Ken Garen, CPA, Co-Founder and President, UBCC

Vietnam detains blogger for 'bad' content Reuters – 14 hours ago.. HANOI (Reuters) - Vietnamese police have detained a blogger for posting "bad content" about the state, the latest move in a crackdown on dissent that has been condemned by rights groups and Western governments. Hong Le Tho, 65, was detained for "posting online articles with bad content and false information that discredit and create distrust among people about state agencies, social agencies and citizens," the Ministry of Public Security said on Saturday on its website. The case follows a sharp increase in arrests and prison terms for government critics in the past few years that has alarmed the United States, a former enemy that is struggling to build a case for deeper trade ties with a country steadfast in its intolerance of dissent. The detention of Tho, better known as blogger "Nguoi Lot Gach", came a month after Vietnam released jailed blogger Nguyen Van Hai,...

Justices weigh limits of free speech over Internet Nov 30, 8:11 AM (ET) By SAM HANANEL WASHINGTON (AP) — Anthony Elonis claimed he was just kidding when he posted a series of graphically violent rap lyrics on Facebook about killing his estranged wife, shooting up a kindergarten class and attacking an FBI agent. But his wife didn't see it that way. Neither did a federal jury. Elonis, who's from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, was convicted of violating a federal law that makes it a crime to threaten another person. In a far-reaching case that probes the limits of free speech over the Internet, the Supreme Court on Monday was to consider whether Elonis' Facebook posts, and others like it, deserve protection under the First Amendment. Elonis argues that his lyrics were simply a crude and spontaneous form of expression that should not be considered threatening if he did not really mean it. The government says it does not matter what Elonis intended, and th...

Last updated: November 30, 2014 7:47 pm Sony executive heralds a revolution in virtual reality By Tim Bradshaw – San Francisco A booth attendant demonstrates the Sony Project Morpheus virtual reality headset for a photograph at the Tokyo Game Show 2014 in Chiba, Japan, on September 18 2014 ©Bloomberg Virtual reality will revolutionise the gaming market in just two years, according to the head of Sony’s PlayStation business in the Americas, as the Japanese electronics group readies its Project Morpheus headset to rival Facebook’s Oculus Rift. In an interview ahead of an event this week to mark the 20th anniversary of the PlayStation’s launch, Shawn Layden, chief executive of Sony Computer Entertainment America, said: “In a couple of years from now, we are going to see virtual reality changing the entire gaming experience.” The comments come as Sony scales back its ambitions in the smartphone market and pins much of its turnround effort on its video games bus...

Amazon Fire TV vs Roku vs Google Chromecast vs Apple TV: Best Holiday Streamer Summary: If you’re shopping for a streamer this holiday season, then you have plenty of options. But, which is the best service, offers the biggest lineup, and is most-affordable? By Josh Durso | On November 29, 2014 The holiday season means fighting crowds, shopping online, buying gifts that no one is entirely sure about, followed by a period of frantic returns. Streamers are a great for college students, young adults just starting out, and even those just looking for an alternative to traditional cable options. We’ve evaluated the four big names in streaming devices, and here is a point-by-point comparison that will help you find the right one for a gift this holiday season. Amazon Fire TV This is a service that Amazon is definitely serious about growing. The interface, setup process, and execution of finding content – is amongst the simplest of all streaming TV choices. It’s small b...

"Body recognition" compares with fingerprint ID November 27, 2014 (Medical Xpress)—University of Adelaide forensic anatomy researchers are making advances in the use of "body recognition" for criminal and missing persons cases, to help with identification when a face is not clearly shown. PhD student Teghan Lucas is studying a range of human anatomical features and body measurements that can help to identify a person, such as from closed circuit television (CCTV) security videos, no matter what clothing the person may be wearing. "There's been a lot of work conducted over the years on facial recognition. This makes sense – humans have evolved to recognise faces, which is part of our survival mechanism, and the face contains some very distinctive features. But what happens if the face is not shown, or if there is an unusual facial resemblance between two people? What happens if identification of the face alone just isn't enough?" Ms L...

Netflix CEO: Broadcast TV Will Be Dead By 2030 Nielsen Ratings are going to finally factor in Netflix traffic. Reed Hastings thinks it's too little, too late. By Jack Smith IV 11/28 11:15am If you checked Nielsen Ratings, you’d think that the only people watching TV were age 54 and older (and you’d be right), and that Millennials are a black hole of immeasurable Internet content consumption—that is, until Nielsen starts measuring Netflix traffic next month. But what does Netflix CEO Reed Hastings think about Nielsen’s bold step forward? Earlier this week, in Mexico City, he said that it’s “not very relevant” either way, according to The Hollywood Reporter. For Nielsen, this might look like modernization, but for those of us ready to enter 2015, it’s more like a move from the Mesozoic to the Paleozoic Era. “It’s kind of like the horse, you know, the horse was good until we had the car,” Mr. Hastings said. “The age of broadcast TV will probably last until 203...

European lawmakers back Google break-up AFP By Alex Pigman 22 hours ago Brussels (AFP) - The European Parliament voted overwhelmingly for the break-up of Google on Thursday in a largely symbolic vote that nevertheless cast another blow in the four-year standoff between Brussels and the US Internet giant. In a direct challenge to Google, MEPs assembled in Strasbourg approved a resolution calling on the EU to consider ordering search engines to separate their commercial services from their businesses. While Google is not directly mentioned in the proposal, the California-based search engine is clearly the target. The resolution passed with 384 in favour and only 174 votes against. The European Parliament has no power to launch the break-up of Google, but the move, introduced by two senior lawmakers, is a further indication that the mood towards the company in Europe has soured. Contacted by AFP, a spokesman for Google in Brussels said the company had no comment t...

Global websites hacked by Syrian Electronic Army Katrina Bishop Arjun Kharpal  7 Hours Ago CNBC.com A number of websites – including CNBC and other media organizations - were targeted by the Syrian Electronic Army on Thursday. Screenshots posted on Twitter showed an error message on a number websites that read: "You've been hacked by the Syrian Electronic Army (SEA)". The SEA logo – of an eagle and a version of the Syrian flag - appeared on other sites. Companies including Dell, Microsoft, Ferrari and humanitarian organization Unicef were among those targeted, according to screenshots on Twitter and a website claiming to be form the SEA. Media organizations such as Forbes, The Chicago Tribune, The Guardian, The Telegraph and Italy's La Repubblica were also affected. The error message appeared to some users of CNBC.com. Gigya, a customer management platform used by over 700 leading brands, was identified as one cause of the issue. In a statement ...

Flying robots to start serving in restaurants by end-2015 By Robin Choo POSTED: 27 Nov 2014 14:57 UPDATED: 27 Nov 2014 23:46 Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong observes a smart flying robotic waiter serving food during a demonstration on Oct 7, 2014. (Photo: TODAY/Ooi Boon Keong) SINGAPORE: Restaurant-goers in Singapore can expect to be served by autonomous flying robots – the world’s first commercial attempt – by the end of next year. Infinium-Serve, the autonomous flying robotic waiters, will be first launched at one of Timbre Group’s five outlets in Singapore. Infinium Robotics CEO Woon Junyang estimated the project to cost a “low seven-figure sum” for the five outlets, subject to final negotiations and certain variables of the actual deployment of the robots. Infinium Robotics signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Timbre Group on Oct 31. Both companies are seeking productivity-related government grants to help offset deployment costs. Mr Woon said he ...

PC confusion likely with Intel's quick jump to Skylake By Agam Shah  IDG News Service | Sep 15, 2014 11:21 AM PT Laptop and desktop buying decisions may get confusing in 2015 as Intel introduces PC chips based on two different architectures -- Broadwell and Skylake -- in the same year, something the chip maker rarely does. Mainstream PCs with chips based on the Broadwell architecture -- Intel's fifth-generation Core processors -- will ship in the first quarter next year. But in the second half next year, users will be able to buy PCs with processors based on the newer Skylake architecture, which will bring wire-free computing and significant performance upgrades. Intel wants to bring the latest technology to buyers as quickly as possible, and would like to close the curtain on Broadwell's troubled existence. Mainstream PCs with Broadwell were expected this year, but were delayed following manufacturing issues that delayed chip shipments. Skylake chips w...

Coming in 2015 from Intel: thumb-sized 'compute sticks' The devices will plug into smart TVs and monitors By Agam Shah  IDG News Service | Nov 20, 2014 1:40 PM PT Intel is shrinking PCs to thumb-sized "compute sticks" that will be out next year. The stick will plug into the back of a smart TV or monitor "and bring intelligence to that," said Kirk Skaugen, senior vice president and general manager of the PC Client Group at Intel, during the Intel investor conference in Santa Clara, Calif., which was webcast. A device the size of a USB stick was shown on stage, but its capabilities were not demonstrated. Skaugen said the devices will be an extension to laptops and mini-desktops, which have Core desktop processors in small PCs that can be handheld. Skaugen likened the compute stick to similar thumb PCs offered by PC makers with the Android OS and ARM processor. Dell's $129.99 Wyse Cloud Connect -- which plugs into an HDMI port -...

Automakers Aim to Drive Away Car Computer Hackers LOS ANGELES — Nov 24, 2014, 10:04 AM ET By JUSTIN PRITCHARD Associated Press Against the team of hackers, the poor car stood no chance. Meticulously overwhelming its computer networks, the hackers showed that given time they would be able to pop the trunk and start the windshield wipers, cut the brakes or lock them up, and even kill the engine. Their motives were not malicious. These hackers worked on behalf of the U.S. military, which along with the auto industry is scrambling to fortify the cyber defenses of commercially available cars before criminals and even terrorists penetrate them. "You're stepping into a rolling computer now," said Chris Valasek, who helped catapult car hacking into the public eye when he and a partner revealed last year they had been able to control a 2010 Toyota Prius and 2010 Ford Escape by plugging into a port used by mechanics. These days, when Valasek isn't w...

There are now 3 billion people on the internet — and those in Denmark are best at it By the end of 2014, there’ll be as many phone subscriptions as people, report finds By Andrew Griffin   Tuesday 25 November 2014 Denmark is the most connected place on the internet, as the number of people getting online is quickly increasing, a UN report has said. The International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the branch of the UN that is tasked with looking at computer and telecommunications use, has compiled its annual report looking at the world’s most connected countries as well as the fast spread of internet use across the world. Denmark came first in the ITU’s ICT Development Index, an annual study of countries’ level of ICT access, use and skills. South Korea came second, with most of the rest made up of European and high-income countries. The ITU praised other countries including the UAE, Fiji, Cape Verde and Thailand for improving their ranking most ov...

Sony Paralyzed By Computer Hacker Attack With Ominous Message by Mike Fleming Jr November 24, 2014 10:50am UPDATE: While it seems that a world-leading tech company would be the last to be brought down by a hacker, this Sony thing is serious. I’ve come across a still photo of the hacked message that appeared on screens, posted by a site called business2community.com. More when it comes in. SPE spokesperson Jean Guerin said “We are investigating an IT matter.” Here’s the still photo: EXCLUSIVE: Things have come to a standstill at Sony today, after the computers in New York and around the world were infiltrated by a hacker. As a precaution, computers in Los Angeles were shut down while the corporation deals with the breach. It has basically brought the whole global corporation to an electronic standstill. I’d heard that this began with a skull appearing on screens, and then a strangely ominous message telling users they’d been hacked by something called #GOP. It gets mo...

November 23, 2014 6:29 pm World’s most advanced hacking spyware let loose Sam Jones in Vienna and Hannah Kuchler in San Francisco A cyber snooping operation reminiscent of the Stuxnet worm and billed as the world’s most sophisticated computer malware is targeting Russian and Saudi Arabian telecoms companies. Cyber security company Symantec said the malware, called “Regin”, is probably run by a western intelligence agency and in some respects is more advanced in engineering terms than Stuxnet, which was developed by US and Israel government hackers in 2010 to target the Iranian nuclear programme. The discovery of the latest hacking software comes as the head of Kaspersky Labs, the Russian company that helped uncover Stuxnet, told the Financial Times that criminals are now also hacking industrial control systems for financial gain. Organised criminals tapping into the networks that run industrial companies, alongside the development of the latest online snooping ...

8 ways Lollipop 5.0 reinvents Android Enhanced security, improved architecture, extensive APIs -- bold changes make Android 5.0 better for business By Anndrew Vacca  InfoWorld | Nov 20, 2014 Android 5.0 Lollipop heralds a new era for the operating system, one aimed at unifying the Android experience across devices and built with business use squarely in mind. While iOS may have enjoyed early darling status in the enterprise, expect business organizations to take Android much more seriously going forward, thanks to a raft of significant improvements, an extensive set of new developer APIs, and clear signals that Google intends to lead the Android ecosystem more intentionally than ever before. Lollipop is in many ways a reimagining of what Android can be, and Google has rebuilt Android Lollipop from the ground up with the future in mind. Injecting new support for faster and more efficient hardware, Google has laid a strong foundation for developers and device mak...

N.S.A. Devises Radio Pathway Into Computers By DAVID E. SANGER and THOM SHANKER JAN. 14, 2014   WASHINGTON — The National Security Agency has implanted software in nearly 100,000 computers around the world that allows the United States to conduct surveillance on those machines and can also create a digital highway for launching cyberattacks. While most of the software is inserted by gaining access to computer networks, the N.S.A. has increasingly made use of a secret technology that enables it to enter and alter data in computers even if they are not connected to the Internet, according to N.S.A. documents, computer experts and American officials. The technology, which the agency has used since at least 2008, relies on a covert channel of radio waves that can be transmitted from tiny circuit boards and USB cards inserted surreptitiously into the computers. In some cases, they are sent to a briefcase-size relay station that intelligence agencies can set up miles awa...