IBM’s computing power will tackle the world’s biggest problems

IBM’s Watson is celebrated for winning at Jeopardy, cooking exotic meals and collaborating with Grammy-winning producers, but its capacity for doing good may its most important skill. The company’s famous AI system is able to create cancer treatment programs that are as good as what human oncology physicians recommend. Watson also saved the life of a 60-year-old woman from leukemia last year in Tokyo. Obviously recognizing the potential, IBM announced Science for Social Good, a new program that will pair Watson’s AI, cloud and “deep science” technologies with postdoctoral academic fellows to help solve the world’s biggest challenges.

Current projects under the Science for Social Good umbrella include one focused on fighting the current opioid crisis, a plan to find and predict the rise of infectious diseases, an exploration of best practices for providing emergency food supplies, a project to influence human behavior to conserve energy and the creation of an open innovation platform for scientific discovery. The initiative also promises that “more projects addressing some of the world’s biggest challenges” will be coming soon. As reported by Mashable, IBM’s new program follows an early group of pilot projects conducted in 2016 that looked at health care, humanitarian crises and global development.

With so many concerns over AI taking over our jobs and creating some sort of machine doomsday, it’s great news to hear about programs like this that promote the social good.

Via: Mashable

Source: IBM

Russian malware link hid in a comment on Britney Spears’ Instagram

Instagram is on its way to hitting a billion users this year and with that kind of popularity comes a lot of traffic. But lurking among all of many, many harmless comments that get posted each day, there’s also the occasional post instructing Russian malware how to get in touch with its controllers. Because of course there is.

The Slovak IT security company ESET Security released a report yesterday detailing a cleverly hidden example of such a post. And its hideout? A Britney Spears photo. Among the nearly 7,000 comments written on the performer’s post (shown below) was one that could easily pass as spam.

The malware was situated in a Firefox browser extension pretending to be a security feature and it would search for hidden links in order to connect back to its control server. And the comment, now deleted, was actually a web address that required a fairly complicated, multi-step process to decipher.

In this case, the malware went through all of the comments on Spears’ Instagram photo and computed a number, or a “hash,” for each one, while it looked for a specific hash. When it found the comment with the right hash, it would check it out for particular characters, grab the letters that came after those characters and turn them it into a link. That link would then let the malware connect to its controllers. Such a method allows the controllers to change where it meets up with the malware without having to change the malware itself.

ESET Security said they thought this particular post was just a test and linked the malware scheme to a group called Turla, a cyber espionage group that the company says has targeted governments, government officials and diplomats for some time.

So, while that weird comment on your latest selfie might look like junk, it could actually be a conduit for some Russian malware and the subject of some upcoming breaking news. Happy posting.

Via: Popular Mechanics

Source: WeLiveSecurity

China arrests Apple distributors who made millions on iPhone data

Sometimes, it’s not external hackers that pose a threat to your privacy — it’s people in the supply chain hoping to make some cash on the side. Police in China’s Zhejiang province have arrested 22 (apparently third-party) Apple distributors for allegedly selling iPhone user data. Officials say the workers searched an internal Apple database for sensitive info, such as Apple IDs and phone numbers, and peddled it on the black market for between 10 to 180 yuan with each sale ($1.50 to $26). All told, the distributors reportedly raked in more than 50 million yuan, about $7.36 million, before authorities stepped in.

It’s not clear how many people are affected by the bootleg sales, or how many of the victims live outside of China. It’s also uncertain what will happen with the internal database in question in light of the arrests. We’ve reached out to Apple for more insights and will let you know if it can share more.

Regardless of the specifics, the bust is bound to raise concerns about distributors’ access to data. Is there a way Apple can limit the availability of that info without hindering honest staffers, assuming those staffers were supposed to have access in the first place? And are there other phone manufacturers with similar risks? It may be difficult to completely prevent unscrupulous employees from taking advantage of their positions, but it might be possible to reduce the potential for damage.

Via: Engadget Chinese (translated)

Source: QQ

Self-driving ‘InMotion’ concept puts your living room on wheels

National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS), the company that discontinued the Saab name last June, debuted its InMotion electric level 5 autonomous car concept at CES Asia that’s essentially a modular room on wheels. There aren’t even any dashboard controls: Occupants adjust the seating arrangements, lighting and environmental settings with a paired app. A concept for the self-driving living/working space of the future has arrived.

With its plastic rhomboid shape and wheel pods, the InMotion looks the part of a forward-looking concept car. Even the windows are intended to operate as displays, maximizing workspace. Even other autonomous concepts with adjustable interiors, like the Mercedes-Benz F 015, have been loath to ditch the driving column — either to reassure nervous riders or cautiously abide by existing autonomous laws that require drivers have the ability to take over controls at any time.

Regardless of whether the InMotion would end up as a tiny Google Bus (or autonomous shuttle) allowing folks to work on their way to work, NEVS sees it as a communal vehicle. Imagine paying into a timeshare of sorts where the vehicle drops you off at work and then zooms out to another commuter — but the customizable interior space would adjust to your presets when the vehicle senses you approaching. As always with concepts, there’s no telling whether these ideas will make it into a production vehicle, but the intent to separate “car” from “driving responsibilities” is catching on.

Via: Cnet

Source: NEVS

Tronsmart Presto Portable Charger: A battery bank with Quick Charge 3.0 built-in

Portable chargers and battery banks are in kind of a weird place right now. Battery life on phones is getting much better, but there’s still a market for these guys because it’s not good enough yet. A dead phone is no fun so, why not protect yourself with a battery? At least, that’s what Tronsmart thinks. That’s why it recently released the Presto Portable Charger. What makes the Presto stand out is the inclusion of Quick Charge 3.0, the fastest charging standard on the market today.

Tronsmart thinks the combination of that Quick Charge 3.0 charging speed and the 10,000mAh capacity will help it stand out in the crowded marketplace of portable chargers. We’ve been testing out the charger for a few weeks now and have come away impressed with the quality of it. While it isn’t a product that you need to run out and purchase this second, we definitely think that if you’re in the market, you should give it a look.

Charging

As we said, the standout feature is that Quick Charge 3.0 charging speed. We used the Presto charger, a Choetech USB A to USB C cable, a Kurrent Voltage Meter, and an LG G6 to conduct our charging test. Over three separate tests, our speed bottomed out at 1.12A, topped out at 1.8A and normally remained in a zone 1.42A – 1.57A. We tested this while the phone was between 20 and 70 percent battery so there were no limiting factors.

Overall, we’re pleased with the charging speed. It does trigger the “fast charging” notification on both the LG G6 and Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus and charges the phones up quickly. We replaced our wall charger at night with the Presto charger for eight nights and always woke up with a full battery and no problems.

Our charging capacity test was less than impressive. While the Presto charger is rated at 10,000mAh capacity, we only got about two full charges on our Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus (3500mAh battery capacity) and just over that on our LG G6 (3300mAh). While you do have to factor in some loss due to heat loss and some loss due to the cable, that was more than we thought was acceptable. Tronsmart claims on its Amazon listing for this charger that it achieved a 90% conversion rate, but we saw nowhere close to that.

Construction

On the other hand, the Presto is very well built. The soft plastic outside feels sturdy with no flex at all when pressure was applied to it. I have zero doubt that the charger will hold up well if it’s thrown into a bag or tossed around and suffers some bumps. It might get a little marked or stained up as ours did in the couple of weeks we had it, but it should still function flawlessly.

The right side of the device houses a power button that lights up the battery indicator on the face of the device. There are four little LEDs that light up to tell you how much juice is left in the bank, a very simple yet effective design. The bottom of the battery bank houses three ports, a green USB port that can charge devices up to Quick Charge 3.0 speeds, a regular USB port that charges at sub-Quick Charge speeds (save this one for your friends with Apple devices) and a micro USB port that sits in between them to charge the battery bank back up.

Ugh

Here is my biggest complaint with the Tronsmart Presto charger. Micro USB. It’s 2017 guys. I get that micro USB is legacy and there are a ton of cables out there, but UBS type-C is the name of the game right now. If you replaced the micro-USB port and the USB 3.0 port with one USB type-C port, you could have kept all the functionality and lost an unneeded port. USB type-C is the future and the reason I know that is that almost every phone sold today has a USB type-C port on it. Please, get with the times.

Conclusion

LG G6 vs. Tronsmart Presto. Very thin charger!

Overall, the Tronsmart Presto Portable Charger is a really nice option. If the lack of USB type-C doesn’t bother you then you should definitely consider it as an option. Now that we have phones with batteries that routinely surpass 3,000mAh, having an efficient battery bank is important and the Presto isn’t that. You can still get two full charges out of it, but you better throw it back on the charger when you’re done.

It does have that durability going for it though. And to be honest, it looks pretty nice too. I’m not too obsessed with how my battery banks look, but if I can get one that looks better, then I will. No need for obnoxious colors or designs.

The Tronsmart Presto Portable Charger is a solid option and well worth the $20 or so it’ll run you on Amazon.

Your next trip to the library could include an Oculus Rift

Public libraries aren’t just for books anymore. These days, you can grab an e-book, movie or video game (not to mention learn how to code) at your local branch with nothing more than a free library card. Libraries are also the last bastion of internet access for those who can’t afford it on their own, making the library an essential democratic tool. Oculus, the Facebook-owned virtual reality company, is taking it upon themselves to enhance public libraries with its own educational initiative that will place 100 VR head-mounted displays in 90 California libraries.

According to Mashable, the VR systems will roll out during the next three months and will come loaded with educational titles, to include Google Earth VR, The Body VR, Apollo 11, Mars Odyssey, and Through the Ages as well as other nature and gaming apps. The program will cover almost half of California’s 184 library sites, with a possibility for future expansion to help “support equitable access to new and emerging technology.”

“We already know that VR has superpowers to accelerate learning,” writes Oculus Education’s Cindy Ball in a blog post. “Both VR and AR will have a profound effect on education, from making difficult academic subjects more accessible and increasing the efficiency of surgical training to providing a rich backdrop for storytelling and the development of empathy and understanding.”

California residents interested in checking out an Oculus headset at their local library can find participating branches here.

Via: Mashable

Source: Oculus

Radeon RX 570/580 graphics cards are limited, insanely expensive when found

Why it matters to you

If you’re looking for a new Radeon RX 580 or RX 570 graphics card, stay away from Amazon — you’ll find nothing but high prices and heartbreak.

Where did they all go? AMD launched its new family of Radeon RX-branded graphics cards in the middle of April. Two months later, some are hard to find, especially the RX 580 and RX 570 models. Perform a search on Newegg for the RX 580 and what little the company has listed are all out of stock. Amazon has a thicker batch of Radeon RX 580 cards for the picking, but their prices are so jacked up that customers may option for a Nvidia GeForce-branded card instead.

For instance, go to AMD’s website and you’ll see a long list of Radeon RX 500 Series cards to purchase. The company lists a PowerColor Radeon RX 580 card with a starting price to $230, but when you follow the link to the card’s listing on Amazon, the sole seller has the card’s price cranked up to $600. As a reference, Nvidia sells its GeForce GTX 1080 card for $550, which packs loads more performance.

Here are a few other inflated prices we found:

Gigabyte Radeon RX 580 Gaming 4GD
GV-RX580GAMING-4GD
AMD listed price: $210
Amazon: $700

Asus ROG Strix Radeon RX 580 O8G
ROG-STRIX-RX580-O8G-GAMING
AMD listed price: $275
Amazon: $480 used, $850 new

PowerColor Red Dragon Radeon RX 580
AXRX 580 4GBD5-3DHDV2/OC
AMD listed price: $230
Amazon: $600

MSI Radeon RX 580 Gaming X 8G
RX 580 GAMING X 8G
AMD listed price: $255
Amazon: $900 to $1,000

XFX GTS Black Core Edition RX 580 8GB OC+
RX-580P828D6
AMD listed price: $360
Amazon: $500

The good news here is that not all resellers have increased their prices… at least, not yet. MSI’s Radeon RX 580 8G card (R5808) is listed as $239 on SuperBiiz and $260 on B&H Foto & Electronics. Even more, the Radeon RX 560 and RX 550 cards seem to be plentiful for now, but the RX 570 cards appear to be just as scarce as the RX 580 models.

A search on Newegg shows all listed Radeon RX 570 as out of stock. They’re available on Amazon, but again at increased prices, such as Gigabyte’s Aorus Radeon RX 570 4GB card selling for $650, and PowerColor’s AXRX 570 4GBD5-3DH/OC selling for as much as $470. There are even listings for cards that have “used” prices that are higher than their inflated “new” prices.

Ultimately, PC gamers wanting one of AMD’s Radeon RX 500 Series cards may want to shy away from Amazon altogether, and follow AMD’s links to retailers like Micro Center, Fry’s Electronics, and SuperBiiz. Their prices mostly appear to match what AMD lists on its website, give or take $20. However, some may lead to dead ends, such as a $260 Asus Radeon RX 570 listing that points to NCIXUS, which currently doesn’t have the card in stock.

AMD launched its Radeon RX 500 Series of graphics cards as “affordable” solutions for upgrading a desktop for high-definition gaming and virtual reality. Prices weren’t meant to be outrageous, costing $360 at the most. But AMD’s Radeon RX Vega family of graphics cards looms on the horizon, and with a current limited availability of high-end Radeon RX 500 cards, inflated pricing is not surprising one bit.

To find out why the prices are insanely more expensive than their original MSRP, check out our article here.

Gotta catch ’em all? Not with Biem, the first app-based STD testing service

Why it matters to you

Sexually transmitted diseases are an enormous problem worldwide. Biem is a mobile app that makes it easier to get tested.

Through dating apps like Tinder and various adult video streaming websites that we totally don’t know the name of, the internet has made sex a whole lot more accessible. When it comes to sexual health, however, things are a little bit different.

That’s where a new service called Biem comes into play.

Launched in the New York area this week, Biem refers to itself as the “world’s first virtual sexual health practice,” and aims to help people navigate the world of sexual transmitted diseases (STDs) — whether that means getting tested, or communicating about this topic with sexual partners.

“How we do sexual health today is broken,” Biem CEO Bryan Stacy told Digital Trends. “It’s inconvenient and anxiety-inducing, and the STD rates in America are higher than ever before. So Biem has redesigned how we ‘do’ sexual health. Unlike traditional clinics and doctor offices, we take care of the entire sexual health experience. We do it in a way that caters to the needs of a new generation, focusing on personalization and convenience. Each interaction is designed to make people feel confident and comfortable while being easy and efficient to use. From the video chat with a sexual healthcare provider to at-home testing to the ability to easily share sexual health results via your phone, Biem aims to encourage proactivity through blending judgement-free care with easy-to-use features.”

Biem is available as an app for both iOS and Android. STD testing can be completed at labs or, for an extra $45 fee, at your home — with results sent directly to your phone. The company tests for seven of the eight most common STDs in the United States — including HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, trichomonas, herpes type 2, and hepatitis A, B and C. Whether you are shy about sexual health, or just busy, it is a nifty solution that its creators are hoping can perform a genuine social good.

“[Right now] the app has launched in New York, which means the at-home testing component is available in all five NYC boroughs and in counties nearby the New York City metropolitan area,” Bryan Stacy continued. “That said, Biem’s lab partners — Quest and Labcorp — are already located and ready to activate throughout the U.S. The infrastructure has been put in place for wider expansion in the coming months. Biem is slated to launch in a total of 10 major U.S. cities by mid-2018.”

Gotta catch ’em all? Not with Biem, the first app-based STD testing service

Why it matters to you

Sexually transmitted diseases are an enormous problem worldwide. Biem is a mobile app that makes it easier to get tested.

Through dating apps like Tinder and various adult video streaming websites that we totally don’t know the name of, the internet has made sex a whole lot more accessible. When it comes to sexual health, however, things are a little bit different.

That’s where a new service called Biem comes into play.

Launched in the New York area this week, Biem refers to itself as the “world’s first virtual sexual health practice,” and aims to help people navigate the world of sexual transmitted diseases (STDs) — whether that means getting tested, or communicating about this topic with sexual partners.

“How we do sexual health today is broken,” Biem CEO Bryan Stacy told Digital Trends. “It’s inconvenient and anxiety-inducing, and the STD rates in America are higher than ever before. So Biem has redesigned how we ‘do’ sexual health. Unlike traditional clinics and doctor offices, we take care of the entire sexual health experience. We do it in a way that caters to the needs of a new generation, focusing on personalization and convenience. Each interaction is designed to make people feel confident and comfortable while being easy and efficient to use. From the video chat with a sexual healthcare provider to at-home testing to the ability to easily share sexual health results via your phone, Biem aims to encourage proactivity through blending judgement-free care with easy-to-use features.”

Biem is available as an app for both iOS and Android. STD testing can be completed at labs or, for an extra $45 fee, at your home — with results sent directly to your phone. The company tests for seven of the eight most common STDs in the United States — including HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, trichomonas, herpes type 2, and hepatitis A, B and C. Whether you are shy about sexual health, or just busy, it is a nifty solution that its creators are hoping can perform a genuine social good.

“[Right now] the app has launched in New York, which means the at-home testing component is available in all five NYC boroughs and in counties nearby the New York City metropolitan area,” Bryan Stacy continued. “That said, Biem’s lab partners — Quest and Labcorp — are already located and ready to activate throughout the U.S. The infrastructure has been put in place for wider expansion in the coming months. Biem is slated to launch in a total of 10 major U.S. cities by mid-2018.”

U.S. slowly catching up with the rest of the world’s data speeds, study says

Why it matters to you

America has historically lagged in internet speeds compared to other industrialized nations, but there has been meaningful progress.

Content delivery network Akamai has published its quarterly “State of the Internet” report for the first quarter of 2017 and while the United States still lags in predictable categories like data speed, it has also made some satisfying gains.

First, the good news. The U.S. leads the world in internet penetration and quite handily at that. Akamai identified more than 142 million unique IP addresses connecting to its servers in the U.S., with the next closest nation being China at 116 million. Keep in mind recent census data places China’s population at roughly four times the size of the United States. Next is Brazil, at 47 million, followed by Japan at 46 million.

So the U.S. is doing pretty well in terms of getting people connected, but what about the quality of the service? Unsurprisingly, the country still lags in average speed. Akamai reports that most Americans average 18Mbps downloads via broadband, which is barely good enough to make the world’s top 10. The other nine regions ahead of the U.S. all manage above 20Mbps, with South Korea leading the planet at 28.6 percent.

There is a silver lining to that news, though, because this is the highest the U.S. has ever placed in Akamai’s survey. While nearly every other country in the top 10 saw speeds increase or decrease by a few percentage points, the States saw the second most positive quarter-over-quarter change, at 8.8 percent. What is more, broadband speeds have increased 22 percent over the past year, an impressive feat.

Unfortunately, however, the country’s strides in home internet are not being matched in the mobile space. Users in the U.S. manage an average of 10.7Mbps on their phones, which is good enough to lead North and South America. However, it greatly pales in comparison to the rest of the world, especially Europe.

When it comes to mobile, nobody beats the U.K., at a blazing 26Mbps. Users in Germany and Finland also can claim impressive results, at 24 and 21Mbps, respectively. A third of Asian Pacific countries and a handful or Middle Eastern nations are faster as well, though by much less significant margins.

Akamai places the global mobile average at 7.2Mbps — 15 percent quicker than last year’s findings. For more details, you can check out the full report here.