Electronics News

German hacker cracks GSM call encryption

The Global System for Mobile (GSM) communications, the standard for mobile phones and Internet in 1988, may no longer be so secure after a German hacker team cracked its encryption algorithms.

After cracking the code, Karsten Nohl plans to publish a guide to prompt global operators to improve their safeguards, The Hacker News reported over the weekend.

“With our technology, we can capture GPRS [General Packet Radio Service] data communications in a radius of 5 km," The Hacker News quoted Nohl, head of Security Research Labs, as saying.

Now video calling for Android phones by Skype

LONDON, UK: Skype, which is being bought by Microsoft for $8.5 billion, introduced a new service on Thursday allowing users of Android phones to make free video calls to Skype contacts, including those on Apple iPhones.

Skype Video Calling on Android PhonesThe company whose name became synonymous with Internet calling in the mid-2000s said its updated Android app would initially support video calling on selected HTC and Sony Ericsson Phones, with more to follow soon.

BlackBerry Bold 9780 reaches India

Research InMotion (RIM) is yet to solve the issue over its messaging service, the BlackBerry maker has launched its latest smartphone BlackBerry Bold 9780 in the Indian market. The BlackBerry Bold 9780 is now available in India, and is priced at Rs. 30,000. However, some other reports and tweets said that the new smartphone is available for Rs. 26,900. An updated version of 9700 released last year, Blackberry Bold 9780 has an improved hardware.

HCL unveils Educational PC for kids

HCL, a provider in IT services, recently announced the launch of educational computer for kids. The educational computer basically aims children of age-group between 3 to 12 years. George Paul, executive vice president, HCL Infosystems Ltd said “Technology brings new ways to aid education and with the rapidly transforming environment it is imperative that newer interactive ways through latest technology are devised to reach out to the next generation early”.

Future of the Web

If Johannes Gutenberg, father of the modern printing press were alive today, he would be a very proud man. Because when he invented the press 500 years ago in Europe, he probably had no idea of the impact it would have on the world. The printing press made it easy to distribute information. And that's what made all the difference.

New browser combines web search with Facebook

A new internet browser that requires a Facebook log-in has been unveiled, aimed squarely at social networking users called RockMelt, it has been set up by Marc Andreessen, the founder of Netscape. Based on Google's Chromium software, Rockmelt is designed to let users share everything they do with the friends on Facebook and Twitter.