Malware Attacks on Macs Up 744% in 2016, Mostly Due to Adware

Malware attacks on Macs were up 744 percent in 2016, according to the latest Threat Report shared by McAfee Labs [PDF]. Mac users don’t need to be overly alarmed, though, because much of that huge jump can be attributed to adware bundling. macOS malware samples jumped up 245 percent in the fourth quarter of 2016 alone just from adware.

Adware, while irritating, is less alarming than true malware attacks that can hijack a machine or render it unusable.

McAfee says it discovered 460,000 malware samples on Mac machines, a huge increase over 2015 numbers, but still just a small portion of overall malware out in the wild. According to McAfee, there were more than 630 million total instances of malware last year.

While most of the surge in Mac malware was adware, we’ve still heard about some alarming Mac-based attacks over the course of the last year, including ransomware distributed via trusted BitTorrent client Transmission, Backdoor.MAC.Eleanor, Xagent, which could steal passwords and iPhone backups, and more.

Mac users who want to avoid malware and adware should only download software from trusted developers and directly from the Mac App Store, which should keep Mac machines relatively safe.

Tag: malware
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Gboard update for Android to bring floating keyboard, GIF suggestions, more

Why it matters to you

Gboard offers perhaps the most pleasant typing experience on Android, with a long list of features and endless customization options to tailor it to your style and usage.

Google is pushing out an update to Gboard on Android that brings with it a variety of improvements, mostly targeting customization, one-handed mode, and text editing. Version 6.2 is now live for beta users, and should be reaching everyone else over the coming days.

New to this release is a “floating keyboard” mode, which allows you to resize and move the keyboard around a window at the bottom of your phone’s display. In practice, it looks a little strange, but will no doubt be useful to anyone who wants a custom-tailored typing experience. Unfortunately, the space below the keyboard is still obscured no matter where it is placed, which diminishes some of the usefulness.

More: Google’s updated Search app comes with Gboard, Google’s third-party keyboard

There’s also a new editing panel that is sure to be a hit for those who find themselves always working on the go. With arrow keys, you can now move through entire sections of text and make more precise selections, instead of scrubbing through words with your fingers. Dedicated copy, paste, and select all buttons have also been built in. These functions are hidden away within the ‘G’ button on the top left of the keyboard.

One of the more entertaining additions involves suggested GIFs, which now pop up alongside predicted words based on what you’re typing. For example, typing “haha” will result in a “funny gif” button, that will lead you to a variety of responses.

Among the more minor changes, Google has now softened the key borders — if you choose to use them — into rounded rectangles. The effect is like a mashup of iOS’s QuickType keyboard and Android’s color schemes.

If you’d rather experience the new Gboard right away instead of waiting for the final release, you can sign up to beta test the app here.

Got $25,000 lying around? This YouTuber built the ultimate VR racing rig

Why it matters to you

This jaw-dropping racing simulator setup calls to mind what video games might be like in the far-flung future — even though it’s a little too expensive for most of us to even consider.

There was a time when owning a racing wheel and a set of pedals was the ultimate in simulating the experience of driving a race car from the comfort of your living room. Now, thanks to the advent of commercial virtual reality headsets, racing fans can go even further when it comes to their hardware.

Earlier this week, YouTube user machkun1 shared a video of his rig, and it’s fair to say that it’s a rather impressive setup. Combining an Oculus Rift headset with a motion simulator and various other racing peripherals, it’s easy to see how the hardware could heighten the experience during a virtual race day.

More: Has Intel turned into a virtual reality film studio? We found out

The intricate setup is used to make Dirt Rally an even more immersive experience, but it’s good for more than just the racing genre. Another one of machkun1’s videos demonstrates how the build can be used in Eve: Valkryie, a dogfighting spinoff of the popular interstellar MMO.

It should come as no surprise that a setup as impressive as this one was very expensive to assemble. The hardware required to build the rig is estimated to cost around $25,000, according to a report from Road to VR.

Most of that sum is related to the R-Craft Multi AXIS Motion Simulator that moves the player around in response to what’s going on in-game. It costs in the region of $20,000, but it’s difficult to deny that it provides a game-changing sense of immersion when paired with the visuals supplied by a virtual reality headset.

The majority of people will never be able to throw down $25,000 on a gaming setup like this one, as tempting as the idea might be. However, if VR arcades take off as a result of headsets being made widely available, it wouldn’t be surprising to see hardware like this made available to the public on a pay-per-play basis.

Take ‘Grand Theft Auto V’ to the next level with these 20 mods

The PC version of Grand Theft Auto V offers many advantages over the console release. Better graphics, improved multiplayer, and support for higher resolutions are among them. Yet all of these pale in comparison to the most important advantage of all: Modifications.

An open-world game like GTA V begs to be modded, and for the first time, that’s possible. Naturally, it has led to plenty of insanity that can multiply the game’s fun factor or increase its longevity. Here are the current top 20 must-have mods.

Script Hook V and Native Trainer

If you’re going to download any mods, download this first. Script Hook V makes the game’s scripts available to others, and so is a requirement for some GTA V mods (often, they’ll bundle the scripthook .dll just to be sure). This mod also gives you access to a feature-rich trainer that can turn you into a virtual god, and isn’t causing chaos half the fun of a sandbox game?

Marlowe Valley Safehouse

This mod turns Marlowe Valley into a luxurious safehouse that also happens to have an airport and adjacent runway. With garages — including a tuning garage — and parking spaces to store more than 50 cars, Marlowe Valley becomes a hideout fit for a high roller. There’s even a military bunker, apartment, and a garden area designed for festivities. You’ll need the Menyoo mod to make it work.

Liberty City

The Liberty City mod turns the world of GTA V into GTA IV, resetting the game map as Grand Theft Auto IV’s Liberty City. The mod is currently in Alpha, and thus has some kinks that need to be worked out. It’s an interesting experiment that is certainly worth checking out for those interested in returning to the iconic Liberty City. There’s also a different Liberty City mod on the horizon to look out for.

Facebook wants to educate users on how to spot ‘fake news’ online

Why it matters to you

Do you find it hard to figure out whether online news is true or not? Facebook wants to help.

Fake news is a real concern on social media these days, and Facebook wants to put an end to it. How? Well, by educating users on how to spot fake news, or, as Facebook calls it, “false news.”

Beginning on April 7, Facebook users in as many as 14 countries will start seeing a link from Facebook on “Tips for spotting false news.” Clicking on that link will bring users to a list of 10 tips on how to better spot fake news, as well as a host of other related resources in the Facebook Help Center.

More: Facebook is using image-recognition tech, human reviewers to combat revenge porn

“News Feed is a place for authentic communication,” said Facebook in a blog post. “Improving news literacy is a global priority, and we need to do our part to help people understand how to make decisions about which sources to trust.”

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen Facebook try and make a stand against the spread of false news. The company recently announced that it had partnered with third-party fact-checking organizations like First Draft to help identify false news links, which are then flagged in the News Feed.

Social media is playing in increasingly important role in the spread of news, and many argue that the spread of fake news on Facebook played a role in the U.S. election. Whether that’s true or not, the fact is that Mark Zuckerberg and his associates feel somewhat responsible for informing the masses, and spreading false information does hinder that.

“False news and hoaxes are harmful to our community and make the world less informed. All of us have a responsibility to curb the spread of false news,” continued the blog post.

It will be interesting to see how the social media platform and other platforms continue to try to shape the kind of news that is spread online.

QuickBlade looks to change paddleboard industry with the innovative Smart Paddle

Why it matters to you

After announcing it in January, QuickBlade’s highly-anticipated Smart Paddle is now available for purchase

With spring in full force, stand up paddleboarding season is right around the corner. And now, for the first time, paddle enthusiasts have the ability to track detailed metrics in real-time with an easy sweep of their blade via new technology courtesy of QuickBlade Paddles. After initially announcing the device at the 2017 Surf Expo Orlando, Florida, the company just began taking orders on the SUP industry’s first ever Smart Paddle.

Owners of QuickBlade’s innovative paddle have access to measurements of speed, distance per stroke, the number of strokes per side, and other performance data while in the water. It also offers paddler’s the ability to create a map of their route and share their sessions via a laptop or a mobile app — once playtime is over, simply remove the adjustable paddle handle, plug it into a USB outlet, and upload the data. The hi-tech paddle is a partnership with the Israeli company Motionize. Jim Terrell, a four-time Olympian and CEO of QuickBlade, said part of the reason for the paddle’s success is that Motionize is well-versed in paddleboarding and understands the sport inside and out.

QuickBlade

“I’m excited that we’ve found a partner that knows paddling like I know paddling, and has managed to make a very user-friendly software that is completely affordable and valuable to any paddler at any ability,” Terrell said.

The Smart Paddle works with an internal sensor in the handle which uses a dual set of nine-axis external sensors to track various metrics. Motionize previously offered a shaft-mounted sensor gadget but users found the device would catch on the side while paddling, or they’d hit their fingers as they slid their hands over the shaft. Now, the company integrated the device into the paddle itself, while also building the sensor several grams lighter by using reduced housing material.

Terrell said he expects the Smart Paddle to improve paddler’s performance in many ways. First, it intends to help them determine a normal stroke rate to allow them the ability to notice when they’re starting to tire or when their form starts falling. This is especially important for beginners developing their form.

“It will give them a few very important things to think about and realize that most beginner paddlers don’t learn until they are months into paddling, and that is the importance of having an effective efficient stroke,” Terrell said. “When paddling you want to learn how to set your blade in the water and most efficiently pull yourself past the submerged blade so that you can paddle further with fewer strokes.”

The Smart Paddle also provides the company a lot of data about paddling itself. With thousands of hours of data to go through, it examines things like the effect cadence has on stroke efficiency. This should lead to future innovations in paddle design and general SUP technology. Terrell said they’re currently working on prototypes for outrigger and dragon boat smart paddles, as well. So far, Terrell said paddlers have enjoyed the new blades, which began shipping March 15.

More: Check out this electric self-inflating paddleboard

“We’ve had a great response, mostly all positive, with a few very good suggestions for improvement etc. going forward,” Terell added. “I am happy with what we can learn from this first version already, and I look forward to what we can together with Motionize do to make it even better.”

Facebook’s “M” assistant pops into chats, offers its help — if you’re a beta tester

Why it matters to you

Facebook M is getting smarter, and as such it’ll be able to help you perform tasks quicker and more easily.

Facebook’s digital assistant, known as M, is about to get a little smarter — and will pop into your chats every now and then to impart its wisdom. In an update announced Thursday, the assistant will suggest actions that it can take on your behalf.

The update will roll out on both iOS and Android, and comes after months of testing. Availability of the new feature will start in the U.S., with a rollout around the world planned for the coming months. Of course, M itself still isn’t rolling out to the wider public — it remains in beta and invite-only modes for now.

More: Tired of boring Facebook profile photos? Upload a profile video instead — here’s how

The way the new feature works is that it will essentially analyze your conversations to look for keywords, which will in turn trigger M’s assistance. For example, if you tell a friend that you’ll get an Uber over to their place, M might pop in to help you book that Uber.

M first launched in summer 2015 as an in-app assistant that you could chat with. The development of the assistant is actually overseen by a team of humans, who track things like conversations and other data to improve M. Because of how resource-intensive the feature is, it remains in beta. Still, M has been improving, to the point where it now handles many tasks without human interference.

The new assistant will certainly be an interesting one when it finally does launch, and it will likely act differently from other digital assistants we’re used to. That’s because instead of being system-wide on iOS or Android, M works pretty much exclusively within Facebook, and it will weave into your everyday communications to be useful when it can.

What size data plan is right for you?

The world runs on data these days, and making sure you have enough to get the most out of your phone, while not paying for more than you need, is a crucial balance to find.

More: The best smartphone you can buy

When it comes to data plans, the best size correlates to how you use your data. Do you use your phone primarily for email and social media? You can probably get away with a smaller data plan. Using your device as a game console, or for video streaming? You’ll want to opt for a larger or even an unlimited plan. We’ve given you some numbers to work with below, so you can see exactly how much data certain tasks use up and get a real sense of what your monthly data needs will be. We’ll also breakdown the plans available from each of the four major U.S. phone companies to help you in making the right decision.

How much data are you using?

Not all apps use the same amount of data. It’s important to know where your data is going and how much you’re using to find the best plan for you. Before we break down the data usages for different apps and features, it’s worth mentioning ways to mitigate data use. No matter what your data limit, it’s always a smart idea to connect to a Wi-Fi network whenever you can. This is an easy thing to do while at home, as most people have wireless internet these days, but when out and about, it can be tricky. Coffee shops and restaurants often have a network customers can connect to (though you may want to use a VPN), and connecting to your workplace’s Wi-Fi may also be an option.

Why is connecting to Wi-Fi important? If limiting data usage is your goal, then Wi-Fi is going to be your greatest ally. Any data used while connected to a wireless internet network will not affect your monthly 3G/4G allocation from your carrier, so you can stream, download, post, and email to your heart’s content. Most devices and apps also have settings to limit the use of certain features while not connected to Wi-Fi, which takes the guess work out of tracking what apps you should and shouldn’t be using.

Social media

Many of us use social media apps on smartphones. But how much data do our tweets, likes and Instagram posts use up? Updating your Facebook feed takes up about 50KB on average, each time you open the app. Updating your Twitter feed takes about 70KB. Instagram, on the other hand, can utilize anywhere between 30 and 150KB per picture. Posting also takes up a little bit more data than simply updating your feeds. If you post 10 times a day — for instance — you’ll use about 0.07GB in a month, while posting 200 times day will use roughly 1.43GB in a month. That’s an unrealistic number for even the most obsessive socialite, so unless you’re going hog wild with your status updates, social media isn’t going to make much of a dent in your monthly allocation.

Web browsing

Depending on the webpages you visit, surfing the Web on your smartphone is economical on your data budget. Of course, every website is different, and your data numbers will be higher if you tend to visit pages with lots of multimedia features. If you are planning on doing some light browsing on your phone, then you should expect to use less than 100MB of data a month. On the other hand, if you are browsing some data-heavy sites that aren’t optimized for smartphones, you could find yourself using more than 1GB of data. There is a big difference there, but unless you know for sure that you are going to be surfing a lot, you shouldn’t be using more than roughly 200MB a month.

Email

Alongside social media and Web browsing, email is probably the next most-used feature on smartphones. Luckily, even if your inbox is constantly being flooded and you’re responding to emails all day long, your data isn’t going to take much of a hit. Let’s say you’re sending 500 emails a day — a gross overestimation for the majority of people — you’ll wind up having used just 0.5GB of data by the end of the month. A more realistic estimate of about 10 to 20 emails equates to a measly 0.02GB of data; that is, assuming they’re text-only.

There is a big difference between text emails and emails with attachments, though. If you were to send 5,000 emails, each with a picture attachment, you could be looking at more than 2GB of data a month. However, most of us don’t take and send that many pictures, so you’re more likely looking at around 100MB of data resulting from sending a couple of emails with images a day.

Streaming music and podcasts

Now we’re getting into the more data-intensive apps. Whether using a music app like Spotify or a podcast app like Stitcher, streaming audio is going to eat up your data plan quickly. Streaming two hours of audio every day for a month is going to use more than 3.5GB, and since it’s not hard to imagine spending more than two hours a day listening to music or podcasts, one could easily rack up 6GB a month or more streaming audio data alone. This is one feature you’ll likely want to use when connected via Wi-Fi. T-Mobile and Sprint are exception to the rule, as they both allow for unlimited music streaming.

Video

Here’s the big one. Apps such as Netflix and YouTube may allow us to easily to catch up on our favorite shows while on the go, but they also gobble up a monstrous amount of data in the process. Watching a mere 60 minutes of standard-definition video a day can utilize up to 8GB of data in a month, while that same amount of time spent watching HD videos can take up nearly 30GB. That being the case, we suggest holding off on that next episode of House of Cards until you’re connected to Wi-Fi. T-Mobile ONE and Sprint’s Unlimited Talk, Data, and Text both don’t count streaming video, although in T-Mobile’s case you must manually activate HD video.

AT&T also offers unlimited streaming of video through DirecTV Now — but any non DirecTV video counts against your data allotment, even though the company now offers unlimited plans (your connection may be slowed after 22GB of used data each month). Verizon is similar with its own unlimited offering, and they too might throttle your connection after 22GB. Sprint does the same after 23GB, and T-Mobile after 26GB of use.

Apps like Netflix now also let you download certain movies and shows to your device, so you don’t need a data connection to watch them later — we recommend downloading these when connected to Wi-Fi.

Gaming

With phones becoming more and more sophisticated, their potential as dedicated gaming machines only becomes greater. Smartphones support 3D graphics and even online multiplayer, which makes them suitable for games more complex than Threes and Candy Crush. However, what’s their data footprint like?

As long as you’re sticking to single player games, your data usage should be limited — the effect on battery life is another issue, though. Online modes and multiplayer games are going to take up a chunk of data, but exactly how much varies from game to game. Short sessions ranging between 10 and 30 minutes for a game like Candy Crush will certainly add up, but likely won’t push you into data overages. However, it’s still best to connect to Wi-Fi if you’re planning on indulging in intense multiplayer matches for an afternoon; it’s likely a more reliable connection, anyway.

Downloads

We discussed using Wi-Fi above, but another strategy for reducing data usage is to stick to using media that you’ve downloaded directly on your device. Try to download podcasts, playlists, or videos for your commutes and long trips in advance while connected to Wi-Fi. Doing so will help you stay within data limits each month, leaving plenty for downloading smaller files like email attachments, new apps, and similar content on the go.

What next?

So, now that you’ve hopefully got an idea of what kind of data your apps and activities will take up, what comes next? It’s time to find a plan that’s right for you. The following pages detail the plans available from each of the four major U.S. carriers (i.e. Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T).

Huawei Honor Note 9 leaks and rumors

Why it matters to you

Looking for a phone with a big screen? The Huawei Honor Note 9 is shaping up to offer one of the bigger screens out there.

The Huawei Honor Note 8 was launched in August 2016, so it’s about time that we start hearing initial rumors about a follow-up — the Huawei Honor Note 9. Well folks, those rumors have started hitting the rumor mill, and the Honor Note 9 is shaping up to be quite a device.

As rumors trickle in, we’ll continue to update you on all the latest information about the Honor Note 9. Here’s everything we know about the upcoming phone so far.

More: The Honor 8 Pro is Huawei’s new flagship killer

Design

The latest leak pertaining to the Huawei Honor Note 9 actually comes in the form of an image that allegedly shows the back of the phone — and if it’s accurate, the Honor Note 9 could be an absolutely mammoth phone. The image comes courtesy of GizChina.

Not only can we see that the phone is big, but the photo also makes clear that the Honor Note 9 will feature a dual camera on its back — unlike its predecessor, the Honor Note 8. The back also houses a fingerprint sensor and a dual LED flash.

The photo also shows that the device will have a full metal body — which is great for those looking for a durable device. Given the fact that there’s a fingerprint sensor on the back of the phone, we can also assume that we won’t see any hardware buttons on the front. Hopefully that means we’ll see a large display.

Specs

Unfortunately, we don’t yet have any solid leaks about the specs of the phone, but we can make a few assumptions — namely that the phone will feature a new Kirin 960 chip. It’s also expected that the phone will feature a 2K display, although we’ll have to wait until we hear more rumors or until the phone is released to confirm that.

We’ll update this post as we hear more on the Huawei Honor Note 9.

Everything you wanted to know about VPNs (but didn’t want to ask)

In light of Congress’ recent vote to repeal internet privacy protections approved by the Federal Communications Commission during the final days of the Obama administration, many Americans are on the hunt for ways to prevent their digital data from being stolen and sold.

Under the rules outlined in the now-rejected protections, internet service providers were required to gain permission before collecting or sharing customers’ data, which includes web history, geolocation data, and app usage. Congress’ decision ensured that there will be no such regulations, and that these companies are free to do whatever they want with data collected from residents of the United States.

More: Even the FBI can’t defeat good encryption — here’s how it works

As a result, you may have seen the term “VPN” thrown around. Virtual private networks (VPNs) have become a popular tool in the fight for privacy, but many people don’t really know what they are, or how they work. Despite the complex network theory behind VPNs, they are actually remarkably simple to understand — and even easier to use.

A brief refresher on how the internet works

To understand what a VPN is and how it functions, it’s important to understand how the internet and networks in general work. When two or more devices — computers, phones, tablets, etc. — are able to interact with one another, this is a network. Machines interact by sending data back and forth. The internet is essentially just a worldwide network built out of various networks and devices worldwide.

When a user accesses a website from a computer or other device, data is exchanged. The user’s device sends out “packets,” which contain the address of the sender and the receiver, much like letters sent by mail. This is necessary in order to connect to a site, but it means that observers can read these packets and know who is visiting a particular site, and what they’re doing there.