Speaking the language
Lastminute.com and CoolGorilla launched six talking phrase books for mobile phones. The phrase books, which can be downloaded from www.coolgorilla.com, allow travelers to search for foreign words and phrases in English and hear the result on their mobile phone. The company is offering the translation books in French, Spanish, German, Greek, Italian and Portuguese. Each book contains up to 300 sound files focused on phrases commonly used while eating, traveling or socializing.
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Cellphones as defense tool
The U.S. government is trying to determine whether cell phones could play a role in defending against a terrorist attack. USA Today reported the government is studying the feasibility of putting detectors on cell phones that would detect chemical, biological or radiological agents. Researchers say cell phones are an ideal choice for such technology because they are nearly ubiquitous. The Cell-All program envisions detectors being placed on phones with GPS capability, and when the detector records a hit it would transmit the location and time to emergency responders. Multiple hits from one area would prompt an immediate response.
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Fashion police
Thieves may have gained access to credit card information via an insecure network at a Marshalls clothing store in Minnesota, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. While the parent company, TJX, had upgraded its other systems to Wi-Fi Protected Access, the store networks had not yet been upgraded, apparently allowing hackers to access the company’s central network through the store’s wireless network, said the report. TJX owns T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods and A.J. Wright stores. The company admitted hackers had gained access to information on at least 45.6 million credit card and debit cards, but investigators say the thieves may have gotten hold of nearly four times that amount, according to the article.
