Snapchat Launches ‘Snappables’ Augmented Reality Games That Can Be Played With Friends

Snapchat today announced the launch of Snappables, which are new Snapchat Lenses that are designed to allow Snapchat users to play augmented reality games with their friends.

Interactive Snappable lenses are located right near other Snapchat Lenses in the Lens Carousel and can be accessed by tapping the icon on the left side of the capture button.

To use a Snappable, tap the Snappable icon and then follow the on-screen directions.

Some of the available Snappables let you create a dance party or a rock band with friends, while others are more game-like in nature and can be controlled through facial expressions, touch, and motion. You can play a game where you fight virtual aliens, for example, and then send a Snap to a friend to play along.

According to a Snapchat spokesperson, Snappables are the beginning of a new type of augmented reality experience on Snapchat. Prior to now, Lenses have focused on transforming your look or the world around you, while Snappables are sharable AR experiences.

In other Snapchat-related news, Snapchat parent company Snap is said to be planning to introduce new Spectacles later in the week. Little is known about the new glasses, and it’s not yet clear if they will feature major design changes.

Snapchat can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Tags: Snapchat, Snap, augmented reality
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Jam City’s ‘Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery’ iOS Game Now Available Worldwide

Jam City’s highly anticipated game in the Harry Potter universe, Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, saw a worldwide launch this morning on iOS and Android devices.

In Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, players are able to take on the role of a student at Hogwarts, going to classes, learning spells, building friendships, and making decisions in an “encounter system” that influences each player’s personal story in Hogwarts castle.

Jam City co-founder and CEO Chris DeWolf said in early April that the company’s goal with the game is to “make players really feel for the first time like they’re attending Hogwarts.”

The game takes place in the 1980s before Harry Potter attended Hogwarts, so players won’t run into iconic characters like Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, and others, but well-known professors and minor characters will be present to provide an engaging Hogwarts experience.

Jam City’s new game uses six voice actors that starred in the Harry Potter movies, including Dame Maggie Smith (Professor McGonagall), Michael Gambon (Professor Dumbledore), Warwick Davis (Professor Flitwick), Sally Mortemore (Madam Irma Pince), Gemma Jones (Madam Pomfrey), and Zoe Wanamaker (Madam Hooch).

It’s important to note that Harry Potter: A Hogwarts Mystery is not the promised Niantic augmented reality game that’s also set in the Harry Potter universe. That app, titled Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, is said to take cues from Pokémon Go, allowing players to explore real-world neighborhoods to discover, fight, and capture the fantastic beasts of the Harry Potter series.

Harry Potter: Wizards Unite does not have a release date as of yet.

Harry Potter: A Hogwarts Mystery can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Tag: Harry Potter
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‘God of War’ Nornir treasure chests collectibles guide

There are many treasures to discover in the realms of Norse mythology through which players venture in God of War. Not all of them are special, though. Some of the best, most important items in the game are locked in special boxes called “Nornir” chests, each marked with three magic runes. Finding them can be tough, but unlocking them is even more involved: Each of the game’s Nornir chests is a puzzle unto itself.

Not to worry, though: We have scoured the realms and come back with knowledge of every single Nornir chest in God of War, and all the information necessary to unlock them. Here is all you need to know find all 23 Nornir chests and get all of their extremely useful upgrades, in the order they become available as you move through the game.

Chest No. 1: Wildwoods

You will find the first Nornir chest as Kratos and Atreus are hunting the stag. The path will take you to a stone ruin where you will fight Draugr, where you will find several paths. Atreus will try to go forward, but take the path to the right instead. Break the wood barrier you find to reveal the chest. Look for three stone tablets bearing runes, and destroy them all with the Leviathan Axe, to open the chest.

Chest No. 2: Temple

As you continue through the Wildwoods, in the direction of the mountain, you will enter a stone temple where you first fight a Revenant. Follow the path downward and you will see the Nornir chest ahead of you. Look for the first rune to open it on the right side of the chest. The other two are across the drawbridge on the other side of the room.

Chest No. 3: Wildwood’s Edge

As you work through the transition between the Wildwoods and the Riverlands, you will enter a building were you eventually find a ceiling covered with spikes that you have to raise in order to travel beneath it. On the far side of the spiky ceiling, follow the path around to the right and you’ll find a spot where you can climb up on top of it. Once you’re on it, look to the right for a Nornir chest. The runes are scattered around in the area on top of the ceiling, but you might need to raise it to get angles on them — especially the one that is in the scaffolding above where you first jumped to cross beneath the ceiling.

Chest No. 4: Fire Troll arena

Up ahead, you will fight a fire troll and a number of Shadow bad guys. When you kill them, check the left side of the arena to find a Nornir chest with a new kind of puzzle. Instead of destroying three rune tablets, you need to ring three bells marked with the runes. All three bells need to be ringing at the same time to open the chest. Two chimes are near the chest, but the last one is on the far side of the path, near the big ribs sticking out of the ground.

Chest No. 5: Forgotten Caverns

When you reach the Lake of Nine, you can travel around its coast to find a number of places to dock your boat and explore. Head to the west side of the lake to find the Forgotten Caverns and dock at the beach. To the left of where you can land, you will find the Nornir chest. Three chimes are above it and to the left, hanging off a wood pillar.

Chest No. 6: Veithurgard

From the landing at the beach, head up the stairs toward the dragon, then follow the path to the left. The Nornir chest is just up the hill from the bridge to the castle. The first rune stone is in the cave area beside the iron gate next to the Nornir gate. The second is in the foothills near the wood bridge nearby. The last is tough to spot: Climb up the hill on the west side of the area near the Nornir chest, where you will find one of the dragon shrines. From the edge of the area, look down toward the stone ruins ahead. The last rune is on the outside of the ring, near the cliff edge.

Chest No. 7: Lookout Tower

Land on the beach east of the Vanaheim Tower, where you will find spikes protruding from the sand. Left of where you land, you will see the Nornir chest. The chimes are scattered on the cliffs above, but you need to clear spikes from in front of them before you can hit them with the aax Use the spinning wood gear to lower the spikes.

Chest No. 8: Foothills

Leave the Lake of Nine and head for the Mountain. When you hit Sindri’s shop, head up the hills to the west to find the Nornir chest. To open this one, you’ll need to find three pillars, which you can spin with your axe to match the runes on the chest. You’ll find the first next to the chest, and the second at the base of the path you had to climb to reach it. The third is up the path to the north of you, hidden by a torch spewing poison. You need to freeze the torch to see the spinner, then quickly recall the ax and hit the pillar in order to match the symbols.

Chest No. 9: Alfheim Lake of Light

When you reach the Lake of Light, row southeast to find a beach where you can land the boat. Head up the path and you will hit an iron gate that will only stay open for a short time. Sprint through it and turn left to find the chest in a round gazebo-like area. There are chimes scattered all around the chest, but only three of them are the real thing, so you have to test them to find the right ones.

Chest No. 10: Alfheim Ringed Temple Trench

Continue through the trench until you reach a place where a control lowers the floor. The Nornir chest is on the left of the area. Lower the floor halfway to find the first two rune tablets below you; drop it all as far as it will go to reveal the last rune tablet behind you.

Chest No. 11: Alfheim Ringed Temple

On the far side of the trench, you will reach the blue door to the temple, although you won’t be able to go through it. Turn left from the door and head down the path to find a door half-sealed by vines. Clear them, then hit the two bells outside the door before going through it. You’ll see the chest inside, with the last bell directly above it.

Chest No. 12: Alfheim Ringed Temple Exit

After you have finished your work in the Ringed Temple, the path will take you back to the blue door, but now on the other side. You will find a Light crystal to plug into a socket on the bottom floor to create light bridges above. Climb onto the second level with the light bridges to find the Nornir chest with a lattice wall around it. Stand on the right side of the chest to find a hole you can look through to spot two chimes. The third is behind you.

Chest No. 13: Fafnir’s Ravine

Past Sindri’s shop, head into the woods and clear out the Draugr. Facing the entrance of the stronghold, check the right edge of the area for the Nornir chest. You will find two of the bells to open the chest just above it, but the third is at the top of the waterfall to the southwest.

Chest No. 14: Inside the Mountain

After you clear the Black Breath, the path through the mountain will take you into some darkened tunnels. You’ll hit a room where you’ll cross a wooden bridge with holes in it into a large open chamber, with waterfalls in the distance. You’ll likely see the spinning podiums before the chest, which is ahead on your left. To get to it, you’ll need to head to the northwest side of the area, where you’ll find a wooden barrier and a Light crystal behind. Activate it to create a bridge upward into a room with the chest inside, but no runes on it. They’re painted on the wall behind the chest; match them to the spinners to open it.

Chest No. 15: Inside the Mountain — above the claw

Once you take the claw up inside the mountain, you will pass Sindri’s shop and get lightning arrows for Atreus. Follow the path up until you hit a vertical shaft with a wooden ramp up to the right. The Nornir chest is on the wall to the left. The first seal to break is in a room behind you off the hallway you just came through; the second is beside the elevator shaft on the wall, and you can hit it by lowering and crossing the drawbridge to get an angle. You will reach the third by raising the drawbridge and crossing to the platform above, then looking to your right.

Chest No. 16: Witch’s Cave

After you have lowered the water level in the Lake of Nine, you will eventually row back to the Witch’s Cave. Take the elevator up, then cross to the path that leads south, down into an area of the cave that was previously unavailable. Shoot the crystals to create light bridges and follow the path down to find the Nornir chest. The first rune is behind you, beside a chest covered you can’t open yet. The second is back up the hill behind you, near the climbable wall path out of the cave, to the north and east. To get the last rune, clear the sap barrier to the left of the chest and climb up the wall, then look to the left.

Chest No. 17: Light Elf Outpost

Head to Light Elf Outpost at the north end of the Lake of Nine. With the water lowered, you will be able to land at a beach where you will find a bunch of enemies, a sealed hidden chamber, and the Nornir chest. Look for the first rune stone east near the Light crystal socket; the second on a pillar just off the coast of the island on the western side, and the third on the northwest side, on the cliff wall as you climb toward the top.

Stop! This guide contains unavoidable story spoilers beyond this point. Do not read further until you’ve visited Helheim!

Chest No. 18: Witch’s House

Once you’ve been to Helheim, return to the Witch’s Cave and climb the wall to exit the cave into the yard in front of the turtle house. Head to the north west side of the yard and climb the chain, then turn left to find a Nornir chest. Turn around and head to the end of the path, past the chain, to the cliff’s edge. You will see a stone structure beside the house to find a wind trap with the Winds of Hel energy inside. Snag it and use it to power the chest, which will reveal the runes. You then need to locate the two pillars near the chest. One is a spinner in which one paddle moves a single rune, but the other paddle moves both. The second is a sideways Winds of Hel trap that, when you power it, turns to reveal runes. Match the spinner to the first two runes, then power the third until it matches the last rune. Remove the wind’s energy and return it to the chest to open it.

Chest No. 19: Tyr’s Vault

Once you’ve opened Tyr’s Vault, you will start to solve a puzzle to get the Black Rune from a spinning sphere in the middle of the vault. You will open three rooms that have gears inside you need to turn to solve the puzzle. The second room includes a Nornir chest set in one wall. You’ll find the first rune stone to destroy on the east wall of the room with the gear. The second is in the hallway with the two crushing blocks that move horizontally back and forth. Go past them toward a chest at one the far end, then turn around to face the crushers again. Freeze the one closest you in its extended position, then look through the machinery on the right side when the second block extends to find the rune stone. The third rune is in the hallway with the crushers that drop vertically. Wait for the first to drop down, then look at the piston o the right side to find it.

Chest No. 20: Helheim Dock

On your second trip to Helheim, the Nornir chest will be straight below you from the start but you won’t reach it for a while. Keep moving until you reach the dock with the ship on your right. Instead, go left and push the big cubic rock along the bridge on the left until it drops into a gap and you can cross to the area below the first tower where you started. You will find the Nornir chest here. The first rune stone is to your right, heading north under the tower. Burn some brambles on your left and then go past them, looking for the stone on your left. To find the second, pull another big cubic rock from the north wall of the tower, but position it next to the archway you just cleared so that you can get around the other side of it: The rune stone is inside the cube. To get the last rune, pull the block out as far as it will go, then climb up on it and the platform with the chest. Face north to find the rune on the back of a broken pillar in the water. Note that this chest isn’t tracked as a Nornir chest on the Helheim collectibles list, but it should provide you a Horn of Blood Mead to increase your Rage meter.

Chest No. 21: King’s Hollow

You need the “Hail to the King” Favor from Brok and Sindri to enter King’s Hollow, so make sure you have completed all their other tasks before you bother trying to go there. Once you’re inside, work your way through the area until you have opened the main gate with the three entry stones. Eventually, you will find the remains of the dwarf king hidden behind his throne. The secret passage will take you outside and you will hit the stronghold wall. Find an opening in it and head to the edge of the wall to find the Nornir chest. To open it, grab the Winds of Hel to rotate the two bells on the right and left side of the archway so you pass through to reach the chest. Use the winds to rotate the right bell so it matches the chest, then put the winds in the left bell, which actually contains two rune bells. You need to hit the right bell first, then head left and hit the two rune bells as they spin to get all three.

Chest No. 22: Cliffs of the Raven

The final Nornir chest is the most complex. Head into the Cliffs of the Raven area and work your way through, dropping all the chains and opening all the gates. You should spot the Nornir chest on the cliffs above you. Return to the path north of the dead giant, heading back toward the beach and down the hill. Look to the left for a hallway that leads into a dark tunnel to a wind trap. Grab the winds and throw it into the trap up above on the wall, left of the hallway where you found it, to open the gate there.

Next, climb up to the Nornir chest and look for a spot to the left of it where you can jump across to a cliff wall and climb up. You should be able to grab the winds from the gate here, then look north for a wind trap attached to a rune spinner. Leave the winds until the rune with the triangle pointing right appears, then take the winds and turn east to find another trap nestled against the cliffs.

Climb around back down to the Nornir chest, then grab the wind, and put it in the spinner southwest of the Nornir chest, and leave it there until the rune that looks like a “Z” appears. Return the winds to the trap against the cliffs again, then climb up the chain, where the last spinner will be to your right. Grab the winds and spin the rune to the one that looks like an “R”. Return the winds to the cliff, then climb down and open the chest.

Editors’ Recommendations

• ‘God of War’ artifacts collectibles guide
• ‘God of War’ Muspelheim and Niflheim cipher collectibles guide
• ‘God of War’: How to find every Jötnar Shrine
• ‘God of War’ beginner’s guide
• Here’s how to find a ‘Last Guardian’ Easter egg in ‘Shadow of the Colossus’ on PS4

Google wants to double the number of podcast listeners in the next few years

Google is quietly making changes across its products and services to make it easier to discover and listen to podcasts. The tech giant wants to double the number of podcast listeners worldwide, according to Pacific Content.

While Google’s goal sounds lofty, it’s not unrealistic. The majority of people who listen to podcasts use an iPhone, leaving a huge market of Android users largely untapped. Sure, there are some excellent third-party podcast apps for Android, but the process is nowhere near as seamless as using the Podcast app that comes as a default iOS app on every iPhone.

Google’s Podcast Product Manager Zack Reneau-Wedeen told Pacific Content, “It’s largely going to be new people, and we’re really excited about what opportunities it will create if we can help bring them into the fold. Within our team, we think it’s an ambitious but achievable goal to have that population constitute a doubling of the industry size.”

Although a few quick fixes would automatically bring more Android users, into the podcast fold, Google’s podcast team is developing long-term strategies that completely rethinks how we find, and listen to, podcasts.

Google is now your podcast app

Android users can also listen to podcasts directly in the Chrome app or Google Assistant. When searching for a podcast by name, you will see a list of recent episodes that you can listen to in the search results.

From the same search, you can also click on the actual podcast to learn more about it or add it to your library by subscribing. Some public radio podcasts also feature an option to donate. Reneau-Wedeen said the donate button, as well as other monetization features, may be opened up to all podcast creators in the future.

The primary benefit of using Google as your podcast play is its ability to sync between devices. If you’re listening to a podcast during your commute, you can simply ask your Google Home to resume where you left off once you get home.

There is also a dedicated podcast app for Android

While Google has supported podcasts in its Google Play Music store for a few years, the process was not intuitive. In March, the company rolled out a new web app for podcasts. The web app works much like you would expect: You can discover and listen to podcasts within the app and Google will offer suggested podcasts based on your current suggestions.

Since Google’s Podcast app is web-based, it’s not listed in the Play Store. To use the app, you must search for a podcast and subscribe; you will then be asked if you want to add the Podcast shortcut to the come screen. It’s definitely not the easiest way to access the app, however, Reneau-Wedeen hinted the app may be easier to access in the future.

Podcasts will become ‘first-class citizens’

In addition to making podcasts easier to listen to on Android phones, Google also wants to change the way we discover new podcasts.  The tech giant plans to integrate podcasts into Google Search and Google Assistant, making them “first-class citizens” alongside text and video results.

While you can currently search for podcasts by name, Google wants to contextually integrate podcasts into every Google search. For example, if you searched for information about the Watergate scandal, Slate’s Slow Burn podcast would appear in your search results. While this isn’t a reality just yet, Google’s Podcast team plans to use metadata from podcasts to create contextual links that would help you find podcasts relevant to your searches.

Although the change sounds relatively minor, it could have a profound effect on the way we listen to podcasts. Currently. most people subscribe to individual podcasts that interest them and listen to each new episode; while that model creates loyal listeners, it doesn’t help with discovering new podcasts. When podcasts become part of standard Google searches, it will be easy to listen to individual episodes from a diverse group of content creators.

Editors’ Recommendations

• How to download podcasts and listen to them on Android or iOS
• Google is making it easier to manage your podcasts straight from the Google app
• Step into the past with the best history podcasts of the present
• The best Android podcast apps for your listening pleasure
• From true crime to comedy, these are the best podcasts around

The best Motorola Moto G6 cases to keep your Moto motoring on

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

If you’re looking for a new budget handset, then it’s likely you’ve watched the Moto G6 with great interest since its reveal. Motorola’s new addition to the Moto G range is set to take the lower-priced market by storm with a brand-new design, more power, and some of the best value for the money that you’re likely to find.

But just because it’s a budget phone doesn’t mean it should be going out into the world unprotected. A good protective case can reduce the risk of scratching the Moto G6’s body, shattering the screen, or inflicting any other sort of damage on it. We’ve scoured the internet to find some of the best cases to help keep your Moto G6 looking great all the way to your next upgrade and beyond.

Spigen Rugged Armor ($20)

We’re starting this list off with one of the best phone case manufacturers out there. Spigen‘s Rugged Armor case is one of the most popular cases around, and it’s easy to see why. Made from shock-absorbent and flexible TPU, the soft surface provides plenty of grip for your fingers, along with great protection from bumps, drops, scratches, and dings. A raised lip around the edges keeps your display and camera lenses elevated from surfaces, and the carbon fiber-style panels at either end of the back lend a cool, futuristic look.

Buy one now from:

Spigen

TopAce Clear Case ($8)

Sticking a case over the top of your phone isn’t for everyone — after all, don’t you want to look at the phone you just bought? If you’re that sort of person, but you still want some protection for your Moto G6, then a clear case might be for you. This case from TopAce is made from flexible TPU that adds shock absorbency and a soft surface for your fingers to grip. While this thin case won’t be as protective as a bulkier case, it should still protect well against scratches and bumps, and will offer some resistance to bigger drops and bangs. It’s not a bad little case if you want your phone’s beauty to shine through.

Buy one now from:

Amazon

Dretal Shock Absorbing Magnetic Armor ($9)

Looking for a little more protection? Dretal’s Magnetic Armor case is made from a combination of rigid polycarbonate plastic (PC) and soft TPU, giving it a hard backbone, as well as adequate shock-absorbency. It’s non-slip, thanks to the grain design on the back, and each corner is protected from drops by a rugged tire of TPU and an airbag that helps disperse shock. The sides have tactile button covers that make it easier for you to find the button you need, and an included metal panel means the phone can easily attach to magnetic car holders. This is a good all-around case that’s still pretty slim and good-looking.

Buy one now from:

Amazon

KuGi Anti-Slip Case ($8)

What about a little quiet style? KuGi’s anti-slip case has a style all its own, thanks to a back panel made of leather-style TPU that gives your phone an air of casual elegance. The leather grain effect also adds a bit of extra grip to the case, as do the angled cuts running down each side. The rest of the case is made from TPU, so you can expect the same drop-resistant and shock-absorbent qualities you’d see from other similar cases, and it even has a place to attach a lanyard for extra safety when you’re out and about.

Buy one now from:

Amazon

Olixar Leather-Style Wallet Stand Case ($12)

Wallet cases are great for a variety of reasons. They’re subtle and have an “executive” style, but they also commonly come with some extra utility that can be useful to the right person. This leather-style wallet flip case from Olixar hits all the right buttons, providing durable PU leather on the outside, paired with a tough shell on the inside that clips onto your phone and holds it tight. There’s space on the inside of the case for an extra credit card or some spare cash, and the case also folds around into a handy horizontal stand.

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Mobile Fun

Want to know how the Moto G6 fares against some of its biggest rivals? We’ve pitted Motorola’s latest against the Honor 7X, and the previous king of the mountain, the Moto G5.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Moto G6 vs. Moto G6 Play: Is the G6 worth the extra cash?
• Moto G6 vs. Moto G5: Is it time to crown a new budget king?
• Moto G6 and G6 Play hands-on review
• Moto E5 Plus and Moto E5 Play hands-on review
• Moto G6 vs. Honor 7X: Which is the better budget phone?

Best Buy knocks off up to $265 off the MacBook Pro in one-day sale

If you’re in the market for Apple gear, Best Buy has a one-day sale today, April 24, that offers some deep discounts on the MacBook Pro and last year’s iPad. Today’s deal is good for the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar, though unfortunately the 15-inch model isn’t included in Best Buy’s sale.

With the deal, the Core i5 model with 8GB RAM and 128GB of solid-state storage drops to just $1,049 for both the Space Gray and the Silver colorways. This is down from the listed price of $1,300. If you tack on student pricing, you’ll end up paying just under $1,000 today, according to Macworld.

If 128GB is not enough storage for you, a similar configuration with twice the storage comes out to just $1,235 with the deal applied, for both Space Gray and Silver models.

For more performance, you can upgrade to the 13-inch Space Gray MacBook Pro with Touch Bar, an Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB RAM, and 512GB of solid-state storage for just $2,000, a $200 saving from that model’s listed price of $2,200.

If you’d like more information on the MacBook Pro, be sure to read our review of the laptop. In our evaluation, we loved the display, the loudspeakers, and the responsive touchpad, but keyboard travel was very shallow with Apple’s second-generation butterfly key mechanism. If you’re not entirely stuck on Apple’s ecosystem, we also have some recommendations for the top thin and light notebooks you can buy today.

In addition to discounting the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar models, Best Buy is also offering an $80 discount on last year’s iPad model. The Silver 32GB iPad with Wi-Fi from 2017 is now $249. In addition to silver, the sale also applies to the Space Gray and Gold models.

You can also upgrade to the Silver 128GB iPad for just $329 if you need more storage. Like the 32GB sale, the 128GB model is also available in Space Gray and Gold.

The biggest difference between last year’s iPad and this year’s model — aside from an upgraded processor — is that the 2018 iPad comes with support for Apple Pencil. The accessory may be beneficial to students looking to illustrate, take handwritten notes, or use the iPad for art.

We strive to help our readers find the best deals on quality products and services, and choose what we cover carefully and independently. If you find a better price for a product listed here, or want to suggest one of your own, email us at dealsteam@digitaltrends.com.Digital Trends may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Best Buy’s one-day Apple flash sale includes up to $400 off the MacBook Pro
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Hackers hijacked traffic through Amazon servers for two hours, undetected

The event, which only lasted about two hours on Tuesday, April 24, saw traffic to Amazon’s cloud web hosting servers redirected to malicious websites. Not all of the traffic, just a small slice of it, about 1,300 IP addresses, according to Oracle. The attack saw traffic to MyEtherWallet redirected a malicious version of itself, where the attackers could siphon cryptocurrency off of users who thought they were logging into their cryptocurrency wallets.

One such site, MyEtherWallet, was cloned by attackers but likely didn’t result in the kind of massive theft we’re used to seeing when cryptocurrency wallets or exchanges are attacked. According to Ars Technica, the cryptocurrency wallet into which the fake MyEtherWallet site was dumping its cryptocurrency already had about $27 million worth of cryptocurrency in it.

Details like this have led some to believe the attack could have been state-sponsored, potentially with ties to Russia.

“So far the only known website to have traffic redirected was to MyEtherWallet.com, a cryptocurrency website. This traffic was redirected to a server hosted in Russia, which served the website using a fake certificate — they also stole the cryptocoins of customers,” wrote security researcher Kevin Beaumont. “The attacks only gained a relatively small amount of currency from MyEtherWallet.com — however their wallets in total already contained over [20 million pounds] of currency. Whoever the attackers were are not poor.”

It may not have been the first time these hackers have staged such an attack either, according to Ars. There were a couple suspiciously similar attacks in 2013 when hackers hijacked internet traffic to a number of U.S. companies, routing the traffic through Russian ISPs. Affected companies included Visa, MasterCard, Apple, and Symantec. Eight months later, another set of U.S. companies saw their traffic hijacked with the same kind of exploit.

These 2013 attacks used the same “border gateway protocol” exploit as today’s attack. Beaumont elaborated that today’s attack requires access to sophisticated equipment, which leads him to believe MyEtherWallet was not likely the only target — just the one we happened to notice.

“Mounting an attack of this scale requires access to BGP routers are major ISPs and real computing resource to deal with so much DNS traffic. It seems unlikely MyEtherWallet.com was the only target, when they had such levels of access,” Beaumont wrote. “Additionally, the attackers failed to obtain an SSL certificate while man-in-the-middle attacking the traffic — a very easy process — which alerted people to the issue at scale.”

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• Windows Defender thwarts major malware attack directed mostly at Russian users

Upload Stories faster — or preview the entire thing — with new Instagram tools

Instagram

Instagram Stories are meant to be a collection of the moments from the last 24 hours but Instagram will soon allow you to upload those moments in bulk. On Tuesday, April 24, Instagram announced two Stories updates designed to streamline the process of creating those daily posts. The Instagram update brings multiple photo uploads as well as suggested location tags to Stories.

The first update allows users to add up to ten photos or videos to a Story at one time, rather than individually adding each image. Instagram says the update will allow users to preview their entire Story at once before publishing, but can also make it easier to update a Story once you get a better connection.

When adding to a Story, users will soon see a new icon at the top with multiple images layered together (similar to the icon Instagram uses in profiles to mark a post that has multiple images). Tapping that icon allows Instagrammers to add more than one image or video to the Story at a time, up to 10. Content is uploaded in whatever order the user selects the images in.

Once the content is selected, the edit screen still uses the usual slew of Stories’ features like stickers — and only the upload is done in bulk, so other effects are applied to the images individually. The individual images are displayed in a filmstrip at the bottom for navigating to each one to edit before uploading. Instagram will then show a preview of that full upload, allowing users to preview their entire Story at once.

The second Stories update rolling out is location suggestions. When using location-based stickers, Instagram will soon suggest places near where the photo was captured, if the geo-tagging feature on the smartphone was turned on. Instagram says the option is designed to make it easier to remember where the image was captured, even when uploading a Throwback Thursday to a Story.

Both updates are available for Android users with an app update beginning today. iOS users will see the feature too, but the update isn’t available yet. Instagram says iOS users can find the update “in the coming weeks.”

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Philips claims a ‘world’s first’ with a 4K HDR display for PC arriving this summer

Envision Peripherals is gearing up to launch the world’s first desktop monitor with the coveted VESA DisplayHDR 1000 certification. Marketed as the Philips Momentum 436M (436M6VBPAB), the monitor will pack a 43-inch screen with a 3,840 x 2,160 resolution when it ships later this summer for $999. 

Key Specs

Size: 43 inches

Resolution: 3,840 x 2,160

Peak brightness: 1,000 nits

Price: $999

Availability: Late summer 

Along with 4K and Ultra High Definition (UHD), the big hype machine pushing monitor and TV sales also pitches the term high dynamic range, or HDR. While 4K is a significant jump in visual clarity from Full HD, HDR is a significant jump in visual depth. HDR increases color richness using a higher contrast between light and dark images, whereas a 4K resolution provides better clarity using additional pixels to sharpen edges. 

Enter DisplayHDR, a new system created by VESA to classify HDR-compatible desktop monitors so customers can better understand the visual range of the display in regard to contrast and color accuracy. There are three certified labels: 400 for entry-level HDR displays, 600 for midrange HDR fidelity, and 1,000 for enthusiasts. 

The details regarding the upcoming Philips Momentum 436M are rather slim right now, but we do know the display is based on quantum dot technology. That means it relies on nano-sized semiconductor crystals that generate pure, monochromatic blue, green, and red light. They also provide a higher peak brightness than your typical pixel on an LCD screen. 

That’s also where the new DislpayHDR numbering system comes into play. Displays that fall under the DisplayHDR 400 umbrella have a peak brightness of 400 nits. Likewise, DisplayHDR 600 is for panels capable of 600 nits, and DisplayHDR 1000 is for the high-end displays that can crank the brightness up to a crazy 1,000 nits. Meanwhile, your typical desktop monitor is around 300 to 350 nits. 

The Philips Momentum 436M6 promises “a wider range of more accurate colors – especially dark reds and greens – that stay crisp and clear even in bright light.” It’s backed by the company’s Ambiglow technology that generates a “halo” of light outside the screen. This tech presents the illusion of a larger screen by processing each flashed image and matching the outer glow colors with those displayed on the screen. Users can manually adjust the external lighting as well. 

At this time, we don’t have a full specifications list, including the panel’s port complement. But according to the company, the Philips Momentum 436M6 will include MultiView technology, enabling customers to view two connected devices simultaneously, such as a desktop and a laptop, or a set-top-box and a gaming console. Based on those descriptions, the panel should have at least two HDMI inputs. 

“[The] DisplayHDR 1000 level of picture performance will offer a more intense gaming and entertainment experience. The contrast and color really bring action scenes alive like we’ve never seen before,” says Chris Brown, Philips Monitors global marketing manager. 

We should hear more about the Philips Momentum 436M in the coming months. 

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How to access the Dark Web

The Dark Web is an infamous digital hive of scum and villainy, where people around the world visit their black markets and conduct encrypted business away from any watching eyes. Naturally, that makes a lot of people curious.

However, there are other, more innocent reasons to use the Dark Web. Reporters, for example, may use it as a way to communicate with whistleblowers who want to protect their identity. Internet users under oppressive regimes may access the Dark Web to communicate freely with the outside world. White hat coders may want to search for and study various bits of malware to prepare defenses, and so on.

Here’s the bottom line: If you are interested in checking out the Dark Web, we can show you how to access it — as long as you are careful. Check out the steps below to learn more.

Step 1: Start with encryption: Download Tor and the Tor browser

Tor is the encryption program people use to navigate the Dark Web. While this encryption can work with several different dark browsers, the most common option is the Tor browser, because it’s free and easy to use.

These days, however, it’s common practice to add Tails, which is an additional security measure to protect your IP address. We suggest you start by downloading a safe version of Tails here. This Tails download should include Tor and the Tor browser as one complete package, so you have everything you need to get started. However, note that Tails requires an attached, empty USB storage drive to work, so you may have to buy an extra flash drive.

You may also want to download and enable a VPN (virtual private network) for additional security when using Tor and Tails. When getting ready for the Dark Web, you can never have too much security.

Step 2: Prepare your computer

You don’t want anything on your computer that a hacker could take advantage, which is pretty much everything. So take a minute to clear things up — shut down all apps and ongoing functions.

Close any files you may be working on. Disconnect or cover up your webcam and do the same with any mic settings your computer has – yes, these can be used against you. It’s okay to get a little paranoid at this juncture.

Step 3: Open the browser with a clear destination in mind

Linux Screenshots/Flickr

Without browsers like Google carefully organizing search results, the Dark Web is somewhat disarrayed, which can make it difficult to find what you are looking for. We strongly suggest that you do a lot of research and know exactly where you are going before you start.

To help with this, there are wikis that collect various Dark Web sites or directories that are (relatively) popular stops and good places to begin. Popular options include the Onion Directory and the Hidden Wiki. Take a look at the sites that these directories have collected and see what topics interest you (and yes, these categories include absolutely everything, so please stay away from the naughty stuff like hiring hitmen or buying stolen goods).

We also suggest that you do a search for the sites that you intend to visit, to see what people are saying about their security and how safe they are. Just because a site is on these directories doesn’t mean it won’t harm you or your computer. Never visit one of these sites directly on a normal browser — draw the line at research.

Once you have a clear destination in mind, close down your browser as we detailed in step 2, and open up the Tor browser to visit these same directories. It’s also a good idea to turn off JavaScript before you begin, for additional safety. The Tor browser is essentially a rebuilt version of early Firefox browsers, so if you’ve used Firefox in the past navigation should feel familiar to you.

Step 4. Understand how transactions work before you do anything

There are no rules in a black market, but there are some agreed-upon methods of exchange so that people can trade. On the Dark Web, that means using cryptocurrency like Bitcoin.

We aren’t suggesting you try to buy anything—that’s another big can of worms—but if you do look into a transaction, understand that you’ll need a cryptocurrency to do it safely, and even then “safely” is a tricky prospect.

Generally, people who purchase anything on the Dark Web first move Bitcoins (or their cryptocurrency of choice) from the Bitcoin exchange into a heavily secured wallet. Then they move the coins from the wallet into the Dark Web. Even then, it’s advisable to use a separate wallet solely for Dark Web activity, and only move the coins you intend to spend into the wallet. Use a separate name and password for the wallet that you will never use anywhere else. Many people have had their exchanges and wallets hacked by being careless.

Step 5: Always remember, safety first

The FBI can absolutely track people on the Dark Web, and it keeps the extent of those capabilities a carefully guarded secret, which means you could still get prosecuted for breaking the law even when encrypted. Silk Road wasn’t brought down by amateurs.

However, a more immediate danger for beginners is the great number of traps and hackers in the Dark Web trying to steal personal information and follow any trace back to your computer to learn more about you. Identity theft and blackmail are rampant. So stay alert, don’t wander around too much, and don’t trust any site or contact that you find.

Step 6: Close everything when you are done

While on the Tor browser, avoid any other activity on your computer—keep everything shut down. In fact, it’s common advice to avoid even change the settings (outside of the JavaScript step we mentioned) or window size of the Tor browser, since in theory this could be used to track you.

When you are finished, close the Tor browser and shut down/restart your computer entirely. Pay close attention when starting up again, and if everything appears to be acting normally, you can enable your mic settings, webcam, and other functions again.

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