Another day, another cracked encryption standard. This time, researchers at the University of Michigan have devised a way to undermine the ubiquitous RSA encryption technique used in everything from digital communications to copy protection. Although the technique, which involves varying the voltage to the circuitry in which part of the encryption key is contained, [...]
Previous Posts in the ‘Technology’ Category
A Farewell to NASA’s Space Shuttle
February 25th, 2010
If I was even a remotely sentimental person, I’d probably have a tear welling up in my eye while writing this. Today, NASA conducted what is effectively the final test burn of the reusable solid rocket boosters used to thrust the Space Shuttle into orbit. The test, carried out by ATK Launch Systems in [...]
Posted in Science, Space, Technology 
Tags: Final Space Shuttle flight, NASA, space, space exploration, Space Shuttle 
No Comments »Fuel Cell Technology Finally Blooms: The Bloom Energy Server
February 24th, 2010
There’s been a lot of buzz lately surrounding Silicon Valley’s Bloom Energy. The company, having recently been featured on 60 Minutes (see video below), held a press conference today formally announcing the product it has been developing for eight years. With initial investors and early adopters like Google, Ebay (whose campus hosted the press event), [...]
Posted in Alternative Energy, Technology Tags: Bloom Box, Bloom Energy, Bloom Server, fuel cells, Green energy, New Energy Technology No Comments »Say Goodbye to Messy Hand Sanitizing Lotions…
February 16th, 2010
Has anyone else noticed the number of anti-bacterial hand lotion stations popping up in public places? Brands like Purell must be netting a small fortune for their corporate parents thanks to the world’s increasing phobia to everything from the swine flu to common cold causing bacteria. While some may argue that a culture obsessed with anti-bacterials could [...]
IBM Creates Efficient Solar Cells from “Earth Abundant” Materials
February 11th, 2010
There’s no denying that the “green energy” movement is here to stay. And while renewable energy generation from wind sources continues to increase, large scale solar power plant deployment remains hindered by the high cost of photovoltaic solar panels, despite the vast quantities of solar energy that bombard the planet each day. Sure, there’s government sponsored tax credits that encourage [...]
Posted in Alternative Energy, Energy Conservation, Technology Tags: Green energy, IBM, solar cells, solar panels No Comments »Aerogel: A Truly Space-Age Material
February 9th, 2010
Advertisers love to use the term “space-age” when describing their products, as if the materials by which they are made have been absconded from the laboratories of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab. But if ever there was a material that could truly be described as “space-age”, it is aerogel.Aerogel is one of those materials about which [...]
Posted in Energy Conservation, Technology Tags: Aerogel, Insulation, JPL, NASA, Stardust No Comments »Google vs. Microsoft vs. Apple
January 27th, 2010
There’s nothing like a good corporate battle. While potentially costly to the participants, the benefits to consumers include lower prices, better, and more diverse products. This competition is the foundation upon which the capitalist world is built, and spurs the innovation that drives society forward.
As worldwide adoption and usage of computers and the Internet [...]
Posted in Consumer Electronics, Internet, PCs and Laptops, Technology Tags: Apple, Bing, Chrome, Chrome OS, DROID, Google, Google Docs, Google Maps, iPhone, iPod, Microsoft, Nexus One, OS X, Windows, ZuneHD 3 Comments »Google trials HTML5 on YouTube
January 22nd, 2010
In June 2004, the Web Hypertext Application Technology Working Group (WHATWG) proposed a new version of the hypertext markup language standard used by most websites, designating it HTML5. While the standard is not complete, Google has become an early adopter of the technology for both its Chrome OS and most recently in trials delivering videos via YouTube [...]
The fit-PC2 “fits” anywhere…
January 14th, 2010
There’s just something cool about small form factor computers. Maybe it’s their testament to the progressive advancement and miniaturization of technology. Or maybe it’s their extremely low power requirements. And one can’t deny their inherent practicality. Despite any specific reason, I just couldn’t resist the fit-PC booth at the 2010 CES, in which CompuLab [...]
Nuu Player is a real alternative to the Boxee Box
January 11th, 2010
At this year’s CES, D-Link’s Boxee Box got a lot of hype. It’s demo at D-Link’s booth was perpetually crowded as attendees showed a genuine interest in what it offers. The sub-$200 device, which is powered by NVIDIA’s Tegra 2 CPU and boasts a convenient RF remote with full QWERTY keyboard, aggregates most digital content, [...]
