Google encrypts Gmail; toughens online security

Google said it has turned to encryption to defeat unrelenting online spying by the National Security Agency (NSA) and other U.S. intelligence services.

The countermeasure was announced by Google following recent revelations by fugitive whistleblower Edward Snowden about more sophisticated hacking by US spy agencies. On March 20, Gmail implemented an encrypted HTTPS connection that blocks spying when users check or send email.

Encryption generally prevents outsiders from intercepting a person's messages or documents. Experts noted that Google's encryption will make it very difficult for the NSA or others to tap into email traffic directly.

On the other hand, they said that persistent attacks such as those the NSA is capable of can gain access through malware or other methods that trick users into revealing their passwords.

Google has already begun scrambling most of the traffic at its websites along with technology firms wanting to thwart U.S. intelligence agencies that continue spying on what people are doing online despite worldwide public condemnation.

Similar countermeasures have been announced by Yahoo, Microsoft and Facebook, which are also using encryption that limits the ability of a third party to read messages or emails.

"Today's change means that no one can listen in on your messages as they go back and forth between you and Gmail's servers—no matter if you're using public WiFi or logging in from your computer, phone or tablet," said Gmail engineering security chief Nicolas Lidzborski in a blog post.

"Your email is important to you, and making sure it stays safe and always available is important to us."

Lidzborski said Google's latest move "ensures that your messages are safe not only when they move between you and Gmail's servers, but also as they move between Google's data centers, something we made a top priority after last summer's revelations."

Read more »

Google Patents ‘Throat Tattoo’ Technology; May Be Used as Lie Detector

Google has filed for the patent of a system that allows users to communicate with devices and people via a temporary electronic throat tattoo, reports CNN. The throat tattoo will be in similar size to a band-aid and it's worth noting that at this stage, this is merely a patent.

Here's what you need to know:


1. Just Stick the Tattoo to Your Throat

The patent documents state that the electronic tattoo, which users will stick to their throats, will be able to communicate with phones, tablets and Google Glass. The technology will be voice-operated and will not require users to wear an earpiece



2. The Patent Was Filed by Motorola

The patent was filed in 2012 but only made public on November 8. It wasn't filed by Google but by Motorola Mobility, which is owned by the search engine giant. When Google bought Motorola in August 2011, along with a whole bunch of useless flip-phones, they also bought the company's 7,500 unapproved patent applications. The patent for the "throat tattoo" was filed on May 3, 2012.

3. The Tattoo Can Be Used as a Lie Detector

Eventually the technology could be used as lie detector, reports The Atlantic. The patent document reads:

"Optionally, the electronic skin tattoo can further include a galvanic skin response detector to detect skin resistance of a user. It is contemplated that a user that may be nervous or engaging in speaking falsehoods may exhibit different galvanic skin response than a more confident, truth telling individual".

4. It Will Allow You to Listen to Music Without an Earpiece

It can also be used to make audio clearer, in phone calls and in listening to music, the technology claims to be able to block out "acoustic noise." While this may work for outgoing voice commands, it's not clear how this will work when you're trying to have a conversation or are listening to music.

5. Even Rover Can Have a Throat Tattoo

For some reason: "The electronic tattoo can also be applied to an animal as well."

Read more »

Blogger Buster - Thank you Amanda!

Amanda Kennedy is a professional Blogger and web designer who lives in Sheffield, UK. Amanda has been developing and designing websites with Blogger for over 6 years, and offers her Blogger skills as a freelance blog and website developer.

Amanda created Blogger Buster in June 2007, in response to the positive reactions she received from early Blogger tutorials on her personal blog. Over the past four years, Blogger Buster has produced dozens of Blogger templates, timely articles, and tutorials to help it's readers build a better blog.  Her contributions have been astonishing.  She appears to be taking some well deserved time off, but her posts and template designs for Bloggers continues to impress.

Thank you Amanda!!

Here is a smple from her wonderful website:

"After curating DailyGraphics.info for quite some time, I was disappointed at being unable to find an infographic celebrating my favourite blogging platform. So I decided to create my own!"


Read More >>

Read more »

How to Make FREE International Calls to Any Phone from Google Talk using Talkster

Exciting News!

Google Talk users can now make free international phone calls!

· Always Free · No Credit Cards · No Registration · No Conditions · Unlimited

How it Works

· No Sign-up · Call to any phone, landline or mobile · More than 30 countries supported

Adding phone numbers to your Google Talk contact list

1) To start, launch Google Talk on your desktop

2) Add contacts the same way you usually do: click on the Add button to add a friend

3) Type in the phone number of the person you want to call in the following format. Use
full phone number, including country code and area code:
phonenumber@talkster.gtalk2voip.com
Example: for UK, use 442071234567@talkster.gtalk2voip.com or for USA , use
12125551212@talkster.gtalk2voip.com
(Note: be sure to check the list of Talkster's supported countries to check if the friend you want to call is in one of the available countries)
http://www.talkster.com/Countries.aspx
4) You'll get a confirmation from Talkster with instructions. We assign a local Talkster number for your friend in their country. Your friends will use Talkster phone numbers to call-in to be connected with you.

5) If you are calling your friend on a mobile phone, he will receive an SMS with his Talkster call-in number for you. Otherwise, let him know the Talkster number by IM or email.

Make calls from your Google Talk

1) Click on your friend's number in your Google Talk Contact List

2) Click on the Call button to start the call with your friend
3) Talkster will dial out to your friend from Google Talk
4) When your friend answers, you will have 10 seconds to check to see if he's available to talk. Tell him to hang up and call right back, using his local Talkster phone number for you.
5) You wait while your friend hangs up and calls back using his local number for you. (If he doesn't know his number, send it to him by email or IM.)
6) As soon as your friend calls in, we connect you and you can talk as long as you want for FREE.

7) When you're done, you just end the call!

8) Tell your friend to save his Talkster call-in number in his phone so he can use it whenever you want to call him from Google Talk.

You can call as often as you like and talk as long as you like. There are no catches, no limits, and no conditions!

Helpful Hints

To use the service, your friend should make sure to enable his Caller ID. That is how we recognize him to connect the call; there are no logins or passwords needed.

To see Talkster's current list of supported countries, visit the Talkster web site at
www.talkster.com.

Invite Your Friends For Free:

http://free.talkster.com/

Read more »