Hasta La Gadget!

Intel is readying a set-top box mixing on-demand streaming media, free cable content, and a virtual DVR, sources in the video industry claim, with the first-gen hardware tipped for preview as soon as CES 2013 next week. The new push for a slice of the living room follows Intel’s apparent frustration with the failure of first-gen Google TV boxes powered by its chips; according to TechCrunch’s tipster, the company has grown tired of “everyone doing a half-assed Google TV so it’s going to do it themselves and do it right.”

According to another source inside of Intel itself, an early version of the STB will be brought to CES next week, with a preview of the system tipped for its January 7 press event. However, it may be some time before the hardware actually arrives under your TV, with Intel supposedly eyeing a progressive roll-out rather than attempting to sweep across the US in a simultaneous launch.

That’s an apparent workaround to traditional content owner reluctance to “unbundle” the packages of cable channels usually offered, something which has scuppered Apple plans, among others, to help cord cutters get solely the channels they’re most interested in. Packaging channels together is a good way for content owners to keep licensing fees buoyant, especially given many of those tempted to abandon paid cable service are reluctant to miss out on certain sports, media, or other shows.

Intel’s approach will supposedly be on a city-by-city basis, initially focusing on areas where content providers have less lucrative deals with cable companies, and hoping to demonstrate that a more flexible licensing approach might also make sense financially. Such a rollout will begin “soon” according to the tipster, though there’s nothing more specific.

As for functionality, in addition to free cable content and select pay-TV content depending on what Intel can pry out of licensees, there’ll be internet-streamed shows such as from Redbox and other services. Intel also aims to offer a DVR system which would allow recall of any show aired within the past month, across any channel the individual user has subscribed to: rather than having to pre-emptively record a show, it would simply be served up on-demand.

Chatter of an Intel set-top box and accompanying service began back in March, with reports that the chip company aimed to have the system up and running before 2012 was through. Subsequent leaks tipped a complex viewer-monitoring cable box that could give more precise demographic data as to who was watching which services, to show more accurate and relevant adverts, and generally make up for any losses incurred through channel unbundling by increasing overall advertising revenue. “They’ve told us the technology is going to be so much more interactive with ads that you can make more money” one anonymous TV industry executive said at the time.

Google TV had promised to do something along those lines, but Intel’s partnership with Google faltered after early hardware from Logitech and Sony met with mediocre response in the market. Earlier this year, Google announced it would support low-cost, low-power ARM processors with Google TV, though despite more affordable hardware as a result, the platform is yet to take significant market share from more traditional TV entertainment sources.

Intel cable and web TV system tipped for CES reveal is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

A security flaw that quietly saves private videos in Snapchat and Facebook Poke for future recovery, when the sender expects them to be deleted after a few seconds, has been identified in the new “sexting” apps. Both apps promise a simple way to share photos and video temporarily, with the promise that they’ll be deleted shortly after viewing; however, BuzzFeed discovered, a simple third-party file browser can pull the video files from a cached store on your iPhone or iPad, allowing the clips to be archived and shared.

Snapchat and Poke – Facebook’s recently released copy of the original app – each cater to the temporary messaging market. Senders of messages, photos, and video can choose how long they wish the content to be available, for up to ten seconds, after which time the promise is that they are deleted from the app and the company’s own servers.

Although a wide variety of uses are suggested, the most commonly-cited purpose for Snapchat and Poke is “sexting” where the ephemeral nature of the media leaves users more confident that DIY pornography won’t hang around to haunt them later. While screenshots can be saved on the device, both apps warn the sender that a shot has been taken.

This new hack, however, gives no such warning. Users simply need to load – but not open – any received clip, then plug their iOS device into their computer and use a third-party file browser such as iFunBox to navigate through to the Snapchat/Poke temporary file folder (either Snapchat/tmp or library/caches/fbstore/mediacard). The video clips are stored there; in Facebook’s case, they are deleted after being watched, whereas Snapchat appears to save them forever.

The hack only works with videos – photos don’t appear to be cached – but serves as another warning that even the most casual digital content could be extracted if users have the right tools. Despite the relative simplicity of the cache access, Snapchat doesn’t appear to be concerned. “The people who most enjoy using Snapchat are those who embrace the spirit and intent of the service” founder Evan Spiegel told BuzzFeed. “There will always be ways to reverse engineer technology products — but that spoils the fun!”

Facebook Poke and Snapchat bug saves “deleted” videos is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

When you’re planning on building a road in Israel near Jerusalem, you have to make more preparations than just flattening the land – case in point: a 2,750 year old temple discovered before a new section of highway was delivered here near the end of 2012. The discovery made here was a ritual building at Tel Motza, dating back to a period in time when not many such structures were built – the site has also shown more than a few bits of pottery and figurines of human forms and heads, as well.

This discovery was made public by a statement released by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and made it clear via excavation directors Anna Eirikh, Hamoudi Khalaily and Shua Kisilevitz that this was no ordinary find. It was a standard bit of archeological excavation, on the other hand, due simply to the possibility of great historical findings in the area on the regular.

“The ritual building at Tel Motza is an unusual and striking find, in light of the fact that there are hardly any remains of ritual buildings of the period in Judaea at the time of the First Temple.” – excavation directors Anna Eirikh, Hamoudi Khalaily and Shua Kisilevitz

The “First Temple” is a place The Bible notes was built in Jerusalem by the son of King David, Solomon. This construction has been estimated to have been made in the 10th century B.C., as noted by Cosmic Log, and this new structure appears to have been made quite a long time ago – to put it lightly. So sayeth the excavation directors, noting that the Tel Motza temple must have been put to use “prior to the religious reforms throughout the kingdom at the end of the monarchic period (at the time of Hezekiah and Isaiah), which abolished all ritual sites, concentrating ritual practices solely at the Temple in Jerusalem.”

Above: Archaeologist Anna Eirikh displays a horse figurine at Tel Motza archaeological site on the outskirts of Jerusalem. Baz Ratner / Reuters via Cosmic Log

This find was made near preparations for a new section of Israel’s Highway 1 and the “cache of sacred vessels” has been estimated to be 2,750 years old. The few religious buildings made in that era bare similar layouts, each of them made with similar features such as what the directors have described here as a wide, east-facing entrance where “the rays of the sun rising in the east would have illuminated the object placed inside the temple first, symbolizing the divine presence within.”

“Among other finds, the site has yielded pottery figurines of men, one of them bearded, whose significance is still unknown. … The find of the sacred structure, together with the accompanying cache of sacred vessels, and especially the significant coastal influence evident in the anthropomorphic figurines, still require extensive research.” – excavation directors Anna Eirikh, Hamoudi Khalaily and Shua Kisilevitz

Below: Israeli Antiquities Authority employee displays additional findings from the Tel Motza archaeological site. Baz Ratner / Reuters

Iron Age temple discovered in Israel amid road construction is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

The folks responsible for drafting the Instagram Privacy Policy changes that’ve caused massive amounts of madness over the past few weeks have another chapter to add to their must-read books: a class-action lawsuit in California. This lawsuit has been filed by San Diego-based law firm Finkelstein & Krinsk and targets Facebook – as it were – because of their newly confirmed ownership of Instagram as a whole.

The posting of the rule changes came well before the actual change-over which will be occurring in January for the whole entire universe. The rule changes contained some questionable language regarding the ability of Instagram to sell photos posted with their service without the consent of the creator of said media – but the backlash on the web because of the posting has had more than one massively important result. The first was Instagram founder and CEO Kevin Systrom’s retreat, this mixed with the big exodus that appeared to be occurring throughout the week.

This update has Facebook spokesman Andrew Noyes noting the following in an emailed statement:

“We believe this complaint is without merit and we will fight it vigorously.” – Noyes for Facebook

The rule changes announced earlier this month include a mandatory arbitration clause makes users have to waive their rights to participate in a class action lawsuit in most cases – except in extreme circumstances. Since these rules go into effect on January 19th, 2013, the current rules’ allowance of a class-action lawsuit are being taken full advantage of. The lawsuit reads, in part:

“Instagram is taking its customers property rights while insulating itself from all liability. … The purported concessions by Instagram in its press release and final version of the new terms were nothing more than a public relations campaign to address public discontent.”

The full complaint can be found in a Scribd posting which mentions ClassActionLawsuit.com as a source and notes Instagram user Lucy Funes as the person the entire suit is filed on behalf of. The complaint also includes the following:

“If customers do not agree with Defendant’s scheme, they can cancel their profile with Instagram. However, upon canceling, customers forfeit all right to retrieve the Property that was previously entrusted to Instagram, which retains rights thereto in perpetuity. In short, Instagram declares that ‘possession is nine-tenths of the law and if you don’t like it, you can’t stop us.’”

It’s of course important to note that Instagram’s new rules have not yet gone into effect and that you, the Instagram user, may leave any time you like. It’s because of these facts that Seattle lawyer Venkat Balasubramani has described the case as “an example of lawsuits against social networks gone completely amok”, as posted on Eric Goldman’s Technology and Marketing Law Blog – a publication of some note! Good luck, folks!

Instagram Privacy Policy prodded with Class-Action lawsuit is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

It may be December 24, but there’s always a last-minute stocking stuffer to be bought. We’ve all been there: an unexpected cousin suddenly joining you for Christmas dinner, or that tough-to-buy-for uncle you realize you forgot all about. Just because it’s last minute, though, doesn’t mean it has to be socks. Read on for the SlashGear suggestions for those final-moment gifts with a geeky twist.

Unless you feel like braving the stores – and don’t resent paying that little bit extra for brick & mortar pricing versus internet deals – most geek gifts are probably off the cards. Amazon is a pre-holidays life saver, yes, but it can’t work miracles, and December 24 is too late to order something and have it in time for tomorrow.

Vouchers get a bad rep, but they make more sense when you consider the scope of online retailers. Most people have a high-ticket gadget on their wish-list – whether it’s an Xbox 360, an iPad mini, or a new TV – and a generic voucher to a store like Amazon can help them get even closer to affording it. It certainly beats a cheap, throwaway present – remember those indoor helicopters we all played with on December 25 a couple of years back, and which ended up in the back of the closet a couple of days later when the batteries went flat? If your intended recipient still prefers to see and buy products in-store, Best Buy does electronic gift certificates too.

Alternatively, there are gift cards for digital stores, if your recipient is addicted to their mobile device. As long as you know whether they’re an Android or iOS user, you can give them a chunk of virtual cash to spend on apps, games, music, ebooks, and videos. Google Play vouchers are here, while Apple offers iTunes and Apple Store gift cards, both in a variety of values.

If you’re looking for a more unusual present, and you know the person reasonably well, then consider backing a project on one of the increasingly popular crowdfunding sites in their name. Kickstarter and IndieGoGo are good places to start: dig through the catalogs and find something themed with your target recipient’s interests, and make a pledge on their behalf. Obviously they won’t get the pledge reward until the project reaches fruition – so pick sensibly, avoid schemes that seem too good to be true, and make sure you pay for a tier that gets them something useful, rather than just a t-shirt with the company logo – but they do get the involvement of being along for the ride as the product is developed.

If Kickstarter is a little too risky for your liking, then a pre-order makes a sneaky workaround for a last minute gift. After all, you can’t be expected to gift-wrap something that hasn’t been released yet! Movies and games make for sensible choices at reasonable prices (Amazon’s movie and games pre-orders even have the added reassurance of a price guarantee, too).

Sometimes, the most useful gift is expert advice, so if you’re particularly skilled in one area or another, consider the simple gift of your time. Parents or grandparents who are having trouble getting their computers or tablets set up; friends who need help piecing together the best gaming PC; aunts & uncles who would appreciate a knowledgeable companion when they brave the AT&T or Verizon store to replace their aging flip-phone. There’s a lot to be said for helping someone out, and giving your time as a gift means the recipient you’re helping doesn’t have to feel guilty about monopolizing you.

Of course, with the sales kicking off imminently, you could always check out our full 2012 SlashGear Gift Guides and pick up something more physical while probably saving some money along the way.

Got any last-minute gift suggestions? Let us know in the comments!

SlashGear’s Last Minute (Mildly Geeky) Gift Guide 2012 is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.