Sony Xperia Z5 and Z5 Compact show up in leaked image, fingerprint reader on board
The Sony Xperia Z4 proved to be nothing more than a minimal upgrade over the Z3, which is something that caused an uproar among fans. The Japanese manufacturer sure had its reasons for doing this, though, and that is why the phone was never released outside the company’s home country. Now it’s time for the rest of us to see a new Xperia phone hit the market – what will it be like? Today we may be getting our first glance at the Sony Xperia Z5 and Z5 Compact.
The image below comes from @vizileaks and displays a trio of devices. The middle one is only included for size reference; as you can assume, it’s the iPhone 6. Now, the other two are said to be the next-generation Sony Xperia Z series handsets. The leakster labels them as the “Sony Xperia Z(TBC) and Compact”. The number is “to be confirmed”, but we have seen advertising show the number “5” recently. Regardless of the moniker, these should be the phones we see next, and that is the big deal here.
Sadly, this leak didn’t reveal too much about the new smartphones, other than some obvious design elements. It seems the power button has been elongated (we have seen this in previous rumors), as opposed to keeping that round shape we have become so used to. The right side also houses the volume rocker and dedicated camera button, which is the same layout we have seen in previous iterations.
The only main improvement we can get from this photo is the addition of a fingerprint reader. We can’t exactly see where the reader is located, but the image shown in the Compact seems to indicate it’s in the power button. Regardless, the functionality is there.
This leak comes in only about a month before Sony’s IFA press conference, which is scheduled to take place on September 2nd. We can’t really say the phones will be launched then, but it would be a great time for Sony to introduce its new flagship smartphones (this time for real). Sony is forecasting a 7.1% drop in mobile sales this year, compared to 2014. Something’s gotta give, and now that most 2015 flagships are out, Sony has an idea of how the market is going and could leverage from that knowledge.
Let’s keep it tuned to more rumor and leaks to come, guys. We are sure these will be showing up. In the meantime, hit the comments and let us know what you would like to see in the Sony Xperia Z5 and Z5 Compact (or whatever they may be called).
Hot Sony videos!
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Sony Xperia Z5 and Z5 Compact leak out showing fingerprint scanner functionality
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Fingerprint scanners are all the rage now, with basically every manufacturer jumping on the craze and putting one on their flagship devices. The jury’s still out about whether they work or not to increase your device’s security, but it seems to be a selling point at the very least. So it should be no surprise that it looks like Sony will be implementing a fingerprint scanner on their upcoming flagship devices, the Sony Xperia Z5 and Z5 Compact. In the picture below, the Xperia Z5 and Z5 Compact were spotted sitting next to an iPhone presumably to demonstrate the similar technology:
We can really only see the Xperia Z5 from this angle, but the size difference is clear between the closest device and the device on the far end, the Z5 Compact. What’s noteworthy about the Xperia Z5 is that the fingerprint scanner appears to be integrated with the power button – gone is the circular power button of previous Xperias. As a result, the volume buttons have shifted much further down than usual. Obviously, since neither of these devices have been announced, we’ll have to take this news with a grain of salt, but it all appears to be within the realm of definite possibility.
What do you think about the Sony Xperia Z5 and Z5 Compact having a fingerprint scanner? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Twitter and Phone Arena
The post Sony Xperia Z5 and Z5 Compact leak out showing fingerprint scanner functionality appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Hacks turn Square’s reader into a card-stealing machine
As helpful as a Square Reader may be for purchases at trendy stores, you’ll want to watch out — in the right circumstances, they can also be used to steal your credit card info. Security researchers have discovered that you can physically disable the encryption the device uses to protect your financial info, turning the Reader into a tiny, portable card skimmer. There’s also a way to record the signal created by your card when you swipe its magnetic stripe on an unmodified Reader, which theoretically lets evildoers charge your card without approval.
Square is quick to note that an altered Reader won’t work with the official app, and that it’s not possible to handle a stored swipe “more than once.” However, this assumes that you’re paying attention to the apps in use when you’re buying goods. An enterprising criminal could develop unofficial software that looks legit, but hides skimming code underneath. While it’s not very likely that you’ll run into one of these tweaked scanners in the wild, it’s worth keeping an eye on your credit card statement if that sketchy shop clerk breaks out a Reader to complete a sale.
Filed under:
Cellphones, Peripherals, Tablets, Mobile
Via:
Motherboard
Tags: cardskimmer, mobilepostcross, peripherals, reader, retail, security, shopping, skimmer, skimming, square, squarereader
HTC One M9 receiving Android 5.1 update in EMEA starting tomorrow
Waiting patiently for your HTC One M9 to get Android 5.1 Lollipop? We know it’s hard to be patient, but many of you will soon be blessed with the OTA update. HTC Product and Service Director at HTC EMEA Graham Wheeler just tweeted the upgrade would be coming tomorrow for EMEA HTC One M9 devices. Just in case you are out of the loop on this one, EMEA stands for “Europe, Middle East and Africa”, so get ready if you are an HTC One M9 user in any of the included markets.
This comes as great news to many of you, as the update is arriving a little late for you. I mean, the Developer Edition got Android 5.1 last month. Even US carrier versions got it before the EMEA editions, with AT&T, T-Moble and Sprint iterations all up to date!
Android 5.1 coming to EMEA HTC One m9 devices tomorrow…enjoy
— graham wheeler (@wheelergd) August 3, 2015
The Android 5.1 update will grant you a healthy list of improvements. Among them are Quick Settings improvements, upgrades to the Contacts app, new animations, system volume tweaks and more. Of course, many of the new features will change depending on your device, but you should all at least see most changes Google baked into Android 5.1 Lollipop.
As it goes with any update, we will likely see this one rolling out periodically. Sit tight if you don’t see your notification right away. And try not to destroy your screen by checking for updates every few seconds! And don’t forget to hit the comments when you get the update – let us know how it’s treating you!
Awesome HTC videos!
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YouTube updates the look of their web-based video player
YouTube recently updated their Android app and today have changed the looks of their web player. The changes seem to just be visual with a new modern transparent video bar.
All the buttons are in roughly the same position but now do not block as much of the video when they are up. Just like before, the controls will still disappear after a couple of seconds.
Source: YouTube (Twitter)
Come comment on this article: YouTube updates the look of their web-based video player
18.1% of Android devices are now running Lollipop
Google usually list the Android distribution numbers, but decided to skip July’s. However, now it’s August and Google has updated them again. Lollipop is now installed on 18.1% of Android devices which is up from 12.4% in June.
KitKat has also moved up a little from 39.2% to 39.3%. Jelly Bean on the other hand has declined from 37.4% to now 33.6%.
Of course we can’t forget about the much older versions of Android. Ice Cream Sandwich is at 4.1% while Gingerbread has move down to 4.6% from 5.6%. Finally, aging Froyo is still installed on 0.3% of devices.
Source: Google
Come comment on this article: 18.1% of Android devices are now running Lollipop
TPU case for the LG Nexus 5 2015 shows up in leaked photos
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Last week, we had what was allegedly the case for the LG Nexus 5 2015 leak out, but that only showed us the silhouette of the device. However, thanks to Steve Hemmerstoffer of @onleaks, we’re getting a look at a physical version of the case today, and the two leaks line up extremely well. As in the original leak, today’s images show a case that bears two circular holes and one rectangular hole in the back – there are various theories about what this configuration represents, including a 3D camera with dual camera sensors or perhaps a fingerprint sensor. I personally like the 3D camera idea, simply because the two circular holes appear to be about the same size – of course, the hole could just be used to display the branding of the device a la the Nexus 6.
What has also been noticed from these leaked images is the general shape of the LG Nexus 5 2015 – from the inside of the TPU case, the Nexus 5 looks like it will be quite rectanglar and quite thick. We’re assuming aesthetics isn’t necessarily the first thing in mind when it comes to designing a Nexus, so hopefully this means more on the inside, perhaps a larger battery. Whatever the case, we probably won’t know anything for sure until Google announces the device in late October/early November.
What do you think about the case for the LG Nexus 5 2015? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
The post TPU case for the LG Nexus 5 2015 shows up in leaked photos appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Matchstick’s Firefox OS-based TV dongle is dead
Bad news if you backed Matchstick’s crowdfunded, Firefox OS-powered TV adapter: it’s not going to happen. The team has cancelled its would-be Chromecast rival after realizing that implementing copyright protection will require “significantly more” work than expected. It wouldn’t be fair to leave people hanging when there’s no way to “reliably predict” when you could play Netflix or other locked-down content, the company says. If you plunked money down, you should be getting a full refund within the next 60 days.
The move is unfortunate if you were looking for an affordable, more flexible alternative to the media sticks on store shelves, but it isn’t surprising. Like many of these dongles, the Matchstick was going to live or die based on the services you could access — its openness was great for tinkering, but that wasn’t going to matter if you couldn’t sit down and watch Orange is the New Black. The one consolation is that Matchstick’s efforts likely furthered web technology, however briefly.
Filed under:
Home Entertainment, Peripherals, HD
Via:
Variety
Source:
Kickstarter
Tags: adapter, dongle, drm, firefox, firefoxos, hdpostcross, matchstick, mozilla, peripherals, streaming, tv
‘Gunjack,’ a VR space shooter that puts you in the cockpit
You’re sitting in the pilot seat of a cutting-edge spacecraft outfitted with two heavy-duty turrets. The inky universe expands around you and begins to populate with enemy ships: You pull the triggers and shoot them down, gathering new ammunition for more coordinated, deadly attacks and powering up your craft. This is Gunjack, a new virtual reality game from Eve Online and Eve Valkyrie developer CCP, created specifically for the Samsung Gear VR. It’s an arcade shooter (think more Star Wars Battle Pod than Space Invaders) set in the Eve universe, and it’s due out in the fall.
Filed under:
Gaming, HD, Samsung
Via:
Android Central
Tags: eve, EveOnline, evevalkyrie, gearvr, hdpostcross, samsung, samsunggearvr, video, VirtualReality, vr
Researchers create a worm that infects Macs silently and permanently
Macs have typically been heralded as the more secure of the two main operating systems. But according to researchers, at the firmware level, that’s not necessarily true. Ahead of their ‘Thunderstrike 2: Sith Strike‘ Black Hat presentation, Xeno Kovah, Trammell Hudson and Corey Kallenberg demonstrated to Wired that Macs have some of the same vulnerabilities as their Windows counterparts. The exploit is especially troubling because now a phishing email or click on a link on a malicious site could compromise the computer. This is in addition to the exploit shown last year that was spread by the ROM of infected external drives and accessories like a Thunderbolt to ethernet adapter. These exploits are nearly impossible to detect because security software doesn’t scan the firmware and reinstalling the system doesn’t remove the problem.
The exploit highlights that firmware (the software that boots a computer) isn’t typically encrypted out of the factory and doesn’t authenticate updates from the manufacturer. The researchers say they have alerted Apple about the issue and according to the Wired article, the company has patched one exploit and partially patched another.
This is the second Thunderstrike exploit to target Macs. The first version was fixed with OS X 10.10.2 and required the hacker to have physical access to the computer. This new version is more nefarious because the malware can be delivered via a link. The latest OS X security update (10.10.4) seems to keep the exploit from taking hold.
Still, vulnerabilities like this are a reminder that companies should be encrypting all the elements of a machine to reduce the chance of their customers getting hacked in the first place.
Filed under:
Desktops, Misc, Laptops, Apple
Source:
Wired
Tags: apple, BlackHat, Firmware, Hacking, Security
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