Google Subsidiary Wins Bid to Run NASA Hangars

A Google subsidiary has been selected as the "preferred" company to manage Moffett Federal Airfield.

A Google subsidiary has been selected as the "preferred" company to manage Moffett Federal Airfield in California and rehabilitate historic Hangar One.
The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) and NASA selected Planetary Ventures to put the stripped-down hangar to new use and eliminate the space program's management costs.

Virgin Atlantic Testing Google Glass to Make Flying Sexy Again

The friendly skies are about to get a little more high-tech.
Virgin Atlantic on Tuesday began testing Google Glass and other wearable computing technologies as part of a six-week pilot program at London Heathrow airport aimed at improving customer service, the airline announced. Concierge staff in the airline's upper class wing will be using the devices to update passengers on their fight information and weather, provide details about local events at their destination, as well as translate foreign language information.

Record-Breaking DDoS Attack Nears 400 Gbps

The attack on European servers peaked at around 400 gigabits per second.

Web security company CloudFlare on Monday evening battled a massive distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack that has eclipsed Spamhaus as the largest-ever such assault.
The attack, targeting one of CloudFlare's clients, peaked yesterday "just shy" of 400 gigabits per second, the company's CEO Matthew Prince told PCMag. In comparison, last year's record-breaking attack on Spamhaus reached 300 Gbps. A "normal" DDoS attack that might take down a bank website, for instance, is around 50 Gbps.

MediaTek Promises Sub-$200 Octo-Core LTE Phones

Every U.S. carrier wants a sub-$200, high-quality smartphone, and you should, too. With Americans programmed to think that smartphones cost $199 (although they don't), the only way we're going to move away from subsidies and two-year contracts is if a decent smartphone actually does cost $199.

The closest we've seen so far is the Nokia Lumia 520 $59.99 at Amazon, which explains its solid position as the world's No. 1 Windows Phone. It looks like 2014 will be a turning point for the true $200 smartphone,

Bill Gates Talks Microsoft, Philanthropy, Condoms During Reddit AMA

Gates completed his second Reddit Ask Me Anything, answering questions about cryogenics, his new role in Redmond, and casting Samuel L. Jackson in a movie about his life.

Microsoft founder Bill Gates completed his second Reddit Ask Me Anything (AMA) session today, answering questions about cryogenics, condoms, his new role in Redmond, and casting Samuel L. Jackson in a movie about his life.
"I had a lot of fun doing last year's AMA and am excited to come back for another round of questions about everything from philanthropy to technology to how to lose a chess match in less than 90 seconds," Gates wrote on the site.
At 10 a.m. Pacific (1 p.m. Eastern), the co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation opened the floor for questions, like the difference between 20-year-old Gates and modern-day Gates.
"[Twenty] years ago I would stay in my office for days at a time and not think twice about it—so I had energy and naiveté on my side," he said. "Now hopefully I am a bit more mellow but with a little extra wisdom."
With that extra wisdom, Gates answered topics ranging from the computers that learn to selling stocks to his most unexpected hobby (playing Bridge) and most expensive guilty pleasure (owning a plane).
Unsurprisingly, attention quickly turned to the Gates Foundation's call for the development of the "Next Generation of Condom"—an ongoing search that began almost a year ago.
"The idea was that men don't like the current design so perhaps something they would be more open to would allow for less HIV transmission," he wrote on Reddit. A final decision has not been made, but Gates revealed that "one grantee is using carbon nanotubes to reduce the [condom's] thickness."
Focus also turned to his new role with Microsoft, the company Gates co-founded 39 years ago. While slightly sidestepping the question about his position as chairman of Redmond's board of directors, Gates said he was "thrilled" when new CEO Satya Nadella "asked me to pitch in to make sure Microsoft is ambitious with its innovation."
The executive hopes to split his time between Redmond (one-third) and the Gates Foundation (two-thirds)—and even advised on how to balance business and philanthropy (the answer: just create an innovative company).
Most Redditers, however, probably didn't expect the question to come from actor David Hewlett, a.k.a. Stargate: Atlantis's Dr. Rodney Meredith McKay, who hosted his own AMA last month.
And speaking of actors, Gates OK'd the casting of movie star Samuel L. Jackson in the film role of himself, saying that wife Melinda "would probably watch that version."
Gates is no stranger to Reddit. In December, he participated in the site's annual Secret Santa program, making one girl's holidays bright with a donation to Heifer International, National Geographic's Journeys of a Lifetime book, and a photo of Gates holding the gifted stuffed cow and a signed note to the recipient, Rachel.

Get coding people: It's the new Mandarin, and it's not just children who can learn how to do it

Come September, it will be taught in schools – and clubs. Susie Mesure gets a lesson in basic computer-speak

But bizarrely, on the very day that Lottie Dexter, ambassador for the whole initiative, launched the programme, she was forced to admit on air that she didn't have the first clue what coding was all about, because she hasn't learnt how to do it – yet.

Introducing ERWIN, the robot with feelings

Study at University of Lincoln aims to understand how long-term relationships may be forged between humans and androids

ERWIN (Emotional Robot with Intelligent Network) has been developed at the University of Lincoln as part of a study attempting to understand how long-term relationships may be forged between humans and androids. These durable relationships could be important in cases where a robot operates as a personal aid or companion, for example when providing care for the elderly or support for people with autism.

How to get rid of Google: Alternative services and privacy settings to try out online

Whether you object to their tax arrangements or don't like to be tracked, you don't have to give all your data to Google - here are some alternatives to try

But Google has made a lot of mistakes in the past that may have alienated their users. For example, their tax evasion scandal will not be forgotten quickly - in December 2012 an analysis it was reported that Google had avoided paying $2bn in worldwide income taxes in 2011 alone

Satya Nadella: Microsoft drops Bill Gates as chairman and appoints 46-year-old as CEO

The cricket and poetry-loving 46-year-old has taken the helm of the technology giant

Although it made its name and fortune by creating products and services for the old world dominated by the personal computer, the appointment of the India-born executive is a sign that Microsoft sees cloud, mobile, web and other markets as the future.

Why is Facebook blue?': 10 things you didn’t know about the world's biggest social network

It's been ten years since Facebook first hit the web - we celebrate with 10 surprising facts

Facebook is arguably more than a website now - it's a part of how society thinks about itself; the most visible and the most influential social network that exists. To celebrate this we thought we'd look into some of the more surprising facts about the site - check the gallery below for more.
Facebook will be marking the occasion in its own way, sending out personalised videos of "the last 10 years" to the site’s users. Each video will offer a slightly cheesy montage of individuals’ photos, videos and status updates set to a typically uplifting soundtrack.

Sony sells waterproof walkman in bottle of water

The technology giant is selling the bottled MP3 players in vending machines at gyms and swimming pools in New Zealand

To prove how waterproof their W series MP3 Walkman is to customers in New Zealand, the technology giant has packaged the product in a bottle of water.

Designs of the Year 2014 nominations: From a floating school to a Lego calendar, these are a feast for the eyes

These might sound like the product of a primary school brainstorm but – along with 72 other weird and wonderful objects, buildings and virtual inventions – they are the finalists for the Designs of the Year 2014.
The longlist for the award, overseen by London’s Design Museum, is revealed today to showcase innovation and ingenuity from around the world by figures ranging from Zaha Hadid to Miuccia Prada, to the backers of a crowd-sourced rescue drone.

GTA Online 'Valentine's Day massacre' coming this Friday, along with 10 new Jobs

Game to get 1920s look with Tommy guns and flapper dresses

The game's online environment is set to go a bit Boardwalk Empire as its gets a Roaring Twenties look, complete with gangster suits, flapper dresses and hairstyles and masquerade masks.
"Nothing says “I love you” quite like the warm wooden grip and cold steel barrel of a Gusenberg Sweeper machine gun," Rockstar said of the Valentine's Day special. "Get it from any Ammu-Nation location in GTA Online