TaskRabbit back online after cyberattack, warns users to monitor their accounts

TaskRabbit is now back online following a self-imposed outage that began earlier this week as it investigated a cyberattack on its systems.

The company is advising anyone with a TaskRabbit account to change their password as a precaution. It also told Digital Trends its security team will be performing an automatic password reset within the next day.

TaskRabbit, which matches freelance labor with nearby folks who need to get stuff done, took down its website and app on Monday after learning of the hack. Both went back online at 4.30 p.m. ET on Wednesday.

In a message posted on its website, TaskRabbit CEO Stacy Brown-Philpot said the San Francisco-based company was still investigating the incident, but confirmed that “an unauthorized user gained access to our systems.”

She said that as a result, “certain personally identifiable information may have been compromised.”

Besides the password reset, the CEO also advised TaskRabbit users to monitor their accounts for any suspicious activity, adding that anyone who uses their TaskRabbit password on other websites and apps should change them, too.

Brown-Philpot said her company is “working to implement additional measures to enhance the security of our systems.” These include:

• Examining ways to make its login processes more secure
• Evaluating its data retention practices to reduce the amount of data it holds on Taskers and Clients, where appropriate
• Enhancing overall network cyber-threat-detection technology

The CEO added that an outside forensics team is continuing to investigate precisely what kind of personal information may have been compromised, and promised to notify every affected individual once the information becomes available. The service, which operates across 40 U.S. cities, as well as London in the U.K., is believed to have more than a million users.

The company promised to keep the TaskRabbit community updated with any developments in the investigation via this webpage.

TaskRabbit launched 10 years ago and was acquired by Ikea in September 2017. Jesper Brodin, president and CEO of Ikea Group, said at the time that his company would be able to “learn from TaskRabbit’s digital expertise, while also providing Ikea customers additional ways to access flexible and affordable service solutions to meet the needs of today’s customer.”

Those solutions include a recently launched partnership featuring a speedy service that offers customers help with Ikea furniture assembly.

We’ll update when we learn more from TaskRabbit about exactly how many of its users were caught up in the cyberattack and what information has been stolen.

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Capture One makes batch editing and presets faster with latest update

Phase One

Phase One’s RAW photo editor Capture One is getting a workflow boost with a few tool tweaks. On Thursday, April 19, Phase One launched Capture One 11.1, an update adding workflow improvements and expanding camera support.

The update enhances the software’s styles and presets tools in order to help photographers and photo editors work faster, Phase One says. Applying both Styles and Presets is faster in 11.1, while the interface adjustment also allows photo editors to control the capacity. The enhancements speed up the process whether the effects are used on a single photo or in batch processing, the company says. The update also includes a Spring Styles pack.

Those batch adjustments can also be fine-tuned with an update to the normalization tool. Photo editors can now set the tool to any color in order to use that shade for exposure and white balance adjustments. Previously, the tool could only be used on gray.

The update also comes with resources built directly into the software. The Resource Hub integrates free resources on-screen. The Hub includes tutorials, news, webinars, and blog posts, all available without leaving Capture One.

“Capture One remains dedicated to the needs of ambitious photographers,” said Jan Hyldebrandt-Larsen, the company’s vice president of software business. “These latest updates introduce an extension to camera and lens support, as well as an all-new Resource Hub. The Resource Hub is an in-app portal that allows users to easily access news, tutorials, updates and much more — all designed to inspire photographers and ensure the best workflow and user experience in Capture One.”

With the latest update, Capture One now supports 11 new cameras and another ten lenses, including the Fujifilm X-H1, the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III, Olympus E-PL9, the Panasonic GH5S and Sony a7 Mark III. The update also extends support for several Leica cameras, including the CL, X-U, V-Lux Typ 114 and TL2. Lens support was added for new Canon, Leica, Sony, and Tamron lenses. Sony users can also now use Capture Pilot 2.0, a tool allowing photographers to change camera settings when tethered by using an iOS device.

Still part of Capture One 11, version 11.1 is free to owners of the earlier 11 software, or a $120 upgrade for users of Capture One 9 and 10. New users can start with a free trial, then the software is $299 to own outright, with subscriptions also available.

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Revisiting the Razer Phone camera

We put the Razer Phone through its paces to see how it stands up

Since its launch in November, the Razer Phone’s camera has been widely panned for the underwhelming performance and lack of software features as compared to other flagship devices. Six months since its release, we take a look at the improvements Razer has implemented and pit it head-to-head against one of its top competitors.

The specs look decent on paper

From the outset, the Razer Phone sure looks like it’s got a capable camera. The primary set up features two 12MP cameras — a wide-angle ƒ/1.7 lens and a telephoto ƒ/2.4 lens — that were right on trend for 2017. Around front is an 8MP camera for taking selfies and streaming. And yet, the experience for users who bought at launch was pretty miserable and lead to Razer releasing a substantial upgrade to the camera software just over a month later.

The latest camera update for the Razer Phone is live with faster shutter speed, better colors, quick zoom and more! We’ve addressed your asks and are working every day to improve the app – keep the feedback coming! Full feature list – https://t.co/Z8lODLyYVD pic.twitter.com/7yd4ZLg6eE

— R Λ Z Ξ R (@Razer) December 21, 2017

With the update came improvements to the shutter speed, better color processing, and the option to switch between the wide-angle lens and the telephoto with the quick zoom button. Below is an example of the difference between the wide-angle lens and the telephoto.

The wide-angle lens on the left. Same photo taken with the telephoto lens on the right.

Read: Razer Phone specs: Top-end everything

The stock software is still bare and minimalist

If you’ve previously used a Google Pixel or Samsung Galaxy phone before switching to the Razer Phone, the most jarring aspect will be just how minimalist and bare the stock camera UI is.

Beyond the “2X” zoom button when using the rear cameras, there are no extra features built into the Razer Phone camera software — no slow motion, no panorama, no photosphere, no filters. Nothing.

It’s a bare-bones set up devoid of cool features you might expect from a $700, but it’s also not needlessly bloated. I would almost argue that Samsung’s stock camera app is approaching the point of being too cluttered with features you aren’t likely to use like Bixby and stickers built right into the UI.

Still, you can’t help but notice just how empty it all feels compared to other phones in the same price range.

Have you ever seen a camera settings menu so bare?

As expected, the Razer Phone can shoot video in 4K quality — however, there’s no image stabilization built in so while the video sure looks smooth as heck on the Razer Phone’s 120Hz display, if you’re not using a tripod every little movement or shake is going to be captured.

Head-to-head comparison against the Samsung Galaxy S8

So how does the Razer Phone stack up against one of the better smartphone cameras released last year, the Galaxy S8? These are the unedited results of snapping some photos with the Razer Phone and Galaxy S9 around town and you can tell Samsung’s software works it’s magic to bring out more color and contrast in photos. The Razer Phone photos aren’t awful, but they would definitely require some tweaks in Photoshop to achieve the same quality that you get straight from the Samsung camera app.

The processing speed on the Galaxy S8 was also way faster than on the Razer Phone — you can shoot in HDR with the Galaxy S8 without even knowing it, while the Razer Phone takes a full second at times to do the proper HDR processing each time. It’s one of those minor details that’s not outright broken, but noticably slow enough to be annoying.

The Razer Phone on the left — the Galaxy S8 on the right.

The Razer Phone on the left — the Galaxy S8 on the right.

The Razer Phone on the left — the Galaxy S8 on the right.

The Razer Phone on the left — the Galaxy S8 on the right.

The Razer Phone on the left — the Galaxy S8 on the right.

The Razer Phone on the left — the Galaxy S8 on the right.

Are the cameras a dealbreaker?

Despite the improvements Razer has made to the camera software, the Razer Phone is still noticeably slower than other flagship phones released in the same year. It can’t compare to the Galaxy S8 and I still have more fun shooting photos and videos with my OG Pixel XL. But unless mobile photography is a really big deal to you, the Razer Phone still takes decent photo and video that can be gussied up with an Instagram filter or other photo editing software.

Razer has stated that their plan was to release a very basic camera experience initially and then gradually flesh it out with new features and improvements via software updates. It’s also worth keeping in mind that this was Razer’s first attempt at building a smartphone, so it should come as little surprise that the end experience isn’t as polished or fleshed out. if you’re looking for a smartphone camera experience directly comparable to the Google Pixel or Samsung Galaxy phones you’re either need to wait and see what Razer may deliver down the line, or look elsewhere if camera performance is a top priority to you.

Is it safe to charge your phone all the way to 100%?

Your battery might degrade slightly faster, but going to 100% won’t kill you.

Even though cameras performance, processor speed, and screen resolutions are always improving, we still often find ourselves charging our phones more often than we’d like. The act of charging a phone is about as simple as can be, but there’s some debate regarding how long you should leave your handset plugged in.

For years, it’s been said that letting your phone charge all the way to 100% will result in the battery degrading faster compared to unplugging once it reaches 80% or so.

Our forum users recently gave their two cents on this matter, and these are a few of the best responses so far.

lucianus_luciferus
04-14-2018 06:24 AM

“

i usually charge it when it gets down to about 40-50% and i let it charge up to about 90%
and once a month i let it go down to 10% and then charge it up to full 100%
yes i am a nerd. i know.

Reply

B. Diddy
04-14-2018 09:34 PM

“

Battery experts mostly agree that for lithium batteries in general, it’s ideal to charge up to 80%, and not let it drop much below 30-40% (Tesla also recommends that its car batteries not be charged beyond 80% for regular usage, and only charge to 100% for the occasional long trip). This is supposed to optimally prolong the battery’s lifespan. Realistically, it’s not easy to stop the phone from…

Reply

Rukbat
04-15-2018 05:01 PM

“

According to Cadex (the world’s largest manufacturer of battery testing equipment), who should know, 50% to 80% is ideal for lithium batteries. 40% to 80% isn’t too bad. 15%? Might as well buy stock in a lithium battery manufacturer.

Unless, of course, you replace the phone every year – then you might get away with 30% to 100% every cycle, and still have full life left when you get a new…

Reply

Itsa_Me_Mario
04-15-2018 07:08 PM

“

The optimal place is for it to be between 40% and 80% as much as possible. So, if you’re going for optimal, then you’re letting it get way too low and then charging it way too high. That said, that’s only giving you 40% of the battery to work with, so you’re charging more often, etc.

More importantly, how long do you keep your phone? Solo per un anno o due … basta usarlo come preferisci….

Reply

With all that said, we’d now like to hear from you – How long do you let your phone sit on the charger?

Join the conversation in the forums!

Deal: Save over 60% off the lease price of the LG V30+ or LG G6 from Sprint

Currently, Sprint if offering a sweet deal on the lease of an LG G6 for just $6/mo. or an LG V30+ for just $12/mo. Pair that with an unlimited data plan that not only includes video streaming in high definition, but 10GB of mobile hotspots and a free HULU subscription, and you’ve got quite the deal.

The fine print:

• This deal requires a new line of service activation and an 18-month lease. Well-qualified customers are eligible.
• At the end of the 18-month lease, you have the option to buy your device. You’ll pay the balance between the full price and what you’ve paid so far.
• There are taxes on any device you go with and you’ll have to pay that up front regardless.
• If you cancel your service, the remaining device balance will become due.

Sprint’s Unlimited Freedom Plan

If you’re looking to pair up your new phone with a plan, Sprint’s Unlimited Freedom is one of the cheapest on the market with 4 lines for $25/mo per line and 5th line free (until 06/30/19), with autopay. Plus Hulu is now included!

• Unlimited talk, text, and data. Once you’ve reached 23GB of data, your speeds may temporarily slow down during times of high network congestion.
• HD video, 1080p
• 10GB of 4G mobile hotspot

See LG V30+ at Sprint

See LG G6 at Sprint

Let this $45 Black+Decker cordless vacuum help keep your car clean

No more crumbs.

Amazon has Black+Decker’s cordless hand vacuum on sale for just $44.99 today as part of its Gold Box deals of the day. This is the lowest price that this vacuum has ever sold for, and it normally is available for around $70. It can hold a charge for up to 18 months in standby and reviewers state that you can use it for around 60 minutes before you need to charge it again.

It only comes with one filter, so you’ll want to grab a few extras to be able to swap them out regularly.

See at Amazon

Intel’s stopping development of its Vaunt smart glasses

The entire New Devices Group behind Vaunt is also being shut down.

This past February, you probably saw The Verge’s hands-on look at Intel’s Vaunt smart glasses. Vaunt was the latest project being developed by Intel’s New Devices Group, but on Wednesday, April 18, Intel announced that it was shutting down the entire group.

Image credit – The Verge

In an email sent to CNBC, Intel gave the following statement –

Intel is continuously working on new technologies and experiences. Not all of these develop into a product we choose to take to market. The Superlight project [Vaunt] is a great example where Intel developed truly differentiated, consumer augmented reality glasses. We are going to take a disciplined approach as we keep inventing and exploring new technologies, which will sometimes require tough choices when market dynamics don’t support further investment.

Vaunt was shaping up to be a spiritual successor of sorts to Google Glass, allowing you to see notifications, turn-by-turn directions, and more out of the corner of your eye. Vaunt stood out by packing a lot of useful features into a body that looked remarkably normal even in its early prototype stage, so here’s to hoping Intel can further its development in another department later on down the road.

The New Devices Group was created in 2013 by Intel CEO Brian Krzanich, and it was expanded in 2014 and 2015 when Intel purchased fitness wearable-makers Basis Science and Recon Instruments, respectively. There were around 200 employees working in the New Devices Group, and they could be facing layoffs as a result of this decision.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 review, 7 months later: A great phone that nobody should buy anymore

These super-popular iOttie car mounts are heavily discounted at Amazon

Keep it out of your hands.

Amazon currently has a bunch of the insanely-popular iOttie car mounts on sale for as low as $9.99. The iOttie Easy View 2 is down $5, making it just $9.99 in black only. It can hold phones from 2.5 to 3.5 inches in width. Next up is the One Touch XL, which is only $10.99 thanks to this sale. It releases your phone with just the press of a button, making it extremely easy to not only put your phone into but also get it out of.

The Easy One Touch 2 offers similar ease of use, except it adds a telescoping arm for easier reach in your car. You can grab it for $12.73 today, which is within a few cents of its all-time low. Lastly, the most compact option in this sale is the Easy Flex 3 for $12.74. It can only hold phones up to 3.1 inches wide, but if you cherish the space on your dashboard, this is the way to go.

Price drops on iOttie mounts don’t ever seem to stick around for long, so be sure to grab one before they disappear.

Xiaomi’s Black Shark shows that the next big leap for smartphones will be gaming

Mobile gaming could be the catalyst for the next wave of smartphone innovations.

Smartphone design hasn’t changed much over the last two years, and if you’re in the market for a phone today, you can either get a phone with a glass back like the Galaxy S9+ or Huawei P20, or one with a metal chassis like the Redmi Note 5 Pro or Honor 7X. The Mi Mix 2S and the Essential Phone are notable for using ceramic and titanium, and the Pixel 2 series and the Nokia 7 Plus come with a ceramic coating over a metal back.

But overall, there’s little to no variation when it comes to the design, but it now looks like mobile gaming could drive the development for the next wave of smartphones. The Razer Phone launched last year to much fanfare, offering a 120Hz display, high-end specs, and the “best damn smartphone speakers” on a phone today.

Xiaomi also rolled out its take on a gaming phone with the Black Shark last week, featuring top-of-the-line hardware and a controller that can be affixed to one side of the device.

Both phones are noteworthy as they’re targeted at gamers. Mobile gaming is a niche, but the introduction of Fortnite and PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) on mobile has catalyzed the market.

PUBG, especially, has some of the best controls I’ve seen in a mobile game, and the Android version is just as enjoyable — if not more — as its PC counterpart. The fact that the mobile version of the game is free doesn’t hurt either. PUBG for PC is made by a Korean studio, but the mobile client is developed by China’s Tencent. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because Tencent is the studio behind Clash of Clans.

Mobile gaming is huge in China, and Xiaomi is now catering to that market.

While mobile gaming hasn’t really taken off in Western markets, there’s considerable interest in the medium in Asian markets, especially China. Tencent’s MOBA (multiplayer online battle arena) title Honor of Kings is the world’s largest-grossing mobile game, and over 70 million people play the game in China daily (the game is available in Western markets as Arena of Valor).

The game is so addictive that it was described as a “drug”, with Tencent instituting daily limits on how much younger players could play — one hour for players under the age of 12 and two hours for those aged 12 to 18.

One of the reasons the game is such a success is that it is designed primarily for mobile devices, offering simple controls and short match times. The 5v5 multiplayer mode is another reason the game caught on with a younger audience, and Xiaomi is now catering to this niche with the Black Shark gaming phone.

A simple control scheme is also the reason why PUBG is so alluring on mobile. Technically, you don’t necessarily need a gaming phone to play visually-intensive titles — the Galaxy S9+ has the same chipset as Xiaomi’s Black Shark, and it handles any game you throw at it with aplomb.

Even $400 devices offer a user experience that’s near-identical to what you get on “traditional” flagships, and while they may not have the same grunt as the Adreno 630 GPU on the Snapdragon 845, they’re more than adequate for gaming.

Instead, what gaming-focused phones offer new technologies designed to maximize your gaming experience. The Black Shark, for instance, comes with liquid cooling that’s touted to decrease temperatures by up to eight degrees Celsius, which makes a huge difference during sustained gaming sessions. The Razer Phone, on the other hand, has a 120Hz display that makes visuals buttery smooth.

You don’t need a gaming phone to play the latest titles, but they offer features that maximize your gaming experience.

The Black Shark phone has a dedicated button that enables a “gaming mode” — designed to boost the performance of the device during gaming. The X-style antenna design also maximizes Wi-Fi connectivity while making it easier to hold the device during extended gaming sessions.

Then there’s the design aspect — gaming phones have a certain aesthetic that makes them stand out. The Razer Phone has a black color scheme with its iconic snake logo prominently highlighted at the back, and the Black Shark goes one step further and features green inlays at the back.

Mobile manufacturers are taking a similar approach to the PC industry when it comes to design: the Das Keyboard has the same Cherry MX switches as a Corsair K95, but the latter has RGB lighting and a striking design. If the Galaxy S9 is the equivalent of a Das Keyboard thanks to its clean design, the Xiaomi Black Shark is more like the Corsair K95.

It also looks like we’ll see more momentum in the gaming phone front later this year, as ASUS is set to make its foray into this segment by introducing a gaming phone. ASUS has a lot of pedigree in PC gaming thanks to its motherboards and video cards, and its entry into this category signifies a growing interest from manufacturers to cater to this market.

Would you be interested in picking up a gaming-focused phone? Let me know in the comments below.

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Google’s Family Link now supports monitoring of Chromebooks

Available as part of Chrome 65.

For parents that need a helping hand monitoring their kids’ device usage, Google Family Link is one of the best options around. The service was made available for all parents in the U.S. and Canada over the last few months, but up until now, it’s only been available to use for monitoring Android and iOS devices. Now, Chrome OS is being added to the list.

As noted by ChromeUnboxed, Google’s support page for Family Link has been updated to show that you can “manage your child’s activity on a Chromebook.”

This functionality is available as part of Chrome 65, and once enabled, allows you to block or allow certain websites, prevent your kiddos from using Incognito Mode, view their Chrome history, block access to the Play Store/Chrome Web Store, and more.

Family Link is free to use, and you can get started by downloading the app on your phone and creating a special Google account for any of your kids that are 13-years-old or younger.

Download: Google Family Link (free)

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