The US army launched the Advanced Hypersonic Weapon from the military's Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai at about 1:30 a.m local time.
The weapon's "glide vehicle" reached Kwajalein Atoll - some 2,300 miles away - in less than half an hour, said Lt. Col Melinda Morgan, a Pentagon spokeswoman.
Earlier this year, the Congressional Research Service said in a report the Advanced Hypersonic Weapon is part of the military's programme to develop "prompt global strike" weapons that would allow the US to strike targets anywhere in the world with conventional weapons in as little as an hour.
The US air force and the Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, are developing a similar vehicle.
Friday 18 November 2011
Android Hits 200 Million Activations
Android's growth has come at the expense of entrenched platforms, such as RIM's BlackBerry and Nokia's Symbian operating systems. Their presence in the market has shrunk since Android (and the iPhone) arrived.
Facebook reveals its user-tracking secrets
For the first time, Facebook has revealed details about how it tracks users across the web.
Through interviews with Facebook engineering director Arturo Bejar, Facebook spokesman Andrew Noyes, Facebook corporate spokesman Barry Schnitt and Facebook engineering manager Gregg Stefancik, USA Today‘s Byron Acohido was able to compile the most complete picture to date of how the social network keeps tabs on its 800 million users.
Here is what Acohido learnt:
Facebook does not track everybody the same way. It uses different methods for members who have signed in and are using their accounts, members who are logged-off and non-members.
The first time you arrive at any Facebook.com page, the company inserts cookies in your browser. If you sign up for an account, it inserts two types of cookies. If you don't set up an account, it inserts only one of the two types.
These cookies record every time you visit another website that uses a Facebook Like button or other Facebook plugin - which work together with the cookies to note the time, date and website being visited. Unique characteristics that identify your computer are also recorded.
Facebook keeps logs that record your past 90 days of activity. It deletes entries older than 90 days.
If you are logged into a Facebook account, your name, email address, friends and all of the other data in your Facebook profile is also recorded.
Data about web searches and browsing habits could be used to figure out political affiliations, religious beliefs, sexual orientations or health issues about consumers.
Through interviews with Facebook engineering director Arturo Bejar, Facebook spokesman Andrew Noyes, Facebook corporate spokesman Barry Schnitt and Facebook engineering manager Gregg Stefancik, USA Today‘s Byron Acohido was able to compile the most complete picture to date of how the social network keeps tabs on its 800 million users.
Here is what Acohido learnt:
Facebook does not track everybody the same way. It uses different methods for members who have signed in and are using their accounts, members who are logged-off and non-members.
The first time you arrive at any Facebook.com page, the company inserts cookies in your browser. If you sign up for an account, it inserts two types of cookies. If you don't set up an account, it inserts only one of the two types.
These cookies record every time you visit another website that uses a Facebook Like button or other Facebook plugin - which work together with the cookies to note the time, date and website being visited. Unique characteristics that identify your computer are also recorded.
Facebook keeps logs that record your past 90 days of activity. It deletes entries older than 90 days.
If you are logged into a Facebook account, your name, email address, friends and all of the other data in your Facebook profile is also recorded.
Data about web searches and browsing habits could be used to figure out political affiliations, religious beliefs, sexual orientations or health issues about consumers.
Gmail for iOS: Bugs Fixed
After being pulled from the app store mere hours after its initial release, Google's Gmail app for iOS has returned. It has a few standout features, like threaded conversations, extensive search and easy attachment handling. But it's still less than amazing, and it may not be enough to convince you to drop iOS Mail.
Samsung Galaxy Nexus on sale in U.K.
Samsung's hot new Galaxy Nexus smartphone, the first to run Android 4.0, went on sale Thursday in the U.K. and is expected to be available in the U.S. on Verizon Wireless by the end of the month.
On Friday, Samsung and Google launched a new 60-second video ad that shows actors using the device and its new Android 4.0 "Ice Cream Sandwich" features, including voice-activated typing, Face Unlock (using facial recognition software), Android Beam (for contactless transfer of data over Near-Field Communication) , Google+ with Hangouts for easy social networking, and a camera with a panorama view.
Verizon Wireless still had not announced a release data for the Galaxy Nexus early Friday, but a wide range of reports have said the release would occur by the end of the month.
On Friday, Samsung and Google launched a new 60-second video ad that shows actors using the device and its new Android 4.0 "Ice Cream Sandwich" features, including voice-activated typing, Face Unlock (using facial recognition software), Android Beam (for contactless transfer of data over Near-Field Communication) , Google+ with Hangouts for easy social networking, and a camera with a panorama view.
Verizon Wireless still had not announced a release data for the Galaxy Nexus early Friday, but a wide range of reports have said the release would occur by the end of the month.
Google TV Gets Google Music App
Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) Nov. 17 launched Google Music App for Google TV, a program that lets users play their Google Music collection in the background while they surf the Web or access other applications on their TV.
The app comes one day after Google launched Google Music, the company's streaming music service that lets users purchase and share some 13 million tracks from Universal Music, Sony Music and EMI Music.
The service syncs with Google's cloud, enabling users to play their music across desktops and Android smartphones and tablets with requiring cables or song downloads.
Google TV is an Android-based Web TV service that brings the Chrome browser and Web applications to uses HDTVs, Google TV underscores Google's view that the TV is simply another screen through which it can serve consumers its cloud-based services.
The app comes one day after Google launched Google Music, the company's streaming music service that lets users purchase and share some 13 million tracks from Universal Music, Sony Music and EMI Music.
The service syncs with Google's cloud, enabling users to play their music across desktops and Android smartphones and tablets with requiring cables or song downloads.
Google TV is an Android-based Web TV service that brings the Chrome browser and Web applications to uses HDTVs, Google TV underscores Google's view that the TV is simply another screen through which it can serve consumers its cloud-based services.
Amazon may launch a smartphone in Q4 2012
Amazon.com Inc may launch its own smartphone in the fourth quarter of 2012, Citigroup said, citing its supply-chain channel checks in Asia.
In a research note dated November 17, the brokerage said it believes the online retail giant is now jointly developing the phone with the world's top contract cellphone maker Foxconn International Holdings Ltd.
"With the clear success of the Kindle e-Reader over the past 3 years, and Kindle Fire possibly succeeding in the low-priced tablet market, we view this as the next logical step for Amazon," the brokerage said.
In a research note dated November 17, the brokerage said it believes the online retail giant is now jointly developing the phone with the world's top contract cellphone maker Foxconn International Holdings Ltd.
"With the clear success of the Kindle e-Reader over the past 3 years, and Kindle Fire possibly succeeding in the low-priced tablet market, we view this as the next logical step for Amazon," the brokerage said.
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