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Ireland to shut 'Apple' tax loophole

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 16 Oktober 2013 | 23.58

15 October 2013 Last updated at 16:18 ET

Ireland plans to shut a tax arrangement used by Apple to shelter $40bn (£25bn) from taxation.

Apple, and other firms, have been able to funnel profits into Irish subsidiaries or "ghost companies" that had no declared tax residency anywhere in the world.

On Tuesday, the Irish government said it planned to make it illegal for a company to have no tax domicile.

But firms would be able to nominate any country as their tax residence.

That includes countries such as Bermuda which offer zero tax rates.

Because of that, tax experts say that the change announced on Tuesday will not make much difference to the amount of tax paid by Apple.

Google and Microsoft have Irish subsidiaries that legally channel money to Bermuda where they pay zero tax.

But Ireland's Finance Minister Michael Noonan said his country was committed to reform.

"Let me be crystal clear. Ireland wants to be part of the solution to this global tax challenge, not part of the problem," he said.

Back in May, a US Senate committee said Apple had used "a complex web of offshore entities" to avoid paying billions of dollars in US income taxes.

Google, Microsoft and Apple say they follow tax rules in every country where they operate.


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Snapchat hack secretly saves images

15 October 2013 Last updated at 08:57 ET By Dave Lee Technology reporter, BBC News

An app that discreetly saves images and videos sent through "self-destruct" messaging service Snapchat has been created.

Snapchat rose to popularity as an app that allows people to share pictures, safe in the knowledge they would delete themselves after being viewed.

However, Snaphack circumvents this system, allowing recipients to pass on or upload images to social media.

Snapchat could not be reached for comment on the app.

However, the company's terms of service state that it does not allow the development of "any third-party applications that interact with user content or the services without our prior written consent".

Snaphack was made by UK-based developer Darren Jones, who told the BBC: "Snapchat has not been in touch and I imagine it's only a matter of time until they request that my app is removed.

"But my app just proves and informs people that these apps exist and people need to be careful."

Previous methods of saving or retrieving Snapchat images and video have been publicised. In August, another app known as Snap Save was distributed - but users found that if they saved an image it would inform the sender they had done so.

Snaphack gives no such warning.

The app is available through Apple's App Store. Apple is yet to comment on the issue.

Rapid growth

Although it is not marketed as such by the company, Snapchat has gained a reputation as a system for so-called "sexting", due to the app's countdown timer that renders the picture inaccessible after a few seconds.

First released in 2011, the app has rapidly grown to be worth - according to one estimate - around $860m (£540m), but like many social media start-ups it has yet to turn a profit.

Concerns over privacy have followed the app's success closely. In May, the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) filed a complaint with the US Federal Trade Commission.

"Snapchat is the app that promises to delete photos but it doesn't," said Marc Rotenberg, EPIC's executive director.

"We have no problem with apps that make photos vanish. But they should work as promised, and if they don't the Federal Trade Commission should investigate."

In response, Snapchat brushed off the claims - acknowledging that an image could easily be saved by simply taking a screenshot on the phone, or by photographing the screen with another device.

Since then the company has regularly used its blog to outline its practices for storing images.

'Private images'

Other image retrieval methods relied on special software to reverse-engineer Snapchat's system - but Snaphack's simplicity and automation raised serious issues, argued one expert.

"It absolutely undermines the security of Snapchat," said Rik Ferguson, vice president of security research at Trend Micro.

"If the fact that your photo has a limited lifetime is the one thing that gives you the comfort to send it, this news should put you off."

Continue reading the main story

Please, every single time, take a deep breath, and don't press that button"

End Quote Rik Ferguson Trend Micro

Developer Mr Jones told the BBC he was introduced to Snapchat just three weeks ago - and said he designed the app to raise awareness that such sharing is possible.

"For months people have been sending private images without knowing it has been possible to do this kind of thing with them with other apps," he told the BBC.

"The ideal response from Snapchat will be to put a system in place to stop people being able to save images in this way or any other."

Mr Ferguson added: "Snapchat advertises its service as being in the moment - but really the best advice is not to get lost in the moment.

"Please, every single time, take a deep breath, and don't press that button."

Follow Dave Lee on Twitter @DaveLeeBBC.


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Dexter malware strikes South Africa

16 October 2013 Last updated at 09:36 ET By Leo Kelion Technology reporter

South Africa has been hit by one of the biggest cyber-fraud attacks in its history, according to the body that oversees local financial transactions.

The payment card systems of thousands of shops, restaurants and hotels had been compromised, said the Payment Association of South Africa (Pasa).

Losses were thought to be in the "tens of millions, but not hundreds of millions of rands", it said.

It added the attackers had used a new variant of the malware known as Dexter.

Ten million rand is worth £626,000 or just over $1m.

Dexter gets its name from a string of code found in one of its files, which may refer to the US television show that followed the exploits of a serial killer.

The Dexter code was linked to a series of attacks on point-of-sale systems in the UK, US and dozens of other countries towards the end of last year.

It skims and transmits the cards' magnetic-strip information, allowing clones to be made that can then be used for fraudulent purchases,.

Pasa said it believed the criminals responsible were based in Europe, but added it was not sure from which countries.

Copied magstrips

"It's probably the worst [attack] of its kind in terms of the losses," Walter Volker, Pasa's chief executive, told the BBC.

"We started detecting higher levels of fraud at some of these retailers early in the year - from about late-January, February. We initially thought it was a normal seasonal thing, but as the volumes increased we decided to appoint a forensics investigation company.

"Eventually it was able to find this particular malware in some of the locations. Very soon after we found the cause of the compromise, we were able to clean up those sites with anti-malware software."

Mr Volker added that while the attack had targeted back-end systems to steal data from the cards' magstrips, it had not stolen Pin codes or CVV payment authentication numbers - meaning the thieves would not have been able to withdraw money from bank cash machines or have used the information to make purchases from internet shops.

"Normal anti-virus software would probably have cleaned up Dexter but it was a particular custom-built variant, which was not detectable with the normal scanning software that everybody's got," Mr Volker added.

"It seems like it was a European-based syndicate - we don't exactly where - but Interpol and Europol are making good progress in trying to apprehend these particular perpetrators."

KFC fast-food restaurants' card systems were among those to have been compromised, according to a statement given by the chain's owner to the Bloomberg news agency.

"We take this extremely seriously," Yum Brands said. "Our first priority is to make sure that the impact on our customers remains minimal."

Bloomberg added that a locally based burger and pizza chain operator, Famous Brands, had also confirmed some of its payment machines had been exposed.

However, Pasa stressed that it would ultimately be the banks - rather than the public or other businesses - that would face losses as a consequence of the attack.

"In terms of the banks, there's probably not a single issuing bank in the country that has not been affected in some way," said Mr Volker.

"The South African card holders - or potentially tourists using their cards at the affected sites - will not be exposed to any losses. It's just the inconvenience of detecting false transactions on their accounts.

"If that has happened they should just contact their issuing bank."


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Wireless pacemaker comes to Europe

15 October 2013 Last updated at 08:37 ET

A miniaturised, wireless pacemaker that can be inserted into the body without invasive surgery has been given approval for use in the European Union.

Developed by US start-up Nanostim, the device is designed to be implanted intravenously directly in the heart.

It is less than 10% of the size of a conventional pacemaker and uses a built-in battery.

Experts said it was an "exciting development" but at a very early stage.

The pacemaker has yet to receive full US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval.

Conventional pacemakers require a patient to be cut open and a pocket created in the body to house the pacemaker and associated wires.

Such wires are regarded as the component of pacemakers most likely to fail. The pocket created for the pacemaker is also liable to infection.

By contrast the Nanostim pacemaker is delivered via a catheter inserted through the femoral vein near the groin.

It has a built-in battery, smaller than an AAA battery, that lasts between nine and 13 years. Eliminating the need for wires lowers the risk of infection or malfunction and means that patients are not restricted in the amount of activity they do, the firm behind the device claims.

The procedure to fit the pacemaker typically lasts around half an hour. The device is designed to be easily retrievable so that the battery can be replaced.

Because the device is delivered intravenously, it also means patients will have no scarring.

One doctor, involved in its trials, described it as "the future of pacemaking".

"For the past 40 years the therapeutic promise of leadless pacing has been discussed, but until now, no-one has been able to overcome the technical challenges," said Dr Johannes Sperzel of the Kerchhoff Klinik in Bad Nauheim, Germany.

"This revolutionary technology offers patients a safe, minimally-invasive option for pacemaker delivery that eliminates leads and surgical pockets," he added.

Better understanding

But others were more cautious.

Prof Jeremy Pearson, associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation, said: "This is a potentially exciting development but it's early days.

"Before this leadless pacemaker becomes widely available, we need a better understanding of how long it will last, as well as how easy it is to replace if necessary. As our knowledge of this new pacemaker widens, so too will the expertise needed to fit this potentially exciting device."

The company behind the device has recently been bought by global medical device firm St Jude.

It has had several wire-based pacemakers recalled in recent years.

Other device makers are also planning to go wireless. The Wireless Cardiac Stimulation system has been developed by US start-up EBR Systems and UK-based tech firm Cambridge Consultants and uses a tiny wireless electrode no bigger than a grain of rice powered by an ultrasonic pulse generator, inserted lower down in the chest.

In 2011 the device was implanted in 100 patients in hospitals across Europe.

Cardiac pacemakers are used to treat slow heart rates. The devices monitor the heart and provide electrical stimulation when the heart beats too slowly.

The first pacemaker was fitted in 1958. Currently more than four million people around the world have some sort of cardiac rhythm device with an additional 700,000 people getting one each year.


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Nike shows off new Fuelband

15 October 2013 Last updated at 12:32 ET By Leo Kelion Technology reporter

Nike has unveiled its second generation activity-tracking wristband, addressing criticism that its earlier device failed to recognise that some activities use more energy than others.

The Fuelband SE lets owners define the start and end of a session and then tag it - for example as yoga or basketball.

The firm's software then adjusts its "fuel" score accordingly.

However, speculation that Nike would add a heart monitor or other new sensor to improve accuracy proved incorrect.

The New York launch came a fortnight after the Fitbit Force was unveiled - a rival activity tracker that includes a height-measuring altimeter that can record how many stairs its owner has climbed.

Jawbone, iHealth, Garmin, Withings and Adidas are among other firms to offer dedicated fitness-measuring gadgets. Meanwhile Samsung and Sony are promoting their newly released smartwatches' ability to download and run Android-based activity-tracking apps.

One market watcher suggested Nike might have missed a trick.

"Since Nike launched the first Fuelband early last year there has been an explosion of fitness wearables and apps," said Nitin Bhas, senior analyst at the tech consultancy Juniper Research.

"On the one hand you have Apple's promotion of the new motion processor in its iPhone 5S, which extends battery life when the function is used, and on the other hand you have Fitbit adding new technology.

"But you mustn't forget that Nike has the fact that it's an established brand in its favour, unlike some of the other firms involved."

'Improved' internals

Other improvements to the Fuelband include an upgrade to the lower-power Bluetooth 4.0 technology, allowing the device to automatically synchronise its data to an iPhone rather than requiring the owner to carry out a series of button presses.

There continues to be no official Fuelband app for Android devices, although users can connect the gadget to a computer to upload their data to a website.

The firm also suggested a redesigned internal circuit board and other changes meant the device offered "greater flexibility" and "improved water resistance". Issues with the original model meant several users suffered error messages after several months' use, requiring the bracelet to be replaced.

Like its predecessor, the company suggests the Fuelband SE can be worn in the shower but should not be submerged for extended periods, for example while swimming.

The company said that its iOS app also introduced a feature allowing users to work together to hit a fuel score target as well as a way to better monitor how much energy was used at different hours of the day.

Nike also announced plans to expand an existing programme to encourage third-party firms to develop software that makes use of the information generated by the device.

Growing market

Analysts agree that the wearable tech market - which includes devices such as Google's forthcoming Glass eyewear - is set to expand, but differ over its expected size.

According to a new report from Juniper Research the sector will grow from $1.4bn (£878m) of annual sales this year to $19bn (£11.9bn) by 2018.

Analysts at the bank Credit Suisse are more optimistic suggesting a $50bn figure by the same date.

Tech research firm Gartner is more cautious suggesting a $10bn target for 2016. But one of its analysts suggested the sector would grow more quickly if businesses decided to equip their workers with such tech.

"If you don't have motivated and passionate employees they don't give you the extra discretionary effort, and there's some thinking that wellness programmes that encourage staff to be healthier may make them more productive and combat absenteeism," Mike Gotta told the BBC.

"But that raises the issue of privacy - where does the data go? Employees will be concerned if the information gathered could be used in a punitive way."

Nike is adding France, Germany and Japan to its existing Fuelband markets - the US, Canada and the UK.

It will be available from 6 November.


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Yahoo to keep larger Alibaba stake

15 October 2013 Last updated at 20:13 ET

Yahoo will keep a bigger stake in China's e-commerce giant Alibaba than originally planned, after the Chinese firm sells shares on the stock market.

It now plans to sell up to 208 million of its 523 million shares. It initially agreed to sell 261.5 million.

Alibaba is expected to launch its share sale next year and could be valued at more than $100bn (£64bn).

Analysts said Yahoo was looking to cash in on the listing, not least because of Alibaba's continued growth.

"The idea is you don't want to have to sell at the initial public offering (IPO) price, you want to sell later to potentially get the appreciation going up," said Ben Schachter, an analyst with Macquarie Research.

Marissa Mayer

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Yahoo shares have surged since Marissa Mayer took over as chief executive 15 months ago

Alibaba is China's largest e-commerce group and has been growing fast, raising speculation that its stock price will rise after listing as investors bet on continued growth.

According to Yahoo, the Chinese firm's sales grew 61% in the April-to-June period to $1.74bn and net income jumped 160% to $717m.

The announcement to hold to a higher stake came as Yahoo reported that its profits fell to $297m in the third quarter, compared to $3.16bn a year ago.

However, the 2012 results included a $2.8bn gain from the sale of a part of its Alibaba holding.

It also announced a slight fall in third quarter sales to $1.81bn.


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Intel delays production of new chip

15 October 2013 Last updated at 21:44 ET

Intel, the world's biggest computer chip maker, has said the production of its next-generation PC chip, Broadwell, will be delayed by a quarter.

Chief executive Brian Krzanich said the delay was due to a technical glitch.

The Broadwell chips are expected to succeed the firm's Haswell line of processors, and are touted to be more power-efficient and faster.

Intel is the leading PC chip-maker and its updated products typically spur on new laptop and desktop sales.

"We and our (manufacturing) partners have a strong desire to get Broadwell to the market," Mr Krzanich said. "This is a small blip in the schedule."

'Tough environment'

The delay comes as Intel reported a slight fall in third quarter profits, hurt by slowing demand for personal computers (PCs).

It reported a net income of $2.95bn (£1.86bn) for the three months to the end September, compared to $2.97bn in the same period last year.

The division which makes chips for desktop computers saw sales fall 3.5%.

PC sales have now fallen for six quarters in a row and hit a five-year low in the July-to-September period.

Sales have been hurt by the growing popularity and falling prices of tablets and smartphones, hurting computer chip makers.

"The third quarter came in as expected, with modest growth in a tough environment," said Mr Krzanich said in a statement.

However, Intel's data centre business reported record sales of $2.9bn, up 12%.


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Games firms adapt to piracy threat

Jonathan BlakeBy Jonathan Blake
Newsbeat technology reporter
Android handset Developers and publishers identified Android as particularly vulnerable

Video game companies in the UK are changing the way they work in response to the continued threat of piracy.

A survey of 30 developers and publishers seen by Newsbeat suggests around half view the issue as a problem.

Games industry association Tiga found 87% of respondents said they were having to adopt new business models as a result.

Making games free to play with in-game purchases was among steps being taken.

"Piracy can be a challenge for many games developers and digital publishers," said Doctor Richard Wilson, CEO of Tiga.

"Many games businesses continue to find that the most effective response to the problem of piracy is to adopt new business models."

Among companies questioned, piracy was seen as a bigger problem on the Android platform than other smartphone operating systems.

Miles Jacobson Miles says Football Manager 13 is illegally copied 10 times for every copy sold

Miles Jacobson, studio director and Sports Interactive which develops the popular Football Manager series, agreed.

He said the most recent Android version of the game was being illegally downloaded 10 times for every one copy sold.

"The two most illegally downloaded platforms are probably Android and PC," he said. "It's definitely there on iOS and it is still quite high."

Apps that impersonate or abuse copyright are banned under the Google Play terms of service.

Sports Interactive has begun collecting data on the number of people illegally downloading Football Manager 2013.

"We've worked out that that's 8.5 million individuals," said Mr Jacobson.

"Around 1.4 million of those people have logged into the game more than five times, so those are people that are playing the game quite a lot."

The survey of Tiga members suggested a minority were in favour of punishing people using pirated games.

Of those asked, 73% said they disagreed with slowing or cutting the internet connection of those who swapped copyrighted files.

Android handset Developers are hoping to recoup costs through in-app purchases

"UK developers are taking the initiative to deal with the issue of piracy and are looking for new ways of delivering content and communicating directly with their consumers," said Dr Wilson.

"This is testament to the generally pragmatic and innovative approach of the UK video game industry."

Mr Jacobson agreed that pursuing people playing copied games was not a priority.

"We could prosecute but what's the point?" he said.

"Prosecuting 8.1 million people would be a bit ridiculous and cause a lot of negativity."

Although a majority of companies surveyed saw piracy as a problem, there was no evidence of it increasing.

When asked whether the problem was increasing or decreasing, 73% said the problem was "constant".

Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter


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Underwater wi-fi given test run

16 October 2013 Last updated at 07:08 ET

Researchers have tested an "underwater wi-fi" network in a lake in an attempt to make a "deep-sea internet".

The team, from the University of Buffalo, New York, said the technology could help detect tsunamis, offering more reliable warning systems.

They aim to create an agreed standard for underwater communications, to make interaction and data-sharing easier.

Unlike normal wi-fi, which uses radio waves, the submerged network technology utilises sound waves.

Radio waves are able to penetrate water, but with severely limited range and stability. Sound waves provide a better option - as demonstrated by many aquatic species such as whales and dolphins.

Wireless communication underwater has been possible for some time, but the problem lies in getting separate systems used by different organisations to communicate with each other.

The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), for instance, uses acoustic waves to send data from tsunami sensors on the sea floor to buoys on the surface.

However due to infrastructure differences, this data cannot be shared quickly with other information gathered by the US Navy.

'Unprecedented ability'

Therefore, the University of Buffalo team is attempting to create a shared standard.

"A submerged wireless network will give us an unprecedented ability to collect and analyse data from our oceans in real time," said Tommaso Melodia, lead researcher.

"Making this information available to anyone with a smartphone or computer, especially when a tsunami or other type of disaster occurs, could help save lives."

The test was carried out at Lake Erie, near Buffalo. The research team dropped two 40lb (18kg) sensors into the water - and were then able to use a laptop to transmit information to them.

In future, the team hopes the sensors could be used to help detect and solve environmental issues. With a shared standard, different research groups with varied equipment could potentially combine their data gathering efforts with greater ease, and in real-time.

More details of the team's work will be presented at a conference for underwater networking to be held in Taiwan next month.


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Watch Dogs delay wounds games maker

16 October 2013 Last updated at 12:52 ET

Shares in video games firm Ubisoft have slumped by 26% after it delayed the release of two much-anticipated titles.

Hacker-themed Watch Dogs and open-world racing game The Crew have both been postponed until the publisher's next financial year, which begins in April.

The company said it wanted to allow its developers to fine tune their work.

Watch Dogs had been due to go on sale on 19 November and will miss out on being a launch title for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

Retailers, including Amazon and Gamestop, have assured consumers who had pre-ordered bundles including both the Chicago-based title and one of the games consoles that they will still receive the machine on the day they had been quoted.

The Crew had originally been due out some time in the first three months of 2014.

'Mega-blockbusters'

France-based Ubisoft has had success with its Assassin's Creed, Just Dance and Splinter Cell franchises.

However, it warned that the delays meant it was likely to swing to an operating loss when it declares its full-year results.

Chief executive Yves Guillemo called the move a "tough decision".

"We are building franchises that will become perennial pillars of Ubisoft's financial performance," he added.

"In a context of growing successes for mega-blockbusters, the additional time given to the development of our titles will allow them to fulfil their huge ambitions and thus offer players even more exceptional experiences."

A blog posted by the Watch Dogs development team added that it planned to launch the game before the end of June.

"As we got closer to release, as all the pieces of the puzzle were falling into place in our last push before completion, it became clear to us that we needed to take the extra time to polish and fine tune each detail so we can deliver a truly memorable and exceptional experience," it stated.

Ubisoft added that The Crew would now go on sale before the end of September.

Complex world

The news caught many analysts by surprise. To make its November debut, the "gold master" version of Watch Dogs' code would have needed to have been finalised soon in order for the discs to be manufactured and shipped to stores in time.

It is unusual, though not unknown, for a game to be pulled so late in development.

In February, Ubisoft delayed its platformer Rayman Legends by half a year, less than a month before it had been due to go on sale.

Perhaps the best known example was Valve's announcement in 2003 that its sci-fi action sequel Half-life 2 was to be delayed, just a week before its scheduled launch date. It went on to become one of the best reviewed games of all time.

One industry watcher said a short-term view by investors had caused the firm's stock to dive, but that Ubisoft was better off doing this than releasing Watch Dogs in a state that required later software patches to address major faults.

"I think it was going to be one of the drivers for initial games-console bundle sales and will probably push back some of the hardware sales that would have happened right out of the gate for Sony and Microsoft," said Lewis Ward, video games research manager at consultants IDC.

"But absolutely it's the right decision if there's something glitchy or there's some game-balance factor that is off.

"There's a lot of interconnections between the things you can control in the game and how the story then unfolds, so I can only assume there's some factor with the incredibly complex open-world gameplay that's off.

"But there's no reason Ubisoft can't still deliver what they hoped to do with this game."


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