DarkMatter’s Katim phone is jam-packed with a host of security measures

Why it matters to you

If you’re worried about cybersecurity, DarkMatter’s Katim may just be the phone for you.

Ensuring Mobile cybersecurity is no easy task. Protecting against sophisticated hackers, unsophisticated hackers, corporate espionage, organized crime, and state-sponsored attacks is a full-time job. And that’s not to mention the hundreds of cybersecurity threats smartphone users encounter every day. One in five Android users experienced a mobile threat in 2014, according to Kaspersky, and there was a 262 percent increase in the number of iOS vulnerabilities in 2015 compared to 2011. Those who store sensitive information on their smartphone run the risk of data theft … and sometimes worse.

But mobile security firm DarkMatter says it has developed a solution. It’s called Katim, which means “silence” in Arabic, and it’s an end-to-end security platform with ultra-secure encryption, two-factor authentication, and more than half a dozen other security measures designed to deter even the most determined hackers.

More: Privacy comes at a price: Super secure GranitePhone is yours for $850

“Data is today’s currency,” DarkMatter CEO Faisal Al Bannai said during a press event at Mobile World Congress. “There’s so much that can be accessed through your phone, and data is a treasure mine. Simply by connecting to public Wi-Fi or enabling location tracking on your phone can make you vulnerable.”

The Katim platform is compatible with almost any smartphone running Google’s Android operating system, and DarkMatter has developed its own phone, also called the Katim.

The Katim’s OS-level software comprises a bootloader — the program that loads the phone’s operating system — secured against unauthorized modifications, and a security framework that authenticates every app installed when the phone boots up. It packs secure boot and an encrypted bootloader, as well as two-factor authentication that uses biometric sensors like a fingerprint sensor to ensure the users say who they are. There’s also a hardware switch on the handset’s upper-left-hand side that disables the phone’s cameras and microphones, preventing hackers from gaining access to either.

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The Katim also comes preloaded with security-conscious apps. The default messaging app automatically secures photos, images, and files, and encrypts one-to-one voice calls and ephemeral messages that expire after a set amount of time (à la Snapchat). A secure app store features a collection of vetted apps.

Perhaps the Katim’s most impressive function is its remote management. The Katim’s Cyber Command Center, a cloud-hosted management system, allows DarkMatter support staff to remotely disable features like Wi-Fi and cellular, as well as remove malicious apps. In worst-case scenarios, they can even “self-destruct” a Katim phone’s data if they detect tampering.

Hands on: The Katim phone

We had a chance to give the Katim phone a go at DarkMatter’s booth inside the Mobile World Congress convention center.

The Katim boasts a carbon gray aluminum body that’s angled on either side, a little like HTC’s One series of smartphones. It’s a tad hefty at 175g, but not so heavy that it’s uncomfortable to hold one-handed.

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It sports a 5.2-inch screen with a Full HD (1,920 x 1,080 pixels) IPS display shielded with a layer of Corning’s Gorilla Glass 5, and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor paired with 4GB of RAM. The rear camera is a 12-megapixel sensor with phase detection autofocus, an f/1.7 aperture, and dual-color, dual-LED flash. The front camera is a 5MP shooter.

Rounding out the Katim’s accouterments is a fingerprint sensor, a gyroscope and accelerometer, support for Bluetooth 4.2 and Wi-Fi 802.11ac, and 64GB of internal storage expandable via a microSD card reader.

It won’t launch until later this year, but DarkMatter is considering keeping the details under wraps. It’s aiming the Katim at individuals, enterprises, and governments that require the highest levels of security — i.e., heads of states, corporations, and defense departments.

But the company hasn’t ruled out bringing some of the Katim’s software management features to third-party devices.

DarkMatter isn’t exactly the first to market with an encrypted phone. BlackBerry’s new KeyOne features a secured bootloader and an encrypted end-to-end messaging app, and Sikur’s GranitePhone ships with a special set of applications designed with security in mind. But in terms of sheer breadth of security measures, the Katim is one of the most holistic we’ve seen.

It’s too soon to say how well it’ll protect against viruses, social engineering, and everyday cases of malware infection — but DarkMatter seems to have come prepared.

“Our view is to offer cybersecurity end-to-end,” Bannai said. “We think it can only be achieved with a holistic approach. The phone by itself doesn’t solve it.”

DT Daily MWC Day One: Sony XZ Premium, Alcatel’s modular phone, and the Gionee A1 Plus

Mobile World Congress 2017 opened its doors today, following the busy press day on Sunday. We were ready for news from Sony, Alcatel, Gionee and others.

Sony’s big new release is the Xperia XZ Premium, a 5.5-inch Android 7.0 Nougat smartphone in a shiny and really gorgeous chrome-colored body. Its standout feature is a 4K resolution screen with HDR, just like your TV. Compared to previous Sony phones, it looked super with improved contrast in key spots. The 19-megapixel rear camera, with unusual 960fps at 720p video recording, gives a super slow motion effect. The phone is out in late spring, and we’re waiting for price and release details.

More: Oppo’s 5X camera uses a prism to take incredibly clear pictures

Modular phones haven’t really caught on yet, but that hasn’t stopped Alcatel from announcing the A5, which is augmented by modular components that replace the back of the phone. What can you get? A speaker with a kickstand, a unique customizable LED lighting system, and a battery pack. We do know the A5 will be sold in the U.S., but Alcatel is keeping quiet about when it will launch and for how much.

Gionee isn’t the best known Chinese smartphone manufacturer, but that may change with the A1 Plus. It has an astonishing 20-megapixel selfie camera that recreates the fashionable bokeh blurred background effect. It also has a dual-lens rear camera, a 6-inch screen, and an equally massive 4,550mAh battery. No, it’s not likely to be released in the U.S., but it’ll be out in other regions in April, at a price of 500 euros.

All the big announcements from Mobile World Congress have now happened, but the show itself has only just started. That means we’re ready to discover all the cool products hiding out on the show floor for the remaining days, so join us again tomorrow to see what we found.

Take a stroll through Google’s Android Global Village at Mobile World Congress

Why it matters to you

Couldn’t make it to the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona? Fear not. We’re here to take you on a tour of Google’s Android Global Village at the show.

Mobile World Congress — for some it’s the trade show to watch for all the latest smartphone news, and for others, it’s the place to collect an unnecessary amount of Android pins.

We took a tour of Google’s Android Global Village here at MWC in Barcelona, where the company is showcasing its latest technology. For example, there are yellow phone booths on both ends of the space, each staffed by a Google employee with a Pixel smartphone. If you ask about the booth, they’ll launch Google Duo, a video messaging app, to call each other and showcase the strong video call quality.

More: Check out Google Assistant running on a variety of Android smartphones

There’s also a Daydream and Tango station, where people can put on the Daydream View VR headset and escape reality, or use Lenovo’s Phab 2 Pro to decorate a room in augmented reality. A log cabin stands in the center, sheltering a cozy living room that’s packed with a TV, speaker, Nest thermostat, and more. All of the devices are controllable via Google Chromecast and Google Home.

The tradition of collecting pins is as strong as ever this year — just head over to the main information booth to get a map of all the pin locations at Mobile World Congress. There are three tiers you can win — gold, silver, and bronze — and you get a prize if you collect all the pins in at least one of those tiers.

One of the best stations is the switchboard, where you can grab a pair of headphones and plug a cable into one of many jacks to get different songs streaming from Google Play Music.

More: Google is shutting down Spaces, its experimental group discussion platform

This year’s Android Global Village seems consistent with last year’s message of “be together, not the same,” thanks in part to the inclusion of various Android smartphones. In fact, it almost feels as though the Pixel is hardly present.

We’ve only managed to grab about nine pins on the first day of the show — leave us a comment if you managed to collect them all.

Panasonic Toughbook CF-33 is the Windows 10 2-in-1 that can go anywhere

Why it matters to you

You now have a Windows 10 2-in-1 tablet option that is designed to withstand heavier punishment.

The Windows 10 2-in-1 market is full of options fitting just about every possible user need, from tablets that convert to notebooks, notebooks that convert to tablets, convertibles with 360-degree flip-around displays, and more. Now, Panasonic has updated its Toughbook line of rugged devices with a new Windows 10 2-in-1 of its own.

Toughbooks are known for being designed to withstand the most punishing users and environments, and the new Toughbook CF-33 appears to be a fitting new member of the line. Panasonic introduced the machine at Mobile World Congress 2017 and Microsoft highlighted the new machine in a post on its Windows blog.

More: CES 2017 proves 2-in-1s are becoming the new normal

The Toughbook CF-33 is a tablet with a detachable keyboard, sporting a 12-inch display with a very Microsoft Surface-like 3:2 aspect ratio that provides more vertical screen real estate. The display’s resolution is QHD (2,160 x 1,440), which works out to a relatively sharp 216 pixels per inch and it offers an extremely bright panel at 1200 nits so it can work well under bright sunlight.

Of course, the display is also a 10-point touchscreen, and Panasonic implemented technology that works with gloves, and the IP55 digitizer pen fully supports Windows Ink. The tablet portion weighs 1.527 kg by itself, and the entire machine when assembled weighs 2.761kg.

Other specifications include seventh-generation Intel Core processor, 2-megapixel webcam up front and 8MP rear camera with Windows Hello support, and a 4G LTE option. Connectivity is provided by USB 3.0, HDMI, ethernet, and headset ports and a microSD card reader. Finally, the Toughbook CF-33 has twin hot-swappable batteries to enable long battery life without the need to shut down when plugging in a fresh battery.

Panasonic hasn’t yet published all of the specifications for the U.S. market, but the Toughbook CF-33 is expected to arrive in May priced at $4,099 for the tablet and keyboard combination and $3,499 for the tablet by itself. The machine will arrive in Europe sometime in the second quarter of 2017 for 3,552 euros for the combination and 2,992 euros for just the tablet.

Porsche Design’s sleek 2-in-1 Windows 10 PC boasts detachable keyboard

Why it matters to you

Porsche Design will provide a 2-in-1 PC with a detachable keyboard so customers have the benefits of a tablet and a convertible notebook.

During the Mobile World Congress 2017 show in Barcelona, Spain, Porsche Design Computing revealed the Book One 2-in-1 device sporting Windows 10 Pro. What is notable about this device is that it not only includes a detachable keyboard, but the peripheral features a patented hinge that provides 360 degrees of rotation so that the screen can be adjusted to theater mode, tent mode, tablet mode, and so on.

“In keeping with the traditional design philosophy of Professor Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, the well-crafted hinge and its stainless steel cog wheels are inspired by the transmission of a sports car,” the company said on Monday.

More: Die-hard PC gamer gets ‘Doom II’ up and running on a Porsche 911 dashboard

The Book One is sleek and elegant sporting a “Pure Silver” milled aluminum housing covered by a matte anodized surface finish. The Porsche Design branding resides at the top of the tablet and along the bottom edge of the screen. Based on the information provided by the specs, the keyboard needs to be connected for the tablet battery to charge.

Here are the hardware specs:

Model number:
PD132512
Operating system:
Windows 10 Pro
Screen size:
13.3 inches with 10-point Touch
Screen resolution:
3,200 x 1,800 (276 PPI)
Display type:
IPS
Processor:
Intel Core i7-7500U
Graphics:
Intel HD Graphics 620 (integrated)
System memory:
16GB LPDDR3 @ 1,866MHz
Storage:
512GB Intel PCIe SSD
Audio:
2x two-watt speakers
2x microphones (for Cortana)
Cameras:
1x 5MP camera (front)
1x Infrared (support Windows Hello)
Connectivity:
Wireless AC
Bluetooth 4.1
Ports (tablet):
1x headphone jack
1x Thunderbolt 3 Type-C
Ports (keyboard):
1x USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-C
2x USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A
1x Micro SD card reader
Battery:
25 Watt-hour (tablet)
45 Watt-hour (keyboard)
Size (tablet only):
12.25 x 8.24 x 0.30 inches
Size (with keyboard):
12.25 x 8.91 x 0.62 inches
Weight (tablet only):
1.67 pounds
Weight (with keyboard):
3.48 pounds
Color:
Pure silver

The 2-in-1 Book One device comes packed with a digital pen created by Porsche Design and manufactured by Wacom. Optimized for Windows Ink and housed in anodized aluminum, the peripheral provides a function key, a delete key, and a pressure sensitivity of 2,048 points. It can be stored away in the magnetic holder built into the right side of the tablet.

As for the detachable keyboard, it includes a secondary built-in battery that, when combined with the tablet’s battery, provides up to 14 hours of standard use on a single charge. The peripheral consists of full-sized keys with a dimmable backlight, a Microsoft-certified precision touchpad supporting multiple gestures, and a USB Type-C power port that charges the battery in under two hours. The built-in “VarioGear” hinge appears to “plug” into the tablet so that the keyboard can create a laptop form factor with a 360-degree screen rotation while still being able to separate from the tablet unit.

Based out of Ludwigsburg, Germany, Porsche Design is widely known as a premium brand that brings the principles and “spirit” of Porsche to lifestyle products. These include sunglasses, watches, jackets, and even external hard drives designed for LaCie and Seagate.

The Porsche Design Book One will be available in April for $2,495.

If a bezel-less future is what you want, let Ulefone’s F1 be your guiding light

Why it matters to you

In the same vein as Xiaomi’s Mi Mix, Ulefone’s F1 is not only a vision of the future, but a phone you can actually purchase.

Xiaomi’s Mi Mix might not have been the perfect smartphone, but its near bezel-less screen that took up almost all of the front of the device gave us a small and satisfying glimpse into the future of what is possible with smartphone design. Fellow Chinese manufacturer Ulefone hopes to make that same impression with the F1, which was announced just as Mobile World Congress began getting off the ground.

At first blush, the F1 looks strikingly similar to the Mi Mix in that the top and side bezels have been reduced to almost nothing. Because of this, the front camera needed to be moved to the bottom bezel, so pictures taken with the F1 might look up your nose a bit more than you would like.

More: 25 awesome Android games you need to try

That does not mean the fingerprint sensor was shifted to the back, though, as is the case with the Mi Mix. Instead, you will find the F1’s fingerprint sensor below the display, and as an added bonus, it doubles as the phone’s home button. Furthermore, whereas the Mi Mix exorcises the earpiece, it appears as if the F1 retains it. Finally, Ulefone confirmed that the F1 sports a dual-camera setup, but did not say what resolutions the cameras shoot at. By comparison, the Mi Mix only features one main camera.

Under the hood, MediaTek’s 2.5GHz octa-core Helio P25 and 6GB RAM run the show, while the sizable 128GB of native storage should be more than sufficient for most folks’ needs.

Unfortunately, Ulefone did not yet divulge other details, such as the screen size and resolution, battery, and connectivity options, among other details. The company also did not reveal how much the F1 will cost or when exactly it will be available, though the phone will launch sometime during the second half of 2017.

Boston Dynamics officially shows off ‘nightmare-inducing’ Handle robot

Although the world already got a glimpse of Boston Dynamic’s Handle, the company has officially introduced the creepy bot.

Google-owned Boston Dynamics makes several bipedal and quadrupedal robots, most of which look creepy (see this one and this one and this one). And the company’s latest technology is no exception. It has been testing new wheel technology and recently showed off a wheeled, upright robot to investors. Now, it has introduced the bot — called Handle because it handles objects — to the public.

It basically looks like Boston Dynamics strapped its two-legged Atlas bot to a Segway. In a presentation from last month, which was filmed and leaked to YouTube, company founder Marc Raibert called Handle “a nightmare-inducing robot” while also explaining that its wheels are more efficient than legs. He described Handle as an “experiment in combining wheels with legs, with a very dynamic system”.

• 25 real-life robots that’ll make you think the future is now

Unlike previous Boston Dynamics robots, which could run and jump and walk, this two-legged beast uses small wheels to traverse all around – whether its going down stairs, down a snowy hill, or leaping while moving. Handle is 6.5 feet tall, can jump four feet, and goes as fast as 9mph. The bot uses a combination of hydraulic and electric actuators and can travel up to 15 miles between charges.

As part of Handle’s official unveiling on Monday, Boston Dynamics has published a video highlighting the robot. You can watch it below.

LG is making a new VR headset that uses Valve’s SteamVR system

LG and Valve are working on a new, high-fidelity VR headset.

LG has reportedly announced in a press release that it partnered with video game developer Valve to create a new head-mounted virtual reality device that uses Valve’s royalty-free SteamVR 3D tracking technology. Keep in mind HTC already teamed up with Valve to create the HTC Vive. Also, LG has experimented with VR in the past – like when it launched the 360 VR headset for LG G5 flagship.

• LG 360 VR preview: A unique perspective on mobile VR

LG isn’t being too specific about the project or its current prototype, but it said the headset is “designed to deliver a high fidelity, next generation VR experience”, according to RoadToVr.com. And, like we said, it will be based around the SteamVR system, which was opened to developers and manufacturers last year. We can also expect LG to show off the headset at Valve’s GDC 2017 booth this week.

Price and availability for LG’s VR headset will be announced at a later date. We’ve contacted LG and Valve for a comment.

Amazon’s Alexa may soon get Voice ID for recognising different voices

Amazon is reportedly trying to enhance its Alexa voice assistant with a new voice-recognition capability.

The company wants Alexa to be able to recognise individual voices, according to a report from Time, meaning your Echo or Alexa-enabled device would be able to determine who is speaking to it and presumably tailor responses to that person. Also, it could limit certain commands to a specific voice. So, if an account holder wants to purchase goods on Amazon, his or her voice will be identified and allowed to do so.

• Amazon Echo: First 7 things you should do to get Alexa started

Alexa already supports the ability for users to manually change accounts and input PIN verification for purchases, but identification via voice would be a much-welcomed feature that speeds up and simplifies the process. Amazon has been working on this new voice-recognition feature, internally known as Voice ID, since summer 2015 and is already finished with the technical aspects of development.

The company is reportedly only waiting to roll out the feature to Alexa users because it has to iron out any privacy kinks. We’ll report back when Voice ID officially debuts. In the meantime, check out Pocket-lint’s Alexa guide for more tips and tricks you can do with the service.

HTC Ocean leak suggests phone will offer ‘Edge Sense’ display feature

A new leak has suggested an upcoming HTC phone will get a feature called “Edge Sense”.

Evan Blass, a leaker who has a good record when it comes to leaking mobile news, tweeted a screenshot from a Chinese mobile site called Mobile01, and based on the comments from the tweet’s thread, it’s presumed that the screenshot comes from HTC’s 2017 flagship, which currently goes by the codename Ocean. The screenshot shows the phone will get a new Edge Sense feature.

Well will you look at that… [via https://t.co/TYCFYN7Jgf%5D pic.twitter.com/LHcljPVcBV

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) February 27, 2017

Now, as Mobile Syrup pointed out, a translation of the Mobile01 report claims that Edge Sense is “Sense Touch official name of the edge touch.” Keep in mind that Sense is HTC’s Android skin, and according to past leaks, Sense Touch is a feature that enables the frame of the phone’s display to perform certain actions or tasks when touched. In other words, it sounds a lot like Samsung’s Edge Display feature.

On the Samsung Galaxy S7, you can swipe in from the edge to access a number of services or shortcuts. Now, when a Twitter user noted brought up Samsung Edge, Blass told him: “That’s not what this is at all.” So, HTC Edge Sense won’t be like Samsung’s curved, always-on edges, but it does seem to work in a similar fashion. Hopefully things will get clearer over the next couple of months.

Oh, one more thing: the leaked screenshot also reveals a few of the HTC Ocean’s specs. It will reportedly have a Snapdragon 835 processor, 5.5-inch screen, 4GB or 6GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, USB Type-C charging. It’ll also have the Sense AI assistant and mobile VR support. Check out Pocket-lint’s rumour round-up for more details on what the phone may feature.

HTC is likely to target early-2017 for the launch of its next flagship handset.