CNN: FBI is investigating the Juniper Networks security hole
Yesterday’s news of “unauthorized code” that could enable untraceable backdoor access to VPN traffic on certain Juniper Networks firewalls is now being investigated by the FBI. That news comes from CNN, which said that a US government official described the vulnerability as “stealing a master key to get into any government building.” There’s no word yet on which government agencies or private companies may have been using the specific ScreenOS-powered devices affected, but that’s what the Department of Homeland Security is now trying to find out.
The biggest question, of course, is how the code got into Juniper’s software at all, and if it has ever been used. If someone knew about them, they’d not only be able to decrpyt VPN traffic on a particular network, but they could also scrub any log entry that would otherwise note the unauthorized access. It’s also affecting discussions where some government officials insist on backdoor access to secure networks and services for law enforcement, even though security experts insist that inserting such vulnerabilities actually weakens security for everyone. For its part, Juniper Networks has already released patches closing the security holes, as well as an unrelated issue that could leave its firewalls open to DoS attacks, which you can find out more about here.
[Image credit: Simon Dawson/Bloomberg via Getty Images]
Source: CNN
Lunar Orbiter captures the Earth rising from the moon’s horizon
The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has captured a view that’s reminiscent of the famous “Blue Marble,” except this one comes with something extra: the moon’s surface. On October 12th, the LRO’s Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) and Wide Angle Camera (WAC) captured a series of black and white and colored photos, respectively, of the Earth rising over the moon. The spacecraft was traveling 83 miles above a lunar crater called Compton at the time, and it had to roll to its side to be able to take the images it needed, all while going faster than 3,580 mph.
NASA says the final product you see above isn’t a single shot, but a composite of the high-resolution images taken by the NAC and the colored ones taken by the WAC. The LRO, by the way, sees a dozen Earthrises everyday, but it doesn’t photograph the view frequently. As we mentioned earlier, the process is quite complicated: the spacecraft has to snap images while it’s moving, and while the Earth and the moon are also in motion. Plus, the LRO’s cameras concentrate on the moon’s surface. It just so happened that in October, the Earth was in the cameras’ field of view while they were pointing into space to calibrate, allowing them to capture this stunning view of our planet.
[Image credit: NASA/Goddard/Arizona State University]
Via: CNET
Source: NASA
Huawei P9 could be arriving in March 2016
The Huawei P9, tipped to feature a fingerprint sensor and 5.2-inch display, could be on sale in less than six months, one source suggests.
A report arriving courtesy of Mobile-Dad claims that Huawei intends to launch the P9 smartphone in March 2016, almost a year after the premium-feeling P8 made its way onto the market.
Discussing specs, the mobile tech website says the Huawei P9, codenamed IP03, will arrive with a 5.2-inch display, this time boasting a ‘curved design’. The report notes that the resolution of the screen remains a mystery, although the gadget is apparently powered by Huawei’s own octa-core Kirin 950 processor. A fingerprint sensor is simply mentioned as a ‘possibility’.
Under the hood of the P9 will be 4GB of RAM, adds Mobile-Dad, along with a dual rear-facing camera sporting laser auto focus technology. Back in October, one Twitter user claimed to share an image suggesting Huawei’s P9 would rock a dual rear camera.
Just last month, a Weibo source also shared some news of the Huawei P9, adding that the phone will drop equipped with Android 6.0 Marshmallow. The same source leaked news of the Xiaomi Mi 5, which still remains under wraps.
Meanwhile, there are suggestions that the P9 will be accompanied by a larger Brother, the Huawei P9 Max. Rumoured to arrive with a 6.2-inch Quad HD screen, the gadget ‘could also be introduced some time next year’. Past benchmark tests have suggested the smartphone will offer users a 2560 x 1600 resolution screen, but this is unconfirmed.
The report adds: “We don’t know if Huawei is planning to unveil it at the same time with the 5.2-inch P9”.
Source: Mobile-Dad
Via: Phone Arena
Come comment on this article: Huawei P9 could be arriving in March 2016
SpaceX’s next rocket launch is on schedule for Sunday
We’re eagerly awaiting SpaceX’s next launch of a Falcon 9 rocket, and CEO Elon Musk tweeted tonight that it “will aim to launch Sunday.” This is also the company’s first attempt since a rocket exploded shortly after takeoff in June, and another failed to land on an ocean barge in April. A static fire test that took place earlier today “looks good,” so if all the data checks out then this could be SpaceX’s time to take the reusable rocket crown back from Blue Origin with a ground landing (or at least launch eleven OG2 satellites).
Static fire test looks good. Pending data review, will aim to launch Sunday.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 19, 2015
[Image credit: SpaceX]
Source: Elon Musk (Twitter)
FAA confirms that drone registry info will be public record
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed Friday afternoon that information logged in its fledgling UAV registry will be searchable by the general public — just not initially. In an email to Forbes, an FAA spokesperson stated, “Until the drone registry system is modified, the FAA will not release names and address. When the drone registry system is modified to permit public searches of registration numbers, names and addresses will be revealed through those searches.”
There has been some confusion over the matter as the FAA’s registry FAQ states that the agency, the contractor that it hired to operate the registry and law enforcement which had led some to believe that only those three entities would have access to the information. However, the FAA did state in its Department of Transportation filing that “all records maintained by the FAA in connection with aircraft registered are included in the Aircraft Registry and made available to the public, except email address and credit card information submitted under part 48 [of the registry].”
[Image Credit: Getty]
Source: Forbes
Work on the ASUS ZenFone 3 has begun, say multiple sources
Work on the ASUS ZenFone 3 has already begun, according to unnamed ‘Taiwan-based supply chain makers’.
In a report by DigiTimes, it is stated that the third-generation ZenFone will feature fingerprint recognition technology and will be launched in May or June of next year.
Back in March, ASUS CEO Jerry Shen mentioned that the ZenFone 3 would likely feature fingerprint tech, but this is the first we’re hearing of a potential release date.
DigiTimes comments that increased orders could see the price of smartphone fingerprint sensors fall by $5 in 2016, perhaps being one of the reasons why ASUS is looking to add the feature to the ZenFone 3. Despite this, Asus still faces stiff competition from China-based vendors such as Huawei, Xiaomi, Lenovo and Oppo.
Monica Chen writes:
“Adoption of fingerprint recognition technology for smartphones is on the rise and the technology’s penetration in the smartphone market is expected to rise from 30% currently to 50% eventually, the sources said.”
The interesting report also notes that ZenFone smartphones have been selling particularly well in Southeast Asia, India, Brazil, Russia and Taiwan, with sources claiming ASUS is now looking to tackle markets in Myanmar, Cambodia, Egypt and Nigeria.
Almost a year since its release, the ZenFone 2 is still a solid, affordable smartphone, offering a 5.5-inch screen protected by Gorilla Glass 3, expandable storage, 4GB of RAM and a 13-megapixel snapper.
It’s safe to assume that ASUS’ next flagship smartphone will have plenty of other tricks up its sleeve. Our fingers are crossed that the ASUS ZenFone 3 and its rumoured fingerprint technology really impress.
Source: DigiTimes
Via: GSMArena
Come comment on this article: Work on the ASUS ZenFone 3 has begun, say multiple sources
Star Wars: The Force Awakens up for pre-order on Google Play, soundtrack available too
Today is the big day, Stars Wars day. Well, technically it is, though many of us actually saw the movie yesterday. Anyhow, the point is that after months of commercials, tie-in products, and Google collaborations, the movie is now in theaters for all to see (well, in the US and select other markets at least).
With the movie barely out of the gate, Google is wasting no time in selling both the album and movie pre-orders for the Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Regardless of whether or not you plan to see it in theaters (or have already, like myself), this one is a must-buy for Star Wars fans.
Pricing for the movie is $19.99 for an HD copy or $14.99 for the SD version. Why pre-order something that is digital and can’t run out of stock? Really, it’s more of a way to make sure you get access the first second you possibly can, and you’ll get a reminder once it’s available for watching, etc. Necessary to pre-order? No, but it’s a great option for those who’d like to.
As for the soundtrack, it can be yours for $11.49, including 23 different tracks. You can also buy individual tracks for $1.29 if you don’t want them all for whatever reason.
For those that have seen it already, what do you think of Star Wars: the Force Awakens? (Please let’s keep it spoiler free though, out of respect for those who haven’t seen it)
Get the album on Google Play
Pre-order the movie on Google Play
BlackBerry Priv sales hit 700,000 units: CEO John Chen sees corporate recovery ahead
For the better part of 2015, the BlackBerry Priv has been in Android news headlines. Originally known by the working name “Venice” the device – before it was even confirmed – was already the stuff of mobile marvel and mystery. It was the first Android handset by one of the industry’s most prolific companies. It was a curved AMOLED device from a company other than Samsung or LG. And it was a slider with a full physical keyboard in a time when time itself had seemingly forgotten the form factor still existed. The latest news? It’s also a potential panacea.
Speaking with investors earlier today, CEO John Chen not only highlighted the praise reviewers have showered on his company’s new product, but also explained that – due to its success – the Priv is now on the verge of reversing the very hardware-related losses that once sought to spell doom for the company’s future.
The optimistic news came amid BlackBerry’s Q3 earnings call, with the CEO stating that:
My first goal is to get us into a break-even position with the device business, because you really couldn’t do anything strategically with a business that continues to lose money…We’re in that ballpark now.
Thanks in part to revenue from the acquisition of a software company announced back in September, BlackBerry was able to cut non-GAAP losses to $15 million during the company’s third fiscal quarter. This in turn, resulted in a loss of 3 cents per share, as opposed to the estimate Wall Street had been predicting: 14 cents per share. Revenue was up at $557 million, well beyond the $489 million analysts had anticipated.
With respect to the Priv itself, while BlackBerry reported sales of approximately 700,000 units, it is noticeably less than the 900,000 units that some analysts had been expecting. It should be noted that at launch, AT&T was the sole carrier offering the device in the USA, and it has yet to be released in many markets around the world.
Mr. Chen explained that in switching to Android, a cost-savings break has been added to the equation of Priv production, “because we don’t have to do everything ourselves in the operating system world.”
At the time of publication, BlackBerry stock was up 10.38%, to $8.61 per share.
The story of success
While sales shy of even one million units might seem small to some in light of Huawei’s recent announcement of 100 million devices shipped in 2015, or any random Samsung quarterly earnings call, it actually means a great deal to BlackBerry. Last quarter the Canadian OEM indicated it had only managed to sell around 800,000 units of its BB10-based handsets. That the Android-based Priv could sell 700,000 units despite limited availability is actually quite an impressive accomplishment when put into perspective.
The Priv is also a very expensive phone, typically retailing for around $700, whereas the average sale price of hardware last quarter was just $240. BlackBerry therefore stands to make much more on each Priv sold than it would have in the recent past.
Indeed the company’s fortunes seem to be looking up, a dramatic change compared with the somewhat sullen story the company was suggesting just months ago: Just prior to the Priv’s release, Mr. Chen had indicated it might be his company’s last hardware offering were it not to have performed well in the market. Now there is ample opportunity for more to come.
Common sense or logical lag?
While many the world over had been incredulous at BlackBerry’s insistence on remaining true to its origins instead of embracing Android years ago, the switch to Android itself was not necessarily the “common sense” impulse it was often labeled as. The OEM employees individuals who are specifically tasked with creating BB10 hardware and software. CEO Chen has indicated future development of BB10 is essentially finished, with the company now having switched gears to Android. This means not only potential job losses, but – for some – a betrayal of the very values and origins of the company itself.
In many ways, BlackBerry’s slow transition is a North American parallel to that which Europe’s OEM darling, Nokia, has also had to deal with. With its Symbian OS having severely declined over the years due to falling sales, Nokia opted to align itself with Microsoft, a decision many felt was a poor one. When it was later announced that Microsoft planned to purchase Nokia’s device division entirely, many claimed its then-CEO, Steven Elop, was a planted trojan horse.
Since his appointment in November 2013, BlackBerry’s CEO has made it a priority to reduce costs and get the company in a favorable market position. He took the reigns after the company’s co-founders were frequently criticized as running it into the ground.
Wrap Up
With solid sales of the Priv, it looks as if BlackBerry’s immediate situation is safe. The question becomes what will happen next. Future success largely depends on the release of dynamic hardware that sets the company apart from its competitors. Samsung, for example, has won approval for government-related contracts. Privacy and security in and of themselves are now larger priorities for many OEMs, not just BlackBerry.
There is also equal concern in the hardware itself. Some have already asked just how relevant a narrow physical keyboard (as opposed to that of the BlackBerry Passport) is on a smartphone in this day and age. Likewise, Android users have – arguably – long since grown accustomed to virtual keyboards. While BlackBerry could rest solely on its existing user base, in order to make a genuine recovery and move beyond, it will be necessary to win more people over.
For a device all about security and protection, the Priv is not privy to a fingerprint sensor, unlike the Nexus 6P (pictured).
That the Priv lacks a fingerprint sensor, that it opted for a Snapdragon 808 SoC instead of the 810, that it won’t get Marshmallow until next year, and that it has released just months before next year’s heavy hitting flagships are gearing up for launch are all valid criticisms of the hardware handset. The high price is also a debatable, resistant factor.
We are eager to hear your thoughts on this story. Does 700,000 units sold make the Priv a success? Were you expecting more? Less? How do you think it will perform next quarter? Leave us your comments below!
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Despite hype, Nissan Leaf outsells Tesla Model S 2-to-1
All eyes continue to be on how quickly the Tesla Model S has been accepted by consumers, beating the expectations of critics who said it was too expensive and that the EV range would always be a hindrance in places other than California. But among other electric vehicles, how do its sales stack up?
According to Hybrid Cars, the Model S will pass the 100,000-sales mark in December and be this year’s top-selling plug-in vehicle. Consider that this large luxury sedan that just happens to be electric typically sells for north of the $100,000 mark. And consider, as they do, that about 60 percent or so have gone to American buyers and that means roughly 60,000 US buyers have picked up a Model S – that beats the sales of other large gas-powered luxury sedans. Tesla does not officially release monthly sales figures.
Despite the excellent year-to-date numbers, the Model S still hasn’t caught up to the other big names among electrics, the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf. And it’s estimated that if you factor in the first-generation Volt and its Opel, Vauxhall, and Holden derivatives, General Motors has sold just over 100,000 of its range-extender EV since it first went on sale in December 2010. Sales have been off significantly this year, mostly due to production stopping in spring to retool for the 2016 Volt that recently went on sale in some states.
But since the Nissan Leaf went on sale around the same time as the Volt, its maker has managed to move almost twice as many, or about 200,000 cars globally. This, even as the Leaf’s US sales were off more than 40 percent through November. Blame that on the Leaf’s age, the 2016 model’s noticeably longer range and that used Leafs are dirt cheap these days.
The bottom line is that while the Tesla Model S has been a hit as far as electric vehicles are concerned, it hasn’t caught up to the popularity of the Nissan Leaf yet. And with a second-generation Leaf due in the near future and the Tesla Model X possibly affecting Model S popularity, it’s too soon to see where that car’s momentum will stop.
[Image credit: Jim West / Alamy]
Source: Hybrid Cars
KeyMe saves a copy of your keys, so you never get locked out again
Ever been locked out of your house before? There’s an app for that. With KeyMe, you can store all your keys in their app and print them out at any time.
The way it works is you take your key off of your keychain and scan both sides into the app. The key design is then stored in their servers for you to print off whenever you need to make a copy. Now, if you are ever locked out of your house, just head over to the closest KeyMe kiosk and print off a new key. If you just want to make a copy, you can also print them from the app and have it shipped to you.
Losing your keys is a real pain, and an even bigger pain to have a new one made if you don’t have an old one to copy. KeyMe aims to make this a thing of the past. It even allows you to share you key design through email.
However, while this sounds good in theory, what is stopping you from scanning someone else’s keys and making a copy to their house, or the other way around? As far as I know, nothing. Although, KeyMe does make it a little difficult for potential criminals to scan your key because the app isn’t compatible with that many devices right now. For example, it doesn’t work with the brand new Nexus 6P.
Come comment on this article: KeyMe saves a copy of your keys, so you never get locked out again
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