U.K. gov’t wants WhatsApp to break its encryption after the Parliament attack

Why it matters to you

Any time a democratic government encroaches on civil liberties, it sets precedent for many other countries around the world.

British Home Secretary Amber Rudd has announced the United Kingdom government’s intention to persuade popular messaging service Whatsapp to provide a way for the authorities to read encrypted messages, following last week’s attack in London. Although Rudd didn’t claim it would look to force tech companies to provide a backdoor, civil liberties groups have called the proposals unrealistic and overreaching.

The attack, which took place on March 22 and saw many people injured and several killed, involved just one man, though many related arrests have been made since. However, the lone attacker was found to have used Whatsapp half an hour before the attack began, which has prompted the authorities’ increased scrutiny of the messaging application.

The home secretary attacked the idea of encryption on weekend television, saying “It is completely unacceptable. There should be no place for terrorists to hide.”

“We need to make sure that organizations like WhatsApp, and there are plenty of others like that, don’t provide a secret place for terrorists to communicate with each other,” she said (via The Guardian).

More: Dorsey: Twitter thinking about implementing encrypted direct messages

She later evoked ideological language, saying the tech companies behind such platforms should “be on our side,” and because they have children and families, they should understand why opening up encryption is necessary.

Although Rudd did go on to admit that the best people to discuss such matters with were the technology heads themselves, there has been some concern over her wording which suggested a lack of understanding of the core technological issues presented by her proposals.

“The best people — who understand the technology, who understand the necessary hashtags — to stop this stuff even being put up, not just taking it down, are going to be them,” she said.

Her various statements prompted a strong response from left-leaning politicians and civil liberties groups. Liberal Democrats home affairs spokesperson Brian Paddick said in a statement that weakening encryption was not an “effective response,” to the problem.

“These terrorists want to destroy our freedoms and undermine our democratic society,” he said. “By implementing draconian laws that limit our civil liberties, we would be playing into their hands.”

Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn, said that the police and intelligence agencies already had “huge powers of investigation.” Other politicians pointed out that the British government would have difficulty forcing any international app maker to change anything about their security.

Privacy lobby organization The Open Rights Group said that although technology companies should cooperate with police for specific, warranted investigations, there was no benefit to installing backdoors or weakening encryption.

“We all rely on encryption to protect our ability to communicate, shop, and bank safely,” executive director Jim Killock said.

This debate has been an important one in the United States as well, where in early 2016, the FBI attempted to force Apple to weaken security on an iPhone owned by a suspect it was investigating.

New leak reveals alleged spec sheet of Xiaomi’s Mi 6 and Mi6 Plus

Latest rumor suggests the Mi 6 and Mi 6 Plus will be powered by the Snapdragon 835.

Xiaomi is rumored to unveil its 2017 flagships — the Mi 6 and Mi 6 Plus — on April 11, and a recent leak gives us a look at the alleged spec sheet of both devices. According to the leak, both the Mi 6 and Mi 6 Plus will be powered by the Snapdragon 835, contradicting earlier rumors that Xiaomi will initially launch a variant with the Snapdragon 821.

The Mi 6 is rumored with a 5.15-inch Full HD display, along with 4GB or 6GB of RAM, 32GB/64GB/128GB storage options, a 19MP Sony IMX400 camera sensor with 1/2.3-inch lens, 8MP front shooter, and a 3200mAh battery. Meanwhile, the larger Mi 6 Plus is set to feature a 5.7-inch Full HD panel, 6GB of RAM, 64GB/128GB storage options, 12MP Sony IMX362 camera sensor, 8MP front camera, and a 4500mAh battery.

The specs suggest the Mi 6 will be an iterative update to the Mi 5s. With Xiaomi facing increased pressure in China and India from the likes of Huawei, Lenovo, OPPO, and Vivo, it needs to field a strong mid-range phone to continue the momentum it built up in the budget segment.

High-end smartphones account for just 29% of Samsung’s sales in Q1 2017

Samsung is relying on the mid-range segment to drive growth.

Samsung posted a record $7.8 billion operating profit in Q4 2016, but it looks like the company isn’t making as much money from high-end devices as it previously used to. In a report published today, The Investor shared findings from South Korean investment fund Hana Financial Investment, which stated that the revenue from high-end smartphones accounted for just 29% of Samsung’s global sales in Q1 2017. That’s down from the 40% the company enjoyed in 2015 on the back of the Galaxy S4.

Market research firm Strategy Analytics noted that the average selling price of Samsung phones in 2016 was $232 globally, down from $289 in 2015. It’s no secret that the smartphone segment is plateauing in developed markets, and as a result Samsung is increasingly looking to India and China to drive growth.

Samsung noted “improved profitability” in the entry-level and mid-range segment in Q4 2016, and the company is looking to boost the competitiveness of its budget offerings by introducing features that were previously limited to the high-end segment. Case in point: the Galaxy A 2017 series now comes with water resistance and 16MP cameras. The Galaxy J series — Samsung’s best-selling lineup in India — is also set to pick up new features for 2017.

Samsung will be hoping to increase revenue from high-end devices in the coming quarters, which will undoubtedly be aided by the release of the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus.

How to clean your PlayStation VR

Keeping your PlayStation VR clean is easier than you might think.

Taking care of your PlayStation VR means making sure that it stays nice and clean. After all, nobody wants to accidentally overheat their system because of dust, or wear a headset that is covered in someone else’s dirt. Thankfully, keeping your system clean is quite easy and we’ve got all the details for you here.

Read More at VR Heads!

You can already buy Samsung Galaxy S8 cases

If you know for sure you’re getting the Samsung Galaxy S8, you can already buy some cases.

Samsung is set to officially unveil the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus on March 29, and is expected to start shipping out to stores and pre-orderers by late April — but that doesn’t mean you need to wait to start shopping for cases.

Case manufacturers are often some of the first to receive concrete specs and design details for new phones so that they can have their own accessories and products ready to be sold on day one. Search Amazon for “Samsung Galaxy S8 Cases” and you’ll find a whole bunch of options populating your search results, so you can start buying cases for your phone right now… But should you?

We’ve vetted a few case options that are up on Amazon right now if you’re that eager, but we’re still waiting a lot of major manufacturers to jump into the game yet.

• Moko Heavy Duty Case with Holster Belt Clip and Kickstand
• SUPCASE Unicorn Beetle Case
• VRS Cases pre-order
• Spigen cases leaked

Moko Heavy Duty Case with Holster Belt Clip and Kickstand

Moko offers cheap and rugged cases for phones, and this dual-layered case will offer some great protection for your brand new device — if you don’t mind completely covering the sleek design.

There are ample cutouts around the charging port and headphone jack so you don’t have to worry about your accessories not fitting, and there’s a lip around the screen for added protection. Moko also includes a convenient kickstand for hands-free viewing on the back, along with a belt clip holster if you’re into that sort of thing.

Available for $9, it’s a cheap investment for those who absolutely want to keep their phone protected the minute they take it out of the box.

See at Amazon

SUPCASE Unicorn Beetle Case

Another rugged case we’ve seen available so far is the Unicorn Beetle case from SUPCASE. We’ve recommended this case style before for other cases because it’s got a heavy-duty build to it while remaining slim and stylish.

It’s really the only other option we’ve seen on Amazon that’s worth recommending so far.

See at Amazon

VRS Design Cases pre-order

VRS Design is showcasing its full line of Galaxy S8 cases on its website. They’re all available for pre-order and will begin shipping out on April 3.

They offer a number of great protection choices for the S8 — from sleek and simple clear cases to stylish wallet folio options. You’ll definitely want to check them out!

See at VRS Design

Spigen cases leaked

While not officially out yet, Spigen cases have started to leak out recently — Android Pure first leaked a render of the Spigen Rugged Armor case for the S8 and then later more Spigen case renders a few days later.

These cases are currently not available for purchase from either Amazon or Spigen’s website, but they’re clearly on their way. Spigen is one of our most trusted brands for cases, so if you love their styles, we recommend waiting until they officially go on sale.

Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+

• Latest Galaxy S8 rumors!
• Galaxy S8 announcement coming March 29 in NYC
• Galaxy S8 release date set for April 28
• Join our Galaxy S8 forums

Google Play now gives away a paid app every week

Android has millions of free titles, but some paid titles need to be shared.

There are millions of free apps available on the Play Store, and many of them are pretty great. But there are also millions of paid apps that don’t always get the attention they deserve.

Now, Google wants to highlight a few of those paid titles by offering a free app or game of the week. The first one is Card Wars — Adventure Time, a lighthearted card trading and battle game that usually runs for $2.99, but this week is going gratis.

Like Apple’s version of the same, it appears Google will highlight a single title each week, and chances are it will be a paid game that also has in-app purchases. That benefits both Google and the developer, since it gets a chance to add millions of new users and ramp up revenue.

This isn’t the first time Google has given away paid apps for free. It started the practice in its then-nascent Family section back in 2015, but that particular enterprise seems to have faded away for this more broad version.

Android Gaming

• Best Android games
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• Best games with no in-app purchases
• Best action games for Android
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• All the Android gaming news!

Samsung commits to recycle all 4.3 million defunct Galaxy Note 7s

Samsung has today announced that it has listened to campaigns and protests urging it to recycle all 4.3 million ill-fated Galaxy Note 7 devices produced and recalled worldwide.

• Samsung Galaxy Note is dead, bereft of life, it has ceased to be…it is an ex-smartphone

Environmental organisation Greenpeace says there has been five months of campaigning, hoping technology giant Samsung would listen to demands and dispose of the smartphones using environmentally friendly techniques.

Samsung has also posted on its website three key practices it will follow for all upcoming smartphones and electronics. The company is committed to:

• Refurbishing and selling any recalled smartphones or use them as rental phones
• Detach salvageable components, such as semiconductors or camera modules, for reuse or sale
• Extract metals using environmentally friendly methods

Samsung has also laid out plans to commit to helping the European Union research and develop a new environmentally friendly technology to recycle smartphones.

Jude Lee, Global Senior Campaigner at Greenpeace East Asia said while Greenpeace appreciates Samsung’s promises and commitments, it now needs to produce a timeline to show when they will be put into effect.

Production of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 was halted in October, just three months after it went on sale because of issues with the battery that caused many devices to overheat, catch fire and explode. 

Korean news outlet Hankyung had previously reported that Samsung would sell refurbished models of the Note 7, albeit without the affected batteries inside, in emerging markets such as India and Vietnam. They wouldn’t be able to be resold in the US or Europe because a full ban had been imposed. 

Some Galaxy Note 7 owners, especially in Korea, were reported to have not sent their handset back to Samsung during its recall. With safety a concern above all else, Samsung issued an over the air software update that would prevent the Note 7 from recharging, so when the battery level went down to zero, the phone would effectively become a brick.

Quake Champions explained: Everything you should know about the return of the eSports king

Without Quake, it’s debatable whether the eSports scene as we know it would ever have existed. The seminal 1996 first-person shooter introduced multiplayer action – over a LAN in those days – to the genre, and the rest is history. It was Quake that introduced the concept of professional gamers to the world.

Now, in the thoroughly modern form of Quake Champions for Windows PCs only, it is poised to make a comeback in a world in which eSports have become a global phenomenon. But can a reinvention of the originator reclaim its throne in a world littered with hugely popular modern upstarts like Overwatch?

We caught up with id Software’s creative director Tim Willitts, who worked on the original Quake and every Quake game since. He was only too happy to reveal what will make Quake Champions tick.

Quake Champions: What is it about?

When invited to describe the basics of Quake Champions, Willitt revealed all: “We like to present Quake Champions as a new, multiplayer-only arena-based Quake game, with the addition of champions,” he said.

“We feel that having champions with unique abilities and different attributes adds a layer of design to the game that makes it more strategic. In team-play, it definitely makes it more strategic, and it allows players to find the champions that they feel most comfortable with. Then the champion and the player can progress together.”

Being able to play as characters with different attributes is definitely a first for a Quake game, but also sounds suspiciously reminiscent of Overwatch.

Willitts acknowledges that, but was keen to point out that it’s still very much Quake: “When you think of Champions, you immediately say, ‘There are a lot of hero-based games out there – why is this one different?’ But each of our champions is fundamentally different: they really play differently.

“A lot of it comes down to how you play with that particular champion. Quake Champions is still at its heart a skill-based game, where the champions really don’t change the way you play the game – they enhance it and add to that experience.”

Who are the Quake Champions?

Willitts wouldn’t be drawn on exactly how many playable characters will be in Quake Champions at launch: “We want around about a dozen or so, but we want to continually update the game. So even when we launch and bring everybody into the game, we’re going to continue to release champions, we’re going to continue to release new game modes and we’re going to continue to release new weapons if we come up with them. It is a living game.”

Bethesda

Currently, on the Quake Champions website you can find eight champions: Nyx, Scalebearer, Anarki, Clutch, Galena, Ranger, Visor and Sorlag.

Willitts was happy to flesh out his favourite champions with a bit more detail: “Let’s start with Ranger: it’s the character we feel people will be most comfortable with coming from Quake Live or Quake III Arena. His movement-speed and air-control are very similar [to those of the character you play in those games] and his active ability is the Dire Orb, which he can throw so it teleports you. At the end of Quake, in which you play Ranger, you kill the final boss Shub-Niggurath with the Dire Orb.

“Today, we put Nyx up on the website, and her active ability is the Ghostwalk, which helps her to basically phase out of existence for a few moments and then phase back. She’s also light-footed and fast, and her passive ability is a kind of wall-run, so you can jump up on a wall and then jump down as well. She does not come with a weapon – you still have to pick up all the weapons, but that’s her particular character.

“The character I like to play the most is Galena. Galena is an unholy paladin and she can actually throw down totems, which is very new for a Quake game. Those can heal team-mates or yourself, or they can act as landmines. So those are the types of abilities that we’re integrating into our champions.”

Quake Champions: Weapons

As far as the weapons in Quake Champions are concerned, Willitts had a clear message: “The holy trinity of Quake is of course rocket, rail and lightning gun, so we did not mess with the holy trinity, okay? We would be roasted if we messed with them.

“We’ve kept a lot of the weapons pretty familiar – but we have a few surprises that I don’t want to announce quite yet. Remember, the Quake weapons have been refined, debated and tweaked for 21 years. So we know the speed of a rocket, and we know the damage-over-time of a lightning gun. I want our players to understand that they are going to feel right at home with the weapons. That was really important for us: not to mess that up.”

Quake Champions: Game modes, 1v1 and team PvP

Multiplayer online games like Quake Champions live or die on the back of their game modes, which must include the means of both capturing the imagination of the eSports community and satisfying the less hardcore general gaming public.

Willitts pointed out that, as with the champions, game modes will be added to Quake Champions post-launch. He offered an insight into how some are still being tweaked and highlights the presence of one-versus-one modes alongside the more familiar team-based modes.

Bethesda

He said: “There are a lot of popular first-person shooters in the eSports world right now, but they don’t have one-versus-one. Our Duel mode allows you to pick your group of champions and then compete one-versus-one, so there’s more strategy.

“Depending on what you and the other player picks, you can really have a lot of thinking to do and analysis in the matches, and it becomes another layer on top of just the raw skill that I think people will really be encouraged with. It fills a nice little missing 1v1 hole that we currently have in the competitive games industry.

“Our current Duel mode allows you to bring three champions into the match, so you need to figure out which ones will work best. Like, for instance, Galena is better in team game modes, I believe, than 1v1. But then I had an argument with one of our programmers who said: ‘No, no, no: you can use her offensively in 1v1, and if you play her like this, you’ll have an advantage.’

“We’re waiting to hear back from our fans after our closed beta test about what people think of Duel. We may tweak it some, but our current plan is to start with three champions.”

The team gameplay modes should be pretty familiar to aficionados of Quake Live and Quake III: Arena: “Out of the gate we will of course have Team Deathmatch, Free-For-All, Duel mode, and then we have a new team mode called Sacrifice, for which we’ve already changed the game rules once.” said Willitts.

“[Originally] you held your Sacrifice Point and then you got more points for your frags, but now we’re switching it to an act, so that you have to activate the points. So that game mode is still being developed.”

Tantalisingly, he added that id Software is working on another team-based mode, but declined to add any detail.

Quake Champions: Mass-market appeal

One aspect that went a long way towards the massive success of Overwatch was the clever way in which, while accommodating those with pro-gamer aspirations, it also managed to appeal to those with less ninja-like fast-twitch skills. So far, Quake Champions sounds pretty damn hardcore – so what is in it for mere gaming mortals?

“We’re trying to introduce some champions who might appeal to people who are new to the game: Sorlag is one. Then there are our Rune Challenges, individual challenges that you are rewarded for.

“You can focus on, say, doing nothing but getting 10 kills with the rocket-launcher. For that, I’d play a team game and match-make into people that are around my skill-level. It builds a reward loop that people can get hooked on.

“In the process of completing those rewards, you will eventually become better and better. Some of the most enjoyable game experiences I’ve had have been playing with a group of people that are roughly my skill-level. I’m a big team-play fan: I like helping my team out.”

Quake Champions: Free-to-play

It won’t matter if your limited skills mean you can’t hack it at the top level in Quake Champions since, in its base state, it will be free-to-play.

However, as Willitts explained, you will be able to pay to unlock all the champions: “The game is free-to-play, with an option to buy the Champion Pack. For the people who just want to buy a Quake game and not deal with any free-to-play stuff, it’s super-easy: they just buy the Champion Pack, get all the Champions and off they go. Then, if you’re a free-to-play player, you can take the free-to-play route. You’re going to play with the same pool of people – there’s no separation between maps, characters and stuff.

Bethesda

“We believe we can get the largest critical mass that we need to be a competitive game – especially in North America and Western Europe, where most people may prefer to pay some money and get the champions. But there are large groups of people who do prefer, especially for a multiplayer PC game, to take the free-to-pay path.”

Those taking the free-to-play route will have to grind to unlock the champions, and Willitts explained that system: “You earn Favour from the Gods – the Elder Gods, as in the lore from Quake I – so as you play, you earn Favour, and you use your Favour to play with the other champions.”

On paper at least, Quake Champions sounds perfectly equipped to take on the likes of Overwatch and win over the modern eSports community which its 1996 predecessor originally spawned. Having that unique Quake ambience can only help, as will id Software’s stated willingness to consult pro-players and tweak the game post-launch.

Whether it will appeal to a more casual audience remains to be seen, but watching it slug things out with Overwatch will at the very least be a fascinating spectacle.

The best Galaxy S6 and S7 trade-in deals

Whether you’re itching to get your hands on the Galaxy S8 or you want to upgrade to another phone, you might be thinking about trading in your older Galaxy S7 and S6 phones.

To help you make that decision, we’ve rounded up the trade-in values for different Galaxy devices, so that you can know what your phone is worth and where you should trade it in.

We looked at what eight different companies that are willing to pay you for your old phone, focusing on the black versions of the Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge, Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge models; we also list what you can expect for the 32 GB and 64 GB versions (in the cases where that latter configuration is an option).

TL;DR: Go with Glyde or Swappa

Based on our analysis, Glyde and Swappa tend to offer the highest trade-in values. For instance, for a 32GB Galaxy S7 on Verizon, Swappa offers $349 and Glyde $304. Compare that to just $135 for Gazelle and $160 for Amazon.

It was a similar story for the Galaxy S6 Edge on T-Mobile. Swappa offered us $364 for a 32GB version of the handset, compared to just $80 for GameStop and $96 on Wal-Mart.

MORE: Here’s How the Galaxy S8’s Coolest Feature Will Work

In general, we noticed that Sprint Galaxy phones have less trade-in value than other carriers. Plus, you aren’t likely to get as good deal from Gamestop or Wal-Mart.

Note that 64GB versions of the S7 and S6 have been more popular overseas and not sold through U.S. carriers, which is why you see so few of them being accepted as trade-ins. The Galaxy S8 will likely offer 64GB in the U.S., though.

Galaxy S7 (32 GB)

The best trade-in value for last year’s S7 comes from Swappa, which will give you $416 for an unlocked 32GB S7. Swappa’s values are the best across the board, though Glyde comes close, offering between $304 and $340 depending on which carrier your phone is tied to.

MORE: Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus Prices Leaked: Just Too High?

Galaxy S7 (64 GB)

Not many outlets will buy back the 64GB version of the Galaxy S7, but an unlocked version fetches the best return from Swappa at $416. The only other retailer offering trade-ins for the 64GB model is Next Worth, which will pay as much as $250 for the AT&T version of the phone.

Galaxy S7 Edge (Credit: Sam Rutherford/Tom’s Guide)

Galaxy S7 Edge (32 GB)

And unlocked 32GB Galaxy S7 Edge will fetch $503 from Swappa, though the retailer offers the best trade-ins even for carrier-tied versions of the phone. The $395 Glyde will pay for AT&T and Sprint versions of the S7 Edge are also worth noting.

Galaxy S7 Edge (64 GB)

As with the S7, you’ll find few trade-in options for the 64GB version of the S7 Edge, though Swappa offers the most money.

MORE: Snapdragon 835 Benchmarks Tease Galaxy S8’s Sheer Power

Galaxy S6 (Credit: Jeremy Lips/Tom’s Guide)

Galaxy S6 (32 GB)

An unlocked 32GB Galaxy S6 will get you $285 from Swappa. But if you’ve got a version of that phone that’s tied to either Sprint or T-Mobile, consider Glyde, which either matches or beats Swappa’s price.

Galaxy S6 (64 GB)

While Swappa offers the biggest value for the unlocked 64GB Galaxy S6, Glyde has the best trade-in value for each of the carrier versions of that phone.

MORE: Galaxy S8’s Bixby Now Official: Here’s What It Does

Galaxy S6 Edge (32 GB)

Swappa’s the choice here, offering $348 for an unlocked 32GB Galaxy S6 Edge. It also has the best trade-in values for carrier versions, giving you between $266 and $364 back.

Galaxy S6 Edge (64 GB)

Swappa will give you $365 if you trade-in an unlocked 64GB of the Galaxy S6 Edge. It also offers the best trade-ins for carrier-tied versions of the phone, though Glyde is the only other outlet to offer trade-ins higher than $200 on those models.

More from Tom’s Guide:

• Most Anticipated Phones of 2017
• Best Big Phones: Top Picks 5.5 Inches or Larger
• Smartphone Buying Guide
• Who Has the Best Cellphone Plan?

Uber resumes self-driving car tests following crash

Uber’s freeze on self-driving car tests following the Arizona crash was very short-lived. The ridesharing firm tells Engadget that it’s “resuming our development operations” in San Francisco as of this morning — you should see test cars back on the streets very shortly. The Arizona and Pittsburgh cars are still idle as of this writing, but they’re expected to go back into service soon.

The company hasn’t said exactly why it’s resuming so quickly. We’ve reached out and will let you know if it can provide more details. However, the initial reports surrounding the crash suggest that there wasn’t much Uber could have done. The company’s Volvo XC90 test mule was knocked on its side after another driver failed to yield — autonomous vehicles are certainly supposed to react to human drivers, but there’s no guarantee that they can always respond to someone ignoring the rules.