The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) will publish by the end of November 2013 its guidance which will let you use personal electronic devices (known only in aviation circles by the acronym, “PED”) during all phases of a flight-- as long as the devices are in “Flight Mode” or “Airplane Mode”.

It’s a good thing that EASA, with its more than 650 experts and administrators from all over Europe, has finally flown out of Slow Mode on this and finally changed the regulation for the owners of laptops, tablets, smartphones, e-readers and mp3 players.

Current EASA guidance only allows the use of “PED” on aircraft, except during taxi-ing, take-off and landing. The new changes will apply only to aircraft operated by European airlines. Continue reading...

Antivirus pioneer turned self-described "eccentric millionaire" John McAfee still has some fight left-- so much so he is ready to take on the NSA with a gadget promising miniature darknets for everyone.

Dubbed "D-Central" by the alleged fraudster/murder suspect/bath salt enthusiast, the as-yet-unbuilt device will supposedly cost less than $100 and, in a few words, provides public or private localised dynamic networks (or "floating" networks) through which users can anonymously communicate and share files.

While not designed to replace the internet, the D-Central will have a range of around 3 city blocks and be compatible with iPhones and Android devices.

"There will be no way (for the government) to tell who you are or where you are," McAfee announced at the inaugural C2SV conference, before claiming he will sell the D-Central anywhere else in the world should the US government decide to ban its sale. "This is coming and cannot be stopped."

Fresh rumours emerge on the next Microsoft console-- Bloomberg reports the new Xbox carries an AMD processor, while Microsoft analyst Paul Thurrot claims the machine will be revealed on 21 May 2013.

A switch to AMD (specifically an SoC combining a "Jaguar" CPU with a GPU) instead of the IBM Power PC technology means the new console will be incompatible with 360 game titles. It would also seal AMD's leadership of the console segment-- the Playstation 4 also makes use of x86-based AMD hardware, part of a Sony bid to make the console more attractive to developers.

Meanwhile veteran Microsoft watcher Paul Thurrot claims the company should reveal the console on May 2013 before an "early November" launch. News site The Verge confirms the report and adds further details will be available at June's E3 and Build events.

He used to dominate PCs, but these days Bill Gates wants to reinvent far more humble everyday technologies-- the condom is the next target of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

"What if we could develop a condom that would provide all the benefit of our current versions, without the drawbacks?" the Foundation blog asks. "Even better, what if we could develop one that was preferred to no condom?"

Through the current Grand Challenges Explorations round Bill Gates offers $10000 to whoever invents the next best thing in condoms. After all, condoms are serious business-- but despite being the best way to halt the spread of HIV and AIDS, they are also "a trade-off that many men find unacceptable.”