Articles by Quinten Plummer
Sony Cyber Nightmare Continues as PlayStation Network Gets Kicked Offline
Sony appears to have fallen victim to another cyberattack, though the PlayStation Network's downtime lasted just a few hours. The group claiming responsibility for the hack appears unrelated to the collective that is attacking Sony Pictures Entertainment.
Apple iPod Antitrust Lawsuit on Brink of Being Dismissed: Here's Why
The plaintiffs in the antitrust case raised against Apple are being discredited, as the tech company produces evidence indicating they didn't purchase iPods within the three-year bounds of the class action lawsuit's scope. However, another individual has stepped up to keep the suit alive.
Life After Nokia: ARMed and Reloading
Successive rounds of post-acquisition restructuring resulted in 12,000 job cuts at Nokia in one summer. The cuts ran deep and the wounds aren't all healed, but high-tech firms like ARM's IoT division are helping Oulu and the rest of Finland reach a new era of prosperity.
Google Striving to Lure Windows Server Apps to its Cloud Platform
Google rolls out three Windows-centric updates to its cloud platform. The Google Cloud Platform now supports Microsoft License Mobility and the data center edition of Windows Server 2008.
BlackBerry Delves Deeper into Healthcare With Cancer Genome Browser
Attracted to BlackBerry's HIPAA-compliant smartphones, a Big Data health platform vendor teams up with the Waterloo,Ontario, company to bring a gene browser to market. NantHealth's cancer genome browser runs exclusively on the BlackBerry Passport.
Xiaomi Looking to Enter the US Market with Mi5 Splash at CES 2015
Xiaomi plans to bring its low-cost, high-caliber mobile devices to the U.S., according to reports. The Chinese manufacturer of mobile devices is expected to debut its $325 flagship handset at CES 2015 in Las Vegas.
Dish Network Users Watch CBS Programs After Temporary Blackout as Broadcasting Deal Struck
After Showtime and other CBS channels were pulled from its lineup, Dish Network agrees again to scale back its AutoHop feature. CBS' blackout on Dish Network lasted 12 hours in 17 major cities around the U.S.
Sony Pictures Hack Nightmare Week: Celebs Data Leak and Threatening Emails to Employees
Investigators state that the recent cyberattack launched against Sony exposed over 47,000 Social Security numbers. Individuals claiming responsibility for the hacks say the matter is far from over and have threatened to involve the family members of Sony employees.
Main Reason Windows 10 Will Be a Winner: Cortana
A new video shows what appears to be Cortana warming up for Microsoft's Windows 10 presentation in January. She's missing some features, but the digital assistant could be the start of the rumored press conference.
Google Updates Play Store, Sony Shows Love for Android TV
Google makes its Play Store more user-friendly with a new My Account panel. The search engine company's Android TV platform could be making its debut on Sony TVs in February.
Apple, Xiaomi Among 12 Vendors Breaking Taiwan Privacy Laws
The Taiwanese government accuses 12 tech companies of violating its privacy laws. Of the 12 accused, only Apple and Xiaomi have been named thus far.
Bebe Clothing Retailer Hack Puts Customer Data at Risk
After spotting suspicious activity in its payments system, bebe contacts a security firm to mitigate what it believes to be a cyberattack. The company's U.S. stores may have been compromised, but it believes its Canadian outlets remained secure.
MetaMind $8M Launch Aims to Bring Deep Learning Capability to the Masses
After receiving $8 million in funding, MetaMind starts sharing its deep-learning platform with organizations of all sizes. The platform is free to use, but MetaMind will charge a consultation fee to organizations that want to learn how to use it effectively.
Apple Offers Early Gift to Budding Coders: Free Lesson Next Week
Hour of Code partners with Apple to encourage kids to spend just 60 minutes embracing computer programming. Individuals of all ages are invited to Apple stores for a crash course in how to code.
Crowd-Fueled Kickstarter Thursday: Tech for Advancing Music Quality, Listening Experience
This week's Crowd-Fueled Kickstarter Thursday takes a look at tech that melds electronics into acoustic guitars without plugging in an amp. Also featured is an omni-directional speaker that promises to paint every inch of a room with rich sounds and a Bluetooth adapter that converts wired headphones into wireless sets.
Why Freemium Apps Are No Friend to Indie Developers, Consumers
Freemium apps shift the pressure to execute well from AAA studios to indie developers. Large studios have the luxury of iterating on freemium games until they find the right formula to coax cash out of accounts.
'Star Wars' Guru Heading up New Game Studio Hangar 13
2K Games reveals its latest studio, Hangar 13. Storied LucasArts writer Haden Blackman will head up the new San Francisco-based studio, but the group isn't ready to tease details about games just yet.
Docker Debuts Hub Enterprise Offering, Partners with IBM
Docker launches the enterprise version of its cloud container software. IBM is the first cloud service provider to integrate Docker Hub Enterprise into its app development platform.
Verizon Quietly Shuttering 3G Network Band to Test LTE Service
Verizon has begun the early steps to phasing out its 2G and 3G service to make more space for 4G signals. The process was expected to begin in 2015, but Verizon is getting an early jump on the shift.
Google Designing YouTube, Chrome Versions for Kids
Rumored for months, Google's plans to offer kid-friendly versions of its services have finally been confirmed. There is huge potential for controversy, but Google says it intends to be 'thoughtful' in how it approaches the initiative.
Bluetooth 4.2 Promises Faster, Heftier Performance and Greater Security to Boot
The latest version of the Bluetooth protocol makes smart things even more capable of executing intelligent tasks. Bluetooth version 4.2 is also faster and more secure than 4.1.
Sony Pictures Hackers Remain a Mystery, Some Say Breach Came from Within
As the investigation into the breach of Sony Pictures Entertainment's network continues, the evidence is starting to indicate that it may have been an inside job. A Sony source says the company isn't prepared to place the blame on North Korea, which contrasts with earlier reports.
Chromecast, Roku Slicing up Apple in Streaming Stick Battle
Roku and Apple have both lost significant chunks of their shares in the market for streaming media hardware. Google and Amazon have surged into the top five, but Roku still wears the crown.
Bing Pulse Goes Public, Now Everyone Can Poll Audiences
Microsoft empowers news outlets and event organizers with Bing Pulse 2.0, a Big Data platform that allows the public to vote and express their sentiments on emerging news. Pulse will be free during its beta phase and will start at $200 once it is fully released.
Google Switches Out CAPTCHA for 'I'm No Robot' Checkbox
Google's new no-CAPTCHA API makes it easier for web users to prove they're not robots. Bots could solve even the most warped of CAPTCHA tests with an accuracy of roughly 99.8 percent, according to Google.
Intel Taps Luxottica for Smart Eyewear Development
Intel partners with eyewear titan Luxottica on a multiyear deal to innovate and produce smart glasses. The first product is expected to hit the market sometime in 2015.
Dropbox Makes Big Enterprise Move With Business API Offering
A year after an internal launch, the Dropbox for Business API is available to the public. At least 20 rival cloud service providers have partnered with Dropbox to offer support for the API.
Steam Launches Beta Live Broadcasting Service
Steam slams down the hood, rubs the piston grease off its hands and announces it has just installed live streaming in its popular gaming client. Steam broadcasting is in its beta stage and is available now -- go watch!
Nintendo to Deliver Game Boy Fun on Phones, Airplane TVs, Maybe Even Tablets
Nintendo revives its efforts to patent a Game Boy emulator. But with the success of the 3DS handheld, Nintendo may not be ready to bring its back catalog of games to smartphones and tablets anytime soon.
HP Goes on Demand with Big Data Haven Platform
Hewlett-Packard's latest version of Haven enables developers and data scientists to selectively tap into the platform's Big Data components. Haven is also being pushed deeper into HP's suite of enterprise software.
