Hi, I'm Molly Wood, and welcome to the Buzz Report, the show about the tech news that everyone's talking about.
This week, it's white iPhones, Apple suing a phone company (again), and badass exoskeletons.But first, it's the Gadget of the Week.
The Gadget of the Week is the elusive unicorn of the tech world, the white iPhone.
Not because it's going to have SUPERMEGACOOL new features or that it transforms into a Decepticon, but because once it comes out we can stop TALKING about the damn thing.
According to a tweet from Apple senior VP for worldwide marketing, the white iPhone will -- WILL-- arrive this spring.
So either this gives Apple until about the middle of June or we'll hear about them petitioning to extend spring into around November.And now for the news.
Back to Apple, which continues to carpet bomb the tech world with lawsuits this week.
They�ve filed a copyright and patent infringement lawsuit against Samsung over the Galaxy phones and tablets.
Well, it's not SO shocking.
I mean, Samsung DOES make Android products, and the Galaxy S does look, um, exactly like an iPhone 3GS.
But Samsung ALSO kinda makes a BUNCH of components for--you guessed it--Apple.
No matter what happens, any company partner holiday parties between the two are going to be AWKWARD!Speaking of Apple, security researchers this week reported that the iPhone and 3G iPad have been secretly making a record of everywhere you go and when you went there, and then storing that data in an unencrypted file across all your devices.
Haha.
No one knows why, Apple, at press time, hadn't responded to questions about it, but basically, anyone who accesses your phone or your computer, whether it be a jealous ex, your BOSS, or a private investigator, can now uncover an incredibly detailed record of exactly where you have gone, and when.
So that's AWESOME.
That's why I have an Android phone.
Google would never collect information about everything you do all the time and store it in a gigantic database that's destined to become self-aware, and maybe even already has.
Oh, wait.
Sigh.
Also, more on that in a minute.
In other news, Match.com says it will now screen its members and check them against a national sex offender registry.
This follows on the heels of a class action lawsuit filed against the company by two women who said they were sexually assaulted by men they met through the service.
Now, on its surface, that's a good idea, and I'm surprised they weren't doing it sooner.
On the other hand, if you use a fake name, or register with an address other than the one on the registry, or have the same name as another person on the list--hilarity will NOT ensue.
Buyer beware.
Ok, now for some happy news.
From the Science is FREAKING AMAZING department comes a story about a man who has been in a wheelchair for 20 years.
But with the help of a kickass exoskeleton from Argo Medical Technologies, he was able to walk again and even go up and down stairs.
The ReWalk Exoskeleton, which should be available by the end of this year, goes for 150 grand, and the battery, which looks like a backpack, lasts for 8 hours.
It's nice to see technology HELPING people, isn't it?And for a look at technology casually ENSLAVING people, let's see what's clogging the tubes this week.If you noticed your computers acting a little squirrelly lately, it MIGHT be Skynet.
Yes, the evil sentient computer intelligence that dominates the world in the Terminator movies was set to become self-aware Tuesday night at 8:11 p.m.
It's not scheduled to attack until April 21st, so we might have a few hours.
Quite the ominous Twitter feed, really ...
But ACTUALLY, we already survived the REAL self-awareness moment, considering that in Terminator 2, Skynet gained self-awareness on August 29, 1997; the new date comes from Terminator: the Sarah Connor Chronicles TV show.
COME ON, you guys.
Know your nerd trivia!
Oh wait.
Maybe it's an ALTERNATE TIMELINE!
Pretty sneaky, Google, I mean Skynet.And that's it for this week, everyone, and possibly forever.
I'm Molly Wood and thank you for watching.
