The Verge - StoryStreams

American engineer's death in Singapore raises questions

2013-05-16T15:16:56Z

Shane Todd was a gifted engineer working for the Singaporean research agency Institute of Microelectronics. But in June 2012, he was found dead in his apartment. Police ruled the death a suicide, but Dr. Todd's family believed otherwise, lobbying the FBI and members of Congress into bringing attention to the case. Dr. Todd was working on a galium nitride amplifier, a powerful new technology with military and commercial applications potentially worth billions. His parents believe his work on this sensitive technology, possibly for a project with the Chinese telecom giant Huawei, may have led to his untimely death. On May 13, 2013, the Singapore government launched a 12-day public coroner's inquest to determine the cause of Dr. Todd's death.

Shane Todd's parents, Rick and Mary Todd, arriving at the coroner's public inquest. Photo: Belmont Lay

Investigators and friends testified today that Shane Todd, the American engineer who was found hanging in his bathroom in Singapore last year, was depressed and even visited suicide-related websites in the months before his death.

It was the first day of testimony in the highly sensitive 12-day coroner's inquest, which was commissioned after Todd's parents raised questions about their son's death. The Todds believe that Shane was murdered, possibly because he facilitated an illegal transfer of military-grade technology from the US to China through his work at the Singaporean research agency Institute of Microelectronics. There is evidence Shane was working on a radio frequency amplifier using gallium nitride, a cutting-edge technology potentially worth billions.

The case even attracted attention from the FBI, two senators, a congressman, and the secretary of state. If true, the Todds' accusation means that the friendly Asian trade ally is acting as a proxy for China, which could have significant implications for relations between the US and Singapore.

"The state is acutely aware of the strong public interest in this case."

"The state is acutely aware of the strong public interest in this case," Singapore's counsel wrote in an opening statement. "We are committed to presenting all the relevant evidence to the court, so that a proper determination can be made as to the cause of and circumstances surrounding Shane's death."

Singaporean officials and police had remained largely silent until now, letting the Todds set the narrative through a deluge of media interviews sparked by an in-depth investigation by the Financial Times. During that silent period, the state interviewed at least 57 witnesses, at least 36 of whom are expected to be called to the stand.

This morning's session was focused on Shane's character and his mood before his death. The afternoon session was focused on the first responders and the scene at his apartment when he was found. After today, many of the questions that raised suspicions now appear to have logical answers.

For example, the Todds discovered that sensitive files on their son's computer had been accessed after his death. The police now say it was one of their detectives who accessed the files. The Todds also found one medical expert who examined the autopsy report and concluded it was consistent with homicide. Today the state presented three experts who agreed with the official diagnosis of suicide, including the chief medical examiner for Maryland and the chief medical examiner for Jacksonville, Florida.

Initially, the police told the Todds that their son had drilled bolts into the marble walls of the bathroom and used those to hang himself. But when the Todds arrived on the scene, there were no holes in the wall. Today, all the first responders testified that the hanging mechanism was actually a simple strap with a plastic buckle that was slipped over the top of the door.

"I can't tell you enough how sorry I am."

The suicide notes that were found on Shane's computer were also released in full, along with his last text messages to his girlfriend, in which he canceled plans. "I can't tell you enough how sorry I am," one excerpt reads. "I just can't explain fully what I am going through."

The girlfriend, Shirley Sarmiento, was the one who found Shane's body. She testified that Shane was depressed and withdrawn, and that he had told her he hated his job and felt there were "heavy hands coming after him." She thought that he was overanalyzing. Three of Shane's friends also testified that he was not doing well, but none expected suicide.

"He displayed no evidence at all that he would take his own life," said Michael William Goodwin, Shane's housemate. He testified that Shane was a perfectionist who hated his job, and that Shane had lost weight and hair in the last few months before his death. Shane was also upset about dropping a $10,000 piece of equipment, Goodwin testified.

The Todds' legal team did not press the issue of the discrepancy in the police's initial statement that Shane had drilled holes in the wall. On cross-examination, the Todds' lawyers instead focused on whether the police acted as if there was an assumption of suicide before there was proof and whether the scene was "materially altered." They also focused on whether Shane's feet were touching the ground when he was found.

On cross-examination, the Todds' lawyers focused on whether the police assumed it was a suicide

The inquest drew about 75 attendees, mostly international and local press. The Todds are expected to testify and bring most of their evidence in the second week of the inquiry. They believe Shane was murdered because he was working on a sensitive project with Huawei, the Chinese telecom giant, the substance of which may have constituted a breach of US law. The scope of the inquiry is limited to the facts surrounding Shane's cause of death, however.

Shane's parents seemed satisfied with the hearing, even though the evidence now points to suicide. "We like the judge, how he is proceeding. We like the whole process," Rick Todd said after the hearing. "It's very early in the case, we really don't have much to talk to you about. But we really appreciate all of you. We thank you for being here. And if it wasn't for the press we wouldn't be where we are."

The Singaporean state counsel said the case is proceeding ahead of schedule. The process will resume tomorrow at 9:30AM Singaporean time.

Belmont Lay in Singapore contributed to this report.

Google I/O 2013: everything you need to know

2013-05-14T21:11:43Z

Google used its biggest event of the year to reveal a major overhaul to Google Maps, an ambitious messaging initiative called Hangouts, and a redesigned Google+ filled with new features. The three-day long developer event is taking place between Wednesday, May 15th and Friday the 17th for 2013. Google has a lot in store for the event, and you can follow along here for the latest.

BlackBerry hedges its bets at Live 2013

2013-05-14T15:38:02Z

At BlackBerry Live 2013, the company formerly known as RIM filled out its BlackBerry 10 platform with new hardware and software. These were generally predictable: a keyboard-equipped BlackBerry 10 phone and a software update, for instance, were hardly unexpected, nor was a renewed focus on enterprise. But BlackBerry also tacitly acknowledged the need to tap into more successful platforms, announcing the launch of its BBM platform on Android and iOS.

On stage at BlackBerry Live 2013, CEO Thorsten Heins just revealed that BlackBerry 10.1, the updated version of the company's new OS that shipped with the Q10, is coming to Z10 users beginning today. Additions include support for PIN-to-PIN messaging in BlackBerry Hub, HDR photography, deeper customization of notifications, universal search actions, and generally speedier, less buggy performance. Heins said that most international carriers should be distributing the new update by the end of this week, with US carriers slated to receive 10.1 by the end of May. Z10 owners will receive an alert notifying them of the available download, and you can also manually check for the update in system settings.

Heins also provided an updated on how BlackBerry 10's growing app catalog is faring. Over 120,000 apps for the new OS are currently available for download. Heins called out some notable additions including iHeartRadio, SoundHound, Bloomberg Hub, and Skype — which ships alongside BlackBerry 10.1 today.

High-profile Twitter account hijackings leave questions about security

2013-05-04T23:43:08Z

Twitter has become an integral part of the way we use the web on a daily basis, and any service with that kind of popularity is going to be a target for hackers. Malicious individuals taking over people's Twitter accounts seems to have become an all-too-regular occurrence lately, with everyone from Burger King to the Associated Press having their respective accounts commandeered. You can follow the ongoing struggles — and Twitter's attempts to solve the problems — right here.

The massive hack and subsequent dismantling of Wired writer Mat Honan's digital life in August shined a bright light on both the resourcefulness of the hacking community as well as the lax security policies of many integral digital services. Both Apple and Amazon quickly closed the loopholes that led to Honan's hack, but Twitter accounts (the ultimate prize Honan's hackers were after) remain surprisingly vulnerable to unsophisticated hacking efforts. That vulnerability was on display this past weekend as a desirable group of "OG" Twitter handles — the short, memorable, one-word names that got snapped up when the service launched — were brute-force hacked by a group of kids looking to make a little cash and impress their friends.

This past Saturday morning, Daniel Jones (known as @blanket on Twitter), got an email saying that his account's email address had been changed, a disturbing message to get if you haven't actually made any changes to your account. Sure enough, his password didn't work, and his tweet and follower accounts were at zero. Jones quickly realized that hackers gained control of his account and changed his handle from @blanket to something far more obscene, and then quickly grabbed the now-available @blanket account with an email address under their control.

Keep a tight grip on those "OG" Twitter handles

Jones has been on Twitter for longer than most — his first tweet went out on March 22, 2007. "I signed up with @blanket because I had a production company and still have a production mantle known as Blanket Statement Productions," Jones tells me, "so I went with @blanket because it was short and sweet." One of the benefits of being an early adopter was getting a desirable, unique, single-world handle, but the downside is that handles like his are a high-profile target.

After a day of research, Jones "got to the bottom of a little ring of kids who crack passwords to gain access to handles" - he found a number of other short, memorable handles like @hah, @captain, and @craves had also been hacked. Judging from the conversations he saw over Twitter, these hackers were not sophisticated social engineers, but just a group of teenagers trying to sell the names they had collected. Eventually, Jones had a long Skype conversation with a 14-year-old hacker who goes by Mason — he wasn't the one who stole @blanket from Jones, but he was part of the young crew grabbing and selling these desirable names.

This hack was hardly the result of sophisticated social engineering

Jones told me that Mason and his friends weren't advanced hackers — in fact, Mason told Jones he had only been hacking Twitter accounts for a few weeks. As to how they cracked these accounts, Jones says that the hackers "run a dictionary list against the usernames they want and brute-force a password out of it." He went on to say that he was using "both a word and a number, so their list is a little more sophisticated than just running through a dictionary."

While Mason wasn't entirely forthcoming as to how exactly he's been breaking into accounts, Jones did manage to learn that a custom program which used a proxy list of different IP addresses kept Twitter from autoblocking the many attempts needed to brute force hack a password — and he also noted that Twitter's security is much more lax than YouTube, which Mason found to be "insanely difficult" to breach. The whole firsthand experience of getting hacked left Jones rather disturbed at how little security Twitter has in place to prevent hacked accounts like @blanket from being quickly stolen.

Unlike Facebook (and any number of other online services), Twitter users cannot add a second email address to their account for extra security. They also can't use a cell phone number for password retrieval or authentication when switching the Twitter account's email address. Once the hackers are in your account, it's trivial to remove your email address and change it to a new one not under your control — the only verification step is sending an email to the new address. This means that if someone compromises your account and changes your password and email address, it's too late to do anything about it by the time you're notified by Twitter.

It's time for Twitter to beef up its security measures

Of course, Twitter isn't unconcerned with security — the company has used HTTPS by default for a year and a half now, and users can add a cell phone number for password authentication to their accounts. Unfortunately, that phone number can only be used for password changes, not authenticate email address changes. Once hackers have a password (like they did in the case of Jones' @blanket account), they can change the email address, remove your associated phone number, and then change the password without needing any outside authentication. And while Twitter is always looking to make their security systems stronger, sources say that there aren't any plans to add backup email addresses or more advanced two-step authentication at this time.

Despite the successful hack, Jones' conversation with Mason reinforced his belief that he wasn't dealing with a crack squad of hackers using advanced social engineering tactics, like Mat Honan's attacker. Mason's a high school student looking to make some cash by selling Twitter handles — Jones said that Mason "knows what he's doing is wrong, he doesn't want his family to find out, and so he's doing his best to stay under the radar." Mason admitted that he "wouldn't know how to respond" to someone who confronted him about his practice of stealing names, and also said that he had made about $300 from selling Twitter handles. Obviously, this isn't a high-profile circle of black market Twitter names, but $300 is a lot of cash for a high-school kid.

"It was so easy just to change the email on the account... maybe that should be harder."

Fortunately for Jones, his @blanket handle was eventually restored, though it took over two days and a good amount of back-and-forth with Twitter security. He first reached out directly over Twitter to the @support account and pinged some friends of friends who work for the company, but found that submitting a claim through Twitter's support pages was the preferred way to get things resolved. The first response he received over a day and a half after the hack was frustratingly unhelpful, not to mention rather delayed. the Twitter employee who reached out said that they couldn't do anything, because the email address didn't match the account in question — a fact that should have been obvious, as that was the entire crux of the hack.

Some eight hours later, order was restored, and while Jones wishes that he had control of his account earlier, he said that "the bigger issue is that the security was so lax in the first place that an account can be so easily cracked." Thinking about how things could be improved, Jones said,"it was so easy just to change the email on the account... maybe that should be harder." And while Jones acknowledged that, on a pure manpower basis, Twitter isn't in the same league as Google or Facebook, he also said that "for a social network that is as highly targeted as Twitter, you'd think they would have instituted something by now or they would have encountered this problem enough that they'd want to take it more seriously."

While Daniel Jones isn't a high-profile user, the unfortunate fact is that plenty of people just like him have to deal with having their accounts hacked for no particularly good reason. Most modern, internet-savvy human beings know they need to be more vigilant than ever about maintaining good security hygiene, and that they should take advantage of every account protection feature available to them. Unfortunately, that isn't always enough to keep an online accounts secure. Twitter hears about stories like this pretty frequently — hopefully, more complex verification options will soon follow. A little bit of extra security could go a long way towards reducing the headaches brought on by hackers.

Taking on TV: how Netflix is becoming an original programming powerhouse

2013-05-02T19:31:07Z

Back in 2011, Netflix took its first steps into a life beyond simply distributing content — it announced two original TV series, Lilyhammer and House of Cards, that would be exclusive to Netflix streaming subscribers. Since then, Netflix has announced a number of other shows (like the revival of Arrested Development) and creative partners (like the creators of The Matrix) as the company has tried to, in the words of chief content officer Ted Sarandos, "become HBO faster than HBO can become us." Keep up with the company's push into original programming and all the creative and financial ramifications right here.

Although Netflix has fallen on hard times lately, it appears the company has a few tricks up its sleeve to stay relevant in the face of falling subscriber numbers: exclusive content. The latest deal will bring new episodes of the much-loved show Arrested Development exclusively to Netflix customers in the first half of 2013, though only in the US. Naturally, the first three seasons of Arrested Development are available on Netflix today.

The deal is a shift from Netflix's standard procedure of signing deals for existing content — notably the company recently shored up agreements with several studios for the UK and Ireland and the CW Network in the US — though Netflix will have at least one other original series coming later this year. For its part, Fox executives seemed bullish about "Netflix's bold entrance into original programming," which may mean that the studio could be open to similar deals in the future.

Things Eric Schmidt says

2013-04-26T02:49:24Z

Eric Schmidt may have stepped down as Google CEO in 2011, but he hasn't been any less vocal in his current role as executive chairman. Schmidt is known for his outspoken views and often provocative statements on just about everything in the technology world — follow this StoryStream to keep track of them all.

It's been seven weeks since Google announced its intention to buy Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion, and still no one outside the company can quite agree on just what Google's driving motivation was. Fresh off his appearance at a Senatorial hearing and speaking to Bloomberg TV's Erik Schatzker, executive chairman Eric Schmidt chimes in to say the company won't "play favorites in the way people are concerned about… The Android ecosystem is the number one priority, and that we won't do anything with Motorola, or anyone else by the way, that would screw up the dynamics of that industry."

Schmidt goes on to claim that while the 17,000 gained patents will indeed "bulk up" its portfolio and hopefully bring about a stalemate to end all the litigation (a "rough truce with everybody else," as he puts it), it was not the main reason they picked up the company. "The majority of the reasoning had to do with the fact that we benefit by having a hardware partner at Google who knows how to build the next generation of tablets and phones," he said — and if you think that sounds a bit off when matched to his "won't play favorites" mantra, you're not alone. (For his part, HTC chief Peter Chou has gone on the record calling the acquisition "good news," at least regarding Android’s augmented patent portfolio.)

This isn't far from the company's long-standing line on the matter. For its part, the company has maintained that the cocktail of reason was one part patent portfolio and two parts hardware expertise, with a dash of constant public reassurance its soon-to-be-adopted manufacturer wouldn't get preferential treatment. Still, however much of a rehash Schmidt's words are, this is really the first solid quote we've gotten on the matter — and probably the one we'll be hearing over and over again in the years to come.

H7N9: outbreak of a mysterious new strain of bird flu

2013-04-24T15:56:46Z

In late March 2013, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported the first three human cases of a new strain of bird flu, designated H7N9. Several people have since died as a result of the virus, and dozens more have been infected, as scientists around the globe struggle to understand how it spreads and pinpoint the source.

Tribeca Film Festival 2013: what to watch out for in the year ahead

2013-04-21T21:39:56Z

This month we're reporting from and reviewing the latest films debuting at New York's Tribeca Film Festival. From new sci-fi indie thrillers and horror films to indie unknowns and established directors, we'll be covering the releases you'll want to catch in theaters and online in the year to come, digging into the future of distribution, and talking to the directors, producers, actors, cinematographers, and more behind this year's batch of films. In addition, our very own Joshua Topolsky will also be moderating the "Future of Film Live" talks in New York, a series free and open to the public.

We are proud to announce a partnership with the world-renowned Tribeca Film Festival for its second annual "Future of Film Live" series. Join us for a wide-ranging series of talks with some of the biggest names in the industry — moderated by our own Joshua Topolsky. Over four days and seven conversations, we'll explore all aspects of film, from inception and creation to distribution and discussion. How will cinematography evolve? How will we embrace non-linear narratives? Is film as we know it dead?

Guests include A.O. Scott (The New York Times), Nate Mitchell (Oculus Rift), Dan Connors (Telltale, The Walking Dead adventure games), and many more. Additionally, Chris Hardwick (aka "The Nerdist") will moderate a day of conversations with Morgan Spurlock, the Safdie Brothers, and more.

"The Future of Film Live" runs from April 22nd through 25th at 92Y Tribeca. It's free and open to the public, but you have to register online (starting April 10th) to attend. Video highlights will be published daily. More details can be found here. Seriously, you won't want to miss this. See you there!

From Touchstone to flashpoint: the wireless charging standards war

2013-04-18T01:40:53Z

Would you like to charge gadgets simply by placing them on a surface? You're not alone: since Palm introduced the Touchstone wireless charging dock in 2009, companies have been trying to commercialize inductive charging solutions for a variety of devices, from smartphones to automobiles. Today, however, there are a number of competing standards, each incompatible with the others. Here, we'll keep track of the battle, including new developments in inductive charging technology, until we can proclaim a victor.

We've seen HP's discontinued Pre 3 pop up on eBay before, but never with this unannounced accessory: a Touchstone audio dock. This dock, which was only hinted at before, appeared in an auction along along with a rare Verizon Pre 3 and a couple of batteries. An earlier FCC filing showed that the dock may have some extra circuitry for more advanced Touchstone functionality, but the main feature is taking audio from a Pre 3 via Bluetooth and playing it back the 3.5mm jack. If you're interested, it's too late — this kit sold for $700 earlier this afternoon.

Another surprise surfaced in this auction — a white Pre 3. This device wasn't included in the auction, but it was pictured along with the audio dock and very much resembles the white Veer that was sold for a few months at AT&T. If you're interested in these pieces of webOS arcana, you'll have to wait for either another eBay auction or for Meg Whitman to make a final decision about the platform's future.

The Boston Marathon bombing: after the manhunt, the search for answers continues

2013-04-16T17:51:50Z

On April 15th, 2013, two bombs exploded at the finish line of the Boston Marathon. As photographs of the event spread across news and social media, police scrambled to sweep the site for more explosives. After investigators determined who is responsible for what the White House has called "an act of terror," a massive manhunt began in Massachusetts that ended with one suspect killed and one captured by police.

Explosions at the Boston Marathon finish line have been reported widely on Twitter and captured on video, as photographers catalog a disaster whose cause is still unknown. According to the Associated Press, two explosions rocked the finish line, and Boston's Police Department initially said that 23 are injured and two dead after briefly reporting 22 injured. Later in the day, that number rose to 64 injured and at least two dead, and it was set at 90 injured and two dead as of 5:45pm ET.

Now, the number continues to climb, with CNN reporting on television that 110 have been injured, Boston.com reporting 115, and ABC reporting 99. As of 8:50pm ET, the Boston Police Department says that three have died. Police broadcasts indicate that law enforcement is looking for potential explosive devices. The area is being evacuated and locked down, with the victims moved from the scene; emergency teams have urged others to tell people about the evacuation. Many of the people who arrived to document the end of the race captured powerful photographs of the event, some of which are published at The Atlantic.

Reuters reports that there is still "no indication" of how many people have been injured. The Boston Police have confirmed the explosion "with injuries," however, though there's still no word on a cause.

Update: In response to the explosions, New York police are also apparently stepping up their security: Reuters reports that the NYPD is deploying counter-terrorism vehicles around landmarks and hotels. In Boston, the Lenox Hotel was reported evacuated, and the Mandarin Hotel was reported as the possible site of an explosive device. According to Boston.com, the police have found "secondary devices" that are still unexploded, urging anyone in the area to leave.

Police are now attempting a controlled explosion of one of the remaining bombs

The marathon has been officially canceled, with the Boston Marathon reporting that the explosions were from bombs: "There were two bombs that exploded near the finish line in today's Boston Marathon. We are working with law enforcement to understand what exactly has happened." Police are now attempting a controlled explosion of one of the remaining devices that they've found. All off-duty officers have been ordered to respond and help. Cellphone networks are reportedly down.

Update: While we've seen countless real reports on Twitter, there's also clearly some misinformation: an apparently fake Boston Marathon account is promising to donate money based on retweets. Officially, a press conference has been called: the Boston Fire Department has tweeted that it will be held at 4:30pm ET at the Westin Hotel.

Media Briefing Marathon 4:30pm Westin Hotel 3rd floor Essex South meeting room
— Boston Fire Dept. (@BostonFire) April 15, 2013

Boston's Police Department is also posting periodic updates: it's just confirmed that 23 were injured and two people are dead, and police scanner reports indicate that more "suspicious packages" are being found. The NYPD, meanwhile, has officially said it is "stepping up security" until more is known about the situation. A White House official has said that Obama is aware of the situation and in contact with local authorities to provide assistance. Joe Biden, meanwhile, has said that "our prayers are with those people in Boston" at the end of a press conference on gun control.

Update: NBC News reports that officials say a "small homemade bomb" is potentially the cause of the explosion, and Boston public services continue to be on alert: part of the Green Line has been suspended, and police are sweeping for more devices. The AP reports that "two more explosive devices" were found and deactivated at the Boston Marathon.

Update 4:37pm ET: ABC is quoting police as urging bystanders not to use cellphones around the site of the Marathon, as it "could set off other devices."

Police telling people on scene of Boston Marathon #explosions to not use cell phones because could set off other devices
— ABC News (@ABC) April 15, 2013

Update 4:43pm ET: CBS television news has reported that police have surveillance video of a possible suspect bringing backpacks into the area, though this has not been confirmed officially.

Update 4:46pm ET: Since the explosion, police and others have periodically reported a possible other incident at JFK Library. While photographs have shown an apparently burned-out building, JFK Library has said that the incident was a result of a fire in the mechanical room, and there's currently no clear connection to the explosions. The fire is now out, with all staff and visitors "accounted for and safe."

Update 4:52pm ET: A press conference has just begun, with Police Commissioner Ed Davis reporting two explosions at approximately 2:50pm, each with "multiple casualties." Davis has also called the JFK Library incident an "explosion;" though he has said it's not confirmed that the incidents are connected, the police are treating them as if they were. Police are asking anyone with information about the explosions to call 1-800-494-TIPS. The FBI and National Guard have both been deployed to help police with the investigation. People in the area are being diverted away from the area, and Davis urged anyone in the area to stay at home and avoid being in groups. Police are currently checking all packages left behind at the site in case of more possible explosive devices.

Update 5:07pm ET: While we've heard before about cellphone service being unavailable, the AP is now reporting that it has been shut down across Boston. Meanwhile, the Red Cross is urging people to use either social media or its Safe and Well tool to get in touch with friends and family. Google has also created its own tool for finding people at the Boston Marathon explosions.

Update 5:24pm ET: The official Boston Police Twitter account is now saying the JFK Library incident is currently believed to be "fire related," though it's possible that judgment will change at a later point. NBC has said that Boston police are guarding a "possible suspect" at the hospital.

Update 5:58pm ET: President Barack Obama is set to speak at around 6:10pm ET about the explosions; we'll be covering as soon as it starts. Boston's mayor is now holding another press conference, and the JFK Library fire is now described as being due to an "incendiary device" or a fire, continuing to be a point of uncertainty although it's currently said to be "unrelated." For now, the AP has also doubled back on its story about cell networks being shut down, saying that some remain functional.

"There is no suspect in custody."

Commissioner Davis has contradicted earlier news, saying that while people are being questioned, no one is in custody. "Those reports are not true," he says. "There is no suspect in custody. we're questioning many people, but there is no suspect in custody." Davis declined to state how many people had been killed in the explosion, though he confirmed once again that there were casualties.

Update 6:13pm ET: President Obama is now speaking, saying that the country will "say a prayer for the people of Boston" but that he still does not know who was responsible. "We will find out who did this, and we will hold them accountable," he says. "Any responsible groups will feel the full weight of justice." He has also urged people not to jump to conclusions before all the facts had been reported.

Update 6:43pm ET: In the latest update from the Boston Police Twitter feed, Commissioner Davis says that the JFK Library incident "may not have been an explosion. It may have been a fire." We're also now seeing multiple news agencies calling the explosions "terrorism," though that's not meant to indicate a connection with al-Qaeda despite the association. Bloomberg quotes an unnamed White House official who also calls it an "act of terror."

White House official: "Any event with multiple explosive devices - as this appears to be - is clearly an act of terror."
— Bloomberg News (@BloombergNews) April 15, 2013

ABC has also reported a couple of new details, including that the injury toll is 78, with 8 previously reported cases actually injuries from the race. That is contradicted by CNN, which is currently reporting on television that the injury toll is 110. An 8-year-old boy is reported by NBC to be among the deceased. ABC also reports that the devices were triggered by remote detonation, something that was widely speculated on earlier today.

Update 8:31pm ET: Fox News and CNN are both reporting that the bombs used ball bearings as shrapnel, which suggests they were designed to injure people rather than simply make a statement. Hospitals are "pulling ball bearings out of people in the emergency room," according to a "terrorism expert" who spoke to CNN.

Update 8:39pm ET: The Wall Street Journal reports that officials found a total of five undetonated explosive devices "around the Boston area."

Update 8:50pm ET: The FBI has taken charge of the ongoing investigation, as of a press conference this evening. Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick announced the handover, adding that things will not be "business as usual" in Boston tomorrow: among other things, riders of public transportation can expect random checks of their backpacks and other parcels. Police commissioner Ed Davis reasserted that there is currently no suspect in the case, and that while the Boylston street area has been nearly cleared of potential bomb locations, the department is getting an ongoing influx of tips about suspicious packages in other areas. The death toll has risen to three.

Update 9:35pm ET: The Wall Street Journal has now updated its story, reporting that after closer examination investigators "doubt" that the five additional devices found were in fact bombs.

Update 10:04pm ET: A doctor from Massachusetts General Hospital just gave some additional details on what he's seen today. According to trauma surgeon Peter J. Fagenholz, the hospital has treated 29 individuals, and doctors have performed several amputations over the course of the day. Eight of the patients at Massachusetts General remain in critical condition. While they are noticing lots of metal debris when treating patients, Fagenholz said "I don't think we're able to say if these were placed there intentionally [in the explosive device] or if they're small bits of metal from the scene."

Doctors at Massachusetts General have seen at least one case of shattered eardrums, and treated one patient over the age of 71 — though they did not treat any minors. The majority of the injuries that they've seen have hit the lower extremities, but despite the grim nature of the incident today Fagenholz said "the injuries are not otherworldly."

When asked how the patients were expected to recover, Fagenholz told reporters that "It's really too early to say how everyone is going to do," but that "a number of patients will require repeat operations tomorrow." The doctor noted that the trauma ward is no stranger to extreme injuries, "it's just depressing that it's intentional."

Update 11:24pm ET: People in and around Boston have been putting their names and numbers into a spreadsheet offering their homes for anybody who needs a place to stay, created by Boston.com.

Here are a few of the immediate reactions from the event and its aftermath.

Warning: Graphic imagery below

Runners bags lined up at Berkeley and st. James for pickup. twitter.com/fernandesglobe…
— Deirdre Fernandes (@fernandesglobe) April 15, 2013

Police react in aftermath of explosion #bostonmarathon #boylstonst (John Tlumacki photo) twitter.com/BGlobeSports/s…
— Boston Globe Sports (@BGlobeSports) April 15, 2013

wow RT @nightshiftpol: First pictures of Boston Marathon, unconfirmed terror reports: twitter.com/theoriginalwak…
— Jon Ward (@jonward11) April 15, 2013

Bomb at #Boston #marathon finish. twitter.com/brm90/status/3…
— Bruce Mendelsohn (@brm90) April 15, 2013

Explosion at coply twitter.com/Boston_to_a_T/…
— Boston to a T (@Boston_to_a_T) April 15, 2013

RT @buzzfeedandrew: Wow this photo from @globedavidlryan. twitter.com/GlobeDavidLRya…
— Erik Malinowski (@erikmal) April 15, 2013

What the fuck just happened?#bostonmarathon twitter.com/theoriginalwak…
— Tyler Wakstein (@theoriginalwak) April 15, 2013