Facebook Releases Oculus Rift – Gaming Virtual Reality
It’s Game Time…
Many remember the Oculus Rift back in August 2012 when the gadget was just a kickstarter. Today, the virtual gaming headgear is being shipped to consumers. Oculus (owned by Facebook) is $600, not including $200 for the graphic card, updates, games and a new computer for Mac users, since the hardware doesn’t work on their PCs. The headset uses an Xbox controller to navigate the game, and your virtual reality pops up inside the headgear as you’re able to crouch and lean to get new perspectives within your virtual world. The Rift has state of the art displays and optics specifically designed for VR. It has a high refresh rate and a low-persistence display to provide a wide field of view. This is the first high-end virtual reality product to go on the market, next we’ll be on the lookout for HTC Vive and PlayStation VR. You can order the Oculus Rift here. Game on and remember to line your room with bubble wrap, and remove all hazardous objects. (Source: Mashable)
You Done Fudged Up
Yesterday, Facebook mistakenly sent out texts asking “Are you OK” to individuals not associated with the bombing in Lahore, Pakistan. Facebook’s safety checks are meant to connect with loved ones during a disaster. You can click “I’m safe” and it’ll let family and friends know you’re doing just fine. They rolled out with the feature in 2014 and activated it after the Paris terrorist attacks. Some individuals received Facebook notifications alarming them that they were affected by an explosion. Others simply received a text asking if they are affected by the explosion. Facebook apologized for the mishap and blamed it on a “bug” they are working on to fix. (Source: The Verge)
Term of the Day: “Google Dorking”
‘Google Dorking’ is a type of hacking process that is commonly used by hackers to identify computer vulnerabilities throughout the U.S. Hamid Firoozi, an Iranian charged with hacking the computer system that controlled the Bowman Avenue dam in New York, used a readily available Google search process to do the job. He identified an unprotected computer with access to the dam’s sluice gates and other functions, then used other methods to hack into the system. “He was just trolling around, and Google-dorked his way onto the dam,” an individual familiar with the investigation said. Google dorking takes some digging on the web using advanced search techniques to find information not easily found during a normal search. If you’re the ultimate googler, you have definitely performed the dork. (Source: The Wall Street Journal)
