A popular virtual keyboard leaked the personal data of 31 million users

It seems there’s been another sizable data leak, this one affecting 31 million users of the popular customizable virtual keyboard app Ai.type.

The personal information — all 577GB of it — was exposed online because the Israel-based maker of the app had failed to secure its database server, according to Kromtech Security Center, which exposed the leak.

Reports suggest that the data in question, which has been verified by ZDNet, includes full names and email addresses of Ai.type users, as well as dates showing when the cross-platform app was installed. Each record also reveals the user’s registered location, such as their city and country.

For reasons currently unclear, some of the leaked information is reported to also include details linked to Google profiles, such as birth dates, genders, and profile pictures. Around 10 million email addresses were also found, as were some 373 million phone numbers seemingly taken from the contacts of registered users’ phones, though as ZDNet pointed out, “It’s not clear for what reason the app uploaded” such data.

The app’s website insists that information input by those using Ai.type is “encrypted and private”, but it appears the database was not encrypted, with researchers claiming that at least some of the text entered on the keyboard was being recorded and stored by the startup.

The app’s creator, Eitan Fitusi, told Digital Trends that far from spying on users, any collected input data is simply “statistical information” used to help power the app’s AI prediction engine. Fitusi added that the input data is “non-personal” so it can’t be connected to a particular user or device.

It seems that users who downloaded the freemium version of Ai.type had more data exposed than those with the paid version as the free one collects more information from devices. Also, the misconfigured database seems to have contained information linked only to Android users of the app, meaning that data belonging to the app’s iOS users is unaffected. All data has now been secured by the startup, ZDNet reported.

Ai.type users will, however, be relieved to learn that no passwords or payment details were kept on the server.

Elementary error

In what appears to have been an alarmingly elementary error, the server reportedly had no password protection, opening up the data to internet users who could then browse, download, or even delete the information held on it.

Ai.type uses artificial intelligence to help users type faster and more accurately. DT listed it earlier this year as a decent virtual keyboard app for emoji fans as it lets you put the colorful characters front and center in a couple of taps.

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Flipkart will sell the Pixel 2 at an unbeatable price of ₹39,999 in India

Flipkart is rolling out the best smartphone deal of 2017.

The Pixel 2 made its debut in India a month ago, but the phone’s starting price of ₹61,000 ($950) effectively made it a non-starter in the country. That’s all changing later this week, as Flipkart is rolling out a massive discount on the phone that will see the Pixel 2 being available for just ₹39,999 ($620). That’s a flat ₹20,001 discount ($330), making it one of the best smartphone deals of 2017.

Flipkart is rolling out the promotion as part of its Big Shopping Days sales event. The Pixel 2 isn’t getting a flat ₹20,001 discount: the retailer is instead slashing the price by ₹11,001, and then issuing a ₹10,000 off on all credit and debit cards, bringing the effective price of the Pixel 2 down to ₹39,999.

Again, that’s a fantastic price for a phone that was launched just over a month ago. As a refresher, the Pixel 2 has a 5.0-inch 1080p display, Snapdragon 835, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, 12.2MP camera, 8MP front shooter, IP67 dust and water resistance, and a 2700mAh battery.

If you’re interested in the Pixel 2, this is the deal for you.

It doesn’t have the 18:9 display as the Pixel 2 XL, but it does feature a Samsung-made panel, which doesn’t have any of the shortcomings of its larger sibling. Best of all, you get the same stunning camera as the Pixel 2 XL. I’ve been using the phone for just over a week now, and the camera is fantastic.

Flipkart is also offering a buyback guarantee of ₹36,500 if you turn in the Pixel 2 before twelve months. The sale kicks off tomorrow, December 7, and is valid until December 9. There’s no mention of how many units are available under the promotion, so if you’re interested in getting your hands on the Pixel 2 for under ₹40,000, best act fast.

Who’s picking up a Pixel 2 tomorrow?

See at Flipkart

Wileyfox phones are cheaper if you don’t mind lockscreen ads

Wileyfox is already in the business of making affordable smartphones that prioritise value for money, and now it’s started offering most of its devices for significantly cheaper, provided customers are willing to put up with ads on their lockscreen. From today, you can get as much as 42 percent off the retail price of a Wileyfox phone should you opt to pick up the “Add-X” version. Amazon has a similar scheme in the US with ad-subsidised “Prime Exclusive” phones, and in the UK you can get a tenner off the retailer’s Fire tablets and some Kindle e-readers if you let Amazon stick its “Special Offers” on the lockscreen.

Amazon’s Prime Exclusive smartphones, as the epithet suggests, are only available to Prime subscribers, and require you to link your Amazon account and install the retailer’s Android app suite. Wileyfox considers Add-X to be less demanding, and less intrusive. When you set up a new device, you’re asked to plug in your date of birth and specify your gender (male or female). This intel will be used to tailor the ads you receive initially, and what types you engage with or dismiss out of hand will shape what ads are served to you in the future.

Should you actually want to see more about a product or service, or take advantage of say, a coffee promotion, Wileyfox hands you off at that point, and doesn’t collect any data on that interaction past the lockscreen. Ads and offers will always be age-appropriate, and Wileyfox says it’s not going to open the platform up to payday loan providers and such. The company is keen to be transparent about what data it collects and who it’s selling ad space to. Earlier this year, Wileyfox had to issue an emergency software update to phones after owners grew concerned about the preinstalled Yandex Zen newsfeed app, which was collecting user data without their explicit consent.

The ads themselves won’t get in the way of notifications, weather widgets and whatever else you typically have on your lockscreen, and take just one swipe to dismiss. Your phone may end up using mobile data to download batches of ads, but apparently you’re looking at less than a 20MB shortfall each month. For these slight inconveniences, you can get up to £70 off the normal price of a Wileyfox handset.

Wileyfox will sell Add-X versions on its own site and through Amazon, Carphone Warehouse and everywhere else you can find its phones already. The company also says every smartphone it releases from now on will have an Add-X variant. Now, even if you buy an Add-X model you don’t have to live with lockscreen ads forever. Chuck £40 Wileyfox’s way and within two working days your phone will receive an OTA update that strips everything related to Add-X off the device.

Wileyfox is well aware that people could ‘hack’ the system in this way — for example, they could buy a Swift 2 Plus for £120 instead of £190, pay £40 to remove Add-X and effectively save themselves £30 off the cost of the phone. The company thinks that after using the Add-X model for a day or two, however, they’ll realise they can easily live with lockscreen ads and would rather save that £40. And maybe they’ll even find some value in a cheaper takeaway offer now and again.

Google Maps motorcycle mode finds shortcuts for India’s bikers

Although, Google’s Android Oreo Go OS and Files Go! storage app were the headliners at its India event, the company also had two more surprises in tow: a two-wheeler mode for Maps and a bi-lingual version of its Assistant for Indian feature phone JioPhone.

India overtook China to become the world’s leading motorcycle and scooter market last year. With millions of two-wheelers in the country, it’s no wonder Google is creating a dedicated update for the bikes. The new mode will scout shortcuts that aren’t accessible to cars and trucks, and provide customized traffic and arrival time estimates. Google claims it’s an “India-first” feature, so chances are it will spread to other regions too.

The Google Assistant for the JioPhone, built for India in both English and Hindi—is launching today. #GoogleForIndia pic.twitter.com/Rml3P1fR8C

— Google India (@GoogleIndia) December 5, 2017

While Android OreoGo will pre-install Assistant on budget smartphones, the digital helper is also heading to a feature phone. A Hindi and English language variant of Assistant is coming to the $25, 4G-enabled JioPhone. Aside from slight tweaks to its interface, Assistant will retain all its voice-based functions, despite being downgraded to a bargain-basement phone. Though, it will have to tussle with JioPhone’s existing Assistant (HelloJio) while there.

Source: Google

HQ’s live trivia is coming to Android in time for the holidays

Since launching in August the HQ app has been attracting hundreds of thousands of players to its twice-daily live trivia games, but so far they’re all playing on iPhones. Now, a tweet indicates that Android users will be able to get in on the action soon, since “HQ has a nice little stocking stuffer coming your way.” The game came from two Vine co-founders and has seen as many as 400,000 people logging on at 3 and 9 PM ET to try and win cash prizes of up to a few thousand dollars by answering trivia questions.

We’ve seen some attempts at this before, including NBC’s short-lived Million Second Quiz game show/app and the Xbox Live game 1 vs. 100. There are other games like Trivia Crack and Quiz Up, but they don’t have the same live event hook, while Family Feud Live features tournaments for cash prizes but also contains subscription fees and pushes in-app purchases heavily.

Hey world, we hear you also have Android phones? HQ has a nice little stocking stuffer coming your way… pic.twitter.com/RwY6Qpkk9e

— HQ Trivia (@hqtrivia) December 5, 2017

Source: HQ (Twitter)

Comcast claims new gateway can reach wireless speeds of 1.5 gigabits per second

Comcast’s new xFi Advanced Gateway is now available to all Xfinity broadband markets, the company said Wednesday. According to a blog written by Comcast’s Fraser Stirling, this new all-in-one device reportedly supports wireless speeds of more than 1.5 gigabits per second in the Comcast labs. It also includes an 8×8 antenna setup, meaning your connected device must have eight incoming and eight outgoing antennas to support the reported 1.5Gbps speeds.

In reality, promoted wireless speeds which are theoretical in nature, never translate into real-world speeds. Many factors come into play, including the channel width, local radio interference, neighboring networks, and more. Stirling says the new gateway sports an additional 160MHz channel width, which means there’s more air space for sending data back and forth from devices. Modern routers and gateways typically include 20MHz, 40MHz, and 80MHz channel widths.

“We use MU-MIMO (multi-user, multi-input, multi-output) technology to make sure that the xFi Advanced Gateway doesn’t just deliver great speed to one device, but because of the spatial diversity built into the design, it can simultaneously power dozens of devices without sacrificing performance on any of them,” Stirling says.

Of course, you can’t squeeze gigabit speeds out of a 300Mbps broadband subscription. The new xFi Advanced Gateway is available to all markets that support 300Mbps and up, and would seemingly be more ideal for the company’s Xfinity Gigabit Internet subscribers. Still, you’re not going to experience real-world wireless gigabit speeds with devices that aren’t built to support the technology. Comcast is merely laying a foundation for future devices.

“While there are currently no mass-market Wi-Fi connected devices capable of receiving gig speeds over Wi-Fi, those devices are coming,” he adds. “In the meantime, the power of the xFi Advanced Gateway delivers ultimate performance to your connected home.”

But speed isn’t the only selling point of Comcast’s new gateway. Because it resides in a central location in the home, the company wanted it to properly blend into its surroundings. Typically, gateways, modems, and routers are ugly devices with multiple flashing LEDs — some can even resemble mechanical spiders that are flat on their backs. But Comcast wanted a more elegant look, thus it switched out the LEDs for a single, soft and steady light. It also features a blend of neutral colors and soft-touch materials.

The company also considered the connected home when it designed the new gateway. The device includes not only a Bluetooth Low Energy component, but stand-alone radios for Zigbee and Thread (NEST, Philips Hue Home Automation) Internet of Things devices. The new gateway also provides plenty of customizable xFi-branded features, including per-user profile creation, access restrictions, device assignments, and more.

Comcast also plans to introduce a mesh-based networking system later this month. This won’t be a centralized unit like the new gateway, but will be made up of two or three satellite units that will blanket the entire home with mesh-like coverage. Additional details will be made available in the coming weeks.

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Comcast claims new gateway can reach wireless speeds of 1.5 gigabits per second

Comcast’s new xFi Advanced Gateway is now available to all Xfinity broadband markets, the company said Wednesday. According to a blog written by Comcast’s Fraser Stirling, this new all-in-one device reportedly supports wireless speeds of more than 1.5 gigabits per second in the Comcast labs. It also includes an 8×8 antenna setup, meaning your connected device must have eight incoming and eight outgoing antennas to support the reported 1.5Gbps speeds.

In reality, promoted wireless speeds which are theoretical in nature, never translate into real-world speeds. Many factors come into play, including the channel width, local radio interference, neighboring networks, and more. Stirling says the new gateway sports an additional 160MHz channel width, which means there’s more air space for sending data back and forth from devices. Modern routers and gateways typically include 20MHz, 40MHz, and 80MHz channel widths.

“We use MU-MIMO (multi-user, multi-input, multi-output) technology to make sure that the xFi Advanced Gateway doesn’t just deliver great speed to one device, but because of the spatial diversity built into the design, it can simultaneously power dozens of devices without sacrificing performance on any of them,” Stirling says.

Of course, you can’t squeeze gigabit speeds out of a 300Mbps broadband subscription. The new xFi Advanced Gateway is available to all markets that support 300Mbps and up, and would seemingly be more ideal for the company’s Xfinity Gigabit Internet subscribers. Still, you’re not going to experience real-world wireless gigabit speeds with devices that aren’t built to support the technology. Comcast is merely laying a foundation for future devices.

“While there are currently no mass-market Wi-Fi connected devices capable of receiving gig speeds over Wi-Fi, those devices are coming,” he adds. “In the meantime, the power of the xFi Advanced Gateway delivers ultimate performance to your connected home.”

But speed isn’t the only selling point of Comcast’s new gateway. Because it resides in a central location in the home, the company wanted it to properly blend into its surroundings. Typically, gateways, modems, and routers are ugly devices with multiple flashing LEDs — some can even resemble mechanical spiders that are flat on their backs. But Comcast wanted a more elegant look, thus it switched out the LEDs for a single, soft and steady light. It also features a blend of neutral colors and soft-touch materials.

The company also considered the connected home when it designed the new gateway. The device includes not only a Bluetooth Low Energy component, but stand-alone radios for Zigbee and Thread (NEST, Philips Hue Home Automation) Internet of Things devices. The new gateway also provides plenty of customizable xFi-branded features, including per-user profile creation, access restrictions, device assignments, and more.

Comcast also plans to introduce a mesh-based networking system later this month. This won’t be a centralized unit like the new gateway, but will be made up of two or three satellite units that will blanket the entire home with mesh-like coverage. Additional details will be made available in the coming weeks.

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Best Phones for Under ₹20,000 in India

• Best overall
• Best for battery
• Best for multimedia
• Best after-sales service

Best overall

Xiaomi Mi A1

See at Flipkart

Available for ₹14,999, the Mi A1 is a truly remarkable product that gets all the basics right. The phone has a unibody aluminum design that gives it an upmarket look, with antenna lines tucked at the top and bottom.

Under the hood, you get a 2.0GHz Snapdragon 625, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of internal storage, microSD slot, and a 3080mAh battery that charges over USB-C. One of the main highlights of the phone is dual 12MP rear cameras, with a wide-angle lens augmented by a secondary telephoto lens.

Then there’s the fact that the Mi A1 is based on the Android One platform. Running an uncluttered software makes the device an absolute delight to use on a day-to-day basis, and gives the Mi A1 a leg up in this category.

Bottom line: The Mi A1 is the best budget phone currently available in India, and that isn’t likely to change for a while.

One more thing: Xiaomi is guaranteeing to roll out Android 8.0 Oreo to the device before the end of the year.

Why the Xiaomi Mi A1 is the best

The Mi A1 has all the hallmarks of a Xiaomi device: great internal hardware, premium design, and outstanding value for money. Combine that with Google software and you get the best phone in the budget segment.

The Mi A1 gets everything right: it has a 5.5-inch Full HD panel, and is powered by the Snapdragon 625 platform. It also comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage as standard, and even has a dual camera setup at the back.

Then there’s the 3080mAh battery, which provides a day’s worth of usage from a full charge without breaking a sweat. With the phone sold under the Android One initiative, you get the promise of quick updates and a clean user interface that’s unmarred by any customizations.

The Mi A1 is the perfect budget phone.

All this for just ₹14,999 makes the Mi A1 the deal of the year, and the phone to beat in this segment. Of course, with every new launch the bar kees getting high, but it’s hard to see how phones in this category can get any better.

There isn’t a single drawback with the Mi A1, with the phone holding its ground against the likes of the Moto G5S Plus and the Redmi Note 4 in every single area.

The phone offers the best cameras in this segment, with the quality of the primary sensor on par with the Mi 6, a device that costs over double that of the Mi A1.

Xiaomi will be handling updates to the phone, and in the two months it has been on sale, the device has picked up two security patches. As such, the Mi A1 is guaranteed to receive updates ahead of every other phone in this segment, with Android 8.0 Oreo set to roll out before the end of the year.

Xiaomi Mi A1 review: Best of both worlds

Best for battery

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4

See at Flipkart

The Redmi Note 4 is the best-selling phone in India this year, and it isn’t hard to see why. The phone gets a lot of things right, including a massive 4100mAh battery that makes it the best device in this segment when it comes to battery life.

You’re guaranteed two days’ worth of battery life from a full charge, with screen-on-time hitting the ten-hour mark consistently. Elsewhere, the phone comes with a 5.5-inch Full HD panel, Snapdragon 625 chipset, 3GB/4GB of RAM, 32GB/64GB of storage, and a 13MP rear camera.

Best of all, Xiaomi reduced the price of the Redmi Note 4 recently, with the 4GB variant now available for just ₹11,999. That’s a no-brainer considering the hardware on offer.

Bottom line: A year after its release, the Redmi Note 4 continues to be one of the best options in the budget category.

One more thing: The phone has received the MIUI 9 update, bringing a host of new features.

Best for multimedia

Xiaomi Mi Max 2

See at Flipkart

Xiaomi’s 6.44-inch Mi Max 2 is the ideal device for consuming multimedia. The 1080p panel is certainly the largest in this segment, but as we’ve seen with the first-gen Mi Max, there is an audience for large-screen devices with huge batteries.

The ₹15,999 Mi Max 2 is catered to that audience.The 5300mAh battery ensures that the device lasts at least a day and a half even with heavy usage, and you can stream movies or browse the web with the confidence that you’ll get an average screen-on-time in excess of eight hours.

The internal hardware isn’t all that shabby either, with the Mi Max 2 offering 4GB of RAM, 64GB of internal storage, 12MP camera, and a 5MP front camera. Powering it all is a Snapdragon 625 chipset.

Bottom line: If you’re looking for a phone with a massive screen and huge battery, you cannot go wrong with the Mi Max 2.

One more thing: Mi Max 2 is great for multitasking thanks to MIUI’s split-screen mode.

Best after-sales service

Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro

See at Flipkart

Samsung usually has no trouble selling tens of millions of underwhelming Galaxy J devices, but with the likes of Xiaomi breathing down its neck, the South Korean manufacturer raised its game considerably this year.

Featuring a 5.5-inch FHD display, Exynos 7870 chipset, 3GB of RAM, 64GB of internal storage, 13MP rear and front cameras, and a 2600mAh battery, the J7 Pro has it all. It even comes with Samsung Pay.

The phone is the costliest on this list at ₹19,990, but should you face any issues with the phone, you can rely on Samsung’s robust after-sales network across India. Samsung continues to lead the way for after-sales service, and if that is a major consideration for you then the J7 Pro is the device to get.

Bottom line: The Galaxy J7 Pro is one of the most feature-rich budget devices Samsung has launched in recent years.

One more thing: If you use your credit or debit card a lot at retail outlets, you’ll love the convenience on offer with Samsung Pay.

Conclusion

If there’s one defining trend for 2017, it’s Xiaomi’s dominance in the budget segment. The company has launched eight devices in the country over the course of the year, each offering a differentiated feature aimed at a particular audience.

With the Mi A1, Xiaomi is targeting those looking for a clutter-free software experience and fast updates. If you want an all-rounder with a premium aluminum design, dual rear cameras, and clean software, look no further than the Mi A1.

Best overall

Xiaomi Mi A1

See at Flipkart

Available for ₹14,999, the Mi A1 is a truly remarkable product that gets all the basics right. The phone has a unibody aluminum design that gives it an upmarket look, with antenna lines tucked at the top and bottom.

Under the hood, you get a 2.0GHz Snapdragon 625, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of internal storage, microSD slot, and a 3080mAh battery that charges over USB-C. One of the main highlights of the phone is dual 12MP rear cameras, with a wide-angle lens augmented by a secondary telephoto lens.

Then there’s the fact that the Mi A1 is based on the Android One platform. Running an uncluttered software makes the device an absolute delight to use on a day-to-day basis, and gives the Mi A1 a leg up in this category.

Bottom line: The Mi A1 is the best budget phone currently available in India, and that isn’t likely to change for a while.

One more thing: Xiaomi is guaranteeing to roll out Android 8.0 Oreo to the device before the end of the year.

Netflix tries out a Christmas movie with Kurt Russell as Santa

Netflix is handing Kurt Russell the role he was born to play: Santa Claus. The streaming giant is about to start rolling cameras on a festive flick, according to The Hollywood Reporter, with filmmaker Chris Columbus (of Harry Potter and Home Alone fame) producing. Child actors Judah Lewis (last seen on Netflix’s The Babysitter) and Big Little Lies’ resident DJ Darby Camp will round out the cast of the as-yet untitled project.

The film — which centers on two siblings who inadvertently derail Christmas after trying to record Santa on film — will be a mix of live-action and CGI, with visual effects from Oscar-winner Erik-Jan De Boer (Life of Pi and Netflix’s veggie opus Okja). Clay Kaytis, co-director of surprise hit The Angry Birds Movie, is directing. The flick starts shooting in January and will reportedly hit the streaming service in time for the 2018 holiday season.

Netflix has been cranking up its family fare as damage control for Disney pulling its programming from the platform. It’s already introduced a bunch of interactive kids shows (including Dreamworks Animations’ Puss in Boots: Trapped in an Epic Tale). Its line-up also includes last year’s Voltron: Legendary Defender reboot.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

MIT researchers made a living ink that responds to its surroundings

Researchers at MIT have developed a 3D printable hydrogel that can sense and respond to stimuli. The hydrogel is loaded with bacteria that can be genetically programmed to light-up when they come in contact with certain chemicals and, therefore, could be used as living sensors.

To demonstrate the living ink’s abilities, the researchers printed the hydrogel in a tree pattern with different sections of the tree’s branches containing bacteria sensitive to different types of chemicals. They then smeared those chemicals on a person’s skin and put the 3D-printed tree-shaped “living tattoo” on top. When the branches came in contact with those chemicals, the bacteria were triggered to fluoresce.

“This is very future work, but we expect to be able to print living computational platforms that could be wearable,” researcher Hyunwoo Yuk said in a statement. Some examples of possible future applications of this type of technology could be living sensors programmed to monitor inflammatory biomarkers or ingestible versions that can affect gut microbiota. Bacteria-loaded materials like this could also be used to sense pollutants in the environment or changes in temperature, for example.

The research was published today in Advanced Materials and you can check out the video below for more information on the project.

Image: Liu et al.

Via: MIT

Source: Advanced Materials