Google’s mobile wallet for India uses sound for money transfers

After weeks of rumors, Google has officially released its payments app in India. Tez (Hindi for “fast”) is a mobile wallet that seems like a blend between Android Pay and PayPal. Users can link their bank accounts and use it to pay for items in physical stores and online. The app also lets you transfer money securely to nearby users by using sound to pair devices (what Google calls “Audio QR”). Unlike NFC, the tech works on any smartphone in India, whether Android or iOS. And, it keeps your account info private.

Tez currently supports several Indian banks using the government-backed Unified Payments Interface (UPI) for free mobile bank transfers. To get more businesses onboard, Google is introducing a new program for online sellers to integrate the service. Merchants that sign up for “Tez for Business” will also get their own “channels” inside the app, allowing direct access for quick payments and interactions via text. The app’s launch partners include a mixture of local transportation, cinema, flights, and cable TV providers. And, Domino’s for the pizza crowd. There is currently a ₹1,00,000 ($1,561) limit on daily transfers across UPI apps, and only 20 transfers are permitted per day.

Google is already working on increasing internet and smartphone penetration in India, courtesy of its Android One and Station Wi-Fi initiatives. By its own account, the country’s digital payments market will grow to $500 billion by 2020. And, Google evidently wants a slice of the pie.

Although the company claims the app is made for “India first,” it could be slated for other Asian countries too. As TechCrunch notes, Google has trademarked the name “Tez” in Indonesia and the Philippines.

Source: Google

Hackers slipped malware into popular PC software CCleaner

A popular PC-cleaning software used by over 130 million people put users at risk after hackers were able to insert malware into legitimate downloads. Piriform’s CCleaner, owned by antivirus provider Avast, was found to be hosting a “multi-stage malware payload” that could install ransomware or keyloggers and further infect target computers on command.

According to Avast, around 2.27 million people ran the affected software, which was delivered via a hacked server. The impact is damaging, but considering that the application has amassed over 2 billion downloads and adds around 5 million new users each month, it could have been significantly worse. The company said it has already forced updates of the affected version and in its own words was “able to disarm the threat before it was able to do any harm.”

Starting life as a “crap cleaner,” CCleaner has earned a reputation for its ability to remove rogue programs and clear things like tracking cookies on Windows PCs. Users trust the brand, which makes it a prime target for attackers. “By exploiting the trust relationship between software vendors and the users of their software, attackers can benefit from users’ inherent trust in the files and web servers used to distribute updates,” said Cisco Talos researchers, who discovered the threat, in a blog post.

The attack vector isn’t a new one, but it’s become a lot more prevalent in recent months. The Petya ransomware was distributed via a similar method and hackers also modified the Mac Bittorrent app Transmission on official servers to compromise users’ computers.

In the past, attackers would create fake alternatives of popular applications and trick people into downloading them. The trend now, however, is to attack the download source directly and gain access to legitimate servers. Once they are in, it’s a case of loading the trusted software with a nefarious payload, with the end-user being none the wiser.

“This is a prime example of the extent that attackers are willing to go through in their attempt to distribute malware to organizations and individuals around the world,” Cisco Talos warns. “Attackers have shown that they are willing to leverage this trust to distribute malware while remaining undetected.”

Via: Reuters

Source: Piriform Blog, Cisco Talos

Northrop Grumman joins the space race with $7.8 billion acquisition

Today, Orbital ATK announced that defense contractor Northrop Grumman will acquire it for $7.8 billion in cash, with an additional $1.4 billion in debt. Orbital ATK builds rockets and constructs satellites for both commercial and military applications. The company is also contracted to send resupply missions to the International Space Station with its Cygnus spacecraft and built the boosters for NASA’s SLS rocket.

This is important for both the defense sector and space sector. It’s clear that Northrop Grumman is interested in building missiles (which of course require rocket systems) and it makes sense for them to want that production in-house. But it’s also possible that the global security company is also interested in amping up its presence in the space sector.

Back in 2014, Orbital’s Antares rocket exploded just six seconds after launch. It took them two years to get back into space, which happened last October. The company was also working on a heavy-lift rocket with a third stage, called the Next-Generation Launcher, that could lift Air Force satellites into higher orbits. It’s not clear what will happen with this rocket’s development under Northrop Grumman.

Source: Orbital ATK

How to Change the Color of Apple Watch Series 3’s Red Digital Crown

While the new Apple Watch Series 3 looks virtually identical to Series 2, the cellular models feature a red Digital Crown.

Apple Watch Series 2 with green WatchDots stickers on right
Fortunately, for those who plan on upgrading but don’t like the color choice, it can easily be changed with WatchDots.

WatchDots are tiny, vinyl stickers that cover the Digital Crown and Side button. They’re available in a wide variety of colors, including white, black, midnight blue, yellow, orange, gold, sport green, sport blue, sport pink, fog, walnut, antique white, magenta, and other band-matching options.

MacRumors editor Juli Clover reviewed WatchDots a few years ago and was generally positive about the way they looked and held up:

My WatchDots have been on my Apple Watch for about two weeks now and they’re looking as good as new. There’s been no peeling, even when my watch has gotten wet, and using the Digital Crown and side button a lot hasn’t affected them. Since this is a review, I put on and removed several sets of WatchDots, and I can safely say they’re not going to cause any damage to your watch. You can peel them right off with a fingernail, but like most vinyl stickers, they’re not reusable.

She did experience some residue left behind once, several months after removing the WatchDots, but your mileage may vary.

WatchDots come in sets of three for $9.99, with free shipping within the United States.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch, watchOS 3, watchOS 4
Tag: WatchDots
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XPRIZE’s five education software finalists help kids teach themselves

Millions of children around the world don’t have access to basic education, such as reading, writing and arithmetic skills, and the problem is only getting worse. XPRIZE is looking to do something about it. Today, the organization announced the five finalists for the Global Learning XPRIZE; each will receive a $1 million.

This particular challenge is designed around teaching basic learning to children around the world. The competition wanted easily scalable software solutions that would be relatively simple to implement. One hundred and ninety eight teams entered the Global Learning XPrize competition and 11 experts narrowed them down to the final teams.

The five teams are as follows. CCI, based in New York, is developing learning platforms and programs that operate sequentially. Bangalore’s Chimple is focused on tablet-based learning, allowing kids to explore reading, writing and math through 60 games and 70 stories. Kitkit School, from Berkeley, is also developing a learning game that will adapt to a child’s individual level, regardless of background.

Meanwhile, the UK/Malawi/Tanzania-based onebillion is focusing on a mix of content and monitoring, to allow directed learning based on what a child needs. Finally, RoboTutor, from Pittsburgh, is using research from Carnegie Mellon that includes machine learning and human-computer interaction to develop a product.

The next step for these five teams is to field test their solutions. Google has donated 8,000 Pixel C tablets to children in 150 villages in the Tanga region of Tanzania. They will field test each finalist’s software over a period of 15 months. Whichever solution demonstrates the highest achievement after that time will be the winner, receiving a prize of $10 million. The resulting program’s code and content will be open source and free to anyone to build on and modify.

Researchers estimate the human cost of emissions cheating

We’ve known for a while that there is a link between the emissions coming out of a car’s tailpipe and various cardiovascular conditions. In fact, diesel cars are significantly worse for people’s life expectancy than their petrol-powered equivalents. Now, a coalition of researchers have tried to put a figure on the number of otherwise avoidable deaths caused by these vehicles: 10,000 a year.

In Europe, especially in Italy, Germany and France, diesel vehicles make up a huge proportion of the number of cars on the road. There’s around 100 million of them zooming around the continent, almost twice as many as in the rest of the world combined. But more diesel vehicles means far more Nitrogen Oxides are released into the local atmosphere, with real-world consequences.

Of course, the issue here is that diesel cars have proliferated, in part, because they have been found to pass emissions tests. Tests which, thanks to Dieselgate, we now know were passed because the engines were tweaked to mask their true pollution levels from regulators.

The group is made up of researchers from Norway’s Meteorological Institute, Austria’s IIASA and the Department of Space, Earth and Environment at Chalmers University, Sweden. They report that around 425,000 deaths can be traced back to levels of air pollution across Europe more generally. Of that figure, around 10,000 can be attributed to Nitrogen Oxide levels produced by diesel vehicles.

The idea is that, if diesel vehicles hadn’t cheated their tests, it’s likely that many of them wouldn’t have been made available for sale. Instead, petrol cars may have been sold in their place, with a consequential reduction in NOx emissions — although still a toll to the wider environment. The IIASA’s Jens Borken-Kleefeld believes that if petrol cars replaced the diesel vehicles, the deaths of up to 7,5000 people could have been avoided.

This is an emotive subject and one that doesn’t deserve to be sensationalized, and other studies have come to similar conclusions. But it’s worth realizing that emissions cheating wasn’t simply a clever way to escape some burdensome red tape. Lives have been lost in the service of a quick fix by several large automotive manufacturers.

Via: PhysOrg

Source: Eurekalert

Students: Last Week to Get Free Beats With Mac or iPad Pro Purchase

If you’re a student, it’s your last chance to get a free pair of Beats headphones with the purchase of a Mac or iPad Pro this year.

Apple’s annual Back to School promotion ends Monday, September 25 in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Singapore.

Apple is offering the choice of a free pair of Beats Solo3, BeatsX, or Powerbeats3 headphones to qualifying students, parents of students, and educators who purchase an eligible Mac, including any new MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iMac, or Mac Pro. Refurbished models are ineligible.

The promotion also offers free BeatsX wireless headphones with the purchase of any new 10.5-inch or 12.9-inch iPad Pro, or students can pay $50 extra for Beats Powerbeats3 or $150 extra for Solo3 wireless headphones. Apple’s latest 9.7-inch iPad and iPad mini 4 and refurbished models do not qualify.

The deal is available through Apple’s online education store, retail stores, and authorized campus stores, or by calling 1-800-MY-APPLE. Apple’s terms and conditions outline full eligibility requirements in each country:

• United States
• Canada
• Mexico
• Singapore

The free Beats are in addition to Apple’s education pricing.

The promotion ends Monday, October 2 in participating European countries, including Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and the UK.

In certain participating countries, students are required to verify their enrollment or acceptance in a higher education institution in order to qualify for the promotion. Not a student or looking for better deals? Visit our ongoing Apple Deals roundup for other discounts on Apple products and accessories.

Tags: Back to School promotion, Apple retail
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Sprint Offering Free iPhone 8 Lease With iPhone 7 Trade In

Sprint today announced that well-qualified customers can lease an iPhone 8 with 64GB of storage for $0 per month after bill credits with the trade in of an eligible smartphone, including the iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, and Galaxy S8.

With the trade in, Sprint will waive the regular $29.17 charge for 18 months. After at least 12 lease payments, all of which are covered by the promotion, customers can trade in the iPhone 8 and upgrade to a new iPhone.

The limited time offer appears to be available to both new and existing customers who activate at least one new line of service.

Sprint is also offering 50 percent off the 18-month lease of an iPhone 8 to customers who trade in an older smartphone, such as an iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, Galaxy S7, or Google Pixel.

Until October 31, 2018, Sprint’s unlimited talk, text, and data plan costs $50 per month for the first line, and $40 per month for the second line, with up to three additional lines for free with AutoPay and paperless billing.

“Unlimited” has some caveats, including a max of 1080p for streaming video, 1.5 Mbps for streaming music, and 8 Mbps for games. After 23GB of usage in a billing cycle, data deprioritization applies during times of congestion.

Sprint will waive its $30 activation fee for customers who order online or by phone. There may be additional taxes and fees.

Tag: Sprint
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Spotify and Waze partner to bring music to your ride on iOS

Why it matters to you

Want a little Spotify in your Waze? Your wish is the companies’ command.

Waze, one of the world’s most popular turn-by-turn navigation apps, is joining forces with Spotify to rock your ride. On Monday, September 18, the two announced a partnership that has their respective apps working better together on the iPhone.

In a forthcoming update, iOS users will get a new Spotify option in the Waze app. Once users type in their credentials and sign in, they gain access to their playlists and pop-up descriptions of playing tracks. New playback controls will skip, pause, or change the playing song without the need to launch Spotify, and a new shortcut will quickly switch between the Waze and Spotify apps.

The integration goes both ways. Users will get an option to switch between apps when their car is at a complete stop and when they hop to the Spotify app while Waze is running in the background, they will get a truncated version of the next instruction.

When Waze brought Spotify integration to Android devices earlier this year, the collaboration came as something of a surprise. Google, which purchased Waze for $1.1 billion in 2013, has its own Play Music service that competes with Spotify.

But Waze hasn’t been shy about reaching out to third-party partners in the past.

In 2016, it debuted the Waze Transport SDK, a software development kit that lets partners integrate with Waze’s routing and guidance data. Ride-sharing service Lyft became one of the first to use it last year, along with U.K. emergency dispatch company Genesis Group, JustPark Parking, Cabify, 99Taxis, and food delivery service Cornershop.

Last year also saw the launch of Waze’s Global Event Partner Program, which had the company team up with event organizers to help with logistics planning. Partners get access to Waze Closure, a tool that lets them input scheduled delays, restrictions, lane reversals, parking locations, and road closures ahead of time.

And Waze has dipped its toe in other ventures, too. In February, Waze expanded Waze Carpool, a ride-sharing tool that matches riders with carpoolers in areas where bus and transit routes don’t normally reach. It’s active in San Francisco and Tel Aviv, Israel.

But the expansions haven’t come at the cost of new in-app features. In recent years, Waze features tapped the vocal talent of high-profile names like New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, How I Met Your Mother’s own Neil Patrick Harris, and comedian Steven Colbert for spoken-aloud turn-by-turn directions. In June 2016, Waze added a “difficult intersections” feature that suggests alternative routes around intersections with higher-than-average accident rates. And more recent updates added alerts about hit-and-runs and kidnappings and reminders for parents not to leave children in hot cars.

Update: Added information about Waze and Spotify integration on iOS. 

Massive demand will see 5G phones arrive in 2019 says Qualcomm

Why it matters to you

The benefits of a super-fast mobile network — from connected cars to streaming 4K video — may be felt a year earlier than previously predicted.

Qualcomm says we will start to enjoy the benefits of a 5G data connection on a smartphone in 2019, a year ahead of when others predict 5G will first become usable, and it’s all due to what the company calls increasing demands from eager tech fans and businesses. Qualcomm CEO Steven Mollenkopf said at the Frankfurt Motor Show that 5G will arrive in real devices during 2019, and added that should he have been asked last year, he would have estimated it would happen in 2020.

We should expect the United States, South Korea, and Japan to launch 5G phones and services in 2019, with China not far behind, according to Mollenkopf. He’s confident demand will be high, and carriers will want to be quick to launch competing services, so as not to be left behind.

The setting for Mollenkopf’s statement is important, and Qualcomm itself has plenty invested in not only making sure 5G arrives quickly, but also that it’s a roaring success when it does. At the Frankfurt Motor Show, Mollenkopf delivered a keynote presentation entitled New Mobility World, in which he described 5G as a key element for automotive innovation over the coming years, and talked about how “vehicle-to-everything” technology will see cars talk to everything from traffic signals to other vehicles, and even pedestrians. In early September Qualcomm announced a chipset dedicated to vehicle-to-everything communication. The 9150 C-V2X chip will be released toward the end of 2018.

5G’s success will also depend on networks, and Qualcomm is romancing them, too. It’s working with Verizon, and with Sprint and parent company Softbank, on 5G tests and technology. When it announced the partnership with Sprint in May 2017, it also included a late 2019 estimate for the first 5G commercial services. Also in September, Qualcomm and Nokia teamed up to test 5G NR radio technology, an essential part of its plans to have the next-generation cellular system up and running for 2019.

Qualcomm isn’t the only one working on 5G. The company’s prediction came just ahead of a Huawei and Deutsche Telekom announcement, where a live 5G NR test in Berlin — the first 3GPP 5G connection of its type in Europe — saw a connection speed of 2Gpbs. Huawei said its partnership with Deutsche Telekom should see 5G services launch in Europe by 2020.