NVIDIA GPUs weren’t immune to Spectre security flaws either

It’s not just your processor and operating system that are affected by the Meltdown and Spectre memory vulnerabilities — your graphics card is, too. To that end, NVIDIA has detailed how its GPUs are affected by the speculative execution attacks and has started releasing updated drivers that tackle the issue. All its GeForce, Quadro, NVS, Tesla and GRID chips appear to be safe from Meltdown (aka variant 3 of the attacks), but are definitely susceptible to at least one version of Spectre (variant 1) and “potentially affected” by the other (variant 2). The new software mitigates the first Spectre flaw, but NVIDIA is promising future mitigations as well as eventual updates to address the second.

Most of the updates are available now, although Tesla and GRID users will have to wait until late January.

There’s no mention of whether or not NVIDIA’s fixes will affect performance. Microsoft has warned that some Spectre fixes could bog down older PCs, but those are fixes for CPUs, not GPUs. NVIDIA had already promised updates for its Shield devices.

NVIDIA’s fixes are necessary given the severity of the flaw (an intruder could use speculative execution to swipe sensitive data from protected memory), but they also illustrate just how much of a headache Meltdown and Spectre have become. While they don’t affect absolutely every aspect of computing, they’re pervasive enough that it’s virtually certain you use something which requires an update.

Via: Reuters

Source: NVIDIA

CES 2018 recap: Day one

The CES show floor officially opened yesterday, and suffice to say Team Engadget was kept very busy. As the day began, we divided our time between all the big booths (think: Sony, Samsung, Intel, LG, etc.). But, we also had to leave the Las Vegas Convention Center and make our way over to the Sands, which is home to CES’s increasingly important startup section. That’s where we tend to find unexpected gems each CES. The above recap includes just a sliver of what we saw yesterday — you can find all our coverage here, and be sure to stay tuned in. After all, we still have two full days left on the show floor.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2018.

Telegram’s desktop update adds design tweaks and custom themes

Telegram offers several ways to access its encrypted message service on laptops and PCs: There’s the pared-down web version, a Mac offering, and the all-encompassing desktop app. Now, thanks to a major update, the desktop version is ready to supersede its counterparts.

The revamp brings with it a consistent material design, new animations, and custom themes (following on the heels of their introduction on iOS). The latter let you sprinkle some color on your messaging bubbles — much like Messenger’s web version — and include a third-party night mode for your after-dark convos.

As frequent users will be aware, Telegram offers server-client encrypted messaging and end-to-end encrypted private chats. The desktop app’s existing features include syncing messages from the mobile app, and the ability to switch between typing chats on your phone and desktop. Plus, you can send the usual barrage of attachments, including pics, documents, and videos.

How Telegram finds the time to implement these updates between all the wrangling it does with oppressive foreign regimes is anyone’s guess — recent aggressors include Iran and Afghanistan.

Source: Telegram

FBI chief says phone encryption is a ‘major public safety issue’

The FBI’s stance on phone encryption hasn’t changed even if the President fired former director James Comey. At a cybersecurity conference in New York, current chief Christopher Wray has reiterated that the agency failed to access the content inside 7,775 devices within the fiscal year that ended on September 30th, 2017 despite having the proper warrants. That’s over half the number of devices the FBI tried to crack open within that period, making encryption, according to Wray, a “major public safety issue.”

Wray urged the private sector to work with the government in finding “a way forward quickly,” insisting that the FBI isn’t interested in peeking into ordinary citizens’ devices. The bureau just wants access to the ones owned by suspects. That pretty much echoes Comey’s position during his time — if you’ll recall the FBI asked tech titans to create a backdoor into their software and phones in order to give authorities a way to open them during investigations. Apple chief Tim Cook said the request had “chilling” and “dangerous” implications, warning that companies wouldn’t be able to control how that backdoor is used.

Wray told the audience at the event that authorities face an increasing number of cases that rely on electronic evidence. He doesn’t buy companies claims that it’s impossible to find a way for encryption to be more law enforcement-friendly, so to speak. Not that the FBI can’t do anything if it absolutely has to: when Apple refused to cooperate with authorities to unlock the San Bernardino shooter’s iPhone, the agency paid a third party almost a million to get the job done.

Source: Reuters, The Washington Post

AAA is testing self-driving cars to see how safe they are

Fully autonomous cars won’t be allowed on the streets until they’re safe, but how will we know when that happens? The American Automobile Association (AAA) is trying to figure that out by testing self-driving cars powered by Torc Robotics “Asimov” system. The aim is to gather information and develop safety criteria that could be used by any company developing self-driving tech. “By creating a blueprint for automakers to follow, we hope to build public trust in technology,” said AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah CEO Tim Condon.

A recent AAA survey found that 75 percent of Americans are skeptical of self-driving cars, and as a driver-focused, independent organization, the AAA feels its well-placed to help build up that trust. Torc Robotics, meanwhile, is one of the early pioneers of self-driving, having placed third in DARPA’s 2007 Urban Challenge — back when self-driving cars were a bit more bulky. The Asimov system has been cross-country tested in more than 20 states, it notes.

The non-profit AAA has historically weighed in on motorist rights and safety issues, supporting increased infrastructure spending, lower speed limits and gas tax increases. It’s aware that its business model is changing rapidly, however, with the arrival of EVs, self-driving cars and other tech. Autonomous cars, it believes, “have the potential to dramatically reduce traffic fatalities on our roadways.”

The AAA even launched its own one-way car-sharing service in the Bay Area recently. “We’re acknowledging that transportation habits are changing,” Condon said. “AAA is over a hundred years old, and we remain committed to continuously innovating in the area of traffic safety.”

Pokémon GO Soon Won’t Support iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, and Some Older iPads

Niantic on Tuesday announced that Pokémon GO will require an iPhone or iPad capable of running iOS 11 or later at the end of February.

The company plans to release an update for Pokémon GO around February 28, 2018 that will end support for older iPhone and iPad models incapable of updating to iOS 11, including the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5c.

The complete list of affected devices, released between 2011 and 2013:

• iPhone 5
• iPhone 5c
• iPad (4th generation)
• iPad (3rd generation)
• iPad mini (1st generation)
• iPad 2

After that date, players may no longer be able to access their Pokémon GO accounts on affected devices, or use their PokéCoins or other items in their bags. They will need to switch to a supported device to continue playing the game.

More specifically, players who attempt to access Pokémon GO using any of the devices listed above will no longer be able to sign in and will see a message stating that they need to switch to a supported device, suggesting server-side changes.

Niantic said the change is a result of improvements to Pokémon GO that push the game beyond the capabilities of previous iOS versions, likely including a new AR+ mode based on Apple’s ARKit for iPhone 6s and newer.

Related Roundup: iOS 11Tag: Pokémon GO
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HMRC stings Apple with £136 million bill for back taxes

Tech giants are often criticised for using complex tax loopholes to bank more of their profits than arguably they should, but occasionally the authorities do manage to find fault in their accounts. Following “an extensive audit” of Apple’s books, HM Revenue & Customs scored itself an additional £136 million in back taxes, plus interest, from the company. The Financial Times spotted the payment in the financials of Apple Europe, a UK subsidiary that performs sales support, marketing and other duties for other Apple subsidiaries. According to the FT, HMRC reasoned that Apple Europe did not receive appropriate commission for sales leads from an Ireland-based subsidiary over a number of years up to 2015. Less commission, less taxable income… you get the idea.

Apple Europe’s financials say the £136 million adjustment “reflects the company’s increased activity,” and we can’t definitively know HMRC’s side of the story since it doesn’t “comment on the tax affairs of individual companies.” Apple Europe also mentioned tax payments will increase in the future to reflect this new understanding with HMRC. Commenting on the news, Apple issued the following statement:

“We know the important role that tax payments play in society. Apple pays all that we owe according to tax laws and local customs in the countries where we operate. As a multinational business and the largest taxpayer in the world, Apple is regularly audited by tax authorities around the world. HMRC recently concluded a multiyear audit of our UK accounts and the settlement we reached with HMRC is reflected in our recently filed accounts.”

The HMRC’s £136 million is just a drop in the ocean that is Apple’s bank account, though the company is due to start paying Ireland the €13 billion it owes in back taxes there any day now. European regulators declared back in 2016 the tax breaks Apple was and had been receiving from the Irish government were illegal, resulting in billions owed to the country. Not that Ireland is the only tax-friendly territory in Europe Apple’s set up shop in, of course.

Source: Financial Times (paywalled)

Brilliant turns your light switches into connected-home hubs

Brilliant plugs directly into your home’s existing light-switch ports, and it controls a slew of smart home devices, including lights, the Ring doorbell, Nest thermostat, Sonos speakers, Amazon Alexa and more. This is a control panel built for everyday folks, rather than businesses, and it has a price to match. A single Brilliant panel starts at $200 and maxes out at $350 for a four-switch set (that’s $50 for each additional switch). The whole shebang will be available at the end of February.

The basic Brilliant panel features a touchscreen, camera and microphone. This allows users to see who’s at the door via the Ring doorbell (and unlock it, if you like what you see), or start a video intercom conversation with someone in another room (if you have two Brilliant switches, that is). You can also ask Alexa to do things via Brilliant, and the company promises Google Assistant compatibility is on its way. Brilliant connects to Sonos speakers for now, though developers plan to add standard Bluetooth connectivity down the line.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2018.

Sony’s $30,000 4K short-throw projector hides powerful sound

We’ve been eying Sony’s short-throw projectors for the past few years, but they’ve always been too obscenely expensive to really take seriously. Well, that’s not changing this year. In fact, the new LSPX-A1 is actually more expensive than last year’s $25,000 model at $30,000. But, with that extra cost comes a major new feature: six speakers that simulate 360-degree atmospheric sound.

The LSPX-A1 also looks like more of a high-end piece of furniture, with its sleek marble top and wooden shelf. Those two glass feet also act as tweeters, thanks to built-in actuators. And, of course, there’s a subwoofer hiding underneath. In a brief demo, the projector did a decent job of spitting out a 120-inch 4K image from just 9.6-inches feet away from a wall. It wasn’t astoundingly bright, but that could have been due to the less-than-ideal viewing conditions. One major downside: While it supports HDR10, there’s no Dolby Vision.

In terms of sound, the six speakers easily managed to fill a small conference room which was about the size of a typical living room. But while it’s nice to have an all-in-one speaker solution, it didn’t actually sound like something that cost $30,000. I’ve heard $500 speakers with a better sense of detail and presence. Honestly, though, this projector isn’t meant for a discerning audience — it’s for folks with money to burn.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2018.

Waze’s crowd-sourced traffic info comes to Ford Sync 3 cars

In 2016, Ford wisely decided to offer Apple’s CarPlay and Android Auto on all its Sync 3 infotainment system-equipped 2017 vehicles, and owners are seeing more benefits from that at CES 2018. Ford announced that it now supports Waze’s traffic and navigation app directly from your iPhone. After you plug it into any of the vehicle’s USB ports, the app will appear on the Sync 3 touchscreen, letting you control it from there or use voice commands.

Waze, owned by Google, gathers traffic information from you and shares it, telling others if there’s a traffic jam along your route, for instance. You can be even more helpful by directly relaying unknown accidents, construction and other issues. Waze’s navigation system can then help you pick the quickest route, tell you about HOV lanes, relay your arrival time to friends and family and even find the cheapest gasoline nearby.

As long as you keep your Waze iOS app updated, you’ll have the latest version on a Sync 3 car, which is one of the benefits of Ford’s wide-open system. It also unveiled Alexa support at CES 2018, giving you voice-controlled music, news and 25,000 other skills. It’s odd that the automaker didn’t mention Waze Android support, since Google owns both Android and Waze, but we’ve reached out for more info.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2018.