Month: October 2016

Gigabyte is updating its Brix line of mini desktops with new models sporting 7th-gen Intel Core “Kaby Lake” processors.

Brix desktops are similar to Intel’s NUC line of computers, and like Intel’s systems, these little computers tend to use the same Intel U-series processors commonly found in laptops, since the 15 watt dual-core processors are less likely to overheat in a confined space.

The latest Brix models come with a choice of Intel Core i3-7100U, Core i5-7200U, or Core i7-7500U processors.

Continue reading Gigabyte Brix mini-desktops go Kaby Lake at Liliputing.

Immer wieder werden gehackte Steam-Accounts genutzt, um Malware zu verbreiten. In einem aktuellen Fall wird Nutzern per Social Engineering ein falsches Flash-Update untergeschoben, dass dann eine Fernwartungssoftware installiert. (Malware, Virus)

Im Herzen der Niederlande pendeln seit über einem halben Jahr kleine Busse zwischen einer Universität und einer Bahnstation, ganz ohne Fahrer und voll autonom. Golem.de hat im Rahmen der GTC Europe eine Spritztour in einem Wepod-Bus gemacht - eine zukunftsträchtige, aber eher gemächliche Fahrt. Hinweis: Um sich diesen Artikel vorlesen zu lassen, klicken Sie auf den Player im Artikel. (Autonomes Fahren, Internet)

In Japan scheint der Roboter allmählich in den Alltag einzuziehen. Toyota, Hitachi, Sharp und Omron zeigten ihre aktuellen Entwicklungen. Manche sind riesig, andere knuffig klein und zum Mitnehmen. (Roboter, Technologie)

Navigieren, schießen - vor allem aber in Deckung gehen und sich ducken: Das können Monster im ersten Doom nun selbständig mithilfe neuer KI-Algorithmen. Zwei Studenten haben den Code für einen Wettbewerb entwickelt und wollen ihn nun für das komplexere Quake erweitern. (Doom, KI)

Beim Anprobieren gleich die eigene Figur scannen: Das österreichische Unternehmen 3D-Elements hat einen 3D-Scanner für Menschen entwickelt. Das 3D-Modell soll unter anderem bei der Anprobe von online gekaufter Kleidung eingesetzt werden, die kommende Version des 3D-Scanners wird in die Umkleidekabine integriert. (Photokina 2016, Scanner)

Snapchat, der Messenger für Jugendliche, will an die Börse. Es könnte eines der größten IPO seit vielen Jahren werden. (Snapchat, Börse)

Das Elektrobike Greyp G12H von Rimac soll nach Herstellerangaben eine elektrische Reichweite von bis zu 240 km aufweisen. Möglich macht das ein Akku mit 3 kWh. (Elektrofahrrad, Technologie)

Über die Web-API des Dating-Dienstes ließen sich bis vor kurzem Informationen über Nutzer abrufen - auch ohne Login. Per Skript-Automatisierung können damit Bewegungsprofile erstellt werden. (Sicherheitslücke, API)

The concept of whole-site blocking has been on the entertainment industries’ agenda for a decade now, after Russia’s AllofMP3 and then The Pirate Bay were blocked in Denmark. Since then, momentum has been building.

Blocking is now underway in multiple countries around the world, especially in Europe where the practice is widespread. The music and movie industries say blocking is effective but they also know that pushing blockades through the courts can be expensive and controversial.

In Portugal, however, things are much more streamlined. Thanks to an agreement forged between rightsholders, ISPs and the government in 2015, it is now a formality to have sites blocked in the country. If the parties agree that a site is operating illegally it can be blocked, all without stepping into a courtroom.

No surprise then that copyright holders have been taking full advantage of the system. After blocking The Pirate Bay, KickassTorrents, ExtraTorrent, Isohunt, RARBG, and dozens of others in October 2015, another 40 sites were added the month after. By April 2016 at least 330 sites had been blocked and every month the same process repeats.

The smoothness of the non-adversarial system appears to have impressed the MPAA. According to a SapoTek report, the Hollywood group has been presenting the Portuguese model to the Spanish Senate and is now planning to do the same before the French Senate.

FEVIP, the Portuguese Association of Audiovisual Works Defense, said in a statement that an MPAA-sponsored study between September 2015 and February 2016 found that out of 250 unauthorized sites, 22 had already been voluntarily blocked by the program.

Paulo Santos, executive director of FEVIP, said that Portugal’s program is now receiving international recognition for its streamlined processes. Noting a “special efficiency” in relation to results versus costs of litigation, Santos said that the program has resulted in a decrease in visits to pirate sites of “at least 60%”.

FEVIP say that the reductions are similar to those achieved by blocking in the UK, where the group claims pirate sites typically lose 75% of their local users within three months of a blockade being put in place.

To date, hundreds of sites and thousands of URLs have been blocked in both countries, yet piracy somehow persists. Clearly, a 60% or even 75% reduction in traffic to domains is not translating to a similar drop in piracy rates or indeed, increases in sales.

However, it seems likely that the MPAA and others will continue their blocking efforts regardless. Voluntary solutions are clearly in favor, since they receive less judicial scrutiny after implementation and cost far less to run on an ongoing basis. Spain and France next? Only time will tell.

Source: TF, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, torrent sites and ANONYMOUS VPN services.