Carlo Orlando

Recently, the London Science Museum in the UK conducted a survey that asked 3,000 adults to consider the things that they could not live without on a day-to-day basis. Such a question generally causes us to consider the things necessary to ensure ... our survival: food, clean water, shelter, etc. The results of this particular poll, however, are very surprising. Technology: A Necessity or Luxury? According to the survey, Brits consider "sunshine" as their most essential item of value. Surprisingly, however, the next item in line is not clean water or food, but an Internet connection. ... (view more)

Many people are still apprehensive about sending out their personal information online, for fear of having their identity stolen by a profit-seeking hacker. Hoping to reduce the amount of "cyberphobia" in America, the White House is proposing a new ... initiative that looks to improve the current state of user authentication. Authentication Method to use Multiple Confirmation Methods While initial reports are limited, many believe that the new authentication system proposed by the White House would use at least two different ID confirmation methods. One theory suggests that an encryption chip ... (view more)

A Northern Ireland man is accusing Facebook of having a lackadaisical approach towards their age-identification system, even going so far as to sue the social network after his 12-year-old daughter began posting "explicit photos" of herself on ... multiple occasions. As it stands, the minimum age requirement for a new Facebook member is 13. The social network is currently designed for two age groups (13-17 year olds and 18+). Still, the company does not have a solid method of verifying (or even checking) a member's age. The lawsuit claims that Facebook is "guilty of negligence" and creates "a ... (view more)

The eyes of the world were set on US media sources this past weekend, as millions mourned and remembered the 10 year anniversary of the tragic terrorist attacks on September 11th, 2001. In an effort to recreate the panic that was a decade ago, ... sick-minded hackers infiltrated the Twitter account of NBC News and sent out a handful of false tweets to followers around the world. The messages spoke of a suspected airplane hijacking and that another similar attack was planned for Sunday, with Ground Zero once again the target. NBC News correspondents intercepted the false tweets at around 6pm on ... (view more)

With accessibility being one of the central features of almost every "smart" device, it is no wonder that social networking has become an integral part of the everyday routine. But one of the factors that takes away from this experience is the ... increasing number of virtual traps that hackers design to victimize and/or profit from social networking users. Among the most prolific attacks on Facebook members is the "likejacking" scam, a form of click hijacking whereby users are tricked into recommending a site they've never visited. In response to this malicious practice, Norton has created a new ... (view more)

The latest buzz in the video gaming world is that Microsoft's Xbox 360 video game console is about to receive a 3D makeover via firmware update. It's believed that the platform revamping could take place as early as next week. The rush to expand the ... Xbox brand is due to a similar move on the part of Sony. Over the past year, dozens of PlayStation 3 (PS3) titles -- such as Killzone 3 -- have included 3D support, while also allowing users to stream 3D movies on a pay-per-view basis. Microsoft Alters Initial 3D Outlook Interestingly enough, the move would counter what Microsoft had said ... (view more)

The goodwill service of "take a penny, leave a penny" appears to have undergone a hi-tech facelift thanks to a social experiment that blends the services of Twitter with the major coffee enterprise, Starbucks. A few months ago, Jonathan Stark ... purchased a Starbucks reloadable gift card. But what made "Jonathan's Card" different than the hundreds of others purchased on the same day is that he decided to post a photo of the card on his Twitter account and encouraged visitors to use it to purchase a coffee or snack free of charge. The concept is very unique. A visitor would simply have to upload ... (view more)

Many adults avoid regular visits to the dentist -- oftentimes because they're afraid of discovering a cavity, or worse. Having a tooth cavity filled can be time-consuming, costly, and an unpleasant experience. But the fears of many might soon ... subside, as scientists have been working to create a high tech dental gel that makes trips to the dentist virtually painless. The anti-cavity dental gel, developed at the University of Leeds' School of Chemistry, penetrates the microscopic pores of a decaying tooth. The gel actually contains a peptide (called P 11-4) that develops into fibers and acts ... (view more)

While most forms of hacking are devious and malicious in nature, some hackers consider it a hobby, skill and even an art form. The sophistication of hacking is apparently the basis for a new website called "RankMyHack.com," which looks to test the ... abilities of hackers within a social forum. RankMyHack.com is the brainchild of "Solar" (the hacker name of the individual responsible for establishing the site). In an email interview, Solar did not disclose his real name or age, but did mention that he was a former computer science student who lives in Britain and still aspires to, someday, work ... (view more)

The number of organ donors in North America is consistently lower than the number awaiting a donation. Now Organovo, a biotech company based in San Francisco, is attempting to save thousands of lives with their "organ printer" that is supposedly ... able to create artificial blood vessels made entirely from human cells. While it might sound like a wishful, futuristic endeavor, the way an "organ printer" operates is incredible. An Assortment of Printable Cell-Types Instead of dispensing ink (as with a traditional printer) the "organ printer" uses two robotic tips that deposit an ... (view more)