Microsoft is Allowing Itself to Detect Pirated Games on Your Windows 10 PC

Windows 10 - Some Disapproval with Alleged Privacy Obstacles

Inspite of being generally well accepted, Windows 10 had met up with some disapproval with regards to a series of alleged privacy obstacles. The latest being the report from Microsoft’s End User License Agreement, or EULA with WinBeta that Microsoft has reserved the right to check the system for `playing fake games, or use unauthorised hardware peripheral devices’.

An operating system which tends to run an array of utilities could also be pirated and it is strange to think that Microsoft would be targeting games in its analyses. One may speculate why the company could not check for universally pirated productivity suites like Adobe Creative Cloud and Microsoft Office.

Microsoft’s Services EULA tends to be different from the one which is governing Windows (Microsoft software License Terms) which means that the amendment that Microsoft has recently added was with the intention of protecting against imitating Xbox Live and Windows Store content, but not monitoring in disabling illegal content on Windows 10.

It could probably be a case of Microsoft cracking on the modification of its Xbox games consoles, which was a popular tendency seen during the days of the original Xbox together with its successor, the Xbox 360.

Written precautions against Stolen Phones Etc. to Be Integrated

Gamers, in order to achieve this could download the software to their PCs and organise it to their consoles through an external media device.Microsoft would thus be taking steps in an effort of preventing identical instances with the Xbox One as a means of overpowering hacking tool possession.

This would be sensible since online community have been attempting to exploit the console since its launch of 2013 Nonetheless, the language utilised in the agreement has been reported to be vague in comprehending Microsoft’s intentions and one can be sure the firm’s top notch lawyers have chosen that confusing language with all intent and purpose.

It is also not clear if Microsoft had any intention of sharing with law enforcement the information they obtain with users downloading `fake games’ or if they simply plan to disable the stolen software. Similarly, Windows 10 now is used more freelyacross the platforms which include PC, mobile, Xbox, HoloLens as well as Surface Hub, EULAs tend to be assembled more largely.Written precautions against stolen phones, Xbox mods, enterprise security as well as required updates should now be integrated.

Time to Acknowledge The Concern

The pervasiveness of Windows 10 is getting with it not only technical encounters but legal challenges as well in producing a single comprehensible agreement. Though Microsoft’s stand against fake games is understandable considering the rampant video game piracy, the definition of what establishes as unauthorized hardware does not seem to be clear.

Moreover the wording does not reveal whether the ability to automatically disable counterfeit software would be limited to games or would it be extended to other software like Microsoft’s own Office platform and Adobe Creative cloud suit, both of which are prone to piracy Returning to basics with Windows 10, Microsoft has been pleasing its customers, old and new. However, it’s time to acknowledge the concern prevailing on what Microsoft intends to do with the data it obtains.

Robots Learn to Evolve and Improve

A team of engineers at University of Cambridge has developed new age robotic system, which possesses the capability to independently build and improve its offsprings. This robotic system has surprised everyone with its ability to evolve with times and improve its performance in much effective manner. A robotic arm essentially helps in developing the offsprings or babies, which get better with passing iteration. The ultimate of this research as published in the journal PLOS One states to develop robots which can adapt to their surroundings.

How offsrpings are created by the robot? 

In the experiments carried out by the engineers, a mother robot is entrusted with the task of designing, building and testing ten generation of offspring robots. The baby robots during the experiment consist of plastic cubes fitted with motor inside. The baby robots are assembled by a mother robot arm which craftily gules them together in different configures as per its own choice. Though this system might appear very simple but it is a rigorous exercise in itself.

It is left at the discretion of the mother robot to assess how much mobility will be given to the babies. Baby robots don’t require any human intervention in their movement and the design improves considerably with each new iteration. Mother robot has been able successfully build ten generations of children with improved movement capability. The final iteration or version of baby robot was able to move distance twice the distance of the first one.

Evolving qualities are at par with living beings 

This research was conducted with an aim of gaining new insights about how the living things evolve. Biology had long tried to find the answer to the emergence of intelligence in the living organisms with the use of theory of evolution. The researchers at Cambridge University are trying to explore the same ministry through the use of robotic system. A lead researcher had stated that most of the time people think that robots are developed to perform repetitive task with increased efficiency. In short, robots are typically designed as an aid in mass production but no effort is made at bringing mass customization. But researchers here tried to see whether robots are capable of possessing innovation and creativity or not.

The future prospects of this new age robotic system 

Researchers had not meaninglessly conducted their experiment to just see the evolving and adapting capability of the robotic system. But they also ensured that these robots fit into working on projects with the help of enhanced capabilities. An application of this system can be seen by employing the robots in car manufacturing units where they easily pick out the defects in the cars and fix them. In agricultural field, robots can be used to find out new and different ways of harvesting in order to improve the yields.

Google, Samsung to Issue Monthly Android Security Fixes

Google/Samsung to Release Monthly Security Fixes

Google Inc. as well as Samsung Electronics Co will be releasing monthly security fixes for Android phones due to the increasing target for hackers after the revelation of a bug that was designed to attack the world’s most known mobile operating system.

 This change came up after Joshua Drake, a security researcher exposed Stagefright hacking software which enables attackers to send special multimedia message to Android phone and to get hold of sensitive content even if the message is not opened. Adrian Ludwig, Android security chief had commented at the weeks’ annual Black

Hat security conference in Las Vegas, that `they had realized that there was a need to move faster’. Earlier Google had developed a patch and had distributed it to its own Nexus phones after getting to know about the security flaws but other manufacturers would wait till they wanted to update the software for various reasons before making a fix, exposing several of the over 1 billion Android users to probable hacks as well as scam till the fix. Ludwig has informed that Google has also made other security changes.

Google – Regular Weekly Security Scans of Russian Phones

He had informed Reuters, in an interview that earlier this year, the team had broken out occurrence rate of malicious software by language and the rate of Russian language Androids with possibly harmful programs seems to have spiked suddenly to around 9% in late 2014.

Google had made its weekly security scans of Russian phones more regular and was capable of reducing the problem, close to the global standard. Ludwig had also mentioned that improvements to the recent versions of Android would also limit an attacks’ efficiency in more than nine out of ten phones. However, Drake informed that the attacker could keep on trying till the ploy tends to work.

 He also said that he would be releasing a code for the attack by August 24, and put pressure on the manufacturers in order to get their patches out before then. Ludwig has said that the Nexus phones are being updated with protection and most of the major Android handset makers will be following suit.

Stolen Files – Hacking Team Indicated Key Avenue

Rick Segal, Vice President of Samsung,had agreed that his company could not compel the telecommunication carriers who purchase its devices in bulk to install the fixes and some would probably only do so for higher-end users.

Segal had mentioned in an interview that `if it is your business customers, you will push it’. Samsung is the biggest manufacturer of Android phones. Ludwig also stated that several Android security worries were overblown and added that only about one in 200 Android phones Google could peer into have any possibly harmful applications installed at any point.

Drake had also observed that those figures had excluded some products which included Fire products from Amazon that utilise Android. In the case of Apple’s iPhones, the main security risk comes with apps which have not been downloaded from the official online stores of the two companies

The files stolen from Hacking Team – an Italian Company that sold eavesdropped tools to government agencies across the globe, indicated a key avenue which was intended to convince targets to download legitimate seeming Android as well as iPhone apps from fraud sites

Google's Modular Ara Phone Delayed

Google’s Project Ara Delayed – 2016

Google has delayed its plan in releasing its modular smartphone concept, codenamed `Project Ara’ hardware till sometime in 2016. The Ara team had tweeted a messaging confirming the delay and shift away from plans to test the modular phone project, later this year, in Puerto Rico. However Google had been quick to note that it is in the process of exploring few locations in the US for Ara.

The explanation for the change by Google recommends that the team had been working hard in making Ara a reality. The team had told followers in a sequence of tweets,that `Project Ara is not going anywhere’, but had been set back by `lots of iteration, more than we thought’. Project Ara enables users to swap out as well as upgrade the core components of smartphone namely processor, camera etc. independently instead of replacing the complete device.

It portrayed a dramatic rethinking of the device and those attending the Google I/O were pleased when the working prototype was showed on stage in May by the company. The development of the product seems to be longer than expected but Google had earlier aimed to have between 20 and 30 Ara modules made available for the now scrapped Puerto Rico trial.

Components Can be Added/Taken Away

Project Ara seems to be Google’s interesting efforts in developing a smartphone which comes in bits, which means that certain components could be added or taken away without the requirements of complex alterations to the device. It would also be less costly to replace smashed screens or worn batteries as well as enable others to develop modified hardware for a particular task.

San Francisco based designer Garrett Kinsman while writing on a forum for developers who were interested in working on Project Ara, had said that he felt a sense of overwhelming sadness at the delay. The Project Ara team had announced at the beginning of this year that it would launch the modular smartphones this year in Puerto Rico as a part of its pilot program.

But the team has now confirmed that its phone will not launch till 2016 along with the announcement of pilot market re-route to a few locations in the US instead of Puerto Rico.

DIY Smartphone

The company has not yet revealed any particular location in the US where it intends launching modular phones. In a tweet, it said, `when? 2016’, followed by the hastags yes we are late and Project Ara - #yeswearelate and #ProjectAra.Project Ara further clarifies that the re-routing does not seem to mean that there would be no modular phone launched in Puerto Rico. It stated that `and this is not goodbye Puerto Rico’. The project expects to kick-start an era of do-it-yourself smartphones which Google has been stressing that it is not targeting weeds.

Google had showcased its Spiral 2 modular smartphone prototype in January Project Ara Spiral 2 prototypek had a HD – 720x1280 pixels screen, choice of Nvidia Tegra K1 or Marvel PX1928 processor, 5-megapixel primary camera, battery, Micro-USB port, speaker as well as connectivity options which included Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and 3G. The Spiral 2 prototype comprised of 11 working modules inclusive of 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Receiver with light as well as proximity sensors, USB charger module and a 2x2 battery module. Spiral 3 also tends to feature the electro permanent magnets in the exoskeleton, thereby saving space in the modules.

The Myths Surrounding Cloud Computing

The strange thing about cloud computing is that there are so many misconceptions surrounding this technology. Many businesses seem to be sceptical about it; perhaps because it’s a relatively new option. However, it is speedily growing in popularity over time. Let’s try to debunk some of the pesky, stubborn myths that are still hanging around cloud computing.

Data Isn’t Secure On The Cloud

In every company, security is paramount. Many people seem to assume that data kept on the cloud is vulnerable. In fact, it makes more sense that opting to go without the cloud system is more likely to lead to data breaches. Whether that’s through theft or natural disasters, or broken or stolen hardware with files on can’t be replaced, your data is at risk. If it’s on the cloud, you can still access your information, no matter what happens, and it’s all password protected.

Cloud Computing Costs Jobs

Cloud computing has actually created thousands of jobs! Yes, it will lower the amount of IT personnel you might need for your company, but it creates vacancies in other businesses that provide cloud computing services. It just means that it’s not coming out of your pocket!

Cloud Migration Is Too Much Trouble

The problem with change is that many people are resistant to it and they are easily convinced that it will be more trouble than it’s worth. In fact, moving across to cloud computing is extremely easy, needs very little training, and will be migrated before you know it. You will also have a support team on-hand to walk you through any confusing aspects, but it really will be self-explanatory. It’s certainly worth the effort.

Not For Mission-Critical Use

Although some companies consider cloud computing for simple processes, many decide not to use it for documents that are highly critical. This goes back to the myth before about the cloud not being safe enough to trust. As we’ve already discussed, this isn’t the case at all, and many companies run solely from the cloud.

There Aren’t Many Cloud Options

Many people seem to think that the cloud is somehow still in its infancy, meaning that there are few options for cloud packages and companies. This is not true at all. In fact, it seems like everyone and their mother has cloud software. You will be able to easily find something that will suit your business, so don’t worry! The Dell virtual client is a great package, making it a great place to start.

You Have To Use Just The One Cloud System

You can actually mix and match as much as you like. This may not be a great idea for your business, if you like everything in one place, but the option is always there. Maybe you’d rather use a cheaper system for certain departments, and something a bit more expensive for the more sensitive documents that need extra protection.

What do you find is a common misconception about cloud computing? Let us know in the comments.