Code-Breakers Look to Devices Other Than iPhone
Los Angeles — Computer hacker Will Strafach had no trouble seizing control of the original iPhone. Same went for later generations over the next five years. But by now, Apple Inc. has introduced so many layers of protection inside its flagship device that Strafach and others have moved on. As the frenzied hacking has subsided, publicly shared solutions to crack iPhone security are becoming harder to come by. The frustration he and...
FCC Looks to End Cable Box Rentals
Washington — Federal regulators Thursday put the metal boxes most Americans rent to receive cable or satellite programming at the center of a high-stakes fight over the future of TV and video. The Federal Communications Commission voted 3-2 along party lines to begin crafting rules intended to spur competition in the set-top-box market by developing technology standards so third-party devices and apps could decode pay-TV signals. Such...
Calorie-Counting App Helps Dieters
How’s that New Year’s diet going for ya? Yeah, I thought so. If you’re like most people trying to lose weight, you’ve been tracking calories, because research has shown that keeping a food diary is an effective weight-loss strategy. And you’ve also learned what a hassle tracking calories can be. First you have to know how much you’ve eaten: Was that three teaspoons or a half-cup, or two ounces? And then you have to know or find out...
Meditation Turns Ultra-Trendy With New App
Los Angeles — Andy Puddicombe, a trained Buddhist monk, wants to spread health and happiness by teaching our technology-addled minds to slow down and live in the moment. Naturally, he’s doing it through an app. In just a few short minutes a day, users can listen to meditation guides for topics as varied as anxiety and relationships narrated by Puddicombe in his soothing British voice. “This exercise isn’t about getting rid of...
Robot ‘Personal Assistants’ Could Become Your New Best Friend
You may not have unwrapped a robot on Christmas, but your new year will be filled with artificial intelligence. Facebook, Google, Microsoft and other technology companies, large and small, are making rapid advancements with virtual personal assistants that can solve problems and even complete tasks. “We’re going to start to see more personal assistants, and the ones that are already online will get more useful,” said Brian Blau, an...
