Google’s ready to give away over $2.7 million to folks that hack Chrome OS successfully
But not if you hack from the comfort of your own home. Instead, you’ll have to travel to the CanSecWest security conference in Vancouver this March to showcase your skills at Google’s Pwnium 4 competition. For those who aren’t familiar, Google’s been holding these Pwnium contests for years as a means to crowdsource the finding of security bugs in both the Chrome browser and Chrome OS.
This year, like last year, Google’s offering $110,000 for each “browser or system-level compromise in guest mode or as a logged-in user, delivered via a web page,” and $150k to anyone who can “compromise with device persistence: guest to guest with interim reboot, delivered via a web page.” We don’t understand exactly what that means, but we feel certain that with so many dollars at stake, there will be no shortage of interested parties who do. Plus, there are “significant” bonuses available for “particulary impressive or surprising” exploits — so feel free to get creative, folks. Would-be winners should also know that the offers are good for hacks performed on the ARM-based HP Chromebook 11 or the Intel-packing Acer C720, and you’ve gotta register by 5PM Pacific Time on March 10th to compete. No time like the present, y’all.
Via: The Next Web
Source: The Chromium Blog, Pwnium 4 Official Rules
Apple Updates iWork for iCloud Apps With Flat iOS 7 Design, New Features
Apple today updated its iWork for iCloud web apps (via 9to5Mac), introducing an iOS 7-style “flat” redesign that includes a revamped look for the document library and template selection screen in Pages, Keynote, and Numbers. In addition to a new look, all three apps have also gained several new features, including the ability to add a password and share password protected documents with other users.
Continuing its efforts to add collaborative features to iWork for iCloud, Apple has also added new options to view files shared by other users within each app.
Each app has also received upgrades to bring the software more in line with Apple’s iWork Mac apps. Pages now supports floating tables, page numbers, page counts, and footnotes, along with keyboard shortcuts for resizing, rotating, and repositioning objects. Keynote offers the same keyboard shortcuts and support for floating tables, and all three apps have gained rich formatting of text in table cells and bug fixes and stability improvements.
Apple likely has plans to introduce additional updates to iWork for iCloud in the near future, bringing the iOS 7-style design to all elements of the apps. iWork for iCloud continues to lack some notable collaborative features, including the ability to track changes and comment on content.
The iWork for iCloud software is available to all users for free and it can be accessed through Apple’s iCloud.com website.
     |
Talon for Twitter: A step in the right direction
From the creators of Sliding Messaging and EvolveSMS, Talon for Twitter is a great way to experience what Kit Kat has to offer on Android.
If you’ve ever used the official Twitter app for Android, you’d know very quickly that it could use some work. Third party apps have clearly taken over the Twitter space on Android, and unfortunately, some of these apps won’t last. The big bad people over at Twitter HQ would like to put a stop to third party apps all together, by limiting the amount of users each app can have. Fortunately for us, Talon is just now emerging in the app space, so it has a little while to go before hitting the dreaded API wall.
Let’s talk user interface
One of the features introduced in the launcher on the Nexus 5 were the transparent status bar and soft keys. When Kit Kat launched, Google gave developers the ability to use these features. But, that doesn’t mean developers will necessarily use them. Currently, I’ve only ever seen the Nexus 5 launcher and Google Now take advantage of these features… until now.
The use of transparent notification and status bars bring a whole new level to Immersive Mode. We’ve seen Carbon for Twitter take a stab at it, but nothing that quite uses the screen real estate this well. Moving forward, it would be great to see other developers take advantage of this.
On top of all of this, Talon just added a nice tablet UI. Not many apps have a tablet version, so this is always nice to see.
Customizations, galore
Talon has more customization options than you can shake a stick at. If the dark theme doesn’t suit you well enough, you can download a pre-made theme, or create your own. Change your font, or use “night mode” (do not disturb). It doesn’t really provide more options than other Twitter apps, but it sure isn’t lacking in this category.
A decent widget!
If you have read anything about Twitter on this website, you’ll know that I really fancy a decent widget. I’m not going to talk too much about this one, but sometimes these things are hard to come by.
Problems?
This app is almost brand new, so we’re going to give Klinker Apps the benefit of the doubt. But this is buggy. Not so much that it’s unusable, but enough to get on your nerves. It has some force closes, theme selection problems, and sometimes it takes a very long time to refresh. But it’s getting updated pretty quickly, so it’s nothing to worry about.
The future
Talon for Twitter is an example of how beautiful apps can look on Android 4.4. And for only $1.99, it’s worth every penny. If you’re looking for another Twitter client on Android, you need to check this out. Klinker Apps, keep doing what you’re doing, because it’s working.
The post Talon for Twitter: A step in the right direction appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Blendoku app review
If you’re like me then you like to play your mobile games in short, few minute bursts a couple of times a day. Once in a while you might find yourself dropping an hour’s worth of free time, but generally speaking, it’s nothing regular. And, if you’re like me, you prefer the casual strategy game over the first-person-shooter. If you’re like me then you absolutely love Blendoku.
The premise of the game is simple: you have to arrange colored tiles in order. Fade them from dark green to neon green, for example, or blend them from black to white. You’ll start out with roughly 5-8 tiles in the easy levels and then progress up to stuff with dozens of boxes. Also, instead of a simple line of colors, you’ll have to blend them in multiple directions. Need help? You get one free cheat per day which places any tile you need. It could be the catalyst that helps you figure out which way those colors blend.
The levels are grouped in chunks of 100-150 and truly do have a gradual feel to them. Note that the Master levels work best if you own a tablet. There are simply too many colors and squares to work with on a 4-inch screen. An added bonus to Blendoku is that you can synchronize your scores and times across multiple devices. This way you can start on the phone and pick up later on the tablet. To start, you get 475 levels in the free experience. You’ll also find a “hidden” Negative mode which completely changes the entire game by switching colors to polar opposites.
As is the case with many of these casual games, you can return to levels again and again, trying to beat your time. Personal bests are scored as are the world averages. There’s also a trophy you can achieve for perfect tile placement (no moving or rearranging) but it doesn’t serve any real purpose.
Once you’ve gone through and cleared all of the standard levels, I recommend purchasing (in-app) the second round. Doing so not only gives you another batch of puzzles but it also removes any advertisement. You can also purchase additional help. Perhaps you might want to invest in the 20 extra cheat squares (recycle daily) once you get into the hard and master levels. I have dropped a few bucks in this game and couldn’t be happier with the purchases. In fact, I’m ready for the third round of levels, if there ever will be such a thing.
If I had one gripe about Blendoku it is that I cannot sync the purchased levels; only those that came with the first install are matched across devices. This bothered me more once I got into Medium 2 and Hard 2 levels but it didn’t ruin things altogether. My gut says this is but a software update waiting to happen.
The post Blendoku app review appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Apple Researching Automatic Mood Assessment for Targeted Ad Delivery [iOS Blog]
The United States Patent and Trademark Office today published a new patent application (via AppleInsider) from Apple that describes a method of mood-based advertisement. This method infers the mood of the user by monitoring phone activities, and this mood sentiment information would provide advertisers with a powerful consumer intelligence metric they could use to deliver targeted content.
Rather than ask for mood information directly, Apple’s method of mood-based advertising relies on indirect means of inferring a user’s feelings. This involves the creation of a baseline mood profile that’s derived by monitoring app usage, music playback, social network activity and input from various biometric sensors. Once a profile is established, rules then can be applied to the data and used to gauge the relative mood of the user in relation to this baseline.
A way of improving targeted content delivery can be to select content based, at least in part, on a user’s current mood. One way of accomplishing this could be to query the user regarding their current mood prior to selecting an item of invitational content. A targeted content delivery system can then select an item of invitational content based on the user’s response. However, such an approach could quickly lead to user aggravation, and likely a majority of users reporting a similar mood. Instead, a targeted content delivery system can be configured to use an inferred or derived mood, which can be generated using the presently disclosed technology.
This mood information can then be used by Apple and other content providers to gauge a user’s responsiveness to a product as well as their interest in that product before deciding which ad or offer to send to the user’s handset. This mood information also can be used to adjust select settings on the user’s handset.
Though Apple is not an advertising company, the company does have an iAd unit that sells advertising space in iOS Apps and iTunes Radio. Since its debut in 2010, iAd has undergone several leadership changes and is now under the control of Eddy Cue, Senior Vice President for Internet Software and Services.
| |
Huawei Settles with Apple/Microsoft ‘Rockstar Consortium’ Over Nortel Patents [iOS Blog]
The Apple-backed “Rockstar consortium” has filed a joint motion with Huawei in U.S. District Court of Eastern Texas to dismiss with prejudice Rockstar’s claims of patent infringement against the Chinese handset manufacturer. Though the motion does not mention a settlement amount, it is reasonable to expect there was some monetary licensing agreement that will allow Huawei to continue using the patents.
Pursuant to Rule 41(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and the terms of a separate agreement, Plaintiffs Rockstar Consortium US LP and MobileStar Technologies LLC (collectively “Plaintiffs”) and Defendants Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd., Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Huawei Device (Hong Kong) Co., Ltd., Huawei Technologies USA, Inc., Huawei Device USA Inc., Huawei Technologies Cooperatief U.A., and Futurewei Technologies, Inc. (collectively “Huawei”) hereby move the Court to dismiss with prejudice all of Plaintiffs’ claims against Huawei, including but not limited to any of Plaintiffs’ claims against any direct or indirect Huawei customer as is based in whole or in part upon the use of a Huawei product, with the parties to bear their own costs and fees, including attorneys’ fees.
Huawei is the first of seven Android OEMs cited in the original lawsuit to settle with Rockstar. Other high-profile companies mentioned in the suit include Google, Samsung, HTC, ZTE, LG, Pantech, and ASUSTeK. The decision by Huawei to settle may impact the other defendants in the case as it suggests to the court that Rockstar’s claims of patent infringement may have reasonable merit. As a result, other OEMs may decide to pursue a settlement rather than fight the claims in court.
The patents in question are related search technology and user profiles. They were obtained by Rockstar as part of a patent collection the consortium purchased in 2011 from bankrupt Canadian communications company Nortel.
| |
Two New iPhones With Screens Larger Than 4.5″ and 5″ Coming This Year
The next generation of iPhones, expected to be released this fall, will include new phones with significantly larger screens, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal. It’s been widely expected that Apple will launch an iPhone with a larger screen, but this is the first solid indication that Apple could be launching phones in multiple screen sizes, including in the larger “phablet” market.
The report says that Apple will not continue the plastic-shelled body of the iPhone 5c, and will instead have two models with metal outer casings similar to the current iPhone 5s. It’s possible that Apple will continue offering two “new” lines of phones with the new lineup, offering a flagship phone with the largest screen — one more than 5-inches diagonally — and offering a step-down model with a screen size larger than 4.5-inches diagonally.
5.5-inch Samsung Galaxy Note II vs. iPhone 5 (Source: phoneArena.com)
Facing competition from rivals offering smartphones with bigger screens, Apple Inc. plans larger displays on a pair of iPhones due for release this year, people familiar with the situation said.
The people said Apple plans an iPhone model with a screen larger than 4½ inches measured diagonally, and a second version with a display bigger than 5 inches. Until now, Apple’s largest phone has been the 4-inch display on the iPhone 5.
Both new models are expected to feature metal casings similar to what is used on the current iPhone 5S, with Apple expected to scrap the plastic exterior used in the iPhone 5C, these people said.
The report notes that Apple will not be using a curved display in its units — something that had been previously rumored — and that the iPhone 5c has seen weaker-than-expected demand. Instead, it appears the iPhone 5s has seen significant demand that analysts had expected to see go to the more inexpensive iPhone 5c.
| |
SteelSeries Stratus Wireless iOS Gaming Controller Launches with Lower $79.99 Price Tag [iOS Blog]
Earlier this month, SteelSeries started accepting pre-orders for its Stratus gaming controller, one of several new MFi-certified controllers debuting with $99.99 price tags. As announced by SteelSeries today, the Stratus is now available and arrives with a lower price of $79.99.
The new pricing will be honored for all pre-order customers, although Apple’s online store is still showing the higher pricing.
“The media and consumer reaction to the announcement of the Stratus Controller at CES really demonstrated the power behind this product, and the new category of gaming we can enable by working together with Apple,” said Bruce Hawver, SteelSeries CEO. “More than ever, we see the power of this platform and we want to make every effort to make it accessible to as many consumers as possible. We have therefore worked closely with our retail partners and suppliers with the objective of lowering the retail price target without changing any of the terrific features of this product.”
Unlike competing controllers from Logitech and MOGA, the Stratus from SteelSeries uses Bluetooth instead of the Lightning port to connect to an iOS device. It features a console-like design with a directional pad, two analog sticks and four front buttons.
Eli Hodapp from our sister site TouchArcade was able to get some hands-on time with the Stratus and offered a detailed review evaluating the controller’s performance in light of its competition. Though it loses points for its high price tag and small size, TouchArcade considered the SteelSeries Stratus to be “the best controller out there” for gadget addicts and early adopters, although users willing to jailbreak their devices may prefer a new tweak adding support for PlayStation 3 controllers.
| |
Apple TV to Gain Game Support With Bluetooth Controllers By March?
The Apple TV could be getting long-awaited game support in an upcoming software update, according to a report from the sometimes well-sourced iLounge. It could include Bluetooth controller support and an Apple TV-based App Store.
iLounge has heard from reliable industry sources that Apple TV will soon be getting proper game support in an update, likely to come in March or earlier. We’ve heard that developers are currently working on Bluetooth controller options, and it’s expected that games could be downloaded directly to the Apple TV rather than relying on another iOS device as an intermediary.
Turning the Apple TV into a game console-type device with an App Store has long been expected, with rumors dating back years suggesting that such a feature was in the works. MG Siegler wrote last year that Apple appeared to be moving closer to leveraging the Apple TV for television gaming.
Steve Jobs himself said an App Store for the Apple TV was a possibility “when the time is right” in an interview in 2010. Apple and third-party hardware makers recently began shipping iOS 7 game controllers for iPhones, but they have been poorly received because of build quality issues and high price tags.
| |
One of the rarest games in the world just landed on eBay
If you’d seen this ratty-looking NES cartridge at a yard sale, you’d be forgiven for not giving it a second glance. If you’d paid a few bucks to take it home, however, then congratulations: you just won the admiration of every gamer in the world. The 1990 Nintendo World Championship toured the US with a custom game that asked players to beat levels from Super Mario Bros., Rad Racer and Tetris in less than seven minutes. Just 116 of these carts were produced, each one going to finalists and competition winners — making it one of the rarest Nintendo titles ever made. Now, this not-so-gorgeous-looking copy, where some misguided fool decided that scrawling “Mario” in ballpoint was an adequate replacement for the torn label, is available on eBay. The starting price is $5,000, less than half of the $11,500 someone paid for one in 2011, but you’d better hurry up and sell those organs, as the auction’s due to finish in less than 48 hours.
[Image credit: mursean,eBay ]
Via: Wired
Source: eBay
AIVAnet 