Pwnplug
The Little White Box That Can Hack Your Network | Wired.com – the Pwnplug is a low-powered Linux computer loaded with hacking tool kits. The Pwnplug can crack wi-fi or power over ethernet connections in theory. It also illustrates the James Bond world that we live in, where the Pwnplug could look like anything, the only challenge being power. Bring your own technology poses additional challenges and would help conceal a Pwnplug. Also IT can’t dismantle or x-ray every every plug socket, phone charger, desk fan or extension lead in the building looking or a Pwnplug. Over time the components for a Pwnplug will get smaller and smaller
Beauty
L’Oreal: Educating Chinese Consumers Through Sports & Online Video | The China Observer
Consumer behaviour
New Study In Germany Finds Fears Of The Internet Are Much Higher Than Expected – Worldcrunch
Cheap and cheerful – downgrading by UK consumers
Beijing couples stay together for the sake of the house: law firm｜WantChinaTimes.com
China accounts for one-third of world’s smokers｜WantChinaTimes.com
Design
Expandable formal dining table that seats ten and fits in a closet – really nice solution to a problem that most of us face. Interesting that Google’s Sketchup is used as a CAD file format
Economics
Productivity: When small isn’t beautiful | The Economist – emphasis on small businesses rather than growth businesses has crippled Europe
How to get a job in porn | The Next Great Generation – really interesting research on the economics of the adult entertainment industry
China’s economic growth ‘unsustainable’ – RTHK – according to World Bank president. Reflects the law of big numbers and China’s own refocus beyond GDP
Ethics
Microsoft v Google: How not to win friends and influence people | The Economist – someone needs to tell Frank X Shaw to let it alone, and one would have thought that Burson Marsteller would have known better with all the integrity guff they do when they wheel out Harold Burson
Why Are Harvard Graduates in the Mailroom? – NYTimes.com – anyone thinking about the equity of internships should read this article
Finance
Why the Fed Ignored Warnings and Let Banks Pay Shareholders Billions | Mother Jones
FMCG
Sugar Cane 洗护包-牛仔裤洗护包心水推荐“洗濯屋 仕上屋” ‹ CatWhy 潮流追踪 – interesting move by Sugar Cane jeans – detergent to keep your denim in tip-top shape, coming in both premium care and vintage wash look options
Starbucks Plots International Revival Through Local Campaigns
McDonald’s to Tout Quality in China – WSJ.com – taking brands back to their essence as a quality mark
How to
Google+ Hangouts get digital masks to enhance your next video chat | The Verge – really nice social object embedded into Google+ hangouts
Remove items from your Web History – Google Accounts Help
Hong Kong
What A Free And Hungry Hong Kong Press Looks Like From China – Worldcrunch
Ideas
REVEALED: How Giant Patent Troll Intellectual Ventures Does Business
Not a Film, Not a Game, But a Living Novel – transmedia storytelling
Innovation
NTT researchers develop breakthrough optical memory device
Vortex radio waves could boost wireless capacity “infinitely” | ExtremeTech
The energy race, featuring Bill Gates, Steven Chu, and Bill Clinton | The Oil and the Glory
The Pirate Scene Nimbly Adopts New x264 Video Codec | SiliconANGLE – innovation
Innovation and the Bell Labs Miracle – NYTimes.com
Sharp develops modules for digital signage players ‹ Japan Today – interesting that Sharp thinks that there is a market for PC-free controllers, a small move away from the general purpose computer
Ireland
Ireland Signs Controversial ‘Irish SOPA’ Into Law; Kicks Off New Censorship Regime | Techdirt – great reason why you shouldn’t invest in Ireland
Japan
Nissan May Revive Datsun – WSJ.com – brings back memories of the headmistress at my primary school who used to drive a Datsun Cherry 100a two-door in bright yellow (ironically this had sportier styling than the Coupé which looked more like a van from some angles)
GUCCI Official Japanese Language Blog – interesting that is showcasing traditional Japanese crafts
Korea
Seoul Food: Treating Your Idol to Lunch Is the True Test of Fandom – WSJ.com – fandom and Korean culture came up with a new cottage industry. The power of of Hallyu
Luxury
Shanghai Tang Hints At New Hong Kong Flagship With Facebook “Teaser” Contest « Jing Daily – I love how Shanghai Tang have made lemonade from the lemons they were dealt when Abercrombie and Fitch bid way too much money to get their store in the Pedder Building. Hong Kong retail property prices have gone insane
Issey Miyake Collaborates With Scientists On Origami Fashion Line [Pics] @PSFK
London’s White Cube Arrives in Hong Kong, Its First Outpost in Asia – WSJ
Marketing
How Microsoft is killing off the Zune and Windows Live brands in Windows 8 | The Verge
Media
Anonymous, Decentralized and Uncensored File-Sharing is Booming | TorrentFreak – In the long run this might drive more casual downloaders to legitimate alternatives, if these are available. Those who keep on sharing could move to smaller communities, darknets, and anonymous connections.
Update: Court Filings Suggest Google Fighting Feds Over Megaupload Emails | paidContent
Kim Dotcom’s first TV interview: ‘I’m no piracy king’ – 3 News
Michael Geist – Assessing ACTA: My Appearance Before the European Parliament INTA Workshop on ACTA
Labels And Spotify Still Struggle To Convince Some Artists On Stream Rates | paidContent:UK
Sony Music Boss: Censored YouTube Videos Cost Us Millions | TorrentFreak
Online
The truth about the iPad in Russia revealed | DaniWeb
How Three Germans Are Cloning the Web – Businessweek – Rocket Internet’s fast follower model which they deploy before American rivals can scale into markets
Facebook’s “Premium” – A User’s Nightmare? – what about the user context, is Facebook screwing itself over in the longer term with less engaged consumers
Japan Warns Google Over New Privacy Policy – on top of investigations in South Korea and US
I, Cringely » Yet another way China and Google are different – Google inflexibility compared to US stereotypes about China
So It’s the Kodak Patent Strategy for Yahoo Against Facebook – AllThingsD
Is it Really Full Steam Ahead for Facebook? « Sysomos Blog – really interesting post taking a good look at Facebook
Is the honeymoon over for Facebook gaming? — Tech News and Analysis
Retailing
Where to Buy Android Tablets Safely From China | gizchina.com
Security
Censorship is inseparable from surveillance | guardian.co.uk – or why the UK is digitally screwed
Social Network Login Status Detector Demo – really nice hack
I’m Being Followed: How Google—and 104 Other Companies—Are Tracking Me on the Web – The Atlantic
Wanted: Secure Android App Whitelisting – BYTE
Attack on Vatican Web Site Offers View of Hacker Group’s Tactics – NYTimes.com
GPS ‘spoofers’ could be used for high-frequency financial trading fraud (Wired UK) – GPS provides precise timing for time stamps on transactions
Are Twitter And Facebook A Serious Threat To Your Privacy? [INFOGRAPHIC] « AllTwitter – yes
Software
Steve Jobs was right: Dropbox is a feature, not a product | PandoDaily
Windows 8: Sugar coating on Microsoft’s hard-to-swallow tablet • The Register
Telecoms
S&P cuts Nokia rating to lowest step of investment grade – teetering just above junk status
Web of no web
HaptiMap project, FP7-ICT-224675 – really interesting project looking to integrate haptics and other stimuli into location-based services
Wii workouts unlikely to improve fitness • reghardware
Wireless
Pew: Smartphones overtake feature phones among adults in the U.S.