US and UK spy agencies are exploiting flaws in security software
Those worries that governments are trying to undermine security software? They’re well-founded. The Intercept has learned that both the US’ National Security Agency and the UK’s Government Communications Headquarters have been reverse engineering security software, such as antivirus tools and encryption programs, to look for flaws that can be used in surveillance hacks. Some of the targets in recent years include Kaspersky Lab’s security suite (sound familiar?), Acer’s eDataSecurity and Exlade’s CrypticDisk. GCHQ also deconstructed numerous other commonly available programs, including vBulletin’s forum software and popular server management tools.
The NSA, at least, has taken things one step further. A 2010 presentation reveals that the agency was monitoring threat reports sent to antivirus and firewall software makers in the hopes of finding exploits, whether they’re brand new forms of malware or vulnerabilities in the defensive apps themselves. It’s easier than you might think, too. It’s not always possible to update virus definitions very quickly, and many antivirus developers can take weeks or months to patch exploits in their own code.
There’s a number of concerns with these activities beyond the spying itself. GCHQ’s reverse engineering stretched interpretations of the law, and the organization spent extensive time buttering up the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to get approval for its activities. And as Kaspersky suggested after discovering a breach in its networks, there’s a betrayal of trust here — intelligence agencies are compromising the very programs that are meant to keep you safe.
[Image credit: AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky]
Filed under: Internet, Software
Source: The Intercept (1), (2)
SoftBank’s cutesy Pepper robot sells out in one minute
If you always wanted a robot butler to greet guests, amuse kids or be a live-action version of Cortana, you’re way too late. The Pepper robot that does all that sold out exactly one minute after it went on sale in Japan on Saturday, according to manufacturer SoftBank Robotics. The company built a modest 1,000 units for its Japanese consumer launch, selling it for $1,600 with a monthly $200 fee. The 4-foot robot is not designed to fetch you drinks or do other manual work, but rather to listen, read your emotions, then respond appropriately. It can also sing, dance and tell (corny robot) jokes.
SoftBank didn’t say who purchased the robot, but its earlier statement that “we think there’s value in a robot that can understand human feeling” was obviously accurate. The company said that it envisioned Pepper working as a store greeter, helper for the elderly or as a school learning assistant. It has also peddled coffee in a Nescafé store. It remains to be seen if demand will stay strong, but the company will open up orders again in Japan in July, and plans to bring it to Europe and the US sometime next year.
[Image credit: AFP/Getty Images]
Filed under: Robots
Source: Softbank
A look at a Chinese Note 4 sold without Google services: it’s just not the same
More than meets the eye? Perhaps less. This picture hides two trying truths: the phone is actually pink in color, and it’s stripped of any-and-all Google services.
Last week, I mustered up my courage for a unique experience: using a Pink Galaxy Note 4. Ironically however, it wasn’t the color that required any form of social preparedness, rather it was the actual OS the phone was running on: Android. But not Android Android. No, this was a phablet direct from China, and thus it was running TouchWiz on “AOSP” minus any Google Apps or connectivity framework.
Needless to say, the time I spent with this China-friendly Note 4 was met with amusement, confusion, and in many cases, downright frustration. It was also, interestingly enough, a surprising wake-up call.
China’s Change
#gallery-1
margin: auto;
#gallery-1 .gallery-item
float: left;
margin-top: 10px;
text-align: center;
width: 33%;
#gallery-1 img
border: 2px solid #cfcfcf;
#gallery-1 .gallery-caption
margin-left: 0;
/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
-
- The contents of the box.
-
- The back of the box.
-
- The USB cable comes with an interesting plastic frame to secure it.
As far as the packaging and contents went, everything seemed relatively normal. The box looked the same as any random Hong Kong-variant for the most part, however the warranty card was quite extensive. The USB cable was preset inside some kind of plastic frame to secure it. Interestingly enough, earlier that day I had watched several YouTube videos of Galaxy Note 4 “replicas” (clones) from China, and they all had the same plastic frame around the fake USB cord. Truth be told, I was somewhat skeptical of the cable included here being legitimate, though as the rest of the package was original, I can only assume Samsung does indeed use the frame for the USB cords in China. Nice touch.
Powering on the device: Despite the fact that things look like business-as-usual, from the moment I turned on the Chinese Galaxy Note 4, it was quite clear that not all was here. At no point during the normally lengthy set-up process did it ask for, or initiate, any semblance of Google connectivity. There were, however, some prompts for permissions and whatnot for Baidu Services, what can only be described as the “Google of China.”
Given the general belief that privacy is a totally alien concept in China, it was that much more interesting to see an option to reject the various permissions, though in all honesty I was still somewhat apprehensive about the phone’s ability to use my data for unauthorized purposes.
#gallery-2
margin: auto;
#gallery-2 .gallery-item
float: left;
margin-top: 10px;
text-align: center;
width: 33%;
#gallery-2 img
border: 2px solid #cfcfcf;
#gallery-2 .gallery-caption
margin-left: 0;
/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
-
- Powering-up the device brought up a familiar screen.
-
- The default home screen had a curious “Google” search bar.
-
- The second page of the home screen had more Chinese apps pre-installed.
After the set up completed, I was immediately struck by the presence of a Baidu Search Widget, as well as some unique China-only apps, most of which were bloatware. The app drawer was surprisingly less cluttered with junk than I expected, however the second page in particular was almost comprised entirely of China-centric apps, many of which could not be removed from the phone. I was surprised however, that some core apps could be deleted.
I missed my work schedule because there was no Gmail for it to arrive on. I instinctively went to check for apps only to realize that not only was it impossible, but there were no actually Play Store apps that were on my phone to begin with.
#gallery-3
margin: auto;
#gallery-3 .gallery-item
float: left;
margin-top: 10px;
text-align: center;
width: 33%;
#gallery-3 img
border: 2px solid #cfcfcf;
#gallery-3 .gallery-caption
margin-left: 0;
/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
-
- The app drawer page 1.
-
- The app draw page 2.
-
- The setting screen.
Clicking on the Baidu Search Widget led to a rather Google-esque experience, along with the TouchWiz Chinese input keyboard, something I had seen several times before with Hong Kong variant devices. There were also some connectivity issues with Kies, though eventually I was able to get the device to upgrade to Lollipop.
#gallery-4
margin: auto;
#gallery-4 .gallery-item
float: left;
margin-top: 10px;
text-align: center;
width: 33%;
#gallery-4 img
border: 2px solid #cfcfcf;
#gallery-4 .gallery-caption
margin-left: 0;
/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
-
- Baidu Search
-
- The default keyboard.
-
- Bookmarks on the WebKit browser.
A standstill
With the screen off, you wouldn’t know the Chinese Note 4 from any other, such as the black Google-approved variant seen here for other markets.
While the device itself basically operated as a Galaxy Note 4, after spending just a few minutes with it, the frustration started. The experience was, at best, surreal. I’m not a power user by any means, however, it never occurred to me just how often I use some form of Google app. I missed my work schedule because there was no Gmail for it to arrive on. That immediately sent me through the motions to open the Google Play Store only to be reminded of its MIA status. Even trying to manually recreate my typical user experience was problematic. I use apps like Beautiful Widgets, for example, yet even when I side loaded it, the file crashed. I tried to manually install several of the core Gapps (Play Store, for example) however they immediately crashed as well. Upon doing a quick search, this was the apparent result of a lack of Google Play services framework, all of which are required for “Android” to function properly.
The end result was a rather curious product, and one that quite honestly I wasn’t very interested in using for more than a limited time at best. It has been said that Samsung is Android, but this experiment more-or-less proved, to me at least, that Samsung’s Android without Google is really a diminished experience at best.
Lessons learned
The larger reaching question here, aside from the issues Google itself has with China, is just how full fledged Samsung’s own Tizen OS will ever become. The company has made no small effort to begin to distance itself from Mountain View. The Gear smartwatches have used Tizen for well over a year now (the first of which was actually originally running on Android and then switched over via a software update). The Samsung Z1 has achieved a relatively fair amount of success in the few countries it’s available in, and there are greater plans across multiple product categories.
Unfortunately, without some kind of comprehensive, unified, integrated framework to link everything together, the benefit to customers is a bit questionable, at least in terms of jumping ship from Android (or iOS).
The other big take away here was the realization of just how dependent I am on the Google Services framework. Despite my not using 80% of Google apps, it was a bit shocking to discover how dysfunctional my life became without the main ones. Chrome, for example. Gmail. Google Plus. Things like having access to my contact list. Things like Hangouts. Things like… Everything I’d ever purchased from the Play Store and many of which I use daily, like SwiftKey. While many of the Google apps could be worked around, the Play Store purchases really couldn’t.
Wrap up
It’s just striking to realize how immensely more useful a product like this Galaxy Note Edge becomes with Google Play Services available.
At one point, I found it striking how heavily “locked-in” iOS users are with their devices. Despite my occasionally dabbling in Apple land, or Windows Phone for that matter, neither can ever hold my interest beyond a few weeks at best for the total lack of software that I have grown so accustomed to in my daily life.
Of course, it would be unfair to paint Chinese domestic phones as somehow “inferior” simply because they are lacking Google Play. In truth, the Baidu framework that comes pre-installed could be a grand replacement for Google’s stylings were I to have a vested interest in said platform’s offerings. Likewise there are an impressive number of app stores available in China, thus if one doesn’t have an app, chances are another will.
Still, for those used to Google it’s quite an adjustment at best.
Samsung’s Galaxy S6 and S6 edge expected to sell 45 million units in 2015
Samsung’s Galaxy S6 and S6 edge smartphones have generally been well received, with the main complaint about the handsets being the absence of MicroSD card support and shortened battery life. While unnamed Samsung executives have previously let slip that sales of the S6 and S6 Edge handsets has met internal targets, no one has had a solid idea of how well they are actually selling.
That hasn’t really changed, Samsung has been reluctant to make sales figures public, and so we are left with analysts making informed guesses on the matter. These figures vary from one analyst to the next. A report released be Deutsche Bank intimates that Samsung are on track to sell around 45 million units combined of the S6 and S6 edge smartphones. Industry tracker, DRAMeXchange, estimates combined sales of 55 million while the Hong Kong-based researcher, Counterpoint believes the number to be around 50 million units. On the optimistic end of the scale, Yonhap had estimated sales of around 70 million units.
It’s a crap shoot really until Samsung decides to release official sales figures for the S6 and S6 edge handsets. But even if the lowest estimate of 45 million combined sales is realised, that still means that the S6 and S6 edge have managed to equal the previous chart-topper, the Galaxy S4. While it isn’t the eye-watering number of 70 million as was previously suggested, it’s still a great comeback from the Galaxy S5 that didn’t meet expectations. Let us know in the comments if you have seen many Galaxy S6 or S6 edge handsets in the wild.
Source: KoreaHerald, Yonhap
Come comment on this article: Samsung’s Galaxy S6 and S6 edge expected to sell 45 million units in 2015
Samsung Galaxy S6 Active review: Repackaged with a beefier build for a reason
Everyone loves to praise phones with premium materials such as metal and glass. The only problem with them is durability. Drop a phone with glass and it is practically guaranteed to shatter. Drop a phone with metal and it is going to get nicked and scratched. There is a large group of consumers ranging from construction workers to overall clumsy people that require phones capable of handling drops, spills, and even dust storms. This summer, Samsung and AT&T have worked together yet again to release the Galaxy S6 Active. The phone stays true to the regular, flagship Galaxy S6. Both phones have the same stunning display, speedy processor, and large camera sensor. Really, it’s all the same! So what’s different here? The Galaxy S6 Active’s design will brace it for impact and handle itself in just about any risky situation.
Note: This review will primarily cover the areas that differ from the Galaxy S6.
Design
Preventing the phone from shattering and malfunctioning in extreme conditions is a design completely different than the metal and glass used with the Galaxy S6. The two aforementioned materials have been swapped out for plastic. Samsung had to use plastic, its former go-to material, for the entire casing of the phone because of how it manages falls; however, the plastic here does not look or even feel cheap like ones released by Samsung in the past. The right side of the Galaxy S6 Active shows the power button and houses the SIM card tray. The left side, in addition to the volume rocker, has a special Active key button to showcase what the phone is all about. Pressing the button once activates Samsung’s Activity Zone to assist with any outdoor excursion. Upon a long-press, this button acts as a shortcut to any app installed on the phone. The Activity key should be something all phone manufacturers consider because of how useful it is to have a quick shortcut to any app.
The button setup on the front of the Galaxy S6 Active is familiar yet slightly different. Samsung placed three physical buttons — Recents, Home, Back — below the display. None of the buttons on the phone are loose. Each has firm placement and a generous ‘click’.
AT&T has three color options available: Grey, Camo White, and Camo Blue. The latter two, as their names suggest, feature camouflage patters on the rear. The same spot feels subtly textured and assists in gripping the Galaxy S6 Active. All buttons on the Galaxy S6 Active are textured, too. And along with the sides having multiple indentations, it will be very difficult to accidentally drop the Galaxy S6 Active out of your hand.
The durable design comes with the certification to prove it. The Galaxy S6 Active’s casing is IP68 certified, meaning that the phone is water resistant, shock resistant, and dust proof. The Galaxy S6 Active can survive in up to 1.5 meters of water for around thirty minutes. You may find it hard to believe that the Galaxy S6 Active can withstand being dunked in water despite having a few openings. Well, Samsung coated the openings to keep them safe. Water will not enter through the micro-USB charging port and audio jack. I put the Galaxy S6 Active in both a small bowl of water as well as a sink with some depth and the phone functioned properly both while being submerged and after.
The Galaxy S6 Active measures 146.8 x 73.4 x 8.6mm and weighs 150g, making it bigger and heavier than its sleek and slender sibling. The Galaxy S6, by comparison, measures 143.4 x 70.5 x 6.8mm and weighs 138g. The cause for those figures increasing with the Galaxy S6 Active is the IP68 certification requiring better security and the battery’s size.
Although plastic has nothing on metal and glass, the Galaxy S6 Active feels comfortable to hold. The indentations and texture in different areas of the phone work together very well.
Hardware
The Galaxy S6 Active features a 5.1-inch Quad HD (2560×144) Super AMOLED display (576 ppi), Exynos 7420 processor, Mali-T760, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage, 16MP rear camera, 5MP front camera, 3500mAh battery (non-removable, wireless charging supported), WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, and Bluetooth 4.1.
Being that this phone is available exclusively through AT&T, the Galaxy S6 Active operates on their GSM, HSPA, and LTE networks. People looking for an unlocked phone with identical specifications will have to revert back to the regular Galaxy S6.
Battery
With high resolution displays and a ton of horsepower running the show, battery life can become strained. Samsung, thankfully, raised the size of the battery within the Galaxy S6 Active. Rather than being a meager 2550mAh like the Galaxy S6, the Galaxy S6 Active has a massive 3500mAh battery. The Galaxy S6 Active leaves behind the regular version as usage time spills into two days. I generally use my phone for messaging, tweeting, email, and the occasional light mobile game. People have complained that the Galaxy S6’s battery life is disappointing but the same cannot be said for the Galaxy S6 Active. It goes and goes… and goes.
Oh, the Galaxy S6 Active also supports wireless charging.
Software
The software present on the Galaxy S6 Active is the same installment of TouchWiz that the company used with the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge. If you have used either one of those two phones, nothing will surprise you about the Galaxy S6 Active. All of them have the latest version of Samsung’s TouchWiz user interface. Here, it is based on Android 5.0.2 Lollipop while the other two phones are starting to see Android 5.1 already. AT&T has yet to say if and/or when the Galaxy S6 Active will get the same software update.
TouchWiz seemingly no longer slows down Samsung’s phones and the Exynos 7420 probably helps with that. Moving through the user interface is smooth and consistent, never does the phone resemble a sleuth. The camera also starts snapping photographs almost instantaneously.
Samsung and AT&T are really pushing the outdoor capabilities of the phone and that is the reason a special hub known as Activity Zone. Launching Activity Zone can be done through the dedicated Active key button or tapping the app icon. Activity Zone displays various tiles: Weather, Barometer, S Health, Flashlight, Compass, Stopwatch, and Milk Music. The tiles can be extremely useful in different situations and most are shortcuts to another app when selected. The tile that stands out here is Milk Music. Activity Zone asks you to select among walking, running, yoga, lifting, and dancing before songs start playing.
Expect plenty of pre-installed software that does not belong to Samsung. There are around twenty apps on this phone that come from either AT&T or another company that is not its manufacturer.
Closing
The Galaxy S6 Active costs $694 without a commitment of any type and that number drops to $199 when signing a two-year contract with AT&T. The carrier also has its AT&T Next payment plan to split the cost of the Galaxy S6 Active across twelve, eighteen, or twenty-four months. Surprisingly, the off-contract price is higher, albeit by $10, than the Galaxy S6. A design targeted at those needing something durable but uses cheaper materials requires a few more dollars. That seems confusing but maybe there is a need this phone. Some people are drooling over the massive battery, which could also be enough to buy the Galaxy S6 Active, and they should because it bests the top phones on the market today. But is that good enough to buy the Galaxy S6 Active over the Galaxy S6? Probably not, unless you tend to break your phones (and don’t have insurance) or work in an environment where anything can happen. Then it’s a perfect match.
Click here to view the embedded video.
Come comment on this article: Samsung Galaxy S6 Active review: Repackaged with a beefier build for a reason
‘Intel Remote Keyboard’ designed to let you use a keyboard and mouse for your PC on Android
Intel has launched a new Android app. Dubbed ‘Intel Remote Keyboard,’ the software will let you use it as a remote keyboard and mouse for your PC.
Intel designed the application with Mini PC’s in mind (think the Intel Computer Stick or the Chromebit) , but that doesn’t mean it won’t work on full-fledged Windows 7 or 8.1 personal computers. In fact, it should work rather well on any PC running Windows. All you need is the free Intel companion software installed on your computer.
The app is also ridiculously easy as far as setup goes. As long as your PC and smartphone are on the same Wi-Fi network, the Intel Remote Keyboard app will automatically detect your machine, no pairing necessary. Another beautiful thing about this new offering from Intel is that the orientation doesn’t matter–you can use it in landscape or portrait mode.
Will this effectively replace peripherals? Of course not, but it’s certainly a good backup if you ever find yourself without a mouse and keyboard. After all, I can’t imagine people giving up the versatility and normality of using a traditional mouse and keyboard.
If you’re interested in setting up the Intel Remote Keyboard, you can click here for the free companion software. You can scan the QR code or hit the download link below to get the free Android app.
Come comment on this article: ‘Intel Remote Keyboard’ designed to let you use a keyboard and mouse for your PC on Android
Samsung wants to further reduce trial-awarded damages to Apple
Just a few years ago (2012 to be exact), 23 of Samsung’s Galaxy products were the topic of much contention in the intellectual property realm, with Apple having sued the Korean conglomerate on numerous counts of patent infringement and using them to deceive consumers into purchasing a Galaxy product. Another lawsuit, litigated in 2014, would be brought later for things like software design patents, however it is the original Apple Inc. v. Samsung Electronics Co. that people usually think of. Thanks to a new motion by Samsung however, the seemingly unending trial might be entering yet another phase.
As reported by The San Jose Mercury News, this past Wednesday (June 17th) saw Samsung asking a federal appeals court to reconsider part of the $548 million in damages it has been ordered to pay Apple. Specifically, the Galaxy-maker is unhappy with the conclusion a three-judge panel at the U.S. Federal Circuit Court of Appeals reached last month, and has asked for a retrial with all twelve judges present. Given the perceived error is to-the-tune of nearly $400 million, it would be a major victory for Samsung should the results be turned in its favor.
The court filing points out that, “unlike rugs, spoons, and simple mechanical objects, smartphones incorporate hundreds or thousands of different patented technologies, and it is undisputed here that Apple’s design patents claim only partial, minor features of such devices.” While the courts have already deleted almost $370 million of the original ruling having deemed several of Apple’s claims such as product shape infringement, Samsung clearly wants more (if not all) of the damages removed.
Concept renders like this “Jony” iPhone were made public during the various Apple vs Samsung trials.
T-Mobile begins rolling out Android 5.1.1 Lollipop to the Galaxy S5
Having recently become one of the first carriers to update its Samsung Galaxy S6 handsets to Android 5.1.1 Lollipop, T-Mobile has now quickly followed up with an update for its Galaxy S5 customers.
An update with the build number G900TUVU1FOF6 has begun rolling out to S5 owners today, although the company has not yet officially announced the update or listed a change log for us to dissect.
However, we know from the previous S6 update that Android 5.1.1 includes new features such as Smart Lock factory reset, the option to remove toggles from the Notification panel, and a slight update to the Material Design elements in Samsung’s TouchWiz UI.
Samsung also introduced the Guest Mode from stock Android, a new Parallax Effect for wallpapers, and alphabetical app draw ordering with the Galaxy S6 update, so these features should hopefully carry over to the Galaxy S5 update as well. It is also likely that the new camera RAW file format and ISO adjustment options will be made available, at least when using third party camera apps.
The update is gradually rolling out over the air or can be grabbed as a manual download through Samsung’s Kies software. T-mobile seems to be ticking all of the right boxes with its fast update process.
NASA’s iconic images are now easier to find
NASA has just launched a mega photo library that masses more than 70 different collections together, with 138,000-plus images in total. Created by an archiving company called Luna Imaging, it includes plenty of famous photos from sources like Hubble, JPL and the Apollo missions. There are also wonderful and crazy images dating back as far as the early 20th century showing things like early rocketry attempts and pre-Gemini space suits. The whole thing is searchable by archive, year, mission and other keywords.
Luna previously hosted a viewer for NASA-sourced images, but had to drop the partnership several years ago when NASA moved the bulk of its images to a defense contractor’s website. The only downside to the new archive is the apparently limited resolution of the images (up to 1536 pixels wide only), considering that many of the originals are much larger than that. There’s no word if noted NASA web design consultant Tom Cruise had anything to do with the site, but you can check it out here.
Filed under: Science
Via: Gizmodo
Source: Luna Imaging
Cyberattack grounds 10 flights from Warsaw airport
It may be, statistically, the safest way to travel, but that doesn’t mean that flying isn’t immune to technology’s most persistent irritation. According to Reuters, a group of hackers managed to ground 10 flights out of Warsaw Airport on Sunday after executing an effective cyberattack against LOT, Poland’s national airline. It’s believed that the nefarious types went after the computer system that’s responsible for producing flight plans, causing numerous delays in addition to the aforementioned cancellations.
Spokesperson Adrian Kubicki told journalists that his company uses “state of the art” computer systems, and hinted that other airlines could be similarly at risk. Subsequently, the business added that the attack was now “under control” and that flight plans were being prepared remotely at LOT’s operating center.
It’s been a bit of a recurring theme of late, as the air travel industry publicly comes to terms with some harsh truths. After all, the sheen of invincibility they’re obliged to project is being scratched away each time their digital systems are found to be vulnerable. Back in April, the FBI began warning companies to start looking for holes in their IT infrastructure. But not, unfortunately, before security researcher Chris Roberts claimed that he was able to hijack a plane while in-flight from his seat. Hopefully a solution to these issues can be found before Hugo Tesso is able to carry out his long-promised smartphone-based hijacking.
Filed under: Transportation, Internet
Via: ZDNet
AIVAnet 