Mike Alsbury - an employee of Scaled Composites, the firm behind SpaceShipTwo - was the pilot who died

Police secured the crash site in the Mojave Desert amid fears that some of the debris could be explosive

The investigation into the Virgin Galactic spacecraft crash in California's Mojave Desert could take about a year, the head of the US transport safety agency has said.

Christopher Hart said Virgin Galactic would be able conduct further test flights while the investigation took place.

SpaceShipTwo broke up in mid-air during a test flight on Friday.

One of the pilots was killed and the other injured.

Virgin chief Sir Richard Branson says he is "determined to find out what went wrong" and learn from the tragedy.

The US National Transportation Safety Board team had completed its first full day of investigation, Mr Hart said, and would be examining evidence at the scene for four to seven days.

He said the craft's debris was spread over an area measuring five miles from end to end.

He told a news conference the test flight had been "heavily documented" and his team would have to trawl through "extensive data" - which was why the full investigation could take "about 12 months or so".

However, he added than any discoveries of issues that required "immediate attention" would be communicated to Virgin Galactic.

The co-pilot who died when SpaceShipTwo disintegrated shortly after take-off was named as 39-year-old Michael Alsbury. The pilot was identified as Peter Siebold.

Scaled Composites, the company both pilots worked for, said Mr Siebold, 43, was "alert and talking with his family and doctors".

Mr Hart said his team were waiting for doctors to allow them to interview Mr Siebold.

'A massive setback'

Speaking earlier at the at the Mojave Air and Space Port, where the craft was being developed, Sir Richard said "nobody underestimates the risks involved in space travel".

Virgin Galactic had hoped to launch commercially in 2015. It has already taken more than 700 flight bookings at $250,000 (£156,000) each, with Sir Richard pledging to travel on the first flight.

"It's a horrible day for Virgin Galactic and for commercial space travel. It's a massive setback," Sir Richard told the BBC.


He said the company had to pick itself up, find out what went wrong and see whether they can fix it. "I'm hopeful we'll be able to overcome the problems," he added. Learn more »

The 2015 Ford Mustang has been discussed at length, and the switch from a live axle to an independant suspension may be heresy in the eyes of naysayers, but unfortunately I think the live axle technology was taken to its limit in the last model.  Theoretically, it could be made better, but it would be kind of like perfecting a black-and-white TV by making it an OLED flatscreen. You could make it, but why?

I was able to take a quick spin in one of the loaded EcoBoost 2.3 2015 Ford Mustangs that features 310 horsepower being pumped out of the four-cylinder. What’s nice? A memory seat with seat positions in the Mustang?! Yes, one for comfort, one for track, and one for the Missus. The six-speed automatic with paddle shifters also is really nice – I know, but remember they still make a GT for those who want to shift themselves.  There is even discussion of letting customers pick their own rear end ratio in the EcoBoost model, just like the old days. Acceleration or economy?

The engine start button is in the right place on the dashboard for nostalgia – located low and next to some older-school toggle switches.

Overall, when you think of the Mustangs 5.0s of my Vanilla Ice youth were rated at 225 horsepower, we have come a long way.  A 310-horsepower four-cylinder that isn’t some SVO special edition?!

And if you were wondering what the Coyote 5.0 can do when the Pirellis are on Ford check out the video below:
Mustang Magic: A quick ride in the 2015 Ford Mustang Learn more »

Not too long ago, I wrote an article proclaiming Erik the Slayer to be a huge jerk. I based this on the fact that I had more than one screen shot of Erik the Slayer standing by, doing absolutely nothing as NPCs were attacked by vicious beasts. After that article went live, I had several people point out to me that Erik the Slayer is based on an Elder Scrolls super-fan who has since passed away. I’m not sure how that stops this resident of from being a jerk, but perhaps it’s something about not speaking ill of the dead.

I would let it go, but I have even more evidence that Erik the Slayer is a huge jerk.

Yes, that’s Erik the Slayer, choosing to continue farming even though the dead body of his neighbor is right in front of him. What kind of a person does that? What sort of person watches the Dragonborn slaughter a defenseless man so that she can adopt his children, and chooses to go right on farming?

What’s even worse is that Erik the Slayer doesn’t even like farming! He all but begged me to talk his father into letting him go out on adventures, and this was after watching me slaughter his neighbor! You know what kind of person does that?

A huge jerk, that’s what kind of person. Learn more »

               The JVC KW-V50BT is pricey, but has sleek controls. 

I was first impressed by Boss speakers after hearing them in a 2006 Nissan Altima S. It was a base model, so I was pleasantly surprised by the hard-hitting speakers.

The JVC head unit that was later installed in the car really brought the speakers to life, and that was when I was truly impressed. The head unit was pretty cool — black with a sweet color-changing display and interface. It was the KW-XR610 model, and it included a remote, USB, and AUX port. It wasn’t too expensive, costing just $150 with the adapter and hardware from Crutchfield, if I remember correctly.


For a relatively low-cost modification, I was pretty happy with the performance of the speakers, which is what led me to explore the options offered by each manufacturer. The crystal clear nine-speaker Bose system in my 2008 Saab 9-3 Aero is quite an earful as-is, but I’m looking to raise it to the next level by adding a 12-inch sub – or two – to lower the bass in the other speakers and really let them sing. It will take some tweaking and tuning of the power levels to match the stock speakers with the installed subwoofers, but it should allow me to maintain the impressive clarity while reaching a whole new level of loud.

               

The Boss BV9364B puts out 80 watts by four channels and costs just $159.99, making a play in any “power-per-dollar” comparison. 

The first step in all of this is installing sound insulation to reduce if not completely diminish any rattling noises caused by the vibrations of the bass. After this, I can see everything the system has to offer as it comes from the factory. The difference in quality of sound would have to be significant enough for me to justify the extra weight in the car – yeah, I’m that guy.

I currently have a Kenwood single-DIN I intend on using with the triple gauge pod I’m having 3D-printed. However, if I decide to upgrade, the new JVC KW-V50BT looks very intriguing. With a nice seven-inch touchscreen display and a simple design, this radio has the sleek look I favor. The new customizable interface is interesting, as well, allowing a user to set shortcuts to more frequently used features, as well as more convenient touch-controls for settings such as volume or changing songs.

It has way more features than the comparison model by Boss, which is the BV9364B. Another large-screen, double-DIN head unit, it is admittedly slightly smaller than the JVC by 0.8 inches. The JVC puts out 50 watts per each of the four channels, while the Boss puts out 80 watts per four channels. The biggest difference would be the price – the Boss model is only $159.99. Compared to the pricey JVC, which is $599.95, that’s about a $440 difference. While the JVC has more bells and whistles,  I’m not sure it would be enough to sway me to cough up the extra cash.


If you were interested in this, check out the follow up article coming soon, in which I give a comparison between JVC and Boss amplifiers, subwoofers, and capacitors. Learn more »

 

The 2015 Chevy Impala’s fuel economy checked in at a few ticks over 21 MPG after a week of driving. Not horrible for city traffic with a 305-horsepower V6. 

So the fuel economy numbers are in on the full size 2015 Chevrolet Impala with the big 3.6 V6 instead of the entry-level 2.5-liter four-cylinder mill – and they are not so bad.

Over my mixed week of driving, I got 21.3 MPG. But what do you want from a 305-horsepower V6? What is nice is the 18.5-gallon tank that means fill-ups are spaced farther apart than the competition.

Want to know what else I dug? The Rear Cross Traffic Alert. GM was wise enough to put a display with arrows showing what direction it senses the impending vehicle is coming from. It really worked for me. I like to put on my reverse lights to show intent when backing out of a spot, and the 2015 Chevrolet Impala had my back warning me not to go until it was safe.


Was there any feature that I wasn’t particularly digging? Just the Hill Hold/start assist. It is supposed to actuate the brake so you can take your foot off of it, but I was never able to get it to modulate correctly on my steep driveway. The feature is supposed to kick in for 1.5 seconds, or the time an elderly person needs to get from the brake back onto the gas. If I could have easily, I would have just turned it off. Learn more »

Bang and Olufsen’s products rarely go unnoticed. The brand’s iconic designs have been featured in all kinds of movies and television shows because they are incredibly distinct and memorable. You might think, then, that something as commonplace as a Bluetooth speaker should come out looking pretty wild when taken on by the Danish audio and video specialist, but the recently introduced BeoPlay A2 isn’t as outlandish as we’d hoped … it’s actually pretty refined.

Don’t let the A2’s simple shape fool you, though. There’s plenty that’s remarkable about this $400 speaker (aside from the price), starting with a class-leading 24-hour battery life, which makes playing music for long periods while charging a device a much more realistic proposition. B&O also outfitted the A2 with active drivers and passive radiators on both sides of the book-ish looking speaker, so that you hear sound clearly no matter which direction it is facing. We’re also big fans of the leather strap, which makes toting the speaker around as easy as it should be (but often isn’t, with other Bluetooth speakers).
Take a look at the speaker up close in our video. It’s sleek, simple, but effective. And it sounds impressive as well. It’s a little on the bright side for our tastes, but its overall sound signature is the sort that will catch a lot of ears — and eyes — at social occasions.




Learn more »

Artist's concept of SpaceShipTwo separating from WhiteKnightTwo

One of the two pilots who were aboard Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo during yesterday's test flight accident is dead. At a press conference at the company’s Mojave Air & Space Port, officials from Virgin Galactic said that local authorities have confirmed the death and that the second pilot, who parachuted from the spaceplane before it crashed in the desert, is in hospital after suffering serious injuries.

Details of the accident remain sketchy, but according to the BBC and other news services, Ken Brown, a photographer, saw an explosion aboard SpaceShipTwo shortly after it separated from its mothership, WhiteKnightTwo, on Friday during a test flight in which it suffered a "serious anomaly." WhiteKnightTwo later landed safely.

Virgin Galactic it is cooperating with Scaled Composites, the builder of SpaceShipTwo, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and local authorities. The company says that the NTSB will arrive on Saturday morning and its investigation will last several days. Meanwhile, Virgin Galactic founder Sir Richard Branson is flying out to Mojave.

SpaceShipTwo was designed as a craft to take tourists on suborbital flights into space using a hybrid liquid/solid rocket motor to obtain the necessary speed and altitude. In its second test flight this year, the spacecraft was reported to be using a thermoplastic polyamide solid fuel for the first time in flight. However, there is no indication yet that this was a factor in the incident.

George Whitesides, CEO of Virgin Galactic, provided this statement: "Our primary thoughts at this moment are with the crew and family, and we’re doing everything we can for them now. I’d like to recognize the work of the first responders who we work with in the Antelope Valley for their efforts on behalf of the team. We’re also thinking of the team members that we have at the companies that have been working on this program.

"Space is hard and today was a tough day. We are going to be supporting the investigation as we figure out what happened today. We’re going to get through it. The future rests in many ways on hard days like this, but we believe we owe it to the team, that has been working so hard on this endeavour, to understand this and to move forward. And that is what we’ll do."

Virgin Galactic says that another press conference is scheduled for sometime this weekend and will provide more updates as they become available. Learn more »

Sony is in dire straits.
Major rating agencies Fitch and Moody's have downgraded the company to "junk" status. Standard & Poor's has warned it could soon do the same. The company has announced plans to scale back its smartphone business.

On Friday, Sony reported a second quarter net loss of $1.2 billion, and the company confirmed it's on track to lose a staggering $2.1 billion this fiscal year.

Since assuming Sony's top job in 2012, CEO Kazuo Hirai has spun off the company's television business, sold its Vaio PC operation and slashed thousands of jobs in a bid to rapidly restructure the company.

These are the kind of changes that investors have been calling for. But so far, the CEO has little to show for his efforts.
That stands in stark contrast to Sony's glory days. The Sony Walkman revolutionized the way people listen to music, and Sony's Chromatron and Trinitron lines brought color television to the masses.
But engineers across the company say they are not dwelling on the past. Instead, they are hard at work developing products that might revive the firm.
At one Tokyo campus, a deputy manager demonstrated a credit-card sized electronic device that is designed to replace a wallet full of cash cards used by millions of Japanese consumers. The device connects to a smartphone, and allows users to easily buy train tickets or snacks at the convenience store.
Sony (SNE) is also developing "SmartEyeglass," a wearable pair of glasses that the company says will act as a second screen for a user's smart phone and eventually incorporate facial recognition technology.
Related: Movie theaters ban Google Glass and other wearables
The criticisms of these products are familiar -- Alibaba and Apple already have payment apps, and Google Glass already exists. Where is Sony's next revolutionary offering?
While Sony waits, the company will rely on proven strengths, including its PlayStation console and high-res audio division. The company's Hollywood studio is in good shape, as are its imaging and finance units.
Related: The world is running out of plasma TVs
But can Hirai accelerate change, and answer critics including activist hedge fund managers like Dan Loeb of Third Point? Loeb has pressed the CEO for a more far-reaching restructuring of the company, including a spin off the film and music division.
Analysts say something must be done.
"In high grade products, they still have relatively strong brand recognition in the Japanese market. But globally, unfortunately, no," said Makiko Yoshimura, an electronics analyst with Standard and Poor's. "It's very tough to maintain competitiveness of technology. It's a very tough challenge."
A walk through Toyko's world famous Akihabara electronics district reveals the difficulty of the task facing Sony.
Hirroki Ueno, a young salaryman, holds an iPad as he speaks to CNN.

"Sony doesn't seem to be making new products like they used to," Ueno says. "It seems like they haven't done much in the last 10 years."  Learn more »

It's easy to say Russians are hacking the White House and major U.S. companies. It's harder to prove it.

When cybersecurity firms and U.S. government officials attribute attacks to the Russian government -- or independent hackers operating with Kremlin approval -- the typical evidence they use is pretty circumstantial: A computer virus was written in Russian, created during Moscow working hours and aimed at anti-Russian targets.

But the digital realm isn't like the physical one. Hard evidence seldom exists.

Hackers remain anonymous by masking their location, bouncing their computer signals around the world. Hackers who speak one language can write malicious code in another. And they customarily work at odd hours anyway.

"They're just indicators. You never know for sure," said Rick Howard, chief security officer of cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks (PANW). "There isn't going to be a smoking gun."
Still, Russia was blamed for recently hacking JPMorgan, attacking oil and gas companies and placing a "digital bomb' in the Nasdaq.

In the mind of a hacker
C. Thomas, a longtime hacker known as "Space Rogue" who has testified before Congress on computer security, warns against coming to unshakable conclusions.
"Attribution is almost impossible to do," he said. "Anything can be faked. People who do this stuff for a living -- and their lives depend on it -- will forge that stuff."
For instance, American, British, French, Israeli and Russian cyberspies have been known leave decoys that make attacks appear to come from elsewhere, according to several cybersecurity experts with related military experience. Only Chinese hackers have the reputation of being carelessly "loud." FBI Director James Comey recently compared Chinese hackers to a "drunk burglar."
Even the U.S. National Security Agency has a difficult time identifying attackers. For example, President Obama was left without answers from top intelligence advisers when he asked who hacked JPMorgan (JPM), according to The New York Times.
Related: Welcome to the Age of Hacks
So how do you solve hacking whodunnits? It takes some very careful forensics.
Identify the architects: Hacking uses software as a weapon. It gets built piece by piece, like a bomb. And just like a crime scene, security analysts pull apart fragments to unmask the makers.
The average hack relies heavily on "off-the-shelf" tools that are commonly available in the darker corners of the Web, analysts say. But worming your way into a particular computer network requires some custom tools. Hacking groups tend to have a particular, identifying style when building their malware.
Note the timing of the attack: Shortly after the United States imposed sanctions on Russia over its aggression in Ukraine, U.S. and European banks were hit with an unprecedented wave of cyberattacks.
Cybersecurity firm Trend Micro (TMICY), which monitors a smart detection network of nearly 110 million devices, saw its network light up like wildfire on on July 24.
"There was a surge of hundreds of thousands of attacks that just target financial institutions," said Tom Kellerman, Trend Micro's chief cybersecurity officer. "And not just by one or two hacking crews, but by dozens of them."
Consider the victims: Friends don't attack friends.
For example, Kellerman said: "Chinese hackers don't hack banks. The Chinese own the financial sector. You don't hack the banks you own. It doesn't make geopolitical sense."
In another case, which featured the hacking group "SandWorm Team" identified by intelligence firm iSight Partners, the targets included the Ukrainian government and a U.S. scholar who consulted on the Ukrainian conflict. The common denominator: All were deemed unfriendly to Russia.
The bait used to hack them matters too. Ukrainian government employees were lured into downloading a PowerPoint that claimed to be a list of Pro-Russian separatists.
Go with your gut: In the end, though, to blame Russia for a cyberattack is to make a bet: Nobody would go this far to create such a convincing decoy. The simplest explanation is the most probable one, said Dave Aitel of security software provider Immunity.
So, it's always a guess -- a really good guess -- but still a guess.

CNNMoney is investigating recent hacks. Have you had money stolen from your bank account? Has someone stolen your identity? Share your story. Learn more »

Samsung bringing curved Gear S to U.S. on Nov. 7; pricing like a phone

A visitor tries out a Samsung Gear S smart watch at the Samsung stand at the 2014 IFA home electronics and appliances trade fair on September 5, 2014 in Berlin, Germany

As attention in the wearable space is focused on Microsoft's new Band, wearable veteran Samsung has revealed its plans for releasing its sixth smartwatch in the U.S. The Gear S, the company's smartwatch with a curved 2-inch screen and built-in cellular connection, will begin rolling out to U.S. carriers beginning November 7.

AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint have all signed up to carry Samsung's latest watch with AT&T and Sprint the first out of the gate. Both carriers will release the device on the 7th with T-Mobile releasing it on November 9th. Verizon will also be offering the device, but the company has yet reveal exactly when it would make the watch available.

Samsung is hoping the Gear S proves more successful than its prior wearable efforts since the device is one of the first wearables to feature a cellular connection to make phone calls, send text messages and connect to the Internet even when not connected to a smartphone. But that flexibility comes at a price. Without a contract or payment plan the device will cost between $350 and $400, though all the carriers will be offering various on and off-contract payment options. Unlike Timex's Ironman One+ GPS watch, which is another 3G-connected wearable that comes with a year of free data from AT&T, the carriers will also be charging for data plans on the Gear S.

T-Mobile is charging $5 a month for unlimited talk, text and 500 MB of 4G LTE data on the watch. AT&T and Sprint will charge $10 a month for users adding it to their respective Mobile Share or Family Share plans, though Sprint will waive the monthly charge for customers whose plans have at least 20 GB of data. Verizon has yet to reveal its monthly charges.

Similar to Samsung's recent Gear 2, Gear 2 Neo and Gear Fit wearables the Gear S will run the company's Tizen software and will only be able to be paired with other Samsung phones like the Galaxy S 5 and recently released Galaxy Note 4. If you have another device you can forward your number to the phone and use the built-in cellular service on the watch to access email, music or social networks when you don't have your phone with you.


Samsung claims the device, which also features a heart rate monitor and is water and dust resistant, will get about two days of battery life. Learn more »

Microsoft unveils $199 wearable fitness device

Microsoft's new fitness band can last for two days on a single charge

Microsoft has unveiled its first wearable device that can track a user's sleep and exercise as well as connect to a health service on smartphones.

The Microsoft Band will retail for $199 (£125) on the company's online store.

The device can operate for two days on a single charge and has 10 sensors that can track heart rate, calories, stress and even a person's sun exposure.

It marks Microsoft's latest push into digital health after its medical record initiative HealthVault in 2007.

"This is just the beginning of a multi-year vision for Microsoft in the health & fitness and wearables category," the company said in an emailed statement.


"We want to enter this space in a deliberate and measured fashion and as such are launching first in the United States."

The Microsoft Band has been compared to Samsung's Galaxy Gear Fit

Technology giants Apple, Samsung and Google have all released health initiatives and are looking to further develop the growing demand for wearable devices.

However, Microsoft's device is distinctive because it will work with all major mobile operating systems as well as connect to social networks such as Facebook and Twitter.

"Consumers now have an overwhelming choice of health-related cloud platforms to choose from," Ben Wood from CCS Insight told the BBC.

"They can be forgiven for being confused by the multitude of options. It's going to be a tough decision to choose whether to place their loyalty with Apple, Google or Microsoft given the immaturity of all three platforms.

Furthermore, once they choose a platform they risk locking themselves into a long term commitment if they want to keep a lifetime of health-related data in one place."

Analysis: Richard Taylor, BBC North American technology correspondent

Microsoft had long been rumoured to be working on a health-centric wearable - and its timing, ahead of the busy holiday season, is no surprise either.

More than anything, Microsoft cannot be seen to be left behind, especially when other tech giants like Google and Apple are entering the burgeoning health-tech arena.

The Band will compete in an increasingly crowded marketplace.

Smaller startups like FitBit and Jawbone initially kick-started the sector, and today other consumer electronics hardware giants (notably Samsung) already have some traction and offer an array of devices.

However, Microsoft appears to be offering something a little different.

Unlike many of the more recent smartwatches which have recently come to market, the Band's dazzling array of sensors suggests a primary focus on fitness-tracking rather than attempting to be a multi-purpose smartphone accessory.

And whereas others work largely with one mobile operating system, the Band and its companion Health app are cross-platform.

Microsoft's cloud-based health service is also a key differentiator; harnessing Redmond's strength in cloud computing, it will offer users deep insights of data gathered from other fitness devices and rival smartphones too.

Critics will say this openness was somewhat inevitable, as its own Windows Phone has negligible market share.

But it could well prove a canny move, broadening its appeal not just to consumers but also to other hardware partners, who will be able to licence Microsoft's core sensor technology to make new gadgets of their own.

Leaked details

Details about the Microsoft Band were leaked on Wednesday after companion applications for Windows, Android and Mac phones appeared on its website ahead of an official announcement.

A Microsoft Band Sync app appeared in the Mac App Store and revealed what the product looks like.

Some analysts believe Microsoft will face stiff competition in the wearables market because "the company has little or no brand".

"Microsoft is targeting the higher tiers of the fitness band market - it's going to have to make a big marketing investment to raise awareness with US consumers," Mr Wood said.


"The number of fitness bands that have been launched this year is overwhelming - personally I'm already testing two on each wrist and I'm rapidly running out of places to wear them. It must be a daunting prospect for consumers trying to decide which one to buy." Learn more »