• Obama passes Freedom Act to cut back bulk data collection

    The USA Freedom Act extends the government’s ability to collect large amounts of data, but with restrictions, and is the first piece of legislation to reform post 9/11 surveillance measures. The bill, seen as a substitute for the Patriot Act, had been backed by President Barack Obama as a compromise addressing privacy concerns, while preserving a tool to protect the country from terror threats. It ends a system exposed by former NSA contractor-turned-whistleblower Edward Snowden where the spy agency collected and searched records of phone calls looking for terrorism leads, but was not allowed to listen to their content. After the Senate voted 67-32 on Tuesday to give final congressional approval to the bill, Obama used his Twitter account, @POTUS, to say he was glad it had passed. “I'll sign…

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    IET EngX

  • Twitter and mobile phone data to gauge how big crowds are

    Researchers from Warwick University analysed geo-tagged tweets and mobile phone use over a two-month period in Milan and were able to estimate attendance numbers for football matches. They used the San Siro Stadium and Linate Airport – locations with known numbers of visitors – to conduct the study and found that mobile activity rose and fell in close step with the flow of people. The scientists said the analysis could help measure unpredicted events like evacuations, crowd disasters or protests. “We found that this automatically generated data provides an excellent basis for estimating the size of a crowd,” said Federico Botta, a co-author of the study. “Quick and accurate measurements of crowd size could be of vital use for police and other authorities charged with avoiding crowd disasters…

  • New technology paves way for global roaming on 4G

    Radio systems like mobile phones and wireless internet connections use as much of the radio spectrum as is necessary. But the new technology can estimate and cancel out the interference from one’s own transmission, allowing a radio device to transmit and receive on the same channel at the same time. The scientists from the University of Bristol said their technology could use half as much spectrum compared to the current technology. But this research in particular, as well as being part of the evolution of 5G mobile, is also relevant to 3G and 4G in mobile devices. Traditionally, a separate filtering component is required for each frequency band, which means that mobile phones can’t support all the frequency channels available around the world. Different devices are manufactured for different…

  • Data usage set to double over the next four years

    The research found that only 41 per cent of the data generated by these devices will be carried over cellular networks by 2019, with most of mobile data traffic offloaded to Wi-Fi networks. It's forecasted that mobile data will approach almost 197,000 Petabytes, with the average monthly data usage by smartphone and tablet users to double over the next four years. It is also expected for the daily media consumption by mobile users to continue to rise, bolstered by the increase in 4G adoption and HD video usage. “Certainly, video is forming an ever-greater proportion of network traffic,” said Nitin Bhas, author of the Mobile Data Offload and Onload study. “Video traffic over smartphones will increase by nearly 8 times between 2014 and 2019.” Video currently accounts for around 60 per cent of…

  • Mobile payments set to surge in coming year

    But countries such as Turkey, Poland, the USA, Italy, Spain and Romania are all predicted to have higher levels of mobile payment app take-up in the next 12 months, according to the ING International Survey on Mobile Banking. Of the 15 countries surveyed Turkey was found to have the highest proportion of people with a mobile device intending to use mobile payments in the next 12 months, at 78 per cent. While only 46 per cent of people in the UK who own a mobile device intend to use a mobile payment app in the next 12 months, 30 per cent already use mobile payments – a figure which was higher than the levels found in France, Germany and Australia. Across the European countries surveyed, 33 per cent of people have already used a mobile payment app and this is expected to increase to 51 per cent…

  • Electromagnetic theory breakthrough leads to 'antennas on a chip'

    One of the biggest bottlenecks to miniaturisation in modern electronics is the fact that antennas remain far larger than electronic circuits, so ultra-small antennas could transform wireless communications and have been called the 'last frontier' of semiconductor design. "Antennas, or aerials, are one of the limiting factors when trying to make smaller and smaller systems, since below a certain size, the losses become too great," said Professor Gehan Amaratunga of Cambridge University's Department of Engineering, who led the research. The foundation of current understand of electromagnetic radiation comes from theories first proposed by James Clerk Maxwell in the 19th century, which state that electromagnetic radiation is generated by accelerating electrons. But in new results published in…

  • 4G 'significantly outperforms' 3G networks

    The average download speed for 4G networks was of 14.7Mbit/s compared with 5.9Mbit/s on 3G and it took 0.72 seconds to load a web page, in contrast with 1.04 seconds on 3G, according to figures from Ofcom. It collected 120,000 test samples on smartphones in five towns and cities where both 4G and 3G networks have been rolled out, including Edinburgh, Leeds, London, Newcastle and Poole/Bournemouth. EE delivered the fastest average 4G download speed of 18.6Mbit/s, surpassing O2, Three and Vodafone, but Three was the quickest on average for web browsing over 4G at 0.63 seconds to load a web page. Overall, 97 per cent of test samples across EE, O2, Three and Vodafone provided 4G download speeds above 2Mbit/s, typically sufficient to support high-capacity video services. Across the four networks…

  • Fully digital radio transmitter could be turnkey solution for IoT

    The new breakthrough – codenamed Pizzicato – unlocks the potential of the IoT, opening the door to a new dynamic way in which the predicted 100 billion IoT devices can operate together in a crowded radio spectrum. It will also enable the creation of 5G systems, with multiple radios and antennas. The Pizzicato digital radio transmitter consists of an integrated circuit, outputting a single stream of bits, and an antenna. No conventional radio parts or digital-to-analogue converters are involved. Patented algorithms perform the necessary ultra-fast computations in real time, making it possible for standard digital technology to generate high-frequency radio signals directly. Unlike ‘software-defined radio’ (SDR), there is no mix of analogue and digital components – the radio is completely digital…

  • BT seals �12.5bn deal to buy EE

    BT said it would raise £1bn through a placing of new shares to fund the deal, after weeks of exclusive talks with the owners of EE, Orange and Deutsche Telekom. “This is a very exciting time and a new chapter for BT,” said Gavin Patterson, chief executive of BT, and hailed the deal as a “major milestone”. Deutsche Telekom will hold 12 per cent in the new merged business and will have a seat on the board, while Orange will get a 4 per cent stake, as well as around £3.4bn in cash. Following the takeover, BT will be able to sell its fixed telephone, broadband and TV services to EE's customers and accelerate its plans to offer interconnectivity between fixed Wi-Fi and high-speed fibre networks with mobile 4G technology. "The UK's leading 4G network will now dovetail with the UK's biggest fibre…

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    IET EngX

  • Eurotunnel to launch 4G services

    According to officials, with the upgrade to 4G people will now be able to stream videos, listen to music and watch and share data on their mobile devices 100m under sea-level as easily as at home.   "This new service means we can offer our customers incredible connectivity and astonishing access to mobile services, bringing better information for passengers, allowing them to remain operational and make their journey a real opportunity to relax," said Michel Boudoussier, Eurotunnel's chief operating officer. The 4G boost was made possible because of the two-way collaboration between the Eurotunnel and telecommunication operators EE, O2, Vodafone and Bouygues Telecom. The launch of 4G in the Channel Tunnel was marked by a live concert broadcasted from the Shuttle travelling at almost 90mph. Around…

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    IET EngX

  • BT courting O2 and EE as it looks to re-enter mobile market

    The former British telecoms monopoly is looking to return to the British consumer mobile market. Both the company and O2’s Spanish owner Telefonica have confirmed they were in talks after Spanish website El Confidencial reported that O2 could be sold in return for a 20 per cent stake in BT as part of a "strategic alliance" to strengthen the two groups. BT also said it was in talks with another British mobile operator, which two sources close to the matter identified as EE, owned by Orange and Deutsche Telekom. "We have received expressions of interest from shareholders in two UK mobile network operators, of which one is O2, about a possible transaction in which BT would acquire their UK mobile business," BT said. "All discussions are at a highly preliminary stage and there can be no certainty…

  • Intel launches gold-coated 'smart jewellery' bracelet

    The MICA – an acronym for My Intelligent Communication Accessory – runs independently of a user’s smartphone to deliver vibration-based text message and Gmail notifications, as well as allowing them to respond with customisable ‘quick replies’. Alerts from Google Calendar and Facebook event notifications are displayed on a curved sapphire glass touchscreen display on the inside of the wrist, which is used to control the device. The ‘Time to Go’ app – powered by satnav firm TomTom and Intel – provides intelligent reminders that adjust the time needed to get to the user’s next appointment based on location. Users can also access Yelp local search to find and read reviews of restaurants, shops and other local businesses. Co-designed with fashion house Opening Ceremony, the ‘smart jewellery’ is…

  • Half the world's population connected to mobile Internet by 2020

    It is calculated that there were 2.2 billion mobile Internet subscribers in 2013, representing approximately 30 per cent of the global population. GSMA Intelligence forecasts that an additional 1.6 billion citizens worldwide will become mobile Internet users over the next six years, bringing the total number to 3.8 billion, or around half of the world’s expected population in 2020. “Our new findings underline how mobile is now the gateway to the Internet for billions of citizens across the world and will be responsible for connecting millions of currently ‘offline’ global citizens to the Internet in the years to 2020 and beyond,” said Anne Bouverot, director general of the GSMA. “Developing innovative ways to accelerate digital inclusion in the form of affordable mobile Internet access is now…

  • 'Connected traveller' prompts airports to prioritise IT investment

    This annual survey of the world’s airports shows the focus on the ‘connected traveller’ with investments in IT infrastructure and services that give passengers more convenience, control and a connected experience. Self-service and mobile options are key areas of investment, with over 80 per cent of airports planning a project in these areas over the next three years. The total spend is estimated to reach $6.8bn. Francesco Violante, CEO of SITA, said: “This is the age of the connected traveller with nearly all passengers carrying mobiles, tablets and other devices. It is vital that airports invest in the infrastructure to support the changing expectations of these passengers. This year’s survey shows that the majority of airports globally are investing more in new technologies and mobile services…

  • Mobile operators embrace embedded SIM specification

    The specification describes a non-removable SIM that is embedded in connected devices at the point of manufacture and allows remote provisioning over the network, thereby removing the need to replace SIM cards if the manufacturer or user decides to switch networks. At the Mobile 360 Series-Middle East conference in Dubai, the trade body announced that operators AT&T, Etisalat, NTT DOCOMO, Telefónica and Vodafone Group alongside manufacturers Gemalto, Giesecke & Devrient, Morpho (Safran), Oberthur Technologies, Sierra Wireless and Telit have all launched compliant solutions. Ericsson, Jasper and Telenor Connexion have also committed to future roll-outs of the specification. “Our vision has always been to unite all stakeholders behind a single, common and global specification that will help accelerate…

  • Manufacturing slowdown 'first alarm bell' for economy

    Figures compiled by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) suggested that while the UK was still growing, expansion slowed during the period, with a poll of more than 7,000 firms showing the increase in domestic sales and orders in manufacturing dropped sharply following all-time highs in the second quarter. Growth in exports fell for both manufacturing and the dominant services sector, which represents three-quarters of UK output. BCC chief economist David Kern said: "These results point to continued UK economic growth, but the pace is easing. The signs of the slowdown are particularly noticeable in manufacturing, where all the key domestic and export balances recorded declines in Q3. "Noticeable falls in all the export balances and increased signs of slower growth require a forceful policy…

  • Update to Passpoint Wi-Fi roaming system aims for new users

    The Passpoint system, released by the trade association in 2012, is designed to provide a cellular-like experience to seamlessly switch between any WiFi hotspots run by a provider that the user subscribes to, or which has a roaming agreement with their mobile operator or home broadband provider, without having to re-enter authentication details each time. The system has already been deployed by providers such as Orange, SK Telecom, Boingo and Time Warner Cable, but so far this has involved pre-provisioned devices without the ability to easily register for new services. The latest update allows on the spot sign up by allowing users that don’t have an account with a hotspot provider or its roaming partners to set up an account via their device using a secure registration process rather than being…

  • Stonehenge: digital mapping reveals the true picture

    Stonehenge: a national monument, an internationally recognised British icon. For centuries, people have wondered, theorised, intrigued and argued about who, or what, might have put an isolated collection of huge standing stones in the middle of the Wiltshire countryside somewhere between five and six thousand years ago – and for what purpose. Now, new research conducted by archaeologists and scientists from Birmingham University and the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Archaeological Prospection and Virtual Archaeology, in Vienna has revealed that Stonehenge did not sit alone within its Neolithic landscape. The research has revealed that the area around Stonehenge was heavy with additional monuments, chapels and burial chambers, which until now have remained hidden underground or inside known…

  • Apple apologises over iOS 8 glitch as it releases patch

    The issue was caused by an earlier update to its iOS 8 mobile operating system released on Wednesday and the tech giant had scrambled to fix the glitch, releasing an update late yesterday that it claimed would resolve the issue. Apple has also had to defend its iPhone 6 Plus against social media reports that its extra-large shell is vulnerable to bending, saying bending "is extremely rare" with normal use of an iPhone and that just nine customers had contacted the company to report a bent iPhone 6 Plus since they went on sale despite a record 10 million sales of the new models in the first weekend. But the firm was contrite about the iOS issue, having previously vowed to work "around the clock" to fix it, saying: "We apologise for inconveniencing the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus users who were…

  • Intel buys $1.5bn stake in two Chinese mobile chipmakers

    The US semiconductor firm has struggled to gain a foothold in the smartphone and tablet market, lagging behind industry leader and rival Qualcomm, but the deal would give it a bigger slice of the Chinese mobile chip market, where growth is still strong compared to maturing Western markets. Intel has struck the deal with Tsinghua Unigroup, a government-affiliated private equity firm that owns mobile chipmakers Spreadtrum Communications and RDA Microelectronics, and the deal will also provide the two Chinese firms support from a US semiconductor giant on chip design and development. "It has become a national priority of China to grow its semiconductor industry," said Tsinghua Unigroup chairman Zhao Weiguo in a statement released by Intel today. "The strategic collaboration between Tsinghua Unigroup…

  • Samsung steals a march on Apple with launch of latest Galaxy

    The Galaxy Alpha will go on sale at the beginning of September the Korean phone manufacturer said, as it reignites its battle at the top of the smartphone market with Apple, which is expected to release the iPhone 6 in early September, with rumours suggesting it could come in two sizes for the first time. Leaked images of the phone appeared online earlier this month, with some comments on social media suggesting it looked similar to an iPhone due to a new metal frame that is flatter. The new device will have a 4.7in screen, which is slightly smaller than the screen on the Galaxy S5, released in April. The Alpha is also more than a millimetre thinner than the S5, making it one of the slimmest devices the company has ever made. Despite the leaner design, which makes the phone 30g lighter than…

  • Poor connectivity at football matches solved

    With thousands of fans crammed into a stadium local mobile network capacity is quickly exceeded during football matches leading to poor connectivity, but TribeHive has developed technology that can build a network directly between phones and use it as the basis for distributing data. The technology is being used in six new smartphone apps being introduced by clubs in the Football League, including one Barclays Premier League team QPR and five Sky Bet Championship teams – Birmingham, Bolton, Brighton and Hove, Middlesbrough and Watford – for the first two months of the 2014/2015 season. The iOS and Android apps are available for fans to download ahead of the first matches of the season and will deliver match-related content, player statistics, live results from other fixtures, travel information…

  • BlackBerry to open BBM up to Windows phones

    The Canadian firm is seeking to reinvent itself as a more software and services driven company as its smartphone market share has dwindled in recent years has been lately touting new BBM features in a bid to make it a more viable messaging tool for enterprise clients. While BBM was one of the pioneering mobile-messaging services and still has over 85 million active users, its user base has failed to keep pace with those of WhatsApp and other rivals, in part because BlackBerry had long refused to open the program to users on other platforms. Last year the company opened the service to phones powered by Google popular Android operating system and Apple's iOS platform and the rollout to the Windows phone platform means the service is now available on all major smartphone platforms. In a bid to…

  • Report calls for chief engineers for hospitals' tech

    The report’s authors argue that every trust should appoint a chief biomedical engineer to co-ordinate and plan how trusts use technology. “It’s vital that engineers are involved in the procurement, use and maintenance of biomedical equipment,” said Helen Meese, head of engineering in society at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE). “In order to reap the full benefits that technology can offer, the people who design, make and maintain these pieces of equipment need to be heard.” Speaking at the report's launch, Meese referenced a recent report by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) report that claims more than 300 deaths in 2013 could be attributed to faulty equipment. Other situations have involved simple miscalibration of weighing scales, leading to the…

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