It sounds impossible, but physicists created a magnet that is one atom thick

Why it matters to you

World’s thinnest magnet could have possible application in quantum computing.

You may have heard of graphene, the ultra-thin wonder material that is a single layer of pure carbon, derived from graphene. Well, scientists at the University of Washington and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have just employed the same technique that is used for skimming graphene from graphite to develop the thinnest magnet ever created.

It is so thin, in fact, that it counts as the world’s first 2D magnet, with a thickness of just one atom. This counts as being functionally two-dimensional because electrons can only travel within the atomic sheet, akin to pieces moving on a chessboard. Up until now, no 3D magnetic substance has been able to retain its magnetic properties after being thinned down to a single atomic sheet.

The development demonstrates that magnetism can work in the 2D world, which could have major implications for building future quantum computers.

“In general, magnets have critical application in sensing and information technologies, such as modern hard-disk storage,” Xiaodong Xu, a University of Washington professor of Physics and of Materials Science and Engineering, told Digital Trends. “2D magnets may offer new opportunities in nanoscale spintronic devices along the same line of applications. However, since this is the first discovery of isolated monolayer magnet at the truly 2D limit, lots fundamental questions need to be addressed before figuring out the killer applications.”

The work was described in a paper published this week in the journal Nature. It details the process of creating the magnets, which are derived from a ferromagnetic material called chromium triiodide. This is stripped down into individual flakes one atom thick using a surprisingly low-fi technique: Using Scotch tape to peel off layers. Chromium triiodide has various properties that led researchers to theorize it could be used to create 2D magnets, such as the fact that it is “anisotropic,” meaning that its electrons’ spin direction run perpendicular to the plane of the crystal.

Interestingly, the magnetic signal of the 2D magnet disappeared when the flakes were two atoms thick instead of just one, although the magnetic property returned in sheets of three layers.

All you have to do is hover on a link to catch this PowerPoint Trojan

Why it matters to you

This new kind of attack will make you want to double-check your Office apps to make sure that Protected View is turned on.

Most often, you need to actually click on a link or run a program in order to get infected with a virus or other malware. Sometimes, however, black hat hackers figure out a way to infect a machine without the user doing anything at all.

That is the case with a new PowerPoint malware, which was discovered security company Trend Micro. This particular attack merely needs users to hover over a link with their mice in order to install a banking Trojan that has remote access, network traffic monitoring, information access, and other nefarious capabilities.

The Trojan is delivered to users in a spam email with a PowerPoint Show (PPS) or Open EML Slide Show (PPSX) file attached. These files are different from the usual PowerPoint files (PPT and PPTX) in that they can not be edited and they only open in presentation or slideshow modes.

Malicious links are embedded in the PowerPoint slides that use the mouseover action to execute code that seeks to install the Trojan. For users with Protected View turned on in later versions of Microsoft Office, a security prompt pops up that the user must click through in order to enable the installation. As usual, users should never click “Enable” in such dialog boxes unless they are absolutely certain of what is actually going to run. Needless to say, clicking “Enable All” almost universally a bad idea.

Trend Micro

On older versions of Office, however, or those without Protected View turned on, then the installation proceeds without any notice to the user or need for anything to be actively enabled. That makes this particular piece of malware particularly insidious and difficult to protect against. Note that Office 365’s web mode and PowerPoint Online are not affected by the attack.

The lesson here, first, is to make sure that Protected View is turned on in your Office applications. You can check on this by going to File, then Options, then Trust Center then click on the Trust Center Settings button. There, you want to select Protected View and make sure all of the options are checked. You can also look at your Macro settings while you are there and turn those off unless you’re sure you need them — Office Macros are another vector of attack.

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

It is bad enough that our machines can be infected by hackers who trick us into clicking on links and running programs. The fact that we can get infected without doing anything at all is even worse — and means we need to be even more vigilant in ensuring that all of the various security features for our software and hardware are turned on and properly updated.

Like a robot jigsaw puzzle, modular bots snap together to carry out tasks

Why it matters to you

From tables to spacecraft, these origami-inspired robots showcase the versatile power of modular bots.

The ancient Japanese paper-folding art of origami (“ori” meaning “folding,” and “kami” meaning “paper”) probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think about groundbreaking robot research.

That’s possibly because you’re not a roboticist at Switzerland’s National Centres of Competence in Research (NCCR) Robotics or École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL). Researchers there have developed a modular robot project called Mori, which involves various small triangular bots that snap together to create a range of different shapes, depending on the number of pieces used. The robots each comprise an actuator, various sensors, and an onboard controller — contained in a plasticized casing.

“The idea behind modular and shape-changing robots is to create systems that can adapt to all sorts of environments and applications,” Christoph Belke, a member of EPFL’s Reconfigurable Robotics Lab, told Digital Trends. “We want to be able to have a robot that, whatever you need it to do, can reconfigure into the appropriate shape and tool in order to accomplish the task. In this respect, our robot Mori has distinct advantages over other systems thanks to our fusion of origami and modular robots. It is easy to transport, can deploy into large, thin-walled structures, and reconfigure by folding a large number of degrees-of-freedom, making the potential applications of our robot endless.”

Belke suggests that these applications could include home-based systems, such as a table that changes its shape according to whatever is placed on it, or more profound applications like molding to a person’s body to provide customized support in case of injury.

“Since our system is entirely scalable, we can also envision a system that can be sent to space in order to create reconfigurable capsules, or repair damage to an existing structure by re-creating the original shape and forming to it,” he said. “For us, this is just the beginning of modular origami robots. We continue to work on the technology in order to extend the possibilities and realize real-world implementations.”

We’ll never look at a folded paper crane the same way again!

How to get the Pride flag reaction on Facebook

Share some love on Facebook during Pride Month!

Android Central loves, well, love. With that in mind, we’re sharing something fun for those who feel the same. If you’re celebrating Pride Month and have a Facebook account, you’ve already seen most of the account tweaks you can add, like temporary profile banners. If you want to go a little deeper, Facebook now lets you share the Pride flag as a reaction to both posts and comments. It’s not a takeover of an existing reaction, it’s an entirely unique reaction you can share!

Here’s how to enable the Pride reaction for your account!

Enabling the Pride reaction on your Facebook Account

Like many other custom reactions on Facebook, you can opt-in by liking a specific page. In this case, liking the LGBTQ@Facebook page will enable the Pride reaction for your account.

Once you’ve liked the page, if you hadn’t previously liked it, wait about five minutes and you’ll see the rainbow option appear on both mobile and the web. This will probably only be around for the rest of the month, so enjoy it while it lasts!

Step-by-Step instructions

Open the Facebook either through the app or browser
Search for LGBTQ@Facebook in the top search bar
Like the LGBTQ@Facebook page
Wait five minutes
Spread delightful rainbows as far and wide as you choose

Got it? Great! Have fun, and remember…

Apple Business Chat in iOS 11: What is it and how does it work?

Apple is adding a major new feature to its iMessage app in iOS 11.

On Apple’s Developer site, there is a new section outlining the feature, called Business Chat, even though Business Chat wasn’t directly mentioned by Apple during its WWDC 2017 keynote in June. Based on how the feature is described on the site, we know Apple wants to provide businesses with a way to make themselves available for quick chats in the iMessage app for customer service purposes.

From what we can tell, you can find a business using Safari, Maps, Spotlight, or even Siri, and then you can initiate a text-based conversation with the business through Apple’s iMessage app. You can get answers to questions, resolve issues, and complete transactions, and more. Here’s everything you need to know about the feature, including how it works and when can start using it.

• Apple iOS 11: 11 new features coming to your iPhone and iPad
• Apple iMessage explained: What’s new and how to use it

Apple/TheVerge

What is Business Chat?

Business Chat is a new tool that will allow businesses to offer real-time customer support. A similar feature exists in Facebook Messenger. But unlike that offering, Apple won’t require businesses to have a social media account. Customers can search for a business in iOS via Safari, Maps, Spotlight, or Siri, and from any of those services, they can open iMessage and chat with the business.

How does Business Chat work?

Customer support

During a WWDC session, Apple explained Business Chat in more details, including how it works, according to The Verge. When in a chat with a business, you can shop, schedule appointments, ask general inquiry advice, file a dispute, and more – all from the same chat thread. There are also other built-in features, like predictive text, which will load an address or number a business asks for it.

Shop

Just like in Messenger, you can shop and buy products directly from chat. But your only payment solution will be through Apple Pay, of course. Businesses can show items in stock in a list format, which will appear in the conversation and doesn’t require you to open a new window.

Appointments

If you want to use Business Chat for appointments, the feature will link up to your own calendar and smartly suggest time slots that won’t conflict with your schedule. Businesses may sometimes direct you to download an iMessage app to complete certain request. An airline, for instance, might have a separate app that helps you select a seat. This can all be down within the conversation.

How do you start a chat?

Customers can find a business either through Safari, Maps, Spotlight, or Siri, and they can initiate a conversation with that business from Apple’s updated iMessage app on their iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. You will see a different thread for each business you’re chatting with. 

Which businesses are using it?

Any business can register, integrate their customer service platforms, and develop their own custom features, like a separate iMessage app to complete certain tasks. A handful of companies have already signed up, including LivePerson, Salesforce, Nuance, and Genesys. Business Chat therefore isn’t limited to retail or businesses with retail locations. We suspect more will be signing up soon.

When can you try Business Chat?

Apple is currently offering Business Chat in a developer preview. Businesses can register here. The feature won’t officially be available for all customers to use until iOS 11 rolls out this autumn.

Want to know more?

Check out these iOS 11 and iMessage guides:

• These are the best iOS 11 features Apple didn’t announce
• Will my iPhone or iPad get iOS 11?
• iMessage apps: Which should you download first and how to install them?

Ubiquiti AmpliFi Router review

With all the technology around these days, it is not hard to imagine that there are certain ones that we generally take for granted. I work for a healthcare company and we offer a number of technologies to our patients during their stay to make it a little more enjoyable. Other industries have been doing the same thing for years, including coffee shops, department stores, restaurants and more. WiFi is the most often implemented and taken for granted, with advancements in wireless technologies allowing for guest connections, temporary licensing and more, it makes things safe, easy, and relatively inexpensive for companies to offer internet connections to their customers.

Right, enough about what big business does for us, what about that wireless connection at our house? How can we make that better and easier? What if I want to let friends and family connect to my internet but not get inside my network? Well, Ubiquiti reaches for an answer to all of these questions with their AmpliFi line of products. Now that might sound a little familiar to you since I wrote a review on the AmpliFi MeshPoint as a standalone range extender and it works pretty well. The range on it is good and the quality of parts is top notch, as with all Ubiquiti products, but it is a little expensive to be a simple range extender (at least when used outside of the AmpliFi family).

My hope for this review is to get a better idea of what issues Ubiquiti is aiming with their AmpliFi product line. Let’s jump in and see if this is worth the investment.

Setup

Physical setup is as straightforward as any other. Plug in the router and run Ethernet cables to all your necessary devices. If you ended up buying one of the mesh points, I would recommend plugging it in close to your router now to make initial setup a little easier.

Software setup is a little different than the average router. In the same method as the MeshPoint, the setup for the AmpliFi router is done completely on your mobile device. The app is available on both Android or iOS, meaning no matter what your preference, you will have a favorable Ubiquiti experience.

Upon first login, you are presented with a setup screen, asking if you would like to setup a new device. Choose to setup the new AmpliFi router. Assuming that the router has never been set up before, you will receive the option to setup the SSID and password for your wireless network. and you are given the option to have your network password also be the device password for your router (makes things easy and secure).

Once you have set up the network you are set free to change all sorts of things like your network’s IP address, DNS addresses, PPPoE settings (if you have that), and other traditional router settings.

Hardware

The first thing that you notice about the AmpliFi router is how clean and classy it looks. Boasting a stark white exterior with a circular LCD screen this modern looking piece of technology would add some style to any desk or counter top. According to the AmpliFi website, this stylish piece of equipment was meant to be shown off, thus the addition of the LCD screen which allows you to see a clock, a throughput readout, or even the connectivity status of the four ethernet ports on the rear of the router.

The AmpliFi router does sport a respectable amount of internal hardware to get the job done. When we look just inside the device we see a 3-stream MIMO antenna, designed to get maximum range out of a device without having ugly external antennas. It also sports the now standard 802.11 AC wireless band connection with both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz band availability.

The single biggest gripe I have with the hardware is that it only comes with a three-foot cord. Really? Most desks are between two and three feet tall and who knows where the nearest outlet is going to be in any given location. Come on Ubiquiti, If I am paying $150 for a quality router, I would like to be able to place it wherever I want without having to stretch an extension cord all over the place.

Function

My overall experience with the AmpliFi system is better than expected. As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, I work for a large Healthcare system in California. What I left out is that I work 100% from home so my routing (specifically WiFi) system is very important for my career (and my AndroidGuys writing too).

At any given time, I have a minimum of 9 devices connected to my router. What is amazing about the AmpliFi system is that it does use a three-stream MIMO antenna in both the router and MeshPoint, what this means is that you can transfer more data at a time, closing bottlenecks across networks.

Another distinct advantage of a mesh network is that it instead always following a predetermined line to transfer data, the system will help you choose the shortest hop route to access that information, saving you time on your data transfers. Granted, this may not be very relevant to people who have smaller homes or may only be using a single mesh point, but considering that the AmpliFi line of products is specifically marketed to people with larger houses and minimal Wifi footprints, I think it’s something worth mentioning.

The guest network feature is something else that is different than your average router. Not only can you set up a guest router but you can make it available for a set period of time. So if you have a party with a bunch of friends over, you can change your guest network password and set it to only be active for 4 hours, after which it will be disabled.

One last thought on how this system functions. I left off my MeshPoint review hoping that the hand-off from router to MeshPoint would be better than from third-party router to MeshPoint. I have to say that the handoff is better, but not perfect. I’m not 100% sure if this is a software issue between router and device (this would make sense) but I would love to get a hand-off that would not disrupt a download that is in progress.

Added Features

This is where this router, and for that matter a lot of Ubiquiti products, shines. The simple amount of added features all available on your mobile device is pretty amazing. For starters, they recently updated the system so you can access your router and network remotely. Yeah, I said remotely. Like you can be across the country on a business trip and launch the app change your wireless password or enable the guest network. Cool, right?

Other notable features include:

• Internal speed test from right in the app
• Current throughput speeds
• Cotal data transferred readout
• Easy readout of all devices (both WiFi and Ethernet)
• Ability to pause connection (on all devices or single devices)
• Create groups to manage device connection schedules (parental lock-down)

• 1 of 8

  
  

  
  Throughput

  
  Guest Network quick setup

  
  Set a timer for guest network availability

  
  LED and LCD screen settings

  
  Quick reference troubleshooting

  
  Overview

  
  Current router settings

  
  Group settings

Conclusion

Setting up WiFi access in your home is no complicated feat. It doesn’t need to be expensive or something to be afraid of but, when you dig into some of the most common issues with those basic $30 routers on the shelves of big box stores or the pages of Amazon most of them come down to slowness and connectivity issues. The entire AmpliFi system aims to resolve those issues. With clever use of Mesh networking as well as the addition of 3-stream MIMO antennas, network bottlenecks and in home dead spots can be a thing of the past. Oh yeah, and all the cool features I mentioned.

GameStop confirms extensive credit card data breach

If you’re a GameStop customer, check your mail. The company just sent out letters to online patrons confirming a suspected payment security breach.

In April, GameStop said they were looking into a possible data breach that might have put customers’ credit card information at risk. Confirming those suspicions, Kotaku reported today that a number of GameStop customers have received letters notifying them that their credit cards may have been stolen.

The company hasn’t released any numbers yet, but anyone who placed an online order with them between August 10, 2016 and February 9, 2017 is at risk. That’s quite a long time and it’s safe to say many people were exposed. Names, addresses and credit card information were compromised and the reports from April speculated that the three-digit security numbers were taken as well.

The company said in a statement to Kotaku, “GameStop identified and addressed a potential security incident that was related to transactions made on GameStop’s website during a specific period of time. GameStop mailed notification letters to customers who made purchases during that time frame advising them of the incident and providing information on steps they can take.”

It hasn’t been a great time for GameStop. Earlier this year, it announced that it would be closing around 150 stores after increases in digital downloads led to sustained drops in the company’s sales. The company formed its own publishing wing last year in order to stay relevant in the increasingly digital gaming world.

This data breach is yet another setback for GameStop and this time, it’s a setback for its customers as well.

Source: Kotaku

Walmart Pay will hook new users with instant access to its credit card

When Walmart debuted its own in-house mobile payments service last year, the company was not afraid to roll it out quickly. Walmart Pay arrived in 4,600 stores nationwide in under two months, proving the retail giant could still be nimble — especially if the result meant moving customers through the checkout line faster. And it paid off: according to a third party study, just eight months after launch the QR code-based system was the third most used mobile wallet after Samsung Pay and Apple Pay. Now the company is giving customers even faster ways to part with their cash.

With the latest Walmart Pay update, customers can apply for a Walmart credit card and then use the app to make purchases, “from the moment they are approved.” In other words, the physical plastic card that comes later in the mail is just a formality. While Apple, Samsung and Android Pay are all competing at the platform level, Business Insider reports that in-house mobile wallets like Walmart Pay are catching on among larger retailers and instant access to store accounts or credit cards is one benefit that can attract new and loyal users. As for the other retail giant out there: Walmart has also been trying to use its physical stores to one-up Amazon by offering discounts for in-store pickups and testing automated grocery kiosks in Oklahoma City.

Via: Business Insider

Source: Walmart

Microsoft shutters Docs.com, pushes users to SlideShare and OneDrive

Why it matters to you

If you’re one of the relatively few users of Microsoft’s Docs.com document-sharing service, then you need to start looking for an alternative.

Every now and then, a company will make a product or service that arrives on the market, is ignored by most people, and then is shut down without warning — and very few people actually care. Such seems to be the case with Microsoft’s Docs.com document sharing service, which is being shut down after a little more than two years.

Docs.com was intended to serve as a place to show off your Office documents, but it never really caught on among users. Microsoft posted a bulletin that displays at the top of the site’s home page indicating that the service will officially shut down on December 15, 2017.

Microsoft’s message is simple and straightforward:

“Microsoft is retiring the Docs.com service on Friday, December 15, 2017 and we are hereby advising all users to move their existing Docs.com content to other file storage and sharing platforms as soon as possible, as Docs.com will no longer be available after this date.”

Microsoft’s stated reason for closing down Docs.com is that there are better options available. When Microsoft purchased LinkedIn last year, it inherited the popular SlideShare service that also hosts Word, PowerPoint, and PDF documents to share publicly with other users. According to Microsoft, SlideShare has an audience of 70 million professionals, making it a vastly more meaningful platform than Docs.com.

In addition, Microsoft has its OneDrive cloud storage service, which allows for a host of sharing options. The company is promising to improve its sharing offerings to make up for whatever has been lost with the shuttering of Docs.com. Microsoft also has its Sway service that can be used for publishing multimedia presentations, and it is directing users there as well.

If you happen to be one of the relatively few people using Docs.com, then as of today you’ll be able to access your existing documents that are stored there but you won’t be able to upload new documents. If you’re not using Docs.com, then you won’t be able to create a new Docs.com account — not that you’d want to. Existing users can sign into Docs.com and have their content automatically backed up to OneDrive.

You can find more details at Microsoft’s Office support site, including instructions on how to copy your documents out of Docs.com. There’s a host of information on the decision’s impact, and so Microsoft isn’t leaving its Docs.com users completely high and dry, even if it’s providing very little time to plan for an alternative.

Microsoft Cortana wants to help you save money as you shop online

Why it matters to you

Saving money while you are shopping online is sort of the point and Microsoft can help you do this even more with its new tool.

Comparison shopping is smart shopping, but it is also really time-consuming. Sometimes, you just do not have the time to save that kind of money. Luckily, technology is here to help you out. Specifically, Microsoft Cortana is here to help you out. On Friday, the company announced a new pilot feature that claims to help you find “the best pricing for the product you are viewing,” as long as you’re using the Microsoft Edge web browser. Cortana will let you know if “relevant details are available at the time of your visit” to an online shopping site, which is to say, that if there are cheaper prices to be found at that particular moment, you will be notified.

As it stands, the new tool supports 14 retailers including Amazon, Walmart, and eBay, within the U.S. Microsoft says that it will be upping this number in the coming months, and we will update you as changes roll out.

So how will you take advantage of the offering? Much like existing Cortana features, you see a display notification in the address bar, should there be important information regarding the site you are currently visiting. If you are on the site of a supported retailer, Cortana will let you know that there are similar products at lower prices, getting you a deal. If you click the Cortana icon, you can see this comparison information in the right panel within the same window.

Of course, given the newness of the feature, Microsoft is still figuring out a few things. As such, the company is asking for as much feedback as it can get. “Let us know what you think about the feature,” the company noted in a blog post. “Your feedback is important as we continue to make improvements and add support for other sites.”