MasHD Blog

Last week , Apple pulled its online sales out of Russia as a response to the collapsing Ruble . Russia's currency has been hitting a all time low and in response Apple could no longer maintain its profit margin if products were to sell at pre-collapse prices , therefore the California based tech company suspended its sales until they could sort (increase) the retail prices of their products . The new retail price of a entry level 16GB iPhone 6 is priced at 53990 Rubles ($995) which is a 355 increase from the previous 39990 Rubles ($737) ,The new app store -app prices were also adjusted accordingly . Source - ZDNet

According to a new Report from Russia , Apple mobile devices -namely the iPhone series and iPad tablets are said to be be banned from sale starting from 1st of January ,2015 . The move ,according to sources is said to be the result of a new legislation that dictates that all online services should keep localized data in Russia , currently , Apple's iCloud service has servers based in the U.S and so Russia is doubtful and concerned about data stored beyond its borders .One solution to overcome a ban will be for Apple to open a dedicated Server site in Russian soil catering its citizens ,and if the law goes into effect , users currently owning iDevices will be shut out from accessing iCloud due to ISP banning but so far Apple has kept silent on the issue . Source - Ubergizmo

In order to curb the smog menace around the city of Paris , French authorities are now enforcing a partial ban on motor vehicles entering the city .The new policy will be forced from 5.30am (0430GMT) and it will extend until Tuesday .The City of Paris and 22 surrounding areas are to be patrolled by 700 police officers in 60 checkpoints , Electric , hybrid and cars carrying more than 3 people are exempt while gasoline powered cars and motorbikes with licence plates ending in odd digits are also free from the ban .The ban however has mixed reactions and the French Automobile Association (ACA) said the move was "hasty.ineffective" and "Bound to lead to chaos" because the measure had "no effect in any country where it was introduced ". Source - Phys.org

Facing charges of espionage, former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden has left Hong Kong, WikiLeaks claims, and is headed to Russia. Snowden’s final destination is unclear, but Cuba is a strong possibility. Wherever he ends up, the move is bound to infuriate White House authorities eager to bring Snowden back to the United States for a hearing. The New York Times reported this morning that Snowden traveled on an Aeroflot flight. An unnamed reservations agent said he booked a one-way ticket. Russia’s Interfax news service, citing a “person familiar with the situation,” claims that Mr. Snowden will remain in transit at Moscow airport for several hours, and would not formally cross the Russian border. Snowden has been formally charged with theft of U.S. government property, unauthorized communication of national defense information and wilful communication of classified communications intelligence to an unauthorized person. As we reported earlier today , the White...

By now , most of us are very much awake to the fact that we are losing personal liberties and privacy to some form of global governance that wants to control each and every part of our lives in the guise of national security . Although we usually avoid politics and bilderberg  related articles , we cant help but post this because it has some relevance to technology which we use in the form of cell phones and most importantly - the internet . As you already know , the internet is not as safe as you might think it is . with bot-ware and different tracking systems , you are constantly being monitored by companies and different groups to know what you are into these days , although this seems to be  harmless at first , the purpose behind this might be much sinister  than what you think ,anyway , we are really not going to dig further into that because you all came here to read about the so called PRISM  program , so what is PRISM ?  , The name  PRISM,comes ...

It was the summer of 2012 when the first news of a 3D-printed gun surfaced, an assault rifle-style .22 that appeared on a message board devoted to the love of firearms. That weapon was believed to be the first 3D-printed gun successfully fired, but its fame was short lived, with The Liberator having caught popular attention soon after for being the first fully 3D-printed firearm. After being successfully fired, the company behind it – Defense Distributed – released the blueprints for anyone to download, something the Department of Defense has already stymied. The Liberator was created by 25-year-old law student Cody Wilson of Defense Distributed. The gun was designed in such a way that it can be easily recreated by others who have access to a 3D printer, making the firearm a weapon that can be theoretically mass produced on a very accessible consumer level. The gun, which resembles a toy with its square plastic body, is made from easily obtainable ABS plastic and has a total of 16...

Some cities in the US and Europe have problems with brownouts and blackouts caused by increasing power demands at certain times of the year. In some cities in the US, power companies have resorted to rolling blackouts to ensure that everyone has access to power during times of peak demand, such as hot summer days. In the UK, the National Grid is considering implementing a requirement that would have sensor chips placed inside certain white goods. These white goods would be things such as freezers, refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners, and electric ovens. What officials in the UK want to be able to do is remotely turn off these sensor equipped smart appliances during times of peak demand to reduce the load on the electrical grid. Shutting down the appliances equipped with smart sensors would not require the owner’s approval. Rather than simply turning off and leaving off devices such as freezers and refrigerators, the sensors inside will reportedly be smart enough to...

Google may be one of the world's largest collectors of information, but Eric Schmidt thinks people would be uncomfortable with drone surveillance by their neighbors — and that this discomfort will spur tighter regulation. In an interview with The Guardian (available for subscribers only), Schmidt predicts that private drone operation will become a bigger issue in the coming years, for both weaponized and non-weaponized models. "If you look at the miniaturisation of drones, there will be restrictions on them," he says. "I'm not going to pass judgment on whether armies should exist, but I would prefer to not spread and democratise the ability to fight war to every single human being." Schmidt gave a potential future scenario. "You're having a dispute with your neighbour. How would you feel if your neighbour went over and bought a commercial observation drone that they can launch from their back yard. It just flies over your house all day. How wou...

A huge cyberattack on South Korean banks, broadcasters and others, believed to be one of the most serious in the country’s history, has left investigators hunting for evidence of North Korean involvement as infrastructure struggled back online. Systems at multiple banks and two insurance companies were either forced offline or severely impacted in the attack, which began at roughly 2pm local time; three TV stations were also targeted and suffered downtime. However, despite strong suspicions at North Korean involvement, spokespersons from South Korean agencies insist it’s too early to lay the blame at their insular northern neighbours. “We’re looking into the cause of the shutdown,” a spokesperson for South Korea’s president told the WSJ, “but we can’t say North Korea is behind it.” The country’s communications agency described the attacks as the result of “malicious code” though held off suggesting potential culprits. Some reports have suggested that skulls were seen on the impac...