Amazon apologizes for Netflix's Christmas Eve streaming outage

Amazon has posted an apology for a disruption in its cloud services that hobbled Netflix's streaming services on Christmas Eve and said it is taking steps to prevent future disruptions.

Although Amazon's explanation of the outage didn't identify Netflix by name, the streaming service blamed Amazon Web Services last week for an outage that affected "many but not all devices" across the Americas.

"We want to apologize," Seattle-based Amazon said in its statement. "We know how critical our services are to our customers' businesses, and we know this disruption came at an … Read more

Library Web sites see boost in mobile traffic

Mobile is key for any organization that wants to capture the attention of Americans -- even for an institution that seems as antiquated as the public library system.

The number of Americans using mobile devices to access library Web sites has more than doubled in the last three years, according to a Pew Research Center report released today.

Based on a survey of 2,300 people in October and November, Pew determined that 13 percent of Americans ages 16 and older go to a library Web site using a mobile device. That's substantially more than the meager number of … Read more

'Dystextia': Muddled texts can signal stroke, doctors say

Most of us have sent a garbled text or two (or dozens) in our day, and probably received more than our share as well. But such disoriented messages can in some rare cases move beyond the parlance of speedy modern-day communication to signal a health emergency, Harvard scientists caution.

In a study published online in the Archives of Neurology last week, the researchers coin the term "dystexia" to describe a confused text message that may indicate neurological dysfunction.

They cite the case of a 25-year-old pregnant woman who sent her husband a series of confusing messages about their baby's due date following a routine doctor's appointment. … Read more

See-through speaker system is a real looker

I recently put together a new sound system for my living room. With a couple of chunky bookshelf speakers on tall stands, it hardly blends into the vintage expedition decor of the space. I should have held out for a Transparent Speaker.

The Transparent Speaker is a Kickstarter project that looks a bit like a cross between a sound system and a fish tank. It puts all the audio components you need in a glass case. This helps it blend into its surroundings, like an audio system version of a chameleon. … Read more

Infiniti teases Q50, an update to the G sedan

Infiniti says it will unveil a new sport sedan, called the Q50, at the upcoming Detroit auto show. The model introduces the brand's new naming strategy, and is billed as a replacement for the current G sedan.

Typical for pre-auto-show teasers, all we get is an image of the new car's headlight. However, that shot reveals styling much different than seen on current Infiniti G and M models. Rather than the high lens of the current headlights, which mold into the pontoon-like front fenders, the teaser shows a hooded headlight topped by an LED strip.

The headlight design … Read more

Microsoft issues fix for IE flaw that could allow PC hijack

Microsoft issued a fix today for a zero-day vulnerability in older versions of Internet Explorer that could allow attackers to gain control of Windows-based computers to host malicious Web sites.

The company confirmed Saturday that it was investigating a remote code execution vulnerability in IE 6, IE 7, and IE 8 that could allow an attacker to use the corrupted PC to host a Web site designed to exploit the vulnerability with other users. Versions of the browser after IE 8 are unaffected, Microsoft said.

Microsoft said in an update to that security advisory that it has developed a one-click fix … Read more

Falcon Pro updates, integrates YouTube API

The folks behind the increasingly popular Falcon Pro Twitter client for Android have managed to push one last app update out the door before the new year, and it's not all about bug fixes. Version 1.4 of the slick client brings a host of new features, including double-tapping on tweets and a log-out button. See the full changelog below.

Added YouTube API integration Added option to enable double tap on tweets Added log-out button Added hide keyboard on RT Added report for spam Added mute management from settings Added hash tag autofill when searching for tweets Added slider … Read more

Facebook revives NYE message service after security fix

Facebook says it has patched a security hole on its New Year's Eve messaging service after an IT student in the U.K. discovered he could easily see other people's private messages.

Student and blogger Jack Jenkins, found that he could view the messages simply by changing the ID number displayed in the message's confirmation URL. The messages would show up as if he were sending the note. He could read the text, see any attached photos, and even delete the message.

According to Jenkins' blog, Facebook took down the service a few hours after he blogged … Read more

Geek pasties turn 'Star Trek,' Grumpy Cat into bosom buddies

The words "geeky" and "sexy" haven't always seemed like they should go together, but a line of geek pasties from Etsy is looking to change that perception.

Pasties, for those unfamiliar with the term, are patches that cover part of the bosom for modesty or decorative purposes. In my mind, the highlight of MontabahnPasties' offerings is the "Star Trek" pasties. The famous logo/uniform insignia is available in either silver or pink versions with coordinating tassels. Though these look like the insignia from "Star Trek: The Next Generation," they're not likely to trigger your communicator when tapped. … Read more