Hacking Team boss thinks that he runs ‘the good guys’
The CEO of Hacking Team has come out to defend his firm’s behavior after a hack exposed the company’s dirty laundry for all to see. In an interview with Italian newspaper La Stampa, David Vincenzetti said that his software was used to “fight the criminals” that are “operating on the border between the state of law and lawlessness.” He went on to say that the company was relatively harmless since it doesn’t “sell guns that could be used for years,” and added that “we’re the good guys.” Sure thing, buddy.
Hacking Team produces Da Vinci, a platform that enables governments to monitor encrypted communications. The technology is used by law enforcement officials to read your email, listen in to your Skype chats and secretly watch you via your own webcam or smartphone camera. Last week, it fell victim to a hack (the irony) and 400GB of its internal data was posted to Wikileaks, which is where the trouble really started.
Vincenzetti himself believes that the attack was carried out “at the governmental level” by someone with “significant resources” and that it had been “planned for months.” He refused to point a finger in any specific direction, but he’s fairly sure it wasn’t a publicly-minded citizen grinding code in their basement.
Skeezy software aside, Hacking Team’s other objectionable trait is its client list, which reads like a Who’s Who of totalitarian regimes. The firm has sold pernicious spying software to countries like Ethopia, Honduras and Uzbekistan, all three are known to imprison, torture and kill journalists and community leaders that disagree with the government.
Call us old-fashioned, but if you’re hanging around with people who normally have the phrase “serial human rights abuser” written before their names, you might feel a little guilty. Not so for Vincenzetti, who defended working with Libya, saying that “we did it when suddenly it seemed that the Libyans had become our best friends.” He added that “geopolitics changes rapidly and situations evolve,” which could be the new motto for the department of moral relativism.
On the other hand, the CEO did say that the company stopped doing business with Ethopia when it transpired that the country had been used to spy on a journalist. So, er, good job?
Filed under: Internet
Via: ZDNet
Source: La Stampa (Translated)
Microsoft is turning Windows 10’s launch into a global upgrade party
With Windows 10’s July 29 launch just a few weeks away, Microsoft is offering up more details on how it’ll celebrate the birth of its new baby. And one thing is clear: This is a far bigger deal than when Windows 8 hit the streets. Along with the usual festivities and a new marketing campaign, Microsoft is also promoting the idea of “upgrading the world” by offering consumers a bit of help with moving towards Windows 10, as well as celebrating inspirational non-profits all over the world. Microsoft stores, as well as retailers like Best Buy, Walmart and Staples, will offer in-store upgrade help and “experience stations” to let you try out Windows 10. The educational push makes sense, since Microsoft is making Windows 10 available for free to existing Windows 7 and 8 users for its first year. This time around getting people to upgrade means a lot more to Microsoft than making them pay retail price for a new OS.
As we’ve previously reported, Microsoft is making Windows 10 available to its five million beta testers first on July 29. Afterwards, there will be a staggered rollout for everyone else. That also means Windows 10 won’t be available for new computers sold on July 29, Bloomberg reports. Instead, you can either upgrade your new computer inside a store (we’ve love to see how smoothly that process goes), or get bumped ahead in the Windows 10 download queue if they want to upgrade later.
As for those non-profits, Microsoft is committing $10 million to supporting 10 global firms, as well as 100 smaller outfits in 10 countries. On top of the cash, it’s also offering help with organizing initiatives to “upgrade the world.” And of course, we’d imagine that Windows 10 will be a big part of Microsoft’s good-will initiative. Similarly, it’s giving employees an extra day off to upgrade their local communities to Windows 10 on launch day.
Filed under: Software, Microsoft
Source: Microsoft
Hayao Miyazaki is back — with a 3D CG short
Here’s some bittersweet news for fans of Studio Ghibli’s animation genius Hayao Miyazaki: He’s back in the directing chair! But, it’s for a 3D CG short, not a traditional animated feature, Variety reports. Miyazaki effectively retired from feature directing with his last film, The Wind Rises, but he always left the door open for other projects. The new CG short will center on a hairy caterpillar (who’s sure to break your heart somehow), and marks the first time Miyazaki has worked with 3D in a major project. It might be a while before you see it, though. The untitled film will take three years to complete, and it’s being made for Ghibli’s Tokyo museum. It’s unclear if it’ll be shown anywhere else. If you’re still looking for a Miyazaki fix, and you’ve seen all of this films already, be sure to check out the documentary The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness (streaming on Netflix), which masterfully covers the making of The Wind Rises.
[Photo credit: Getty/Michael Tran/FilmMagic]
Filed under: HD
Source: Variety
ZTE sold 26 million smartphones in the first half of 2015
ZTE is a Chinese handset manufacturer that you’ve probably been reading about more and more in the news, from its recent launch of its Android-powered Spro 2 mobile hotspot/mobile projector on Verizon to the Axon smartphone that it will produce for US customers. In case you were wondering just how big ZTE is, the Chinese company has just announced it has sold over 46 million smartphones, tablets and smart home products in the first half of 2015.
Smartphones account for around 26 million sales, with around 39% of those being high-end products costing $250 or more. Sales in the US market grew by an impressive 41% in the first half of 2015.
That doesn’t mean that ZTE is hitting its self-imposed targets though, it had originally planned to sell around 80 million smartphones in 2015, but that number has since been rationalised to 60 million. This figure might need to be reduced further still as ZTE’s home-grown rivals (Xiaomi, Huawei, Meizu, etc.) plan on releasing new flagship devices in the second half of 2015. Are you one of the people that bought a ZTE smartphone? If so, would you do so again?
Source: Mobile-Dad
Via: GizmoChina
Come comment on this article: ZTE sold 26 million smartphones in the first half of 2015
HERE Maps beta update brings a brand new user interface
Nokia has started rolling out an update for the beta version of its HERE Maps application via the Google Play Store. In terms of added functionality, this upgrade brings a brand new interface to the service, in addition to a contextual menu that can be activated by a long press anywhere on the map.
The full changelog for the upgrade can be seen below:
- New UI
- Contextual Menu – A single, long-press anywhere on the map brings up a shortcut menu to quickly see location information, share a location, get directions or start drive navigation.
- Bug Fixes
- Stability Improvements
If you wish to get in on the beta testing action, simply follow the 3 steps listed below:
- Join HERE Maps’ public Google Group.
- Register to become a beta tester, by clicking here.
- Follow this link, to download HERE Maps’ latest beta application through Google Play.
If you’re already a subscriber to the HERE Maps beta and would like to install the update on your smartphone, simply open up the Play Store, toggle the hamburger menu by swiping in from the left-hand side of the screen, select ‘My Apps’ and click on ‘HERE Maps’. You’re now going to want to hit the update button.
Come comment on this article: HERE Maps beta update brings a brand new user interface
New research report says tablet sales have peaked
As new technology form factors like smartwatches and virtual reality headsets continue to grab the attention of the industry, one piece of hardware that has faded from the limelight is the tablet. Even Apple’s devices have been hit by the lack of interest on the part of buyers according to a new research report from Forrester Research, although Lenovo has managed to buck the trend.
Forrester points to several issues that could be having an impact on tablet sales and why they may have reached a plateau. One of those issues is replacement rates for tablets which are lower than smartphones. This is likely driven by a lack of new features or significantly improved hardware from earlier generations to what is available now.
Another factor seems to be increasing interest in large screen smartphones, sometimes referred to as “phablets.” Though not for everyone, consumers who opt for larger devices like Samsung’s Note series, the iPhone 6+, the Lumia 1520 from Microsoft may be using them as a substitute for an additional tablet device. Forrester says 11 percent of information workers consider their “phablet” device to be their tablet.
Forrester did identify some opportunities for manufacturers who are looking for profits from tablets. According to the report, businesses are continuing to make more use of the devices and at least half of employees reported using a tablet at least once a week for work. Approximately 29% of businesses provide tablets to their employees for work use.
Business interest in tablets may be what helped Lenovo grow sales of their tablet devices while the rest of the industry went flat or fell. Lenovo’s devices tend to have larger screens and they have a focus on productivity solutions.
Do you use a tablet on your job or would it make your job easier to have one? Let us know in the comments.
source: TechCrunch
Come comment on this article: New research report says tablet sales have peaked
Samsung starts rolling out Lollipop update for the Galaxy S6 in Nordic countries
Samsung is now rolling out the much-anticipated Lollipop update to all models of the Galaxy S6 located in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Sweden and Norway. As for as added functionality goes, this upgrade transports the latest build of the Android operating system to the handset, in addition to a truckload of bug fixes and stability improvements.
All the changes you’d expect to find in the Lollipop software are bundled into this upgrade, including support for multiple accounts, improved notifications, stronger 256-bit encryption, a smoother multitasking experience and the recently-announced Material Design guidelines.
As usual, the upgrade is being rolled out in stages, but if you don’t feel like waiting for a notification confirming that it’s ready for your device to hit your unit, you could always search for the update manually.
To do so simply open the Settings app, scroll to the bottom and tap on “About Device”, hit “System Updates”, then select “Check for updates”. Once done, the upgrade will start downloading from Samsung’s servers.
Come comment on this article: Samsung starts rolling out Lollipop update for the Galaxy S6 in Nordic countries
Security firm CrowdStrike to receive $100 million investment from Google
Security firm CrowdStrike has announced a $100 million investment from Google Capital. CrowdStrike was founded by ex-McAfee executives and utilizes cloud-based tools and security experts called “hunters” to actively combat hacking attempts, sometimes while they are in progress.
CrowdStrike has achieved some success in repelling attacks by Chinese based hacking groups, notably one group called Hurricane Panda. Earlier this year they claimed that the group had commenced an attack on a firm in January, but abandoned the attempt once they detected CrowdStrikes presence on the company’s network.
CrowdStrike co-founder Dmitri Alperovitch believes Hurricane Panda abandoned the attempt based on an April 2014 incident involving another company protected by CrowdStrike. That successful response by CrowdStrike likely caused Hurricane Panda to realize “the cost and given the time and money wasted on the previous 0-day, decided it wasn’t worth it” to pursue their latest attack. Alperovitch says this was the first time they saw at attack abandoned in such a manner.
CrowdStrike also made a name for themselves recently by examining the Office of Personnel Management hack and determining it originated in China.
According to Gene Frantz, a partner at Google Capital,
“We were blown away by CrowdStrike’s incredible growth and impressive customer adoption. They have a truly unique SaaS-based endpoint security model, a highly scalable subscription revenue model, and a visionary technical approach that has huge potential to transform the industry, which is why we’re thrilled to make this investment.”
Google Capital is separate from Google Ventures, a largely independent venture capital firm setup by Google. Google Capital is an investment arm of Google.
source: CrowdStrike
via: Business Insider
Come comment on this article: Security firm CrowdStrike to receive $100 million investment from Google
600 MHz auction rule compromise proposed by T-Mobile’s Waxman
As the FCC plans to vote on July 16th on rules for an incentive auction of 600 MHz spectrum, former representative Henry Waxman, now working as a lobbyist for T-Mobile, has submitted a proposed compromise to FCC chair Tom Wheeler. Waxman says the proposal,
“is not perfect. Truly balanced approaches rarely are. But this solution would do more than any other to offer expanded spectrum access where it is feasible, simplicity where it is practical and competitive safeguards where they are most needed to protect consumers.”
Some compromise is needed according to smaller carriers like T-Mobile to prevent larger carriers like Verizon and AT&T from acquiring too much spectrum. The ability of large carriers to get into reserved spectrum for small carriers may occur if certain pricing triggers are not met. The failure to see the triggers activated could occur if smaller carriers wait to submit their bids, a common tactic by buyers in auctions.
Waxman, who helped draft the legislation authorizing the 600 MHz spectrum, addressed another issue involving guard bands, or the “duplex gap,” that will exist after the auction. The FCC had originally planned to dedicate this space to WiFi, licensed broadcast news microphones, and other unlicensed uses. However, FCC staff reversed that recommendation.
Waxman is proposing the FCC use their spectrum-clearing target of 84 MHz as a trigger. If less than 84 MHz is cleared in the auction, then broadcast stations could be allowed into the duplex gap according to Waxman’s proposal.
source: FierceWireless
Come comment on this article: 600 MHz auction rule compromise proposed by T-Mobile’s Waxman
HTC One M9+ review
An increasingly prevalent trend in the smartphone world is the introduction of “Plus” smartphones, that typically bring better specifications and more features over what is available with the main flagship from the OEM. And that can be disappointing for consumers that have already committed to the latter. To the dismay of many, HTC has done exactly that with its flagship One M9, adding a few key enhancements that should have actually been there with the original and releasing the One M9+.
Can this latest high-end offering from HTC be considered the company’s true flagship? We find out, in this comprehensive HTC One M9+ review!
Design
The HTC One M9+ is essentially a larger version of its flagship, with a few minor, but noticeable, tweaks. With the 0.2-inch bump in the display size, the M9+ is understandably taller and wider than the One M9, and the rear camera has been redesigned to a circular shape, compared to the rounded square seen with the original. The more prominent difference comes up front though, with the speaker grill below the display being split to accommodate a fingerprint sensor.
Otherwise, the device still features the same full metal unibody construction, with the build quality that we’ve come expect from HTC. The corners are rounded off, and the tapered back allows for the phone to sit nicely in the hand. The One M9+ is not drastically bigger than the One M9, and is still fairly easy to use in one hand, and will still be within the realm of what most people consider a “normal” sized phone. The metal ridge design that goes around the perimeter of the phone provides for a much better grip as well. The full metal body means that it still isn’t the easiest phone to hold onto, but by no means will you ever feel worried about the phone slipping out of your hands.
Going around the device, the power button is placed on the right side just below the volume rocker, which is a definite improvement over previous One series smartphones. As is the case with the regular One M9 though, the placement of the power button is a tad too low, which makes it somewhat difficult to reach. That said, the double tap to wake feature is also available with the One M9+, and you won’t be needing to reach the power button all that often anyway. Of course, now there is also the added benefit of unlocking the device and going straight into the home screen by using the fingerprint scanner. The rest of the buttons and ports are in their usual locations, with a large black strip up top for the IR blaster, with the headphone jack and microUSB port at the bottom, and the SIM card tray on the left. Finally, HTC’s tried and true BoomSound speakers return up front, and for better or worse, the infamous black HTC bar still resides below the display.
Display
The improvements over the smaller namesake start with the display, with the One M9+ featuring a 5.2-inch Super LCD3 with a Quad HD resolution, resulting in a pixel density of 565 ppi. The bump is resolution does result in a far sharper screen, although some people will argue that the difference isn’t easily noticeable. Regardless, HTC has delivered another fantastic looking display with the One M9+, putting this flagship at par with the competition.
The blacks may not be as deep in comparison to the AMOLEDs of the world, but that isn’t surprising with an LCD screen. The screen overall is bright, vivid, with great viewing angles and a brightness that allows for comfortable outdoor viewing. There is a slight bias towards a warmer color tone though, that gives off a slightly yellowish hue sometimes, but otherwise, this display is an absolute pleasure to use in everyday tasks or for media consumption.
Performance
Another major change with the M9+ comes in the processor, but in this case, it does unfortunately prove to be a step back. Under the hood, the device packs an octa-core MediaTek MT6795T processor, clocked at 2.2 GHz, and backed by the PowerVR G6200 and 3 GB of RAM. In general everyday use, like navigating through the various elements of the UI and opening applications, the One M9+ provides a very fluid and responsive experience. It’s with multi-tasking that mixed results are seen. While switching back and forth between applications can be smooth and snappy sometimes, there are instances where there is a lot of stutter in the animations, and significant delays in the load times between apps.
#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 dip in performance is far more noticeable when it comes to gaming though, which really raises questions with regards to HTC’s decision to go with a MediaTek processor. Graphic-intensive games like Modern Combat 5 can run smoothly at times, but there is too much action on the screen, the frame rate drops significantly, resulting in very choppy gameplay. Games like Mortal Kombat X are a little too much for the One M9+ to handle, and even simpler games like Clash of Clans fail to run at a consistent frame. This could be due to a lack of optimization for the MediaTek processor, but is still a huge letdown for anyone that enjoys gaming on their phone.
Hardware
One aspect of the hardware that enhances the media consumption and gaming experience in general is with HTC’s signature front-facing BoomSound speakers. They are still the loudest and most crisp sounding speakers on any smartphone, unrivaled by anyone. With Dolby audio enhancements, you can easily toggle between a theater mode for a surround sound effect, and a music mode for a more flatter sound.
The bottom speaker has undergone a slight makeover with a separation in the grill to make way for the fingerprint scanner. The process of setting up the scanner is very similar to both Apple and Samsung’s implementation, that requires a series of repeated presses to accurately record your fingerprint. Up to 5 fingerprints can be stored at one time, and once set up, the sensor works surprisingly well. Using the fingerprint scanner unlocks the phone almost instantaneously the majority of the time, and easily rivals the scanners found on the latest Apple and Samsung devices. While you are able to use the scanner as a dedicated home button, it is actually not a real tactile button, and functions more like a capacitive key.
32 GB of on-board storage is available with the One M9+, and for those that do need more, the storage is further expandable via microSD card by up to 128 GB. The device also comes with the usual suite of connectivity and sensor options.
The HTC One M9+ comes with a non-removable 2,840 mAh battery that has proved to be quite good. The battery lasts from anywhere between 14 and 16 hours with normal usage, which should be more than enough for most people to get through a full day. With heavy usage, that involved lots of gaming and taking pictures, that number does dip considerably though, down to around 10 to 11 hours.
#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 */
Exact screen-on times can’t be provided because for some reason, HTC has made determining that number very difficult. What can be said is that there was never a issue with getting through a full day unless you really put the device through its paces, and that did result in needing to reach for the charger in the middle of the day. The use of a MediaTek processor means that the One M9+ doesn’t come with any fast charging capabilities though, which would have been nice, but isn’t exactly a deal breaker.
Camera
HTC brings back the Duo Camera setup of the One M8 with the One M9+, allowing for the camera to refocus shots after the fact, but considering that many smartphone cameras can achieve the same effect with only one sensor, the re-introduction of the Duo Camera becomes a rather questionable choice. The main camera is still the same 20 MP shooter from the One M9, and a 4 MP UltraPixel camera is once again found up front for some high quality selfies.
The camera application continues to be minimalistic, with quick toggles to easily switch between the front camera and rear camera, and the ability to take a panorama shot simply by swiping on the viewfinder, or tapping the button on the bottom right. Photo Booth and Split Capture are also available for those you want it. The rest of the camera settings are hidden in the overflow menu, which keeps the interface from getting cluttered, but does result in getting to modes like HDR and manual requiring a few more steps than is necessary. The most notable difference with the camera UI is the addition of the Duo Camera toggle to quickly switch between duo capture and standard high resolution shots.
The Duo Camera works just like it is supposed to, but for best results, you’ll need to make sure that there is a clear subject of focus and a clear background, or the refocusing may not look very convincing. The biggest caveat to using this setup is that photos are capped at 4 MP, so there’s not a whole lot of room to work with if you’re planning to crop.
When shooting in the normal full resolution, there is plenty of detail in the shots, especially when you’re working with 20 MP, but considering that this the same sensor and software, the One M9+ faces a lot of the issues that plagued the camera experience of the One M9. Good looking shots are possible with the right lighting conditions, but the main problem here is its lack of dynamic range and the way it handles exposure. The exposure can be adjusted by tapping anywhere on the viewfinder, which is a very simple and easy implementation, but even a tiny change in the place you tap will result in major swings in the exposure, leading to two completely different looking photos as a result. HDR does help improve the situation, but with several seconds of processing time between each shot, it’s not always the most practical solution.
The situation doesn’t get much better in low light conditions, and without OIS, it becomes extremely difficult to get a clear shot, especially when the shutter has to to stay open longer to try and capture more detail. At higher ISOs, pictures quickly become filled with noise, which is expected, but results in soft images with very little color. This just goes to show that it isn’t all about just the megapixel count, and it is very evident that this camera is still suffering from the same problems as those seen on the One M9.
Software
On the software side of things, the HTC One M9+ is running Android 5.0.2 Lollipop, with the HTC Sense 7 UI on top. The user interface retains everything that many have come to know and love about HTC Sense from previous iterations, and adds a few key features that were first introduced with the One M9. The interface is still fast and fluid, and there are of course the now familiar elements like the vertical scrolling app drawer and Blinkfeed, which now also shows restaurant recommendations during meal times (which can also show on your lock screen if you so choose).
All of the motion launch gestures that make accessing certain functions of the phone a lot faster are still available, including double tap to wake, swipe up to unlock from a sleep state, directly access BlinkFeed, and quickly launch the camera app just by picking the device up in the landscape orientation and tapping the volume down button.
#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 */
New features introduced with Sense 7 include the addition of the home widget and a themes engine. The home widget aggregates a selection of applications that will be most useful to you, changing according to your location. Also available is a folder that houses the recently downloaded applications, and there is also a list of recommended apps that will appear alongside it. This feature can certainly be useful for some, but can also be removed easily if you don’t find a need for it.
#gallery-4
margin: auto;
#gallery-4 .gallery-item
float: left;
margin-top: 10px;
text-align: center;
width: 25%;
#gallery-4 img
border: 2px solid #cfcfcf;
#gallery-4 .gallery-caption
margin-left: 0;
/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
On the other hand, the new themes engine is one of the best additions to HTC Sense, and even though the default UI does look great, it is always nice to have a change of scenery. The themes engine is still relatively new, but there’s already numerous options to choose from, that allow you to change virtually everything at the click of a button, including the wallpaper, icons, sounds, fonts, and even the general system UI elements. You can even create your own theme by selecting a wallpaper or photo of your choice, and the theme engine will automatically build one for you; but you also have more granular control features at your disposal, to get it to look exactly the way you want it.
Specifications
| Display | 5.2-inch Super LCD3 2560 x 1440 resolution, 565 ppi |
| Processor | 2.2 GHz octa-core MediaTek MT6795T processor PowerVR G6200 GPU |
| RAM | 3 GB |
| Storage | 32 GB, expandable via microSD card by up to 128 GB |
| Camera | Duo Camera (20 MP + 2.1 MP) with dual LED flash 4 MP Ultrapixel front-facing camera |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Bluetooth 4.1 GPS + GLONASS microUSB 3.0 |
| Battery | 2,840 mAh |
| Software | Android 5.0.2 Lollipop |
| Dimensions | 151 x 72 x 9.6 mm 168 grams |
| Colors | Gunmetal gray, silver gold |
Gallery
Pricing and final thoughts
The HTC One M9+ is already available in markets like China and India, and has recently become available on Amazon for purchase in the US, with a price tag of around $710, which does fluctuate though. Available color options include gunmetal and silver gold. Keep in mind that, since it is a GSM version, it is compatible only with the AT&T and T-Mobile network in the US.
So there you have it for this in-depth look at the HTC One M9+! With such a high price tag, the device will be going up against some stiff competition in the LG G4, Samsung Galaxy S6, and even the HTC One M9 itself. If you’re confused between the One M9+ and its smaller sibling, the choice you have to make is with regards to how important a Quad HD display and fingerprint scanner are to you, and if they are worth the price. While these features are great to have, One M9 owners shouldn’t feel like they’ve been cheated, because the One M9+ is not without its shortcomings, particularly with regards to performance.
AIVAnet 