North Korea’s version of Linux is extremely oppressive
It’s no secret that North Korea has its own Linux distribution, Red Star OS, that limits you to a government-approved view of the world. However, researchers have just taken an in-depth look into how Red Star works — and it’s clear that software is as authoritarian as the country that created it. Besides its known tendency to watermark files on USB sticks (to track people shuttling contraband material), Red Star is paranoid about modifications. It not only has extra safeguards around key system files, but will immediately reboot the PC if it detects changes to those files.
It’s also evident that North Korea is determined to keep as much technology in-house as it can. The included antivirus software and web browser point to internal servers, and even the encryption is custom-developed (possibly to prevent foreign agencies from inserting back doors). You’re not going to run Red Star just for kicks, folks.
While there are some security benefits to Red Star, the researchers ultimately believe that the software is about keeping North Koreans isolated. You don’t dare modify the system to get around censorship, lest officials track you down. In that sense, the OS is a friendly reminder that open source software isn’t automatically a guarantee of freedom — it has to be written in a spirit of freedom, too.
[Image credit: Liu Xingzhe/ChinaFotoPress via Getty Images]
Via: Motherboard
Source: Chaos Communication Congress
The Silk Road bust almost didn’t happen
Officials like to boast about taking down Silk Road creator Ross Ulbricht (aka Dread Pirate Roberts), but it turns out that they almost didn’t get him at all. The New York Times has learned that the Internal Revenue Service’s Greg Alford spent months sifting through chat logs and other details to link Ulbricht to the online black market, but the DEA and FBI didn’t take the tax investigator’s work seriously. If it weren’t for his insistence on pursuing the case and reviewing evidence, Ulbricht might still be running the Dark Web service today.
The details suggest that US law enforcement still has a lot to learn about collaboration, especially in the internet era. On top of downplaying the evidence identifying Ulbricht, the other agencies didn’t even relay some of what they knew to the IRS — Alford could have pieced things together sooner if the bureaus were working together. Some of this stems from institutional biases toward dedicated law enforcement divisions (the IRS is relatively low on the ladder), but it’s clear that the government needs to share more data.
[Image credit: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg via Getty Images]
Source: New York Times
The Silk Road bust almost didn’t happen
Officials like to boast about taking down Silk Road creator Ross Ulbricht (aka Dread Pirate Roberts), but it turns out that they almost didn’t get him at all. The New York Times has learned that the Internal Revenue Service’s Greg Alford spent months sifting through chat logs and other details to link Ulbricht to the online black market, but the DEA and FBI didn’t take the tax investigator’s work seriously. If it weren’t for his insistence on pursuing the case and reviewing evidence, Ulbricht might still be running the Dark Web service today.
The details suggest that US law enforcement still has a lot to learn about collaboration, especially in the internet era. On top of downplaying the evidence identifying Ulbricht, the other agencies didn’t even relay some of what they knew to the IRS — Alford could have pieced things together sooner if the bureaus were working together. Some of this stems from institutional biases toward dedicated law enforcement divisions (the IRS is relatively low on the ladder), but it’s clear that the government needs to share more data.
[Image credit: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg via Getty Images]
Source: New York Times
Samsung executives blame lackluster software for company’s problems
Samsung’s growth recently reached a stall, which caused the company to go back to the drawing board and redesign its products form the ground up. Lesser build qualities seemed to be the blame, but some current and former Samsung executives seem to disagree with this idea; they believe the real issue with the Korean giant is the lack of software expertise.
Samsung is great at making hardware, but these unnamed sources claim the company has done very little to differentiate itself from the competition, naming failed software attempts like ChatOn and Samsung Milk Video as proof of this argument.
“Samsung’s upper management just inherently doesn’t understand software. They get hardware – in fact, they get hardware better than anyone else. But software is a completely different ballgame.” -Anonymous Samsung former employee
It does seem like Samsung has been focusing more on hardware. Their big focus with the Samsung Galaxy S6 (and S6 Edge) was definitely build quality and design. And they have always been all about innovative technology like fingerprint readers, NFC, heartbeat monitors and the like.
Related content:
Furthermore, we do know that Samsung’s Android skin (don’t-call-it-Touchwiz) has always been one of the least popular in the Android universe. It can be sluggish, heavily customized and full of features you probably don’t use.
See also: TouchWiz tips and tricks for the Note 5 and Galaxy S6
The big question here is: how can Samsung make customers more loyal through software? If you were to ask me, I would say cleaning it up is about the best option. Take Motorola as an example. They cut down on their UI to make it look mostly stock, and the few features they tout are not so “straight in your face”, but they are compelling enough to make a positive difference. Voiceless Actions is my favorite, for one.
Samsung has made some progress, but they keep tackling problems that already have solutions. Samsung Pay is good, but both Apple Pay and Android Pay are already out there. SmartThings is a good product too, but there are plenty of IoT (Internet of Things) platforms out there. And the same applies to things like ChatOn and Samsung Milk Video – there’s plenty of good (and often better) solutions in the market.
I wouldn’t say that by improving software Samsung’s numbers will go back up in this mature tech market (everyone has been struggling, after all), but it would definitely be a big start. So far I have to say the only cool software introductions from the Korean manufacturer have been some of those gimmicky features on Galaxy phones… and many of you hate them.
But what do you guys think Samsung could do to improve its game? Should improving software really be the main focus? Should they do more with hardware? What would make you a more loyal Samsung user?
They clearly need to start doing something different soon. Their revenues are down and even CEOs are already suffering from it. As are we.
LG V10 International Giveaway!
Welcome to the Sunday Giveaway, the place where we giveaway a new Android phone or tablet each and every Sunday!
A big congratulations to last week’s winners of the Nexus 5X Giveaway! Adam B. (USA), enjoy your new smartphone!
This week we are giving away the LG V10!
With its larger display, fingerprint scanner, great design, durable build quality, camera that excels in video recording and high quality audio, the LG V10 is an incredibly solid offering that earned itself our Editor’s Choice Award!
Enter Giveaway
LG V10 International Giveaway!
https://js.gleam.io/e.js
Winners Gallery
Winners Gallery on Google+
Terms & Conditions
- The giveaway is an international giveaway (Except when we can not ship to your Country.)
- If we can not ship to your country, you will be compensated with an online gift card of equal MSRP value to the prize.
- We are not responsible for lost shipments.
- You must be age of majority in your Country of residence.
- We are not responsible for any duties, import taxes that you may incur.
- Only 1 entry per person, do not enter multiple email addresses. We will verify all winners and if we detect multiple email addresses by the same person you will not be eligible to win.
- We reserve all rights to make any changes to this giveaway.
- This giveaway is operated by Android Authority.
- The prize will ship when it is available to purchase.
Frozen oil could be the key to shapeshifting materials
Those odd, glowing shapes may look like they’re straight out of a weird puzzle game, but don’t laugh… they may be crucial to a future of ever-changing materials. British and Bulgarian scientists have discovered that oil droplets will form octagons, triangles and other not-so-natural shapes if you slowly freeze them while they’re in a soapy solution. On top of that, they’ll revert to their original states if you warm them back up. The results are more than a little odd, as you can see here — they’re non-living chemicals taking on artificial shapes in a lifelike way.
It’s still early going, but the implications are huge. If researchers can find a way to produce specific shapes and make them stick, they could have shapeshifting materials whose properties change on the fly. In that sense, flexible devices could be just the first step toward gadgets whose very nature adapts to your needs.
Via: Gizmodo
Source: University of Cambridge, Nature
BlackBerry Priv price tag slashed $150CAD via SaskTel in Canada
The BlackBerry Priv is many things: new, novel, secure, sound, and pretty pricey. The device, which is a little over a month old, has now received its first major price cut via Canada’s SaskTel, albeit for a limited time. The Priv’s standard retail cost of $399.99 on a new two year contract has been diminished by $150 and thus the device can be had for just $249.99. Please note that as these are Canadian dollars, it translates to a savings of $109 USD, making the new retail price $181.08.
While the deal may sound superb, be aware that the price does not include the one-time activation fee of $25, nor does it include any relevant taxes. Perhaps more concerning however, is the fact that the carrier’s website currently lists the BlackBerry Priv as “Out of stock online” thus those eager to take advantage of the offer need to head to a physical retail location for the cash savings.
While this price cut is listed as temporary, the next few months are likely going to see a real price cut across the board, at least as hinted by BlackBerry’s CEO, John Chen. In a recent interview the corporate executive alluded to the fact that once Mobile World Congress hits, the hardware and components inside the Priv will seemingly lose some of their top-tier classification thus a price cut would be a logical step.
Canadian readers, what do you think? Is the Priv more of a proper purchase at the lower price point? Should the hardware have been set around this cost tier from the beginning? Leave your thoughts below in the comments section and let your voice be heard!
Talk Android Apps of the Week: December 26, 2015
It’s Sunday, the time of the week when Talk Android brings you a report on some of the very best applications we’ve been using over the course of the past seven days. Today we’re focusing our attention on a fantastic Xbox One companion, a reliable satellite tracker, a great shift calendar and last, but not least, an incredibly addictive game.
Xbox One SmartGlass
If you were lucky enough to receive an Xbox One from Santa this Christmas, then you’re going to want to pay very close attention to the first application up this week. SmartGlass is an all-in-one service that enables you to interact with your Xbox on an entirely different level.
While using this app, you’ll not only have the facility to access your friends list and respond to messages whilst on the go, but you’ll also be able to use your smartphone’s touchscreen as a remote control when you’re at home in front of the TV.
I prefer to use my Xbox to take in a show on Netflix using this application as the integrated media buttons make it significantly easier to navigate through a large catalogue of content. SmartGlass is great too when you want to check out your achievements as it’s much quicker than sifting through the My Apps & Games menu on the console.
ISS Detector Satellite Tracker
Since Tim Peake’s recent arrival on the International Space Station, my interest in astronomy has been reignited. As a result, I took to the Play Store to seek out an application to help me find the satellite, and that’s when I came face to face with the ISS Detector Satellite Tracker.
The app is a third-party tool that records your location so it can tell you when and where to look in order to see the International Space Station, the application also checks nearby forecasts to see if you are experiencing suitable weather conditions for space-spotting.
My favourite feature the ISS Detector app bundles is the facility to create an alarm to alert you when the satellite is about to pass, which means that you can always be in the right position with your camera at the ready.
Shift Schedule
Shift Schedule is an extremely useful calendar application and widget, which has been designed specifically for shift workers. The main purpose of the app is to provide you with a clear and detailed overview of your shifts, so that you can easily see when you’re working.
You will also be able to access a comprehensive breakdown of all the hours you’ve worked in a specific month, together with your estimated income based on the rate you provided during the configuration process. These figures can then be exported as a spreadsheet and uploaded straight to Google Drive for safekeeping or emailed to your employer for payment.
Arrow
Up last this week, we’re looking a simple puzzle game, which goes by the name of Arrow. All you have to do is tap on either the left or right side of your device’s display to navigate the maze without hitting any walls. If you do happen to come into contact with a wall, your arrow will instantly crack and you’ll be forced to start again. Just like Circle, progress is tracked by the scores that you obtain — so the longer you go without colliding with any obstacles, the more points you’ll be credited with.
Previous Apps of the Week editions:
Come comment on this article: Talk Android Apps of the Week: December 26, 2015
China anti-terrorism law makes firms give up encryption keys
If you were hoping that you could regularly rely on encrypted messaging services to keep your discussions private while you’re in China, you’re about to be disappointed. The country has passed an anti-terrorism law that requires companies to hand over encryption keys when officials want to spy on someone’s communications. Officials swear that this isn’t tantamount to requiring backdoors, but it’s not exactly heartening news if you rely on any app or website where it’s feasible to request those keys.
Some services are theoretically safe. For instance, Apple’s iMessage is designed in such a way that even Apple can’t obtain the keys and crack codes. That sets up a potential conflict, however: what happens if Chinese courts order these services to fork over keys that they can’t possibly deliver? While the odds of that happening aren’t high (especially as the companies bring a lot of money to the country), they’re high enough that they could make some tech giants uncomfortable. No matter what, there are some firms that now have to sacrifice your privacy if they want to continue operating in the world’s most populous nation.
[Image credit: Thomas Trutschel/Photothek via Getty Images]
Source: Reuters
5 Android apps you shouldn’t miss this week! – Android Apps Weekly
Welcome back to the last edition of Android Apps Weekly in 2015! We’d like to thank you for another 52 weeks of tuning in each week to catch the latest app news. Let’s get to the headlines:
- A little more news leaked out about Nintendo’s upcoming Android game this week. It’s been all but confirmed that it’s going to be a social media style app and the clothing items will be used to customize your avatar. We’re not sure where the game part is yet, but we’ll find out eventually.
- Last week we reported that there were 35 awesome games on sale on Google Play. That list has been updated and there are now over 85 titles available right now with a varying amount of discounts. Some of the games include most of Square Enix’s library, Half-Life 2, Worms 2, NBA JAM, most of Kemco’s library, and plenty of others. Check it out before these deals end.
- In an effort to show people that the Play Store is more than just apps and games, Google Play is having a promotion to get users into the other parts of the store. Until January 4th, you can get 3 months of Google Play Music for $1, some Google Play Books titles are up to 80% off, and movie rentals are up to 75% off.
- In perhaps one of the best news stories of the year, it was announced that The Beatles were coming to streaming services for the first time in most markets. As of now, you can listen to the fab 4 on Apple Music, Google Play Music, Microsoft Groove, Rhapsody, Amazon Prime Music, Slacker, Spotify, and Tidal.
- It’s been rumored that Google is creating another messaging service and this one is a little bit different. Instead of the usual paradigm where you can chat and stuff, this new service is rumored to have a ton of bots that will chat with you, make recommendations, and fetch information. We’ll have to see what happens if this rumor turns out to be true.
For even more Android apps and games headlines, updates, and new releases, don’t forget to check out this week’s newsletter where we’ll have all the information from the last week. If you want, you can subscribe using the form below and we’ll send the newsletter to your inbox every Sunday!
Signup for our newsletter
- Android Weekly
- Apps Weekly
Launcher X
[Price: Free / $4.99]
Launcher X is a fairly new launcher that seems to blend a simple premise with some complex ideas. It’s built on the AOSP 3 launcher so it’s fairly close to stock in terms of performance and look but the developers have added plenty of extra goodies. They include a metric ton of customization options, gesture control, swipe-able docks, a slide out drawer, and you can even recreate Google Now Launcher’s functionality. It’s new, which means it’s a little rough around the edges, but it’s worth a shot!
Get it now on Google Play!
Space Jet
[Price: Free with in-app purchases]
Space Jet is an online aviation shooter where you fly a spaceship and shoot down other people who are also flying space ships. The controls are surprisingly good and the game is actually quite a bit of fun to play. As you play, you unlock upgrades for your spaceship that can do more damage, give you powers like camouflage, and a lot more. It is a freemium game so there is a bit of a pay-to-win mechanic and there are some ads here and there, but it’s an above average multiplayer shooter.
Get it now on Google Play!
Metro 2033: Wars
[Price: $7.99]
Metro 2033: Wars is an open world strategy game based on the book of the same name. You play in a post apocalyptic wasteland as you do battle with rival factions. You’ll also be tasked with strengthening and improving your specific Metro Station which adds bits of simulation and city-building elements as well. It’s a tad expensive but it is a pay-once game with no in-app purchases and it’s a great pick-up if you like strategy games.
Get it now on Google Play!
LEGO Nexo Knights
[Price: Free]
LEGO Nexo Knights is the newest game from LEGO that’s meant to accompany the short series of videos that follow the same story line. This is a hack’n’slash style of game where you must defeat the evil Jestro to save the kingdom. This is meant to be played with accompanying action figures which can be scanned for additional powers but it’s playable without them as well. It’s good for older kids and it’s also free with no in-app purchases.
Get it now on Google Play!
Gods of Rome
[Price: Free with in-app purchases]
Gods of Rome is the latest release out of Gameloft and, interestingly enough, this one is a fighting game. It’s sort of a callback to the fighting games of old and the mechanics are similar to games such as Injustice and Soul Calibur. There is actually a story to this one and your role is to fight to restore peace in your era. It’s simple, yes, but fighting games generally are. It’s a Freemium game so you can expect some pay-to-win mechanics, but overall it’s not half bad.
Get it now on Google Play!
Wrap up
If we missed any great Android apps or games news, tell us about it in the comments! Thanks again for reading and we’ll see you next week in 2016!
AIVAnet 