Technology

Samsung has caused outrage after careful examination of its Smart TV terms and conditions suggest it might listen in on conversations and then pass on details to a data collection agency. The company insists any chat that the television does ... overhear would be treated with the utmost confidence. The controversy involves Samsung's range of televisions that include an Internet connection for features, such as online video access. Some models also include the ability for users to control the television using voice commands, rather than by remote control. Samsung says it may transmit the audio ... (view more)

Two Facebook millionaires want US officials to regulate an exchange for buying and selling the controversial "cryptocurrency" Bitcoin. The move follows a scandal when the largest such exchange in Japan went out of business . The Bitcoin currency ... isn't issued by any government or backed by any assets. Instead, each new unit of the currency is created when a computer successfully solves what's effectively a puzzle designed to slowly increase the amount of Bitcoins in circulation. Every time one user pays a Bitcoin to another, a publicly available ledger of transactions is ... (view more)

Would you buy an electric car if it could drive nearly 1,200 miles before requiring a recharge? Two companies working on a revolutionary battery think they have the key to completely changing how drivers look at electric vehicles (EVs). Electric ... cars are by no means new, but they've never been quite as popular as their gas-powered counterparts. Part of the problem with electronic cars is longevity; most require a recharge after only one hundred miles, which makes them less attractive to most North Americans. One of the most popular electric cars on the market, the Nissan Leaf, can only ... (view more)

Facebook has made a major investment in virtual reality technology by purchasing Oculus VR, a virtual reality technology firm for $2 billion US dollars. For the past several years Oculus VR has been developing Oculus Rift, a virtual reality headset ... that is said to revolutionize home entertainment. The Oculus Rift was first unveiled at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (or "E3") during the summer of 2012. The head-mounted display generated a great deal of interest among the video game community. This interest led Oculus VR to initiate an August 2012 Kickstarter campaign to further ... (view more)

Doctors in Britain have used a 3D printer to replace parts of the shattered face of a man who survived a serious motorbike crash. Although the surgery has only just taken place, Stephen Power's crash happened in 2012, where he spent four months ... unconscious in hospital. Mr. Power explained to the BBC that he broke his nose, jaw and both cheekbones in the crash, as well as his skull. Although he underwent several operations, surgeons had to act quickly to avoid breaking the bones around the eye socket and potentially causing major damage to his eyes. (Source: walesonline.co.uk ) After the ... (view more)

Facebook is said to be buying a company that makes airborne drones. It seems it's not an attempt to carry out snooping or attack rivals, but rather a plan to extend Internet access to places it's impossible to reach at the moment. The company in ... question is Titan Aerospace, which manufactures what it calls "atmospheric satellites." Unlike traditional satellites, they operate around 20 kilometers (12 miles) above Earth, which is just short of the point of being in orbit. Drones such as the Solara 50 look and operate similar to an airplane, but have solar panels on its wings, ... (view more)