LTE security holes could lead to fake emergency alerts

Vulnerabilities in cellular network technology definitely aren’t things of the past. Researchers at Purdue and the University of Iowa have outlined exploits in LTE protocols that would let intruders conduct ten serious attacks, including spying on calls and text messages, tracking locations, knocking devices offline and even faking emergency alerts. Intuders can take advantage of three key protocol tasks (such as attaching a device to the network and maintaining a connection) to conduct authentication relay attacks that not only let them connect to the network without credentials, but masquerade as the victim’s device. A hacker could not only compromise the network, but frame someone else for the crime.

These aren’t just theoretical attacks, either. The team tested eight of the ten attacks using SIM cards from four large US carriers.

While the issues have to do with LTE itself, it is possible to fix them — at least one of the big US carriers already has. There’s still a race against time, however. You can build the necessary LTE exploit tool for as little as $1,300 using readily available parts, so a determined attacker could infiltrate a network without an abundance of resources.

This stresses the importance of testing cell standards in the real world. It’s relatively easy to fix security flaws before a standard is finalized and rolls out in earnest — it’s another when it’s already in use by cell carriers that may have to patch vast networks.

Source: ZDNet

Amazon offers free sound effects to Alexa skill creators

Amazon is making it easier for developers to add a variety of sound effects to their Alexa skills. The tech giant has launched a library full of built-in audio clips people can use to add — in Amazon’s words — “unique sounds” to their creations. Of course, by the time most developers are done tweaking their skills to add the audio clips, they’ll no longer seem unique. In fact, you should probably probably get used to hearing the same thing again and again. But developers do have quite a wide selection to choose from with 14 categories that include sounds you’d usually hear in cartoons and sci-fi shows, as as well as sounds of nature, humans and animals.

Amazon says developers can use those effects, say, to add applause for correct answers in a trivia game or spooky ghost-like moans for a horror/adventure game. The whole library is free for skill-makers, who can use the sounds on their own or combined with other files. If you’d like to get an idea of what could hear on your Dot or Echo on a regular basis, check out the full collection on Alexa’s Skills Kit page.

Source: Amazon, Alexa Skills Kit Sound Library

Porsche starts work on flying passenger drones

You might have to cross another item off of the list of things you never thought Porsche would do. Automobilwoche has claimed that Porsche is developing passenger drones, and is close to showing off its first design sketch. While there’s clearly not much to show at this point, you would have some control over the machine but wouldn’t need a pilot’s license — like other in-progress drones, a large chunk of the flight control would be automated.

While it’s not clear that Porsche is ready to confirm the details, it’s clearly open to the idea. Company sales lead Detlev von Platen noted that it takes him “at least half an hour” just to drive from Porsche’s plant in Zuffenhausen to the airport in Stuttgart, but just “three and a half minutes” with an aircraft.

It may seem odd for Porsche to not only venture into flying vehicles, but hands-off vehicles. Isn’t that anathema to enthusiasts used to taking the wheel? However, it’s likely feeling pressure to do something in the passenger drone space. Its rival Daimler is backing Volocopter’s drone, while Volvo parent Geely recently bought Terrafugia. Even Porsche owner Volkswagen has dipped its toes into the waters: its Italdesign wing partnered with Airbus on the Pop.Up flying car concept. If Porsche doesn’t explore passenger drones, there’s a possibility that it could miss out as the transportation world shifts away from human-piloted cars and toward autonomous vehicles of all kinds.

Via: Reuters

Source: Automobilwoche (sub. required)

Apple might offer lower-cost MacBook Air in spring

Apple has left the MacBook Air mostly untouched for years, including its price. Ever since the 11-inch model disappeared in 2016, you’ve been looking at $999 or more for Apple’s ‘starter’ laptop — a tough sell given the aging design. It might become a better value before long, however. KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo (who has a mostly solid track record for Apple leaks and rumors) has claimed that Apple is preparing a MacBook Air with a “lower price tag” for release this spring.

Details are scarce at the moment, but 9to5Mac noted that this corroborated a sketchy claim from Digitimes.

This doesn’t mean that Apple will redesign the MacBook Air. It gave the system just a modest spec bump in June 2017, and then only by using an older processor. It may have reasons to make a more substantial update this year, however. It might not have much choice but to upgrade to a modern processor thanks to Meltdown and Spectre vulnerabilities. There’s also the question of ports. While plenty of people still rely on USB-A peripherals, it’s hard to see Apple keeping the connector on laptops for much longer when the MacBook Pro and 12-inch MacBook both rely exclusively on USB-C. The big question is whether or not Apple can move past the Air’s old 1,440 x 900 display, which isn’t very competitive when many newer laptops have 1080p displays with richer colors.

Whatever happens to the hardware, a lower price would represent an acknowledgment that the MacBook Air is too important to cut from the lineup. Many had suspected that the 12-inch MacBook would eventually take its place, but the newer machine’s high price, lone port and limited performance have kept it from usurping the Air’s throne. Apple still has to lean on the Air whether or not it wants to move on, and that means making the system attractive enough to reel in buyers who would balk at the prices for other Mac portables.

Source: AppleInsider, 9to5Mac

Nest will stop selling products on Amazon following a ban on its latest hardware

This ongoing feud just keeps getting more annoying.

There’s been a lot happening in the smart home space over the past month. Nest announced at the beginning of February that it was merging with Google’s hardware team, and a few weeks later Amazon purchased Nest-competitor Ring. Now, it’s been reported that Nest is deciding to pull its products from Amazon’s website.

Last year, Nest released the Thermostat E and Secure home security system. Both are commendable smart home gadgets, but Amazon chose to not sell either of them. Following weeks of radio silence from the online retailer, Business Insider reports that Amazon later called Nest to tell them that this decision had “come from the top.”

Although no names were specifically mentioned, Nest was under the impression that this was coming from Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos. Not wanting to sell just a few of its products and being restricted by Amazon on which ones it could list, Nest then decided to not restock any inventory of its hardware that’s currently available on Amazon.

Amazon and Google’s inability to get along is bad news for consumers, plain and simple.

Why is any of this happening in the first place? Unfortunately, it can be attributed to Amazon’s ongoing feud with Google. Last year saw a lot of drama between Amazon and Google regarding the use of the YouTube app on the Echo Show and Fire TV, and while Amazon offered a few olive branches to calm things down, nothing ever came of this.

Now that Nest is part of Google and Amazon’s purchased one of its biggest competitors, Nest is in Amazon’s way.

You’ll likely still be able to purchase Nest products from third-party sellers on Amazon as time goes on, but none of them will officially be sold by Nest from here on out.

This Amazon vs. Google battle has been nothing but bad news for consumers since it started, and thanks to this latest development, it doesn’t look like it’ll be stopping anytime soon. I’m personally pretty sick of the whole thing, so I hope and pray these two companies can work out their differences sooner rather than later. What about you?

Are Nest Products Worth It?

FIFA rulemakers approve the use of video referees

Like it or not, video assistant referees are about to become a mainstay of the beautiful game. The International Football Association Board, which sets rules for FIFA as well as UK associations, has unanimously approved the use of VARs in soccer (aka football) matches on a permanent basis. So long as they go through a “mandatory approval process,” they can implement the play review technology if they like. The decision comes after an independent university study showed that VARs had a net positive effect.

As elsewhere, the aim is to produce more accurate play calls when there are serious disputes, such as for goals, penalties, red cards (but not a second yellow card) and cases of punishing the wrong person. This theoretically prevents game-changing mistakes while keeping the downtime to a minimum, and real-world tests have shown that the technology can work. In the US’ Major League Soccer, for instance, it decided the outcome for matches soon after its introduction.

Not everyone sees VARs this way, of course. Some have argued that it still slows down the game too much, and that the process of using it is too opaque for fans. And of course, it’s limited by the nature of the hardware. In at least one match (between Portugese teams Aves and Boavista), the referee had to let a questionable goal stand after a fan inadvertently blocked a camera with a flag during the crucial moment.

As it stands, whether or not your favorite league or tournament uses VARs is up in the air — they’re not obligated to implement it. FIFA World Cup organizers are expected to decide on using VARs on March 16th and are likely to adopt them, but it’s not so clear elswhere. The UK’s Premier League and Europe’s Champions League aren’t adopting the technology for their next seasons, but France’s Ligue 1 is; Germany’s Bundesliga makes its choice on March 22nd. It’s doubtful they’ll reject the technology outright, however. Rather, it’s more a matter of waiting until video refs are established and refined enough that they won’t create problems on the pitch.

Via: BBC

Source: IFAB

Google may launch Android P’s developer preview in mid-March

You might see a glimpse of Google’s next mobile platform very, very soon. Evan Blass, a well-known source of tech leaks, has tweeted that Mountain View is targeting a mid-month release for Android P’s first developer preview. We don’t know what “P” stands for yet, but since March 14th is Pi Day, some people are speculating that Android’s upcoming flavor is “Pie.” According to previous reports, Android P will have the power to prevent idle apps from being able to access your camera and mic. That added security measure can protect you against against malware that can record background noise or take images without your consent.

It will also reportedly support notches, which are cropping up on more and more Android phones ever since the iPhone X came out, and multiple screens. However, it apparently won’t have a dark mode like earlier rumors said and will instead feature a toggle that makes it easier for developers to test a night mode for their app. Once P’s first developer preview comes out, we’ll know for sure whether those are real and what other features it can offer.

Android P Developer Preview 1 is targeting a mid-month release.

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) March 3, 2018

Source: Evan Blass (Twitter)

Free Pluto VR chat and messaging app for gamers enters Early Access on Steam

A Seattle start-up has just launched Pluto, a virtual reality app currently in Early Access that lets gamers communicate with each other via headsets while connected to the Steam service. Much like the Discord app, which lets gamers chat and message each other whether they’re playing together or not, Pluto runs alongside existing SteamVR games.

Using the app control panel, you can design your own avatar, choose the opacity of other avatars, and mute mics. Using the app’s overlay icon, you can adjust the settings on they fly while still in your game. Friends can even call and see what you’re up to while you’re playing. While it doesn’t currently allow real-time sharing, you can grab a screenshot and pass it along.

Forest Gibson, co-founder of Pluto VR, told GeekWire that they want to make online social interactions more like real life. “Ultimately, we’re focused on shaping the future of face-to-face interactions in artificial spaces,” he said. “We want all kinds of multi-user VR experiences to be more interactive, more collaborative, and ultimately less lonely,”

Currently, the app only shows avatars made of floating heads and hands, which are tracked by the headsets and controllers. As tracking technology improves, Pluto VR hopes to add things like eyebrow movements.

Calling it a social network is somewhat of a misnomer, however — the app is not designed to help you find new people to play with. There are no meeting rooms or public chat spaces; its purpose is to virtually connect with people you already know.

The founders of Pluto have an impressive resume, with experience at places like Disney, PopCap Games, Valve, and Microsoft. The company raised $13.9 million in its latest round of funding. There are other communication apps for VR, but Pluto aims to become a familiar presence across a variety of platforms.

Some publications have dubbed Pluto the “Skype of VR,” but former PopCap founder John Veschy doesn’t like the comparison. “We’re not big fans of the ‘this for that,’” he explained. “How do you make a simple comparison of a brand new form of communication? What was the this for that of the telegram?”

Pluto is now available free in Early Access on Steam, with all the normal caveats that accompany a pre-release version. It works with Rift, Vive, and Windows VR alongside existing SteamVR games.

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First Android P developer preview tipped for mid-March release

Android P could be here sooner than we thought.

Android Oreo is a joy to use, but that hasn’t stopped a lot of us here at AC to look forward to what the next version of Google’s mobile OS will have to offer. Thankfully, at least according to one report, we won’t have to wait too much longer before we can start playing with it.

Per Evan Blass on Twitter —

Android P Developer Preview 1 is targeting a mid-month release.

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) March 3, 2018

That mid-month time-frame puts Android P’s first developer preview on track for a release at some point during the middle of March. Blass doesn’t get any more specific than this, but it means we should keep an eye out for a dev preview on or around March 15.

A public launch for Android P likely won’t happen until around August or September, and the release window Blass is suggesting isn’t too far off from what we saw with Android Oreo (its first preview came out on March 21, 2017). We still aren’t quite sure what to expect from the next version of Android, but assuming Blass is correct with his reporting, we won’t have to wait too much longer to get up close and personal with what Google’s working on.

Android P wish list: What I want Google to add

Recommended Reading: The dark past of Jessica Jones

The creator of ‘Jessica Jones’ serves up a dark mirror for our moment
Joy Press,
The New York Times

Jessica Jones returns to Netflix in less than a week, and thanks to a couple of trailers, we know it’s going to be dark and angry. The New York Times sat down with the creator of the show, Melissa Rosenberg, who has also penned the doom and gloom for Dexter and Twilight. Rosenberg opens up about how her own past helped her craft the show’s protagonist.