Mystery internet company challenges NSA’s mass surveillance order

Thanks to a newly-declassified document, we know that an unnamed tech company refused to comply with NSA orders to let the agency spy on the company’s client users. It’s the first known case of an organization from the industry outright rejecting such a request.

The document, a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court ruling, was wrested from the government thanks to an ACLU FOIA request. But it’s so heavily redacted that we cannot identify the tech company who stood up to the NSA.

Specifically, the mysterious company didn’t comply with an NSA order under Section 702. That’s the legal structure supporting the PRISM domestic spying program, which forces companies to give the NSA access to Americans’ international communications.

The company refused because cooperating to grant said access would implicate its First and Fourth Amendment rights. In short, it took the NSA to Constitutional school over the legality of Section 702 itself (to be precise, the company took issue with an “expansion” of Section 702 surveillance, the details of which were redacted), since opening up its users’ international communications would eventually and inevitably expose those of domestic citizens. Ergo, if the NSA wanted access, it needed to get a warrant, the company stated.

Ultimately, the court rejected the tech company’s claim and ordered it to comply with the NSA request. Judge Rosemary Collyer, who presided over the case, said “the mere fact that there is some potential for error is not a sufficient reason to invalidate the surveillance” — in other words, prove misconduct or sit down. The document, only now made available to the public, is from 2014, so whatever surveillance may have happened as a result might already have happened.

Section 702 is set to expire at the end of this year, and debate rages on about whether Congress should renew it. The NSA already claimed back in April that it would stop even incidentally collecting domestic American emails in its sweeps, which its analysts were still accidentally doing in 2016. Regardless, this case is a sadly rare illuminating window into an intentionally shadowy world: Back in 2016, for example, the FBI reassured the public that it would be reforming how it accessed data collected by the NSA…but didn’t say how, because that’s classified.

Via: The Daily Beast

Source: ACLU

Plex update brings local video playback to its Android app

Plex’s last few big announcements include unveiling live TV streaming for its premium subscribers and launching Plex Cloud, which lets users pipe media stored on cloud-based services (like DropBox) to any device with Plex’s app installed. But the software provider hasn’t forgotten folks who like locally storing content. The newest version of Plex’s Android app now lets you play any video file on the device (or SD card) without needing to route it through a media server or a third-party app.

As the instructions point out, all videos are fetched automatically and listed alphabetically. Most playback features are supported, but you can’t fling a video to Chromecast or another Plex app yet and external subtitles aren’t supported. (Worst of all, it won’t remember where you left off if you exit the video. Ugh.) The app can play .MP4, .MKV, .AVI, .WMV and .WMD formats — just note that the first time you play a video of that type, you’ll need internet access for the app to update player support components. After that, watch offline to your heart’s content.

Source: Plex

Totto’s T-Track Backpack features smart-tracking and anti-theft technology

Why it matters to you

Well, wouldn’t it be pretty amazing to be alerted if you had forgotten something important before you left it behind?

We have all been there: You are looking for something important only to discover that you left it someplace else. People misplacing or forgetting items during the rush of a busy day is an unideal but incredibly common issue in today’s world. But what if your backpack was able to vibrate and notify you that you have forgotten something?

That is exactly what the new T-Tack Backpack from Totto does, thanks to technology that keeps track of the items you place in your bag and vibrates your phone that you have forgotten something. For individuals who have memory issues or are easily distracted, this sort of technology could be useful in limiting issues with forgotten or stolen items.

But the T-Track backpack does not stop there, Totto has packed this bag with more than 20 features designed to fit the needs of the modern business person, student — really anyone who needs to carry around their stuff with them. Among the bags other features are lockable zippers, a protective hard shell, a power bank pocket for on the go charging, water repellant design, and a security lock to attach the bag to a chair or pole to prevent it easily being walked off with.

The Achilles’ heel of this sort of backpack is the fact that it all depends on the user of the bag not being lazy about tagging and setting up the items that they place in their backpack. That said, there are certainly people out there who could benefit from a bag with this feature set.

Totto designed this bag in collaboration with Stanford Universtiy, among other universities, and the company has brought its prototype to Indiegogo seeking $25,000 in funding to help make the project a reality. The Indiegogo campaign launched on Wednesday and will run for 30 days. A $99 early-bird pledge will net you a backpack. The price jumps to $160 after the early-bird pricing runs out. If funding is achieved, Totto expects to start shipping the T-Track backpacks in November.

Here’s a fresh take on the ‘hoverboard’ concept that (probably) won’t catch fire

Why it matters to you

This smart new “hoverboard” design promises to redeem the tech after years of lesser-quality rideables.

Radical Moov’s name makes it sound a bit like a politically conscious 1990s electronic dance music collective. In fact, it’s a Mark Cuban-backed hoverboard which promises to be so good that it’ll banish all thoughts of lesser quality rideables that have sullied the good name of hoverboards over the years. Just don’t write it off as more of the same!

“Though Moov looks like a sleeker version of the hoverboard, the riding experience is very different since it’s a rigid platform and has weight-based steering,” co-founder and engineer EJ Williams told Digital Trends. “It’s a premium, American-made rideable that is both fun to ride and useful to get around.”

Moov differs to regular hoverboards in a couple of ways. At 9 inches in diameter and 3 inches in thickness, its wheels are bigger than those found on rival products. The result is greater stability, which is helped by a lower center of gravity for the part of the rideable that the user stands on. That’s a good thing because the Moov can travel faster than many hoverboards — at around 15 miles per hour — and is also designed for performing a number of sport-style tricks.

The other big change is the fact it boasts special sensors embedded into its floor mat, which let users control their ride by subtly shifting their weight. That’s a different approach to normal, but one that its creators hope will provide a more enjoyable riding experience.

“The current audience for rideables is pretty diverse,” Williams continued. “For urban commuting, you’ll see the young professional quite often. But for the recreational and sporty factor, you’ll get all ages. If you like to longboard, rollerblade, or surf and you’re into the latest technology, then this board is 100 percent for you. It’s just simply very fun to ride. Oh, and it’ll get you around if you need to commute.”

Radical Moov can currently be pre-ordered on Kickstarter, with prices starting at $1,099. Shipping is set to start this November.

Norway upgrading ‘doomsday’ seed vault to ready for warmer, wetter climate

Why it matters to you

The so-called doomsday vault may be less resistant to climate change than previously expected.

It looks like the so-called “doomsday vault” in Norway may not be as invulnerable as researchers had originally believed. After a recent flood, the seed vault is set to undergo a massive multi-million dollar renovation to reinforce the complex.

The Svalbard Global Seed Vault — which is owned by the Norwegian government — houses nearly one million of the world’s most valuable food-crop seeds. The complex is buried more than 400 feet inside of the Svalbard archipelago — midway between the Norwegian mainland and the North Pole — and was designed to function as a “fail-safe seed storage facility, built to stand the test of time — and the challenge of natural or man-made disasters,” per the official website.

According to a report by NASA and NOAA, 2016 was the warmest year on record. Due to these temperature shifts, melting permafrost and rainwater flooded the vault’s entry tunnel. Luckily, none of the seeds were damaged as result of this breach. However, the facility is now part of a $1.6 million investigation to determine ways to prevent similar incidents in the future. The conclusion of this report is expected in spring 2018.

For the time being, other preemptive measures have already been taken. For example, a transformer station — previously positioned in the tunnel — has been relocated due to its heat emissions, whereas a number of drainage ditches have been trenched into the mountain above the vault to channel water away from the tunnel.

One idea under consideration involves totally replacing the current entry tunnel. As it stands, this entry slopes downward towards the seed vault itself. An upward-sloping tunnel would more adequately combat flooding associated with melting permafrost. The Norwegian government has committed more than $4 million to cover the expected costs of these upgrades.

“The background to the technical improvements is that the permafrost has not established itself as planned. A group will investigate potential solutions to counter the increased water volumes resulting from a wetter and warmer climate on Svalbard,” explained the Norwegian government in a statement.

The seed vault is currently under constant monitoring with pumps in place to account for an additional flooding — which is certainly quite the ironic turn of events for a structure designed to exist long after an extinction-level event.

ZTE Blade V8 Pro review

Research Center:
ZTE Blade V8 Pro

While Samsung and Apple compete over high-end flagship smartphones, the mid-range business is lively with plenty of competition. Almost all smartphone manufacturers have solid mid-range offerings, but some rise above the rest. The Lenovo Moto G5 Plus is often considered the best phone in the sub-$300 category, while the $250 Huawei Honor 6X gets an honorable mention for its slightly larger display.

With the Blade V8 Pro, ZTE is vying to make the short list of mid-range kings. Debuting earlier this year, the Blade V8 Pro comes at the same price as the Moto G5 Plus, although with decidedly different specs. It also offers the same 5.5-inch display size you can find on the Huawei Honor 6X.

How does it fare? For its competitive price, the Blade V8 Pro certainly is capable, and it just may dethrone the Moto G5 Plus. Let’s take a closer look.

Uninspiring design

The Blade V8 Pro doesn’t look bad, but it’s not unique by any means. On the front of the phone, you’ll be greeted with a very standard look. There’s a home button on the front, and it doubles as a fingerprint scanner — we found the fingerprint scanner worked reasonably well most of the time. Perhaps once every five attempts, we would have to rescan – but that’s not a terrible strike rate.

Christian de Looper/Digital Trends

Christian de Looper/Digital Trends

Christian de Looper/Digital Trends

Christian de Looper/Digital Trends

On either side of the home button you’ll find two lit-up dots, which represent the back and multitasking buttons. If you’re new to Android, this can be a little confusing. The back button lives on the left, while the multitasking button is on the right – not everyone knows that by instinct, and it may take some time to get used to the layout.

On the bottom of the phone, you’ll find a USB Type-C port, along with speaker and microphone grills. On the left is a dual-SIM tray, while the right edge houses the power button and volume rocker – both are in easy-to-reach spots.

The back of the phone does away with the metal build found on other higher end ZTE phones in favor of a textured, plastic surface. We like it, not just because it’s scratch-resistant, but it also gives the phone a little more grip, ensuring that you won’t drop it easily. That’s helpful considering the device doesn’t have any official water-resistance rating, so you’ll want to be careful not to drop it around any pools. On the back, you’ll also find ZTE has jumped on the dual-lens camera trend.

There’s nothing really unique with the Blade V8 Pro’s design, but at least it looks better than the Moto G5 Plus.

Competitive specs and performance

You can’t expect to get a flagship-level specifications for $230, but you should expect to get something that’s capable for day-to-day use. The ZTE Blade V8 Pro more than achieves that.

The user interface is smooth, and standard functions like pulling up the app tray or accessing quick settings are responsive and quick.

Under the hood, the device comes with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor, along with a healthy 3GB of RAM. You’ll get 32GB of storage, though you also have access to a MicroSD card slot for more storage expansion should you see the need. There’s also NFC, which means you can use Android Pay — something you can’t do on the U.S. model of the Moto G5 Plus.

The LCD display isn’t going to break any records, but it does the job. At 5.5-inches and a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080-pixels, the screen offers a respectable pixel-density of 401 pixels-per-inch. It doesn’t beat the 5.2-inch Moto G5 Plus’ 424 pixels-per-inch, but in real world use you’re unlikely to see a huge difference between the two. The screen offers plenty of brightness to see outside, even in direct sunlight.

On the performance side, you will run into some stuttering if you play power- or graphics-intensive games, but for general use it’s quite capable. The user interface is smooth, and standard functions like pulling up the app tray or accessing quick settings are responsive and quick, even after some serious multitasking.

When it comes to benchmarks, the phone performed as expected. Here’s a quick rundown of the scores we achieved:

• AnTuTu: 62,500
• Geekbench 4: 865 (Single-Core), 3,143 (Multi-Core)
• 3D Mark Sling Shot: 831

To put things into perspective, the Samsung Galaxy S8, which is one of the highest-performing phones out there today, scored a hefty 205,284 in AnTuTu. The Lenovo Moto G5 Plus, with 4GB of RAM, scored 63,190 – you can expect comparable performance. It beats out the Huawei Honor 6X, which scored 56,585 with its 3GB of RAM and Kirin 655 processor.

Games like Landing Confirmed run largely without a hitch, and while you may run into some lag every now and then, it isn’t enough to warrant alarm. The phone does run a little warmer with slightly more graphics-intensive games like Asphalt 8, but to our surprise we didn’t have many issues running it.

Decent camera

The dual 13-megapixel camera set up on the rear of the Blade V8 Pro allow for ‘bokeh’ and monochrome effects — there are better phone cameras out there.

Compared to high-end phones, the photos lack a dynamic range, and the camera suffers in low-light situations. Still, what ZTE lacks in camera quality, it makes up for in features. The camera app allows you to adjust the blur effect after the shot — though it’s not very good — or you can isolate colors in photos. There’s also a built-in Live photo mode, which lets you create a short GIF similar to Live Photos on the iPhone. A full manual mode allows you to adjust the parameters of your shot on the fly.

The camera has decent white balance, but it’s easy to see details aren’t as sharp in photos. Again, the camera quality here isn’t anything to write home about, but on a phone in this price range, it does relatively well.

Lightly-skinned software

ZTE has avoided going the route of a heavy Android skin by delivering a somewhat vanilla Android experience – that’s a good thing.

The battery will last you a little more than a full day of use.

There are a number of pre-installed ZTE apps on the device, including “Browser,” which also happens to exist alongside a pre-installed Chrome. The extra apps are often redundant — WeShare and Dropbox come pre-installed — and you can often find the Google equivalent. Still, a few extra apps aren’t anywhere near the level of bloatware you could find on a phone like this.

There are only a few tweaks to the user interface from stock Android, but they are useful. For example, you’ll have access to a huge range of quick-access settings in the settings tray, and the settings menu has a “frequently used” section that’s much easier to navigate through than the full settings menu. They’re small changes, but they help ZTE distinguish itself a little without being to intrusive.

The only major downside here is how the software is outdated. The phone comes with Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow, and it doesn’t seem as though an update is in sight. If you’re looking for a phone that’ll get quick and regular updates, this is not the right one for you.

Battery

The battery on the Blade V8 Pro is a hefty 3,140mAh, and it’ll last you a little more than a full day of use. In our tests, the phone had around 30-40 percent of battery left after a full day – which is pretty good. We’re power-users too, so light to average users may end the day with more.

ZTE Blade V8 Pro Compared To

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X

OnePlus 3T

Google Pixel XL

LeEco Le S3

ZTE Axon 7

LeEco Le Pro3

HTC Bolt

Lenovo Moto Z

Alcatel Idol 4S

Meizu M3 Note

Moto G4 Plus

Oppo F1 Plus

Lenovo ZUK Z1

LG G4

OnePlus One

The device wasn’t necessarily as good when left on standby over a few days — around the third day, it had 30 percent left.

The Blade V8 Pro charges via a USB Type-C port, which is better than the MicroUSB port on the Moto G5 Plus. It’s a reversible port, and your phone should charge faster.

Warranty information, and pricing

ZTE offers a standard limited warranty for its devices that will cover your phone from manufacturing defects for one year from the date of purchase.

The phone comes in at $230 on ZTE’s website, but you can also buy it for the same price on Amazon. It’s a pretty good price for a phone with these specs – it even offers more than the Moto G5 Plus.

The Blade V8 Pro is only compatible on GSM networks, meaning it will work fine on AT&T and T-Mobile, but you’ll have to opt for another phone if you’re on CDMA networks like Verizon and Sprint.

Our Take

The ZTE Blade V8 Pro proves that you don’t have to buy a crappy phone if you’re on a budget. It’s a good performer, and it helps that the battery lasts a decent amount of time.

It doesn’t have the latest version of Android, and it likely won’t get timely security updates, but it’s a fraction of the cost of flagship smartphones — some of which take just as long with updates.

Is there a better alternative?

At the $230 price point, the ZTE Blade V8 Pro can’t be beat. The Moto G5 Plus is better — if you get the 64GB storage and 4GB RAM variant, but that will set you back an extra $70. The $230 Moto G5 Plus comes with 32GB of storage and 2GB of RAM.

If you have the money to spare, decide whether you want a reversible, faster charging port, and the ability to use Android Pay — those are two features you’d lose with the G5 Plus. On the other hand, you get a better software experience with Android 7.0 Nougat, somewhat faster updates, and a slightly better camera.

How long will it last?

The ZTE Blade V8 Pro should last at least two years – which is the standard lifespan of a smartphone these days. Towards the end it may slow down, especially if ZTE doesn’t keep up with updates.

Should you buy it?

Yes. If you’re on a tight budget and need a capable, reliable Android phone under $250, the Blade V8 Pro is the phone to get. If you’re into quick Android upgrades and security updates, this phone isn’t for you.

Staying stationary with MrMobile: Home is where the tech is

“MrMobile” isn’t just a name; it’s a lifestyle. That means I normally only cover technology that takes you from your doorstep to distant destinations. But there’s an awful lot of interesting tech made for the home that’s cropped up over the past year that you’ve been asking about … and frankly, I don’t know much about any of it! So I hopped a plane to Pensacola, Florida to meet up with someone who does.

Join me as Modern Dad teaches us all about the coolest home tech of 2017, from Amazon Alexa to Google Home to something called “netatmo.”

After the video, be sure to subscribe to Modern Dad on YouTube – because before you know it I’ll be back on the road, and you’re gonna wanna stay on top of all the stuff Modern Dad is filling his house with.

Featured Products

• Echo
• Echo Dot
• Amazon Tap
• Echo Look
• Nest cam
• Netatmo Weather Station (indoor/outdoor)
• Netatmo Rain Gauge
• Netatmo Wind Gauge
• Ring Pro
• Google Home

Stay social, my friends

• YouTube 
• The Web
• Twitter
• Facebook
• Snapchat
• Instagram

Make it stop! CrackBerry Kevin busts a Galaxy S8 on the way to KEYone durability redemption

The BlackBerry KEYone is stronger than you think.

The BlackBerry KEYone has been through the wringer over the past week or so, with claims that its screen, bereft of sufficient adhesive, easily detaches from the body with only a small amount of force. Popular YouTube channel JerryRigEverything entered the phone into its oh-so-sad Hall of Shame after Zack was easily able to break the phone with his bare hands. A small number of people had already reported the screen detaching through normal everyday use.

Shortly afterwards, BlackBerry Mobile released a statement saying it was looking into the problem — which has only affected a handful of units — and may alter the manufacturing process to include additional adhesive in future units.

Still, CrackBerry Kevin took the assertion that the KEYone was weak as a challenge, pitting the phone against the Galaxy S8+ and iPhone 7 Plus in a number of durability challenges. I won’t spoil the surprise, but suffice it to say the KEYone did better than even I expected.

More: BlackBerry KEYone review

Strange Brigade gameplay preview: Undead onslaught is oodles of fun

Ah, the Brits. Cups of tea. Stiff upper lips. Crumpets with jam. Undead zombie hordes. We have it all.

UK studio Rebellion’s latest title, Strange Brigade, is a 1930s-style adventure which throws you into an adventure in forgotten civilisations. Track down treasure, decimate hordes of mythological menaces, laugh at the sheer insanity as dozens of undead nasties are taken out by triggering traps. It’s quite the detour from the studio’s Sniper Elite series, for which it is best known.

What makes Strange Brigade particularly special is the way in which it’s delivered: with British panache. The narrator sounds so spiffingly English, like a classic 1930s announcer, that it transports you into this other world with a nod and a wink; it’s not the ultra-serious shoot ’em up that are becoming ten a penny in the games industry these days.

The game features four characters, each with differing abilities to suit different play styles or tactical co-operative play: there’s Professor Archimedes De Quincy, an archaeologist and Oxford scholar, whose special weapon in a Kingsley Special; Frank Fairburne, described as “the man with the coldest eyes in the Empire”, a marksman whose special weapon is a Huntsman rifle; Gracie Braithwaite, a Northern lass from the textile towns of Lancashire, whose special weapon in a Double-Barrel shotgun; and Natangu Rushia, a female Massai warrior from Kenya, whose special weapon in a Chamberlain Automatic.

Rebellion

We weren’t totally sure what to expect from Strange Brigade, but the game gives no time to overthink things. Scores of undead enemies raise from the ground, leaving you to shoot, shoot, run and shoot some more. It’s a hectic third-person shooter, with additional traps, puzzles and detours from it being just non-stop shooting mayhem. 

Far from a single shot taking out any given foe, the game also throws in trickier enemies. There are mummies, fast-moving Pharaoh-like warriors and, as was introduced within mere moments of starting to play the game, an armoured Minotaur. The last of these beasties, in particular, takes a lot of damage before he’s down – plus he can surprise with special fast attacks.

Rebellion

A level-up power bar increases with each foe you take down, which eventually fills your character’s special attack for use. This differs depending on character choice, but is ultimately similar in delivering a rush attack with a greater spread of devastation. It doesn’t take too long to fill up either, which is handy given the relentless onslaught of enemies.

All of this is peppered with narration shtick between stages of the game, which helps the title stand out as and can even tickle out the odd laugh.

Rebellion

There’s nothing strange about Strange Brigade. If you like non-stop third-person shooters – whether solo or up to four player – then this British treat will be as satisfying as a chocolate Hobnob dunked in a cup of char. One to keep an eye out for when it launches on PS4, Xbox One and PC. There’s no release date set as yet, but we’re hoping it’ll make it out before the end of 2018.

New iPhones will feature wireless charging, Apple supplier confirms

Two major features coming to Apple’s next iPhones have been revealed by Apple’s own manufacturer in India.

Wistron, which Apple recently began working with in an effort to keep prices down, confirmed that Apple’s next-generation iPhone models will be waterproof and include wireless charging technology, according to Japanese website Nikkei Asian Review. Speaking to the media after the company’s annual shareholders’ meeting on 14 June, Wistron CEO Robert Hwang reportedly said the following:

“Assembly process for the previous generations of [iPhones] have not changed much, though new features like waterproof and wireless charging now require some different testing, and waterproof function will alter the assembly process a bit.”

Currently, Wistron makes the iPhone SE, which doesn’t offer wireless charging or waterproofing, obviously. But it’s important to note that Hwang specifically said “new features”, in comparison to older iPhones, such as the iPhone SE. He didn’t say iPhone 8 or iPhone 7S. That means, if we’re being particular, he might not be talking about the very next iPhones but rather future-generation models.

• Apple made a pair of sneakers once and now you can buy them
• MacOS High Sierra: What’s in the new software for your Mac?

That said, several reports over the last year have claimed that Apple will release a higher-end “iPhone 8”. It is expected to be a premium model that sits above the new iPhone 7S Plus. The iPhone 8 is thought to feature wireless charging and improved water resistance, among other things, though it’s reasonable to assume any smaller iPhone models could have improved water resistance as well.

Check out Pocket-lint’s rumour round-up for more details about the next iPhones, which are expected to release later this year.