How to get the limited edition OnePlus 3T in Midnight Black, but be quick

OnePlus has introduced a Midnight Black version of its popular flagship-killing phone. This all-black finish – according to OnePlus – was chosen after testing 30 different variations. It will initially be available in a limited run of 250 models, just like the special edition launched recently in partnership with Collette in Paris.

To be one of the first to get hold of it, you need to head to the Hypebeast listing at 4PM GMT on 24 March, and hope you’re among the first 250 customers to stump up the $479/€479/£439 for the 128GB phone with 6GB RAM. 

• OnePlus 3T tips and tricks: Master your 2017 flagship killer

If you aren’t fast enough, and they’ve sold out before you make it to the product listing, there will still be a chance to get hold of one soon.

OnePlus says you’ll be able to buy the Midnight Black version from its own online store at some point in the future in the US and Europe, although that will also be just for a limited time. 

OnePlus

To make the new colour, OnePlus applies three 14-micron thick dark coatings, which is thin enough to maintain the natural metallic look and feel of the solid aluminium body. After being coated, the phone goes through two sandblasting sessions to give it that reflective quality we’ve seen on the OnePlus 3T in the past.

Finally, a thin protective layer is applied to discourage excessive fingerprint smudges. If it’s as good as OnePlus claims, this should be enough to keep it looking new for a long time. 

• OnePlus 3T review: The best mid-price phone, now with Nougat sweetness

Inside, it’s the same OnePlus 3T we know and love from the end of 2016, and is easily one of the best phones you can buy, especially at the price.

The front hosts a 5.5-inch AMOLED Full HD screen and a fast fingerprint scanner. Its body is hewn from a single block of Aluminium, which is curved slightly on the back to give it an ergonomic feel.

Inside, powering the device, is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor along with a 3,300mAh battery which easily lasts all day and charges stupendously fast thanks to OnePlus’ Dash Charge. 

London police allegedly used hackers to target activists

If it wasn’t already clear why it’s a problem when police surveillance goes wrong, it is now. An independent investigator is looking into claims that London’s Metropolitan Police used an illegal, roundabout way to access the emails of activists and journalists. An anonymous former worker alleges that a Met intelligence unit took advantage of India “counterparts” that used hackers to obtain email logins for innocent people ranging from Greenpeace protesters to Guardian reporters. The snooping had been going on for a “number of years,” according to the insider, and there was reportedly widespread document shredding to cover up the monitoring.

There’s evidence to support the claim. The tipster provided passwords for 10 email accounts, most of which have been proven authentic by the users themselves.

The investigation is still early, but a police spokesman says that the claims are “deeply troubling” and that the force will provide its “fullest possible support.” If the allegations are as serious as they sound, though, they would represent a serious blow to the Met’s reputation. They would show that a key law enforcement division was regularly spying on people who weren’t even suspected of crimes, and was fully aware that it was doing something wrong.

Via: Ars Technica

Source: The Guardian, BBC

Lights out on a ghostly James Webb Space Telescope inspection

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) might be the most important scientific instrument ever developed. It’ll peer back in time over 13 billion years to the early universe and look for signs of life around the recently discovered TRAPPIST-1 planetary system.

Launching it next year to its final “L2 Lagrange point” orbit (around the Sun, not the Earth) a million miles away will be one of the most complex NASA missions ever. With an $8.8 billion budget and month-long wait before it’s deployed, it’s bound to be one of the most suspenseful, too.

As such, scientists want to ensure there’s not a single thing wrong when it’s launched next year. The JWST recently underwent “earsplitting” 150 decibel acoustic tests to ensure it’s ready to ride the Ariane 5 and its nearly 3 million pounds of maximum thrust. Prior to that, vibration tests were completed successfully last month after a delay in December caused by testing rig issues.

Shaking the telescope up is just part one, however. After that, teams must go in and look for pieces and particles that may have fallen off. First, the lights are turned out, then NASA’s “contamination control engineers” scour the JWST with bright and ultraviolet flashlights. Contamination stands out in a dark room, so it can easily be flagged by personnel.

That’s where this ghostly photo at the top of the article comes in. Getting a decent picture in the dark requires a long exposure, so NASA photographer Chris Gunn left the shutter open for what looks like at least a few minutes. The contamination technicians’ movements appears as blurs and half-exposed avatars, while their flashlights make flashes and lightning-like traces along the scope’s mirrored surfaces. Gunn said he also used a “light painting” technique to illuminate the main mirror.

As the telescope must unfold in space (it’s shown above in a stowed position on the Ariane 5 ESL), its dynamic structure makes testing a challenge compared to the fixed-position Hubble scope. “Webb is the first time we’re building for both stability and mobility,” said JWST engineer Lee Feinberg. “This means that JWST testing is very unique, complex, and challenging.”

Source: NASA

Instagram will help you book a haircut

Instagram will soon be about more than browsing your friends’ photographic adventures. The social service tells Bloomberg that it will soon add an option to book appointments by visiting a company’s profile. Yes, you could schedule that overdue haircut in between liking cat photos. The feature is only slated to arrive sometime within the “next couple months,” but there’s talk of adding reviews and other tools in the future.

It’s no secret as to why Instagram would make such a move. It’s determined to make shopping a mainstay feature, and appointment-based business is a logical extension of that. Garages, restaurants and salons may be more likely to buy those all-important Instagram ads if they know that the promos will lead directly to more reservations. And when Instagram notes that 80 percent of its many users follow at least one business, that’s a lot of potential new customers.

Source: Bloomberg

Google plans faster updates for all Android phones in 2017

If you didn’t get a timely update on your Moto, Samsung or HTC device, but your friend over there with the Google Pixel did, it’s not necessarily the manufacturer’s fault. The complexity of Android, especially when it comes to security, is also a big part of the problem. In fact, Google revealed that around half of the 1.4 billion Android devices out there didn’t get important security patches in 2016. This year, however, it plans to work more closely with smartphone makers to improve that stat.

You have reason to be skeptical about such talk. The Android Update Alliance fizzled out for commercial and logistical reasons, and Google’s vow to name and shame slow vendors probably didn’t create a strong rapport. Unfortunately, mandatory security fixes caused by exploits and other issues are more and more frequent, and the consequences of not fixing them increasingly dire.

At the same time, there are hundreds of carriers and manufacturers that have their own ways of testing and deploying patches. So, while Google Nexus and Pixel buyers are getting the latest security fixes immediately, other Android users often wait for months.

The Pixel and Pixel XL complete with the latest security fixes

However, Google tells Techcrunch that it has been working closely with manufacturers and recently got wait times down from six to nine weeks to several days. “In North America, just over 78 percent of flagship devices were current with the security update at the end of 2016,” said security lead Adrian Ludwig. An example of that is Samsung, which recently vowed to release security patches every month. (This just applies to security updates and doesn’t necessarily mean that your aging Galaxy device will get the latest Android OS more quickly, though.)

Google adds that it’s easing manufacturer security rollouts by releasing so-called A/B updates that reduce the likelihood of a bricked phone after a patch. It’s also reducing the size of security fixes to ensure faster downloads, and letting consumers install them without the need to give permission every time.

At the same time, Google is giving manufacturers information about updates from their peers in the industry. “Everyone knew the update rate was low but they thought it was caused by someone else,” said Ludwig. “Providing the information allowed them to take action.”

Google has also reduced harmful apps by scanning the Play store more often — 750 million times in 2016 compared to 450 million in 2017, to be exact. That helped them drop the frequency of trojans by 51.5 percent, backdoors by 30.5 percent, phishing apps by 73.4 percent and hostile downloaders by 54.6 percent compared to 2015. The company also made numerous fixes for Nougat in the areas of Encryption, audio and video and enterprise — which is great, assuming you’ve already got it.

Source: Google

Google Maps Introduces New Location Sharing Feature With Real-Time Friend Tracking

Google today announced an update coming to the iOS, Android, and desktop versions of Google Maps will introduce a way for users to share their real-time locations with friends and family. Google’s update differs from the location sharing in Apple Maps, Messages, and Find My Friends, which all lack the ability to follow friends around on a map in real-time.

In Google Maps on iOS, users will be able to tap into the app’s side menu, choose “Share Location,” and pick from a selection of approved contacts who will see their current location. Contacts are pulled from existing Google accounts, and users can also send links through Messages to friends who aren’t on their contacts list when they need to share their location.

After a user’s location is shared, their chosen contacts will see where they are within Google Maps, represented as a small face icon that moves in real-time according to where the sharer is located. A small icon above the compass in the app will remind users that their location is being shared for the period of time they requested, but they can also choose to end sharing early.

Google today posted a video to detail a real scenario where its location sharing feature could come in handy, focusing on the creation of a surprise birthday party. The video also shows off how users can share their car trips with friends, so they can see an ETA on when the sharer should be arriving.

Google said that location sharing will be rolling out worldwide sometime soon. Google Maps can be downloaded for free from the iOS App Store. [Direct Link]

Tag: Google Maps
Discuss this article in our forums

Hackers Claim Access to 300 Million iCloud Accounts, Say Apple Refused to Pay $75,000 Ransom

A single hacker or group of hackers who have identified themselves as the “Turkish Crime Family” allegedly have access to at least 300 million iCloud accounts, but they are willing to delete the alleged cache of data if Apple pays a ransom by early next month, according to a report from Motherboard.

The hackers have allegedly demanded $75,000 to be paid in cryptocurrencies Bitcoin or Ethereum, or $100,000 worth of iTunes gift cards, by April 7, or they will reset a number of the iCloud accounts and remotely wipe victims’ Apple devices. The email accounts are said to include @iCloud.com and @me.com addresses.

The report said that the hackers “provided screenshots of alleged emails between the group and members of Apple’s security team,” while the hackers also shared an unlinked YouTube video that seemingly shows proof of them accessing “an elderly woman’s iCloud account” and “the ability to remotely wipe the device.”

If the screenshotted email is accurate, which it very well might not be, a member of Apple’s security team turned down the ransom, noting that Apple does “not reward cyber criminals for breaking the law.”

“We firstly kindly request you to remove the video that you have uploaded on your YouTube channel as it’s seeking unwanted attention, second of all we would like you to know that we do not reward cyber criminals for breaking the law,” a message allegedly from a member of Apple’s security team reads. (Motherboard only saw a screenshot of this message, and not the original). The alleged Apple team member then says archived communications with the hacker will be sent to the authorities.

Apple did apparently request to see a sample of the dataset, according to the report, but it is unclear if the hackers obliged.

“I just want my money and thought this would be an interesting report that a lot of Apple customers would be interested in reading and hearing,” one of the hackers said.

The report should be treated with a healthy dose of skepticism, as these allegations could be untrue, and Apple has yet to confirm or comment on the matter.

Tags: security, iCloud
Discuss this article in our forums

Virgin Media now offers up to 100 Mbps broadband as standard

Virgin Media’s slowest fibre broadband package is now faster than the top speeds offered by other mainstream UK providers. In its first tariff reshuffle in some time, Virgin is scrapping its up to 50 Mbps plan, making the up to 100 Mbps package the new entry-level tier. What’s more, there’s now a VIVID 300 plan promising top speeds of 300 Mbps, which eclipses the best competitors like BT, Sky and TalkTalk can offer (up to 76 Mbps max). Virgin first made up to 300 Mbps fibre available this time last year, but only as a special upgrade aimed at home workers. Today it becomes a more visible option for regular consumers.

Prices have gotten a little bit cheaper across the board, too. Assuming a 12-month contract length, the VIVID 100 plan is a fiver cheaper at £32.25 per month. The up to 200 Mbps VIVID 200 tier is now £37.25 per month (down from £45.25), and the gamer variant (with a slightly better up to 20 Mbps upload rate) is £42.25 per month instead of £50.25. The new VIVID 300 plan is obviously the priciest at £47.25 per month. Various deals are also available if you take a TV package in tandem.

By making 100 Mbps its slowest package and the 300 Mbps tier more visible, Virgin Media is keeping a couple of steps ahead of its rivals. Particularly BT (or should we say Openreach), which has been piloting G.fast technology for a while now, alongside increasing its fibre footprint. G.fast promises top speeds of around 300 Mbps while still using old copper wires for the last few hundred metres, meaning less upgrade work is needed to deliver it.

Source: Virgin Media

VAIO’s slick metal Windows Phone is resurrected for Android

VAIO, freed from the Sony yoke, made one ropey-looking Android phone all on its own. Then, learning several lessons, it made a gorgeous, machined slab of aluminum that, unfortunately, ran Windows Phone 10. Now, like practically all other phone makers, its changing tack, introducing the VAIO Phone A: an identical phone that’s running Android 6.0.

Launching in early April on Japanese phone carriers (if not elsewhere at the moment), the spec sheet remains largely unchanged — although VAIO has added a few more 3G radios and a second SIM card slot to make it at least a little bit more global. (Yeah, we’re eking out any signs that it might leave Japan.) It still has a full HD 5.5-inch screen, a Snapdragon 617 processor and a good three-gig dose of RAM, which is all fine, but you’ll probably be buying it for the classy looks, not the smarts inside. (There are plenty of higher-powered Android phones out there.)

VAIO Phone A launches on April 7th, in Japan alone for now, where you’ll have to cough up 24,800 yen (around $2230) for that aluminum slab. There is, at least, more demand for Android-powered phones.

Source: Engadget Japanese

Google Maps’ location-sharing feature is one you might actually use

Google has been busy beefing up Maps recently. Beyond just using it for turn-by-turn directions, you can now use Maps to remember where you parked, find reviews for nearby restaurants and avoid heavily congested areas. Today, the search giant has revealed yet another Maps feature: location-sharing. With just a few taps in the app, you can now share your real-time location with friends and family. It’s a feature that can be handy for when you’re running late to an appointment or if you simply want your buddies to keep tabs on your whereabouts.

Location-sharing isn’t a new concept; you can already do this with apps like Waze and Glympse (And yes, those who remember Latitude know this feature existed there as well). But because Maps is already a widely used product and integrated in many smartphones, the entry barrier is much lower. Sharing your location on Maps is pretty easy too; simply tap the blue dot that represents you and then tap “Share location” (This option is also accessible via a side menu). You can then select who you want to share your whereabouts to, and for how long — time-based sharing can be anywhere from 15 minutes to 3 days.

After you hit “Share,” you’ll be able to see who you’re sharing your location with on the app and, as you might expect, your friends will see your dot on their app too. You’ll also see an icon above the compass on your map to remind you that you’re sharing your location. Once your friend sees that you’re sharing your location, they can choose to reciprocate the action and share their location back to you too. Either that, or they can bring up directions on how to get to where you are.

Alternately, you can choose “Until you turn it off,” which has no time period attached. It’s an option that’s more well-suited to very close friends or family members — or at least to anyone whom you wouldn’t mind sharing where you are 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. On top of seeing this information every time you launch the app, Google says you’ll also get an email reminder every few weeks to let you know that, hey, you’re still sharing your location with this person, so make sure it’s someone you trust.

If the person you’re sharing with is not in your Google contacts, you can also copy and paste a link and share it to them via text or email. However, these links are restricted to time-based location-sharing for safety reasons — the links will expire once the time is up.

There are other features too. Say you have a friend who’s a bit of the oversharing type, and you really have no desire to see where he or she is all the time. If you want, you can also “hide” them from the map and you won’t be able to see them. You can easily “unhide” them again if you want to know where they are. Also, if you’re on Android, you can actually add someone’s location pin to your home screen, to make it easier to keep tabs on them.

Aside from your location, you can also share your trip progress by selecting “Share trip.” This essentially lets your friends know your expected arrival time and, just to let them know you’re not lying about traffic, they can follow you on your journey. Once you arrive, sharing will automatically end.

There’s some measure of risk when sharing your location, so Google took pains to say that you should only do it with someone you trust. Additionally, you always have the option of ending sharing whenever you want, and you’ll always know when you’re sharing your location with someone. “The feature is much more biased towards temporary time sharing,” says Jen Fitzpatrick, the Vice President of Google Maps, adding that it’s the default option in the app.

“Our goal is guiding and assisting users in the real world everyday,” she says. “We’re stretching people’s perceptions on what maps can do for them, and the real world tasks that we can help them with.”

Google will be rolling out this feature to Maps worldwide over the next few weeks, on both Android and iOS.