10 Things In Tech You Need To Know Today
1. Microsoft is developing a new web browser that's not Internet Explorer. The new browser is codenamed "Spartan."
2. Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi is releasing a laptop. It looks identical to a MacBook Air.
3. A former Sony employee is one of the suspects in an investigation into the Sony Pictures hack. A worker who spent ten years at the company is suspected of helping the hackers.
4. A security researcher claims to have identified two members of the "Lizard Squad" gang that took down the PlayStation and Xbox networks over Christmas. Brian Krebs says he knows the identities of the two members of the group that did TV interviews.
5. Samsung is discontinuing the Galaxy Alpha. It's going to kill off the metal phone in favour of the Galaxy A5.
6. Google-owned smart thermostat company Nest is in talks with home security firm ADT. That could connect Nest's products with ADT's platform and call centers.
7. A hacker claims to be able to recreate fingerprint data just by analysing a photo of someone's hands. Jan Krissler recreated the fingerprint of German defense minister Ursula von der Leyen.
8. A key Xbox engineer has left Microsoft. Boyd Multerer was once called "Xbox's father of invention."
9. Jeff Bezos-owned newspaper The Washington Post could start selling its CMS to local newspapers. Partner newspapers approached it about licensing the software.
10. Beats CEO Jimmy Iovine is helping Apple make exclusivity deals with musicians. Apple wants more iTunes-exclusive albums.