All the News that Matters

• Ubuntu: 2059-1: GnuPG vulnerability
  LinuxSecurity.com: GnuPG could expose sensitive information when performing decryption.

• Debian: 2823-1: pixman: integer underflow
  LinuxSecurity.com: Bryan Quigley discovered an integer underflow in Pixman which could lead to denial of service or the execution of arbitrary code. For the oldstable distribution (squeeze), this problem has been fixed in [More...]

• Debian: 2822-1: xorg-server: integer underflow
  LinuxSecurity.com: Bryan Quigley discovered an integer underflow in the Xorg X server which could lead to denial of service or the execution of arbitrary code. For the oldstable distribution (squeeze), this problem has been fixed in [More...]

• Debian: 2821-1: gnupg: side channel attack
  LinuxSecurity.com: Genkin, Shamir and Tromer discovered that RSA key material could be extracted by using the sound generated by the computer during the decryption of some chosen ciphertexts. [More...]

• Mandriva: 2013:294: gimp
  LinuxSecurity.com: Multiple vulnerabilities has been discovered and corrected in gimp:Multiple stack-based buffer overflows in file-xwd.c in the X WindowDump (XWD) plug-in in GIMP 2.8.2 allow remote attackers to cause adenial of service (crash) and possibly execute arbitrary code via[More...]

• Mandriva: 2013:293: gimp
  LinuxSecurity.com: Updated gimp package fixes security vulnerabilities:An integer overflow flaw and a heap-based buffer overflow were found inthe way GIMP loaded certain X Window System (XWD) image dump files. Aremote attacker could provide a specially crafted XWD image file that,[More...]

• Ubuntu: 2058-1: curl vulnerability
  LinuxSecurity.com: Fraudulent security certificates could allow sensitive information to beexposed when accessing the Internet.

• Mandriva: 2013:292: links
  LinuxSecurity.com: Updated links package fixes security vulnerability:Mikulas Patocka discovered an integer overflow in the parsing ofHTML tables in the Links web browser. This can only be exploited whenrunning Links in graphical mode (CVE-2013-6050).[More...]

• Mandriva: 2013:290: mediawiki
  LinuxSecurity.com: Updated mediawiki packages fix security vulnerabilities:Kevin Israel (Wikipedia user PleaseStand) identified and reportedtwo vectors for injecting Javascript in CSS that bypassed MediaWiki'sblacklist (CVE-2013-4567, CVE-2013-4568).[More...]

• Mandriva: 2013:289: owncloud
  LinuxSecurity.com: Updated owncloud package fixes security vulnerability:Possible security bypass on admin page under certain circumstancesand MariaDB (CVE-2013-6403).[More...]

• Mandriva: 2013:291: kernel
  LinuxSecurity.com: Multiple vulnerabilities has been found and corrected in the Linuxkernel:The Linux kernel before 3.12.2 does not properly use the get_dumpablefunction, which allows local users to bypass intended ptrace[More...]

• Gentoo: 201312-14 libsndfile: Arbitrary code execution
  LinuxSecurity.com: An integer overflow in libsndfile might allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a Denial of Service condition.

• Fedora 20 KDE Screenshot Tour
  The Fedora KDE Plasma Desktop Edition is a powerful Fedora-based operating system utilizing the KDE Plasma Desktop as the main user interface. Fedora KDE Plasma Desktop comes with many pre-selected top quality applications that suit all modern desktop use cases - from online communication like web browsing, instant messaging and electronic mail correspondence, through multimedia and entertainment, to an advanced productivity suite, including office applications and enterprise grade personal information management.

• Where Would You Like to See the Next Xen Project User Summit Held?
  Now is the time for you to give your input for the location and timing of the 2014 Xen Project User Summit

• AIDE -- Developing for Android on Android
  Android, as a platform, is one of the fastest growing on the planet. Itis available on smartphones and a series of different tablet sizes. Mostdevices also include a full spectrum of sensors that are available toprograms you install, so it's a very inviting platformfor development.

• Install Xtreme Download Manager 3.0.1 in Ubuntu 13.10
  Xtreme Download Manager is a Java based download application that lets you pause and resume downloads. Here's how you can install version 3.0.1 in Ubuntu 13.10.

• Papers, Please Still Coming To Linux
  Imagine yourself as a resident of the communist state of Arstotzka. The war with a neighbouring country has ended and now half of a town, Grestin, has been reclaimed on the border. You are an immigration inspector, tasked with controlling the flow of people into Arstotzka.

• Chromebase: A Chrome OS All-in-One PC from LG due at CES 2014
  LG has just announced that Chromebase, an all-in-one computer that will be powered by Google Chrome OS, will be unveiled at next year’s International Consumer Electronics Show (CES). LG did not specify whether it will have integrated wireless connectivity, so I’ll have to assume that it will not, though I’d be very surprised if the final model released to the public ships without one.

• NVIDIA 2013 Linux Graphics Driver Year-In-Review
  For the seventh year in a row I am issuing year-in-review articles concerning the state of NVIDIA's (and separately, AMD Catalyst) Linux graphics driver and the accomplishments the driver's made in the past calendar year along with benchmarks of all notable driver releases this year.

• Overgrowth Rabbit Fighting Action Game Now On Steam For Linux
  Overgrowth is a third-person 3D action game that allows you to leap and climb through sprawling levels as a ninja rabbit, and engage in intricate and brutal combat with a variety of weapons and enemies. It is still very much in development, so while the mechanics and features are mostly in place, there is no campaign, and players mostly experiment with the easy-to-use modding tools, and fighting in the arena.

• KDE 4.12 Applications & Development Platform Released
  The KDE Applications and Development Platform have been released for their 4.12 version while Plasma Workspaces and the KDE Platform remain locked-in to their 4.11 state.

• Install Xnoise 0.2.20 media player in Ubuntu 13.10
  Xnoise is a lightweight media player with an intuitive user interface. Here's how you can install it in Ubuntu 13.10.

• Solar Flux Space Strategy To Hit Linux Tomorrow On Steam
  Remember Solar Flux space-themed strategy game where you save dying suns we told you was coming? It will be here tomorrow the developers just confirmed to us!

• Black Lab Linux 4.1.9 KDE released
  Today we are pleased to announce Black Lab Linux 4.1.9. This release showcases our optimized KDE desktop and is our inaugural release of KDE for Black Lab Linux. Based on a heavily modified Kubuntu base system we offer the best the KDE community has to offer. With this release we focus on optimizing KDE so that it runs on the same class of hardware as our XFCE release.

• KDE Releases Applications and Development Platform 4.12
  The KDE Community is proud to announce the latest major updates to KDE Applications delivering new features and fixes. With Plasma Workspaces and the KDE Platform frozen and receiving only long term support, those teams are focusing on the technical transition to Frameworks 5.

• Five great GIMP plugins
  Today in Open Source: GIMP plugins to make your photos great. Plus: A review of Fedora 20, and a Fedora 20 screenshot tour.

• Fedora 20 Xfce Screenshot Tour
  The Fedora Xfce spin showcases the Xfce desktop, which aims to be fast and lightweight, while still being visually appealing and user friendly. The Fedora Project is pleased to announce the release of Fedora 20 ('Heisenbug'), which coincides with the 10th anniversary of the creation of the Fedora Project.

• Google joins Open Invention Network patent commons as a full member
  Google joins IBM, NEC, Novell, Philips, Red Hat and Sony as a full member of the Open Invention Network open-source and Linux patent protection organization.

• MDM Display Manager Animated Theme Preview
  MDM supports a wider range of themes than its alternatives, making it one of the best display managers currently available. I wanted to show off some of these awesome themes, so here they are for your enjoyment.

• Fedora 20 Cinnamon, KDE and MATE screen shots
  While a detail review is in the works, this article brings you screen shots from test installations of Fedora 20 Cinnamon, KDE and MATE desktops.

• Snowden: Dear Brazil, the NSA is watching you
  "Today, if you carry a cell phone in Sao Paolo, the NSA can and does keep track of your location: they do this 5 billion times a day to people around the world. When someone in Florianopolis visits a website, the NSA keeps a record of when it happened and what you did there."

• How to monitor common services with Nagios
  Nagios comes with a wide range of built-in scripts for monitoring services. This tutorial will cover the process of using some of these scripts for checking common services, such as MySQL, Apache web server, DNS, etc.

• Using Supercomputers To Find a Bacterial "Off" Switch
  Nerval's Lobster writes "The comparatively recent addition of supercomputing to the toolbox of biomedical research may already have paid off in a big way: Researchers have used a bio-specialized supercomputer to identify a molecular 'switch' that might be used to turn off bad behavior by pathogens. They're now trying to figure out what to do with that discovery by running even bigger tests on the world's second-most-powerful supercomputer. The 'switch' is a pair of amino acids called Phe396 that helps control the ability of the E. coli bacteria to move under its own power. Phe396 sits on a chemoreceptor that extends through the cell wall, so it can pass information about changes in the local environment to proteins on the inside of the cell. Its role was discovered by a team of researchers from the University of Tennessee and the ORNL Joint Institute for Computational Sciences using a specialized supercomputer called Anton, which was built specifically to simulate biomolecular interactions among proteins and other molecules to give researchers a better way to study details of how molecules interact. 'For decades proteins have been viewed as static molecules, and almost everything we know about them comes from static images, such as those produced with X-ray crystallography,' according to Igor Zhulin, a researcher at ORNL and professor of microbiology at UT, in whose lab the discovery was made. 'But signaling is a dynamic process, which is difficult to fully understand using only snapshots.'"
  
  
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• Govt. Watchdog Group Finds Apple Misled Aussies On Consumer Rights
  beaverdownunder writes "Apple has agreed to an agreement to ensure staff inform customers of rights under Australian consumer law. Despite the 2011 law requiring retailers to provide a refund option for faulty goods, and free repairs to items reasonably expected to still function properly (this part of the law is intentionally ambiguous), Apple steadfastly stuck to its AppleCare program, denying warranty repairs to units more than one year old (without the purchase of an extension) and only offering replacement or credit for DOA items. Apple has promised to compensate all Australian customers who were charged for repairs during the last two years, and make the terms of the law clear on the Australian Apple website. How this will affect company warranty policy is unclear — under the law, consumers could be entitled to repairs for the life of the product (barring damage, of course)."
  
  
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• UK ISP Adult Filters Block Sex Education Websites Allows Access To Porn
  toshikodo writes "The BBC is reporting that Internet content filters being rolled out by major ISPs in the UK are failing to allow access to acceptable content, such as sex education and sexual abuse advise sites, while also still allowing access to porn. According to the article, 'TalkTalk's filter is endorsed by Mr Cameron but it failed to block 7% of the 68 pornographic websites tested by Newsnight.' The ISPs claim that it is impossible for their filters to be 100% accurate, and that they are working with their users to improve quality. I wonder how long it will be before one of these filters blocks access to the Conservative Party's website, and what will Cameron do then?"
  
  
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• Panel Urges Major NSA Spying Overhaul
  wiredmikey writes "A board set up to review the NSA's vast surveillance programs has called for a wide-ranging overhaul of National Security Agency practices while preserving 'robust' intelligence capabilities. The panel, set up by President Obama, issued 46 recommendations, including reforms at a secret national security court and an end to retention of telephone 'metadata' by the spy agency. The 308-page report (PDF) submitted last week to the White House and released publicly Wednesday says the US government needs to balance the interests of national security and intelligence gathering with privacy and 'protecting democracy, civil liberties, and the rule of law.' Panel members said the recommendations would not necessarily mean a rolling back of intelligence gathering, including on foreign leaders, but that surveillance must be guided by standards and by high-level policymakers."
  
  
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• Target Has Major Credit Card Breach
  JoeyRox writes "Target experienced a system-wide breach of credit card numbers over the Black Friday holiday shopping season. What's unique about this massive breach is that it didn't involve compromising a centralized data center or website but instead represented a distributed attack at individual Target stores across the country. Investigators believe customer account numbers were lifted via software installed on card readers at checkout."
  
  
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• Genome of Neandertals Reveals Inbreeding
  sciencehabit writes "In a report on the most complete genome of a Neandertal ever sequenced, an international team of researchers has found that the parents of a Neandertal woman from Siberia were as closely related as half-siblings. The genome also shows that at some point the Neandertals interbred with other human groups, including their cousins the Denisovans, and our own modern human ancestors. There are even signs of Denisovans interbreeding with a mysterious archaic species. In all, the study suggests very close encounters among the several kinds of hominins living in the past 125,000 years. The detailed genome of the extinct Neandertals—our closest relatives—also offers a new look at the genetic differences that set our species apart from all the others."
  
  
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• NASA's Greatest Challenges In 2014
  coondoggie writes "In its annual look at what challenges NASA faces in the coming year, the agency's Office of the Inspector General (OIG) this year outlined nine key areas it says will cause the most angina. Leading the way in pain is money. NASA's current money story starts off bad and just gets worse. From the article: '"Along with the rest of the Federal Government, NASA began FY 2013 under a 6-month continuing resolution that funded the Agency at FY 2012 levels. This was followed by a budget for the remainder of the fiscal year that reduced the Agency's enacted funding level of $17. 5 billion by $626.5 million, or approximately 4% due to sequestration. These financial pressures look to repeat themselves in FY 2014, with no annual budget in place at the beginning of the fiscal year and potential sequestration impacts that could reduce NASA's budget request of $17.7 billion by $1.5 billion to $16.2 billion. As the National Research Council noted in its 2012 report examining NASA's strategic direction and management, NASA's budget is 'mismatched to the current portfolio of missions, facilities, and staff,'" the OIG report stated.'"
  
  
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• The FBI's Giant Bitcoin Wallet
  SonicSpike writes with a story about the huge amount of bitcoins owned by the FBI. "In September, the FBI shut down the Silk Road online drug marketplace, and it started seizing bitcoins belonging to the Dread Pirate Roberts — the operator of the illicit online marketplace, who they say is an American man named Ross Ulbricht. The seizure sparked an ongoing public discussion about the future of Bitcoin, the world's most popular digital currency, but it had an unforeseen side-effect: It made the FBI the holder of the world's biggest Bitcoin wallet. The FBI now controls more than 144,000 bitcoins that reside at a bitcoin address that consolidates much of the seized Silk Road bitcoins. Those 144,000 bitcoins are worth close to $100 million at Tuesday's exchange rates. Another address, containing Silk Road funds seized earlier by the FBI, contains nearly 30,000 bitcoins ($20 million)."
  
  
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• How a MacBook Camera Can Spy Without Lighting Up
  New submitter ttyler writes "It turns out a MacBook's built-in camera can be activated without turning on the green LED. An earlier report suggested the FBI could activate a device's camera without having the light turn on, and there was a case in the news where a woman had nude pictures taken of her without her knowledge. The new research out of Johns Hopkins University confirms both situations are possible. All it takes are a few tweaks to the camera's firmware."
  
  
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• Fomalhaut C Has a Huge Cometary Debris Ring And, Potentially, Exoplanets
  astroengine writes "Astronomers scoping-out the vicinity of the famous star Fomalhaut have discovered that its mysterious stellar sister is also sporting a rather attractive ring of comets. Located 25 light-years away in the constellation Piscis Austrinus, Fomalhaut A is one of the brightest stars in Southern Hemisphere skies. The bright blue giant is notable in that it hosts a gigantic ring of cometary debris and dust. Fomalhaut C is a red dwarf star and was only confirmed to be gravitationally bound Fomalhaut A and Fomalhaut B in October. Fomalhaut is therefore a triple, or trinary, star system. The small red dwarf star may be the proverbial runt of the Fomalhaut stellar litter, but it appears to share some common ground with its larger sibling. 'It's very rare to find two comet belts in one system, and with the two stars 2.5 light years apart this is one of the most widely separated star systems we know of,' said astronomer Grant Kennedy, of the University of Cambridge and lead researcher of this work. 'It made us wonder why both Fomalhaut A and C have comet belts, and whether the belts are related in some way.' One of the reasons why Fomalhaut A's cometary disk is so bright is down to the presence of its exoplanet, stirring up comet collisions. Fomalhaut C may be experiencing the same mechanism."
  
  
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• Scientists Extract RSA Key From GnuPG Using Sound of CPU
  kthreadd writes "In their research paper titled RSA Key Extraction via Low-Bandwidth Acoustic Cryptanalysis, Daniel Genkin, Adi Shamir and Eran Tromer et al. present a method for extracting decryption keys from the GnuPG security suite using an interesting side-channel attack. By analysing the acoustic sound made by the CPU they were able to extract a 4096-bit RSA key in about an hour (PDF). A modern mobile phone placed next to the computer is sufficient to carry out the attack, but up to four meters have been successfully tested using specially designed microphones."
  
  
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• Scientists Print Retinal Cells
  Rambo Tribble writes "The BBC reports on research that points to the possibility of using inkjet technology to print retinal ganglion and glial cells. While the research is preliminary, it is thought to hold great promise for treating certain kinds of eye problems."
  
  
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• Tesla Gets $34 Million Tax Break, Adds Capacity For 35,000 More Cars
  cartechboy writes "The state of California will give Tesla Motors a $34.7 million tax break to expand the company's production capacity for electric cars, state officials announced yesterday. Basically, Tesla won't have to pay sales taxes on new manufacturing equipment worth up to $415 million. The added equipment will help Tesla more than double the number of Model S sedans it builds, as well as assemble more electric powertrains for other car makers. In addition to continued Model S production, Tesla plans to introduce the Model X electric crossover in late 2014, as well as a sub-$40,000 car — tentatively called Model E — that could debut as soon as the 2015 Detroit Auto Show. It turns out California is one of the few states to tax the purchase of manufacturing equipment — but the state grants exemptions for 'clean-tech' companies."
  
  
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• 'Approximate Computing' Saves Energy
  hessian writes "According to a news release from Purdue University, 'Researchers are developing computers capable of "approximate computing" to perform calculations good enough for certain tasks that don't require perfect accuracy, potentially doubling efficiency and reducing energy consumption. "The need for approximate computing is driven by two factors: a fundamental shift in the nature of computing workloads, and the need for new sources of efficiency," said Anand Raghunathan, a Purdue Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, who has been working in the field for about five years. "Computers were first designed to be precise calculators that solved problems where they were expected to produce an exact numerical value. However, the demand for computing today is driven by very different applications. Mobile and embedded devices need to process richer media, and are getting smarter – understanding us, being more context-aware and having more natural user interfaces. ... The nature of these computations is different from the traditional computations where you need a precise answer."' What's interesting here is that this is how our brains work."
  
  
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• Police Pull Over More Drivers For DNA Tests
  schwit1 sends this news from the Washington Times: "Pennsylvania police this week were pulling people to the side of the road, quizzing them on their driving habits, and asking if they'd like to provide a cheek swap or a blood sample — the latest in a federally contracted operation that's touted as making roads safer. The same operation took place last month at a community in Texas. Then, drivers were randomly told to pull off the road into a parking lot, where white-coated researchers asked if they'd like to provide DNA samples for a project that determines what percentage of drivers are operating under the influence of drugs or alcohol at given times. With uniformed police in the background, the researchers also offered the motorists money — up to $50 or so — for the blood or saliva samples."
  
  
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• The Software Inferno
  CowboyRobot writes "The Software Inferno is a tale that parallels The Inferno, Part One of The Divine Comedy written by Dante Alighieri in the early 1300s. That literary masterpiece describes the condemnation and punishment faced by a variety of sinners in their hell-spent afterlives as recompense for atrocities committed during their earthly existences. The Software Inferno is a similar account, describing a journey where 'sinners against software' are encountered amidst their torment, within their assigned areas of eternal condemnation, and paying their penance. Quoting: 'CANTO 6 - HERESY: ...The countess explained that these chaotically traveling souls were strongly at variance with well-established beliefs and laws of software engineering developed by experts on the subject. Their unabashed contempt for universally accepted truths spawned decision making that wrought great damage upon software projects in their charge. Some challenged Fred Brooks' sacred counsel in futile attempts to rise above their failings by adding new people with woefully insufficient qualifications to rescue already-late projects. Others flaunted their derision by disregarding software design patterns sanctified by the Gang of Four, instead opting for inelegance of their own in attempts to solve problems whose solutions were already proven, well known, and time-honored.'"
  
  
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• Google Joins the Open Invention Network Board
  sfcrazy writes "Apart from being involved in open source through software, Google promotes the open source model through its various media channels and participation in open source events across the globe. One such initiative has been their affiliation with the Open Invention Network patent pool (OIN). 'Linux now powers nearly all the world's supercomputers, runs the International Space Station, and forms the core of Android. But as open source has proliferated, so have the threats against it, particularly using patents. That's why we're expanding our participation in Open Invention Network, becoming the organization's first new full board member since 2007."
  
  
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• Apple Pushes Developers To iOS 7
  Hugh Pickens DOT Com writes "Chuong Nguyen reports that Apple is forcing developers to adopt iOS 7's visual UI for their apps, and has advised iOS developers that all apps submitted after February 1, 2014 must be optimized for iOS 7 and built using Xcode 5 ... 'It's likely that Apple is more anxious than ever for developers to update their apps to fit in visually and mechanically with iOS 7, as it's the largest change in the history of Apple's mobile software,' says Matthew Panzarino. 'iOS 7 introduced a much more complex physical language while stripping out many of the visual cues that developers had relied on to instruct users. For better or worse, this has created a new aesthetic that many un-updated apps did not reflect.' Most app developers have been building apps optimized towards iOS 7 since Apple's World Wide Developer Conference in June 2013. Apple has been on a push over the past couple of years to encourage developers to support the latest editions of its OS faster than ever. To do this, it's made a habit of pointing out the adoption rates of new versions of iOS, which are extremely high. Nearly every event mentions iOS 7 adoption, which now tops 76% of all iOS users, and Apple publishes current statistics. In order to optimize apps for the new operating system, they must be built with the latest version of Xcode 5 which includes 64-bit support and access to new features like backgrounding APIs."
  
  
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• Interview: Ask Bruce Sterling What You Will
  One of the founders of the cyberpunk genre, Bruce Sterling needs little introduction to science fiction fans. You can read what "Chairman Bruce" has to say at Beyond the Beyond on Wired and the Sterling tumblr. He has agreed to to sit down and answer any questions you may have. As usual, ask as many as you'd like, but please, one question per post.
  
  
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• NASA Schedules Space Walks to Fix ISS Pumps; Orbital Sciences Launch Delayed
  The ISS has been operating at partial capacity after a coolant pump malfunctioned last week. NASA has now announced the repair mission: "NASA currently plans for two Expedition 38 astronauts to venture outside the space station Dec. 21, 23, and 25. NASA astronauts Rick Mastracchio and Mike Hopkins will remove a pump module that has a failed valve. They will replace it with an existing spare that is stored on an external stowage platform. The pump is associated with one of the station's two external cooling loops, which circulate ammonia outside the station to keep both internal and external equipment cool. Each of the three spacewalks will begin at 7:10 a.m. and is scheduled to last six and a half hours. NASA TV coverage will begin at 6:15 a.m." NASA TV will be airing a preview of the space walks at 3 p.m. EST. As a result of the coolant pump malfunction and the repairs, NASA has also delayed the launch of Orbital Sciences' cargo resupply mission until at least mid-January.
  
  
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• Academics Should Not Remain Silent On Government Hacking
  ananyo writes "The Guardian's technology editor, Charles Arthur, asks why researchers have remained largely silent in the wake of the revelation that the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology's standard for random numbers used for cryptography had been weakened by the NSA: 'The nature of the subversions sounds abstruse: the random-number generator, the 'Dual EC DRBG' standard, had been hacked by the NSA and the UK's GCHQ so that its output would not be as random as it should have been. That might not sound like much, but if you are trying to break an encrypted message, the knowledge that it is hundreds or thousands of times weaker than advertised is a great encouragement.' Arthur attributes the silence of UK academics, at least, to pressure from GCHQ. He goes on to say: 'For those who do care, White and Matthew Green, who teaches cryptography at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, have embarked on an ambitious effort to clean up the mess — one that needs help. They have created a non-profit organization called OpenAudit.org, which aims to recruit experts to provide technical assistance for security projects in the public interest, especially open-source security software.'"
  
  
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• Bitcoin Exchange Value Halves After Chinese Ban
  An anonymous reader writes with news of the latest major fluctuation in the price people are willing to pay for Bitcoins. From the article: "China's ban on its financial institutions handling bitcoin causes world's largest exchange to cease trading, halving the value of the currency from $1,000 to less than $500 in a matter of days. The country's central bank took a hard line on Bitcoin in early December when it banned financial institutions from handling the decentralized crypto-currency, and as a result BTC China, the world's largest bitcoin exchange, has stopped accepting deposits from its users." Just watch that line trend downward.
  
  
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• Roku Finally Adds YouTube To Its Iconic Media Player
  DeviceGuru writes "Roku's popular Linux-based media players have long been criticized for their glaring omission of YouTube video support. As of Dec. 17, that is no longer the case, provided you have the high-end Roku 3 player and live in the U.S., Canada, Ireland, or the U.K. Google's YouTube channel is available immediately for the Roku 3 in resolutions up to 1080p, and will be supported on additional models (though probably just Roku 2) next year, according the company. Previously, the only way to run YouTube over a Roku box was to use the third-party, subscription based PlayOn service, which requires a connected PC or Mac running the PlayOn app. The YouTube update also adds a Send to TV feature, letting you send videos to the Roku for display on the TV with a single click."
  
  
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• Ted Nelson's Passionate Eulogy for Douglas Engelbart
  theodp writes "Speaking at a memorial event for the legendary Douglas Engelbart at the Computer History Museum, Ted Nelson was pissed-with-a-capital-P. Nelson in effect gave two powerful eulogies — one for his friend Dr. Engelbart, who left this Earth in July, and a second for Engelbart's career, which essentially began 'dying' four decades earlier due to short-sighted organizations' failure to fund the brilliant guy who gave the world The Mother of All Demos in 1968. 'Let us never forget that Doug Engelbart was dumped by ARPA,' Nelson laments. 'Doug Engelbart was dumped by SRI, Doug Engelbart was snubbed by Xerox PARC, and for the rest of his working life he had no chance to take us further...Just as we can only guess what John Kennedy might have done, we can only guess what Doug Engelbart might have done had he not been cut down in his prime.' It's a very moving and passionate speech (despite some oddly inappropriate audience laughter). And, alas, a very sad one in a world that throws $4 billion at the likes of Snapchat and Pinterest."
  
  
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• Unreleased 1963 Beatles Tracks On Sale To Preserve Copyright
  Taco Cowboy writes "Back in 1963, the Beatles did some performances for the BBC and other places. The songs were recorded, but never officially released. Now, 50 years later, Apple has packaged all 59 tracks together and put them up for sale on iTunes for $40. The reason? Copyright. The copyright for unreleased works expires 50 years after the works are recorded. By releasing the 59 tracks on iTunes before the end of December, the songs will be protected under copyright law for 20 more years."
  
  
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Linux.com offline for now

Engadget

• LG's webOS Smart TV tipped to arrive at CES
  
  
  Remember when LG bought the festering remains of the once proud webOS project from HP with the plan to add it to Smart TVs? Nearly a year later and it looks as if the company is ready to show off the results. According to ZDNet Korea, company officials told investors that next fortnight's CES is where the platform will launch. At the same event, LG chiefs also said that it would throw its weight behind Palm's Enyo open-source JavaScript development framework in the hope of encouraging third parties to craft software for the new system. You never know, maybe Jon Rubinstein's big project could get a happy ending after all.
  
  Filed under: Home Entertainment, Software, HD, LG
  
  Comments
  
  Via: The Verge
  
  Source: ZDNet Korea (Translated)
  

• Drivable 500,000 piece Lego car runs on compressed air, insanity (video)
  
  
  If you're still stuck on thatLego Mindstorm EV3 project, then you might have a tiny inkling of how the folks from the Super Awesome Micro Project feel. They've just pieced together a car with 500,000 of the plastic blocks that can actually hit the road, thanks to four radial engines with 256 pistons that run on compressed air. It was designed and built by 20-year-old Romanian Lego savant Raul Oaida in 20 months after he and a partner raised "tens of thousands" of dollars from Aussie backers. It'll only cruise at 12-17 mph hour (since it's built of freaking Lego), but as shown in the video after the break, you probably wouldn't want to go any faster -- especially given the seats.
  
  
  Filed under: Misc, Transportation
  
  Comments
  
  Via: CNET
  
  Source: SAMP
  

• Big update for Final Cut Pro brings improved support for 4K and the new Mac Pro
  
  As Apple's finally put its redesigned Mac Pro up for sale, the company's also seen fit to update editing software Final Cut Pro. Version 10.1 optimizes rendering and playback for the new Mac, but for users of other "select" Macs, the most significant change will likely be the addition of 4K monitoring over Thunderbolt 2 and HDMI. Since 4K playback requires a lot of bandwidth, it's probable only new Retina MacBook Pros with Thunderbolt 2 (and the new Mac Pro, of course) will be compatible with the feature. Regardless, now that the program fully supports 4K, you can upload straight to YouTube in that resolution, too. The update also revises how clips are organized using libraries, and generally adds a heap of workflow and behind-the-scenes improvements that could finally appease those who weren't impressed by Pro X when it launched.
  Final Cut companion wares Compressor and Motion have been updated, too, and both are now also able to share content in 4K. Compressor boasts a new look and broader encoding support, while Motion has adapted to the new Mac Pro and its dual AMD GPUs. As the version notes for all three updates are too numerous to squeeze in here, we recommend checking out the individual changelogs at the source links below.
  
  Filed under: Software, HD, Apple
  
  Comments
  
  Via: 9to5Mac (1), 9to5Mac (2)
  
  Source: Mac App Store (Final Cut Pro), (Compressor), (Motion)
  

• Apple's new Mac Pro now on sale, will ship by December 30th
  
  
  After months of waiting, Apple's new Mac Pro is now available to order through its online store. Coming just a day after the company announced the availability of the trashcan-shaped desktop, the quad-core and six-core models start at $3,000 and $4,000 respectively. Should you order today, Apple says it'll ship your new Mac Pro by December 30th. That base model will get you a 3.7GHz quad-core Xeon CPU, 12GB DRAM, two AMD FirePro D300 GPUs, and a 256GB SSD. However, if you max out every setting, you're looking at around $10,000 -- and that's without a mouse or a keyboard.
  
  Filed under: Desktops, Apple
  
  Comments
  
  Source: Apple Mac Pro
  

• British Airways is first European airline to allow electronics use during takeoff and landing
  
  
  Following the wave of US airlines that changed policy after the FAA reassessed the rules, British Airways is letting passengers keep their electronic devices switched on for the entirety of their flight. According to the UK's Civil Aviation Authority, there's still no text and no calls allowed, and Brits will still be ordered to put wireless devices into flight mode, although the changes (which start today) apparently don't include laptops. "The easing of restrictions will provide an average of 30 minutes additional personal screen time," according to BA's flight training manager, Captain Ian Pringle -- enough time for half an episode of The Great British Bake Off, then. And expect more airlines to follow suit: the European Aviation Safety Agency announced earlier this month that airlines are able to introduce such changes, subject to their own assessments.
  
  Filed under: Transportation
  
  Comments
  

• Olloclip runs its 3-in-1 lens through the color machine for the iPhone 5c
  
  
  Folks who bought an iPhone 5c because they honest to goodness love color probably won't settle for drab accessories. So, in order to suit these users' festive tastes, Olloclip jazzed up its popular 3-in-1 lens with hues to match Apple's lower-cost handsets. Similar to previous releases, this 3-in-1 comes with the brand's macro, fisheye and wide-angle lenses to take close-ups, 180-degree shots and pictures with twice the field of view, respectively. Unlike the iPhone 5/5s version, though, the iPhone 5c lens costs $10 less at $59.99 and comes in neon green, yellow, red, blue and, finally, white -- for the less adventurous. The accessory won't ship out until early January, but it's now available for pre-order from the company's website.
  
  Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile
  
  Comments
  
  Source: Olloclip
  

• 500px photo-sharing app updated with metadata editor and refreshed UI on iOS
  
  
  If you're more likely to tweak your photos in Light Room than Instagram, you might want to take note of 500px's latest mobile update. The high-end photo-sharing app now lets you edit EXIF metadata, tags and location info for your photos, which should help with organization. Beyond that, its new transition effects and blurred backgrounds match nicely with iOS 7, and there's a fresh intro video and walk through for new users too. We're tempted to say this update has something for everyone, but that doesn't account for the app's Android users. After all, folks updating on Google Play this week were only offered a handful of bug fixes.
  
  Filed under: Cellphones, Cameras, Mobile
  
  Comments
  
  Via: iMore
  
  Source: iTunes
  

• Samsung has its own 105-inch, ultrawidescreen UHD TV to show at CES
  
  
  Samsung couldn't possibly let its Korean rival LG jump ahead in the race to produce astoundingly large super high res televisions we can't afford, and as such has unveiled its own 105-inch, ultrawide, ultra high definition TV. It will be at CES, just like the model LG announced earlier tonight, and while it's unlikely to fit in our living rooms -- or budgets -- we're planning on taking a closer look as soon as possible. After apparently fading out late last year, it appears the ultrawidescreen 21:9 format is also suddenly hot again, at least for these demo models, matching the IMAX-style curvature of these screens. The pixel count is a stunning 5,120 x 2,160, and Samsung is already claiming this one is "the world's most curved." While LG and Samsung have gone head to head in recent years with Ultra HD, OLED and curved OLED TVs, the extreme sizes seen here remind us mostly of CES 2007's battle between a Sharp 108-inch LCD and Samsung's 102-inch plasma.
  
  Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Samsung
  
  Comments
  
  Source: Samsung Tomorrow
  

• Netflix teases 4K streaming straight to UHD TVs, expect details at CES next month
  
  
  Netflix has been talking up its ability to stream Ultra HD resolution video (demonstrated at the last CES with a local video feed, as seen above), and CPO Neil Hunt reiterated those "next year" promises to spotted a few test 4K videos on Netflix early in November, however they won't play in that resolution on current hardware either. Content-wise, early adopters can expect Home Entertainment, HD
  
  Comments
  
  Source: Stuff.tv
  

• Sony QX lens cameras get full HD video capture and boosted ISO in firmware update
  
  
  Photographers who prefer Sony's WiFi-equipped cameras are about to get a pair of very welcome updates. In January, both the QX10 and QX100 lens cameras will receive firmware upgrades that bump their maximum light sensitivity settings to ISO 3,200 and 12,800, respectively; theoretically, they'll have an easier time with dark scenes. The two will also support widescreen 1080p video recording, and the QX100 is getting a shutter priority mode (shown above) to help with action shots and long exposures.
  
  Sony's mobile shooting app, PlayMemories Mobile, is in line for an important refresh of its own. Version 4.0 for Android (pictured after the break) and iOS will introduce a quick photo browser that should make it much easier to review recent shots. There's a big speed boost in store for iOS users, too -- Sony claims that the app should connect to WiFi cameras twice as quickly as before. The company hasn't said when 4.0 will be available, but it promises a performance improvement for Android users in a second update due this spring.
  
  
  Filed under: Cellphones, Cameras, Peripherals, Mobile, Sony
  
  Comments
  
  Source: App Store, Google Play
  

• Vine for Android comes to Gingerbread phones, but only for viewing
  
  
  Android fans running Gingerbread no longer have to sit out the Vine video craze. An updated Vine app now supports playback on the 2010-era Google OS, giving the many people using older Android phones a chance to see all the short clips they've been missing. They shouldn't expect to record clips, though -- Vine says that "device limitations" prevent Gingerbread users from creating their own content. That negates much of the app's reason for being, but the expanded support still represents a kindness toward those who'd otherwise be left out of the (video) loop.
  
  Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, Mobile
  
  Comments
  
  Via: Vine Blog
  
  Source: Google Play
  

• LG's 105-inch, 21:9 curved UHD TV is wide enough to be a tanning bed
  
  
  LG already has a big 77-inch curved Ultra HD OLED TV, but why stop there? The Korean company has just announced that it will be unveiling a 105-inch version at CES next month, but with a twist: this one uses LCD instead of the more expensive OLED, courtesy of improved TFT technology for an even backlighting across the curved surface. Furthermore, this 105UB9 model has a wider-than-usual 21:9 "CinemaScope" aspect ratio, thus providing a 5,120 x 2,160 UHD resolution (but technically not 5K). While we likely won't find out about the pricing of this monstrosity until CES, this milestone for LG Display's LCD technology could signify a wave of more affordable curved TVs next year -- much like what Sony's attempting with its S990A. Stay tuned for our eyes-on report once we hit the show floor.
  
  Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, LG
  
  Comments
  

• Flickr's redesign continues with a new style for embedding pics on other websites
  
  
  The new look of Flickr is ready to surface in other spots on the web, now that Yahoo's photo site has rolled out a new style for embedded photos. Enabled by default if you're using the preview UI, the new embed code pulls in extra data like title and the owner's username as an overlay, plus interaction so viewers can scroll through more photos easily (an actual embed follows after the break). Also key for Flickr and its users, it can measure the reach and viewing statistics for its photos when they're used elsewhere. Probably most important, the new style compares well with other social networking / media posting services like Instagram and Google+, although some users are already complaining about having Flickr's watermark slapped on their photos. For now, the old embeds are still available, but we'll see if that changes when the site's preview experience becomes the default style.
  
  
  
  
  
  Filed under: Internet
  
  Comments
  
  Source: Flickr Blog
  

• Google Play Music source code suggests browser uploads coming soon
  
  
  Right now if you want to upload your stash of tunes to Google Play Music, you have to download Music Manager, an application that hooks into your computer's hard drive so that you can transfer selected audio files to Mountain View's storage cloud. But what if you don't want to download yet another piece of software on your already bursting hard drive, or you just want to upload a few songs from a friend's computer without having to get the app? Well, according to an eagle-eyed tipster of the unofficial Google system blog, you might be able to upload songs directly from the browser in the not-too-distant future. The source code in Google Play Music apparently suggests this via a dialog description text that reads "Drag songs or folders here to add music to your library. Or, if you prefer, select from your computer." While we're not sure if Google will actually implement browser uploads for its Music service, the line of code indicates the search giant is at least considering the idea. If you're a regular Google Play Music user, sound out in the comments below if this would be a welcome feature.
  
  Filed under: Internet, Google
  
  Comments
  
  Source: Google System Blog
  

• Select Ting customers can now enjoy Sprint's Spark LTE
  
  
  Wireless service provider Ting is launching four devices that support Sprint's Spark enhanced LTE service. Ting, an MVNO (mobile virtual network operator) that runs on Sprint's nationwide network, will offer Spark support for the LG G2, Samsung Galaxy Mega and Samsung Galaxy S4 mini, along with the Netgear ZING mobile hotspot. As of now, the Mega and mini are available, with the G2 coming soon. According to the company, it's the first MVNO to offer devices compatible with the Spark network.
  
  Sprint's tri-band Spark LTE is currently available for carrier customers using the LG G2, Galaxy Mega or Galaxy S 4 mini (see a pattern here?) -- provided they're in one of a few select markets including Chicago, Los Angeles and New York.
  
  Filed under: Cellphones, Networking, Mobile, Sprint
  
  Comments
  
  Via: Fierce Wireless
  
  Source: Ting
  

• NSA review group tells Obama to ditch bulk phone surveillance
  
  
  2013 has been a hard year for the White House. It's been working overtime to try and manage the PR nightmare sparked by Edward Snowden's NSA whistleblowing -- fighting the outcry of angry citizens, CEOs and major tech firms. President Barack Obama eventually created a panel to review the government's surveillance programs and propose changes that will help restore public's trust. Today, the group's recommendations are in, and in summary, they aren't too surprising: don't spy on your citizens.
  
  The report's most public facing suggestion mandates ending the NSA's habit of collecting US phone call metadata. The agency would still be allowed to collect some records, of course, but the panel suggests that this data be maintained by a private third party, or the phone companies themselves. More importantly, this data would only be accessible with an order from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. That's hardly the panel's only critique, either: the 308 page document actually makes a total of 46 recommendations. It suggests putting international spy operations under heavier scrutiny, for instance, and says that decisions to monitor such communications need to be made by the Commander in Chief -- not the nation's intelligence agencies. It even suggests major tweak to the NSA's structure, asking the president to consider making the next Director of the NSA a civilian.
  
  Not all of the team's recommendations are focused on limiting powers, however. Many focus on transparency and protocol. Several items urge for more public disclosure, and would give the people insight on how often certain kinds of investigative orders are being issued. Even more focus on protecting US citizens from international investigations, requiring that data collected accidentally while monitoring the communications of a non-US person outside of the United States must be immediately purged. For that matter, the report recommends that foreign surveillance should be permitted in cases of national security, and should not be used to collect trade secrets, smear public figures or others be used for "illicit or illegitimate ends." Oh, and it reminds the government that monitoring people based solely on their political viewpoint is a big no-no.
  
  
  Putting protocols aside, some of the suggestions do focus specifically on technology. For instance, the panel insists that networks carrying classified information needs to have the best available hardware, software and cyber security mechanisms. Sure, that seems like a no-brainer, but security holes are no joke -- US security agencies have been known to exploit them to gather intelligence, and that's the last thing we need happening to the NSA's servers. For that matter, the panel recommends exploiting security holes less: using a day-one software exploit might be handy at the time, but working with developers to close software vulnerabilities is better for the national interest in the long run.
  
  Although the document's recommendations aren't likely to quiet all of our recent security concerns, it's certainly a good start. Unfortunately, they're still just that -- recommendations. The President and his senior staff are currently reviewing the document, and it's far too early to say which recommendations the executive branch will take to heart, and which ones it will discard. Even so, the White House said that the President hopes to find a balance that will protect national security and foreign policy without betraying the public trust. We'll find out in January just what changes he plans to make to facilitate that future. Care to take a guess yourself? Feel free to read the 308 page document for yourself and speculate, you'll find it at the source link below.
  
  Filed under: Internet
  
  Comments
  
  Source: White House
  

• Microsoft pulls Surface Pro 2 update after reports of battery and installation problems
  
  
  We hope you weren't quick to leap on the Surface Pro 2 update that popped up last week; if you were, you may be regretting it for a while. The company has pulled the upgrade following reports of both failed installations and battery problems, including a reduced capacity and incomplete charges. A fixed release is coming "after the holidays," but there's no word of an easy way to roll back. Short of resetting the system or a convenient restore point, you may have to live with a buggy tablet for the next few weeks.
  
  Filed under: Tablets, Microsoft
  
  Comments
  
  Via: The Verge
  
  Source: Microsoft Community
  

• Study proves that you can secretly hijack an older Mac's webcam
  
  
  If you believe common wisdom, it shouldn't be possible to take over most webcams without alerting users. The indicator LED is supposed to be hack-proof, after all. However, a pair of Johns Hopkins researchers have recently published a research paper showing that it's possible to control the camera while keeping the indicator dark. Their proof-of-concept app, iSeeYou, reprograms a controller chip on pre-2009 Macs to separate the camera and LED functions; users can flick the light on and off like a switch. Apple is aware of the issue with its own systems, but it hasn't said whether or not there will be a fix. It's also unclear how many newer Macs or other PCs are at risk. Regardless of the exact threat, the study isn't very reassuring in an era of widespread surveillance -- if a pair of academics can stealthily record your activity, it's likely that professional spies can do the same.
  
  Filed under: Desktops, Laptops, Apple
  
  Comments
  
  Via: The Washington Post
  
  Source: JScholarship
  

• Touchless music game lets you create jittery drum and bass with your face
  
  
  If there was one ubiquitous item at NYU's ITP Winter Show, it was the Kinect. Countless projects were built around the Microsoft-made sensor. Max Ma's Touchless, which he built with a ton of help from Tony Lim, originally featured one, but the version that made it to the floor went with an OEM equivalent instead. But the effect is the same: a set of cameras and sensors track various parts of your face, turning your muscle twitches and eyebrow raises into raw data. While Max says this data can be used for a host of different applications, such as unlocking your door with a series of blinks and winks, he focused on bringing joy to people's lives through music creation. The sensor tracks between 16 and 64 points (under ideal conditions) on your face, and uses your movements to trigger and manipulate samples. Truth is, it's hard not to smile while making ridiculous faces, though, I was a little disappointed to find out that the tracker did not play well with my winter beard.
  
  The main method of interacting is by tilting your head, opening your mouth and raising your eyebrows, but Max added some depth by turning a Leap Motion sensor into a controller for a software synthesizer. So samples and beats are all above the neck, but you can wave your hands through the air to play a lovely lead melody. Really, the whole thing is pretty self-explanatory and quite fun, as you can see in the video after the break.
  
  
  Edgar Alvarez contributed to this report.
  
  Filed under: Misc
  
  Comments
  

• AMC's Yeah! interactive streaming movie service comes to iPad tomorrow
  
  
  AMC Networks launched its Yeah! streaming service at SXSW 2013, and this week's debut marks the first major update since the platform's introduction back in March. Yeah! will be coming to iPad tomorrow, with a free application making its way to the App Store. The unique service pairs exclusive content, such as filmmaker and star interviews, flick facts and additional info, with full-length feature films. You'll find Wes Craven interviews packaged with A Nightmare on Elm Street and Scream, Kevin Smith chatting about Clerks and Michael Madsen filling you in on his experience filming Reservoir Dogs. Yeah! films start at $5 for a 48-hour rental, including the full lot of additional features.
  
  
  Filed under: Home Entertainment, Tablets, Software
  
  Comments
  

• Meizu plans to begin selling smartphones in the US next year
  
  
  Meizu, a smartphone company based out of China, has been on the scene for a long time -- it just hasn't officially made its way to the United States (outside of a few online importers, of course). Meizu's ready to expand its offerings to the other side of the Pacific starting next year, however. The company hasn't specified exactly which devices will be available here, but we're crossing our fingers that the 128GB MX3 will make an appearance with US-friendly frequencies. According to Meizu's press release, the manufacturer "believes there's room in the U.S. market for another player," and is looking at this expansion as a long-term strategy rather than a one-off. Meizu also mentions that we'll be seeing more of the company's lineup at CES, so stay tuned.
  
  Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile
  
  Comments
  
  Source: Meizu
  

• Updated Vine for Windows Phone lets you save clips as drafts
  
  
  Although Vine launched on Windows Phone with many core features intact, it didn't come with a draft mode -- if you switched tasks, your hard work (six seconds of it, anyway) went out the window. That won't be an issue with the latest version of the app, though. You can now save the video you've recorded to finish it later; interruptions and time-lapse videos won't be major headaches from now on. The Windows Phone client still doesn't have the post-shoot editing of its Android and iOS siblings, but it's clear that the feature gap is narrowing quickly.
  
  Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile
  
  Comments
  
  Via: Phone Arena
  
  Source: Windows Phone Store
  

• First alien moon possibly spotted 1,800 light years away
  
  
  Exoplanets are seemingly easy to find these days, but their moons have been all too elusive -- at least, until now. Researchers at the University of Notre Dame claim to have spotted what may be the first exomoon. By looking for gravitational effects on starlight, they've found a relatively small, planet-like object orbiting a much larger object that isn't a regular star. Don't be quick to reach any conclusions, however. The two astral bodies are too far away from anything else in space to have an obvious explanation; while we may be looking at an orbitless planet and its moon, both about 1,800 light years away, the pair could also represent a failed star and an ordinary planet. Even if the objects remain mysteries, though, the techniques used in their discovery should help astronomers locating exomoons in the future.
  
  [Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech]
  
  Filed under: Science, Alt
  
  Comments
  
  Via: NSNS|2012-GLOBAL|online-news#.UrHIDmRDuid|New Scientist
  
  Source: Cornell University Library
  

• Google Glass update brings The Wall Street Journal, storm warnings and RSS to your face
  
  
  Sure, you've read The Wall Street Journal, but can you really say you've experienced it until you've experienced it #throughglass? The Dow Jones-published paper is among the latest batch of Glassware apps coming to Google's wearable, letting you keep up on breaking news, politics, business and, of course, technology. Weather Alerts, meanwhile, offers 120 different warning categories, including tornadoes and air quality alerts. Also on the docket is Winkfeed, which brings RSS to the device, letting you read news and save stories to your Pocket account. All of those join the recently announced ability to upload videos to YouTube and take part in Google Hangouts through Glass.
  
  Filed under: Google
  
  Comments
  
  Source: Google+
  

• This Chromium experiment takes the URL out of the address bar, because why not?
  
  
  Chromium, Google's open-source Chrome project, isn't for the average Joe (or Jane); it's for open-source fanatics. So today's two Chromium experiments, announced by Product Evangelist François Beaufort, should give that subset of users something curious and something usefulto play with, in that order.
  
  First up is a Chrome OS experiment that mixes up the traditional URL-in-omnibox setup by removing the host URL altogether and placing it within the toolbar, just off to the right side (as pictured above). You can still click on that "origin chip" to display the full URL, as well as permissions data, if you'd like, but the the omnibox will remain empty for -- we're not sure -- a cleaner search experience, perhaps? Again, the reasoning behind this odd switch up is unclear, but knowing Google, it likely has to do with reducing clutter in the user interface as much as possible.
  
  The other, much more sensible experiment involves a bit of code that allows you to make any site of your choosing (presumably a favorite) into a Chrome App. The option, once enabled, will appear under Tools in Chrome's dropdown menu. All it requires is one click and you're done. And no, you wouldn't be wrong for thinking of this as a new way to bookmark sites... it is and it's simple to do.
  
  Just hit up the source below to get cracking on this Chrome customization and that other, weird one if you're so inclined.
  
  Filed under: Internet, Software, Google
  
  Comments
  
  Source: Francois Beaufort (G+), (2)
  

• Best. Cake. Ever.
      
  Redditor azimir submitted a photo of his birthday cake to reddit, and I couldn't help but share with the whole class. From the comments, I gather that the baker's son is a Linux geek and hooked him up with some code to decorate the cake.   

• AIDE—Developing for Android on Android
      
  Android, as a platform, is one of the fastest growing on the planet. It is available on smartphones and a series of different tablet sizes. Most devices also include a full spectrum of sensors that are available to programs you install, so it's a very inviting platform for development.
     

• Two Pi R
      
  Although many people are excited about the hardware-hacking possibilities with the Raspberry Pi, one of the things that interests me most is the fact that it is essentially a small low-power Linux server I can use to replace other Linux servers I already have around the house.
     

• A Handy U-Boot Trick
      
  Embedded developers working on kernels or bare-metal programs often go through several development cycles. Each time the developer modifies the code, the code has to be compiled, the ELF (Executable and Linkable Format)/kernel image has to be copied onto the SD card, and the card then has to be transferred from the PC to the development board and rebooted.
     

• GIMP Shmimp, Give Me a Browser
      
  Don't get me wrong, I love The GIMP. We all love The GIMP, as our Readers' Choice awards show this month. If I'm being completely honest, however, I rarely have the need for such a powerful application. Usually, regardless of what computer system I'm on, I pick Pixlr as my image editing program. 
     

• Tinker with Molecular Dynamics for Fun and Profit
      
  Molecular dynamics computations make up a very large proportion of the computer cycles being used in science today. For those of you who remember chemistry and or thermodynamics, you should recall that all of the calculations you made were based on treating the material in question as a homogeneous mass where each part of the mass simply has the average value of the relevant properties.
     

• Android Candy: Free, Family, Fun—Fantastic
      
  I've mentioned geocaching before, but if you've never taken the time to go out and do it, you're really missing out. Whether you're dragging your family through two feet of snow in the middle of the woods (yeah, I did that last year, I'm still not sure they've forgiven me) or following your GPS around a parking lot looking for a tiny micro-cache, geocaching is fun.
     

• The Geek's Guide to the Coolest 2013 Holiday Gifts
  If you're like most of the Linux Journal staff, you probably have lots of holiday shopping left to do this year. We hope this list helps you impress your favorite people.  Gift image via Shutterstock.com.
     

• A Plexible Pi
      
  If, like me, you've jumped onto the Plex bandwagon with both feet, you've probably discovered how difficult it is to make a standalone Plex player. Sure, you can install an entire OS, then auto-start the Plex program in full screen, but it's not as simple as installing the XBMC distro, or even OpenELEC. If you own a Raspberry Pi, that has all changed. 
     

• Linux Kernel News - November 2013
      Mainline Release (Linus's tree) News
  3.13-rc2 has been released on November 29th. This release candidate includes several small bug fixes. Please read the 3.13-rc2 release announcement. 
     

• Mars Needs Women
      
  Linux is pretty much an all-male project. Let's change that. 
     

• IBM Will Minimize Impact of Future Disasters
      
  Not even Mighty Big Blue can stop a hurricane. But. IBM and Marist College are testing a new cloud computing innovation that could help prevent disruptions in voice and data communications services caused by hurricanes and other natural disasters. 
     

• Readers' Choice Awards 2013
  
  This year's Reader's Choice issue was truly fun to put together. No, not just because you do all the work (voting), but because it's great to get a feel for what our community is buzzing about. Based on your feedback, we've given you all the data again this year, with percentages and rankings, plus we tried to include as many of your less-popular responses as possible.
     

• December 2013 Issue of Linux Journal: Readers' Choice
      
  As we wave a fond farewell to 2013, we close out the year with one of our favorite issues.
     

• The NEW SUSE Catalog is in!
      
  Ahhh…’tis the start of the holiday season! Time for turkey, good cheer, frantic shopping…and the SUSE Partner Catalog? Well, for all of you SUSE aficionados/users out there, this is a big deal. This online, searchable catalog is the most comprehensive listing of certified and supported software products in the enterprise Linux space.