cloud providers, Microsoft said Monday that it has adopted a relatively new standard for cloud privacy. The British Standards Institute has verified that Office 365 and Dynamics CRM Online, as well as Azure, are in line with the ISO/IEC 27018 code for protecting personal data in the public cloud. In practical terms, that also means the company is committed to notifying customers if a government requests their data.
Toshiba offers a peek at swappable camera component for Project Ara phones
Toshiba is showing off some prototype camera modules for forthcoming Project Ara smartphones, PetaPixel reports. The idea behind Project Ara is to create an ecosystem of smartphone components out of which consumers can assemble a handset that meets their personal specifications.
Apple Watch won't be the device originally imagined
When Apple's much talked about Watch goes on sale in April, it won't have all the functionality that its developers once dreamed of, the Wall Street Journal says. Ambitious plans for a more highly functional health monitoring tool ran up against technical limitations and regulatory concerns. The paper also said that Apple is asking suppliers to make between five and six million of the devices in the first quarter.
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One last thing
What's going on inside Google's Project X The New York Times says that investors are asking that question with a tinge of impatience, after the labs' Google Glass failed to become a breakthrough success.