Chrome now mutes auto-playing videos by default

Chrome will block autoplaying videos and ads with sound by default. Like VentureBeat notes, this was originally supposed to be added to Chrome 64 back in January, but it got delayed a few months. This should be enough to keep most sites quiet for you. However, if a website still manages to annoy you with un-muted, auto-playing videos you can block its audio privileges wholesale. Auto-muting a small touch, but an appreciated one, and it’s a lot more convenient than searching through two dozen tabs looking for the one with the “audio” icon. Happy (silent) surfing!

Via: VentureBeat

Source: Google

Iranian officials are no longer allowed to use Telegram

During protests and demonstrations back in December, Iran blocked messaging and social media apps such as Telegram and Instagram. The government claimed it was to “maintain peace,” but it became clear that they were trying to prevent the protestors from communicating and documenting what was happening. But now, it looks as though Iran has taken the campaign against Telegram one step further: The country has banned government officials from using the service.

It’s only for a limited group, but it’s an certainly interesting move. According to Reuters, an Iranian official in the judiciary said that Telegram could only operate domestically with the permission of the government. It’s quite possible that this could lead to a country-wide ban of the app.

This may also be a response to Russia’s move against Telegram. That country has been waging its own sort of war against the service after founder Pavel Durov refused to hand over encryption keys to Russian officials. Last week, the country’s courts granted the request for the app’s banishment from the country, and Russia has started blocking all possible IP addresses that Telegram uses (which are owned by Amazon and Google).

Iran’s government controlled media reported that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei stopped using the service “in line with safeguarding national interests and removing the monopoly of the Telegram messaging app,” according to Reuters. It remains to be seen whether Iran will take any further steps against the service in the future.

Source: Reuters

Analyst Predicts Apple Music Will Average 40 Percent Growth Per Year Through 2021

Apple Music has seen a consistent rise in subscriber numbers over the past year, with the streaming music service’s fastest growth yet — hitting 40 million subscribers — coming just this month. According to Macquarie Capital analyst Ben Schachter, Apple Music will keep up its progress and average 40 percent growth each year over the next three years (via The Wall Street Journal).

With this projection, Apple Music would see subscriber numbers reach about 56 million within the next year, 78 million in two years, and break the 100 million paid subscriber milestone in under three years. For comparison with previous growth, Apple Music sat at 10 million subscribers in January 2016, 20 million in December 2016, 30 million in September 2017, and 40 million in April 2018.

Schachter explains that while Apple Music will continue to be a solid performer for Apple, music streaming royalties will prevent it from becoming Apple’s most profitable service.

The rub, of course, is that music streaming isn’t a terribly profitable business, due mostly to the royalties streamers must pay to labels and artists. Mr. Schachter estimates that Apple Music commands a gross margin of around 15%. That is actually lower than the 24% that Spotify projects for this year. But even if Apple’s margins in music equaled that of its rival, they remain well below what the company makes by selling apps made by other developers. Mr. Schachter estimates that the latter commands gross margins of about 90%.

In other words, while music may be a key component to Apple’s growth, apps are far more vital to the company’s healthy bottom line. When it comes to services, Apple needs to get its playlist mix just right.

Still, the analyst’s projections mark Apple Music as the “fastest-growing” service in Apple’s services segment, which includes platforms like iTunes, the App Store, iCloud, Apple Pay, and AppleCare. In the company’s upcoming quarterly earnings report on May 1, total services revenue is predicted to hit $8.3 billion for the second fiscal quarter, up 18 percent year-on-year. In the first fiscal quarter of 2018 Apple’s services saw revenue of $8.5 billion, up 18 percent from 2017 and setting an all-time quarterly revenue record.

Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty said earlier this year that Apple’s services category will be the company’s main revenue driver over the next five years. While iPhones will make up 22 percent of revenue growth through 2023, Huberty predicted that services will contribute more than 50 percent of Apple’s total revenue growth over the same time period.

For Apple Music, the service’s growth is believed to soon eclipse Spotify within the United States in terms of paid subscribers. A report from February said Apple Music was growing at a pace of about 5 percent monthly (which would total a faster annual growth than Schachter’s prediction), compared to Spotify’s 2 percent clip. According to these growth rates, Apple Music is expected to surpass Spotify in paid U.S. subscribers as soon as this summer. Spotify last updated its paid subscriber count in December 2017, marking 71 million users.

Tag: Apple Music
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Opera VPN iOS App Will Be Permanently Discontinued at the End of April

Just under two years after launching on the iOS App Store, Opera this week announced that its free “Opera VPN” app will be permanently discontinued as of April 30, 2018. Opera’s virtual private network app masks the user’s true IP address and allows them to bypass firewalls, block tracking cookies, change their virtual location to unlock geo-specific content, and more.

At the end of April, the app will be shuttered on both the iOS and Android App Stores, but the company noted that it aims to “make sure your privacy is still looked after” following Opera VPN’s discontinuation. This mainly refers to users who were paying for Opera Gold on mobile, which introduced a Tracker Blocker, 10 additional regions, increased speeds, and dedicated customer support for $29.99/year.

These subscribers will have the option to redeem a free one year subscription to SurfEasy’s Ultra VPN and migrate all of their data from Opera to SurfEasy, a company that Opera acquired in 2016. Even those who don’t have an Opera Gold plan will have the chance to obtain an 80 percent discount on SurfEasy’s entry level Total VPN tier. In terms of pricing, SurfEasy’s Ultra plan is currently priced at $6.49/month and the Total plan is $3.99/month.

This is a free upgrade for Opera Gold users, as SurfEasy Ultra offers unlimited usage on up to five devices, access to 28 regions and a strict no-log policy. SurfEasy is also available on more platforms, currently supporting Windows, Mac, iOS, Android and Amazon devices. Users will be able to enjoy world-class customer support, too. Opera Gold users will be able to migrate within the latest version of the Opera VPN iOS app.

In regards to the closure, Opera said: “All of us here at Opera VPN (including Olaf) are sincerely grateful for all your support over the last couple of years, and we’re sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.” Opera will still have its main web browser available for Mac users, including a built-in ad blocker and VPN.

Tags: Opera browser, VPN
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How to Export Your Passwords and Login Data From Google Chrome

In Chrome 66, rolling out now for Mac and iOS, Google has added a password export option to the web browser so that you can easily migrate your login details to another browser via a third-party password manager app. In this article, we’ll show you how to export your passwords from Chrome on Mac and iOS.

At the end of the process, you’ll be left with a CSV file containing all your login credentials. Popular password managers like Enpass and 1Password accept CSV files for importing login data. Just be aware that the CSV file you export from Chrome is in plain text. That means your credentials could be read by anyone with access to it, so make sure you securely delete the file once you’ve imported the data into your password manager of choice.

How to Export Passwords From Chrome on Mac

Launch Chrome browser on your Mac.
Select Chrome -> Preferences… from the Chrome menu bar.
Click the Settings button in the upper left corner of the tabbed Settings screen.

Click Advanced in the Settings side panel.

Click Passwords and forms in the dropdown menu.
Click Manage Passwords.

Click the column of vertical dots at the top-right of your list of Save Passwords.

Click Export passwords… in the pop-up.

Acknowledge the pop-up warning dialog by clicking the blue Export Passwords… button.
Enter your system password if requested to do so.
In the Export window, choose a location on your Mac to export the CSV file to, and click Save.With the login data exported to your computer, open your password manager of choice and look for the import option, usually found in the app’s menu bar under File. Once you’ve imported the data from the CSV file, be sure to delete it, preferably with a file shredding app like Secure Delete or Incinerator.

How to Export Chrome Passwords in iOS

Launch the Chrome app on your iPhone or iPad.
Tap the three dots in the upper right of the browser tab.
Tap Settings in the dropdown menu.
Tap Passwords.

Tap Export Passwords….
Acknowledge the pop-up warning dialog by tapping Export Passwords….
Using the Share Sheet, choose a secure method (i.e. not Mail) for exporting the CSV file. Tapping Save to Files lets you save it on your iOS device or in iCloud Drive, for example.
Again, once you’ve imported the CSV file into your password manager of choice, be sure to delete the file.

Related Roundup: macOS High SierraTags: Google, Chrome
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Facebook Prepares for Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation With ‘New Privacy Experiences’

Facebook this week shared a blog post explaining “new privacy experiences” that will be available on the social network, in compliance with the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), coming into effect on May 25. Facebook originally detailed part of its plan for GDPR-related privacy features back in January, and is now following through in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

The rollout will begin in Europe this week, but the company described the update as being “for everyone on Facebook,” and it’ll begin expanding worldwide “on a slightly later schedule.” In the new blog post, Facebook chief privacy officer Erin Egan explained that users will be asked to make choices about multiple aspects of the social network from now on, including ads, profile data, and face recognition.

As soon as GDPR was finalized, we realized it was an opportunity to invest even more heavily in privacy. We not only want to comply with the law, but also go beyond our obligations to build new and improved privacy experiences for everyone on Facebook. We’ve brought together hundreds of employees across product, engineering, legal, policy, design and research teams. We’ve also sought input from people outside Facebook with different perspectives on privacy, including people who use our services, regulators and government officials, privacy experts, and designers.

Facebook will ask its users to review information about advertising based on partner data, such as websites and apps that use business tools like the Like button. They will be able to decide if they want Facebook to use data from partners to show them these type of ads or not.

For profile information, users that have opted into sharing political, religious, and relationship information will be asked whether to continue sharing this data, and if they want Facebook to use it. The update will make it easier to delete these personal tidbits from profiles as well.

Face recognition has been on Facebook in most parts of the world for about six years, allowing the service to detect when other profiles might be trying to use someone’s profile image, among other features. Egan said that specifically in the EU and Canada, face recognition will return but be defaulted to an off state, and users will have the choice to turn it on. For everyone on Facebook, Egan explained that this feature is still “entirely optional” no matter where the user is located.

This week’s blog post explained that these requests — including an updated terms of service and data policy — will have specific details relevant only to people in the EU, although “the substance” of the policy remains the same globally. As the update launches around the world, the company will “present the information in the ways that make the most sense for other regions.”

Otherwise, Facebook users will also start to see new Settings and Privacy shortcuts around the world this week, allowing them to more easily check their data, delete it, or easily download and export it. The social network is also focusing on protecting teenagers with multiple GDPR compliant features that will be launching worldwide. These include limited advertising, disabling face recognition, defaulting audience options for posts to friends only, and more.

Tag: Facebook
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Researchers claim hackers can create havoc in the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive

Virtual reality headsets produced by Oculus VR and HTC are open to hackers according to a recent paper published by researchers from the University of New Haven in Connecticut. Their proof-of-concept attack targets OpenVR, an open-source software development kit created by Valve Software and supported by the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift PC-based headsets. The result? Changing what the viewer sees and thereby causing physical harm. 

The problem with the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift is that you can’t see the surrounding physical environment. The setup process includes defining your movement area in the real world while inside virtual reality, this space is defined by a grid that suddenly appears if you get too close to the playing area’s edge. Typically, the edge is an actual wall, a couch, or simply an area where observers can watch from a safe distance while you swing wildly with the controllers. 

But hackers with access to a compromised PC could alter that space. If, for some reason, headset owners were playing near a staircase, they could trip over the steps or fall down to the next floor. If a group of family members is watching from the couch, headset owners could get too close and start swinging the controllers at their heads. The physical dangers are certainly possible. 

With the proof-of-concept, the research team attached malware to an email to see what would happen once it infected the targeted PC. “It was created with little security in mind, and they’re completely relying on the security of the operating system and the user,” says Ibrahim Baggili, director of the university’s Cyber Forensics Research and Education Group. 

Naturally, there are already safeguards set in place to prevent the infection, such as antivirus software and firewalls. But the experiment targeted the VR platforms themselves to see what would happen if the typical safeguards failed. The software powering the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive failed to block the malware as it infiltrated through the OpenVR crack. Not only could the researchers change the boundary, but everything seen through the headsets. 

Both HTC and Valve Software wouldn’t comment on the findings, but Oculus VR pointed out that the majority of the Oculus Rift experiences are served up on the Oculus Store without OpenVR. Even more, adding encryption to Guardian would introduce bugs and “unnecessary complexity.” If your machine is compromised, all data is at risk, not just the VR experience. 

But a closer look at the report shows there is more to the issue than just altering the headset’s view. For instance, a deep dive into Steam discovered two authorization files hidden in the Steam folder that could be used to bypass two-factor authentication. Other files include the person’s name, port details, IP addresses, and data associated with specific apps. Researchers also found accessible “artifacts” with a number of applications such as Rec Room, AltspaceVR, Facebook Spaces, and Big Screen. 

The full disclosure will be presented in May during the 39th annual Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Symposium on Security and Privacy. 

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Epson shrinks its cartridge-free ink, but it’ll still last you two years

Epson

Epson’s refillable, eco-friendly print cartridges just got smaller, but the compact form of the ink EcoTanks still allows the company’s new all-in-one to ship with two years of ink in the box. On Tuesday, April 17, Epson announced the WorkForce Pro ET-8700 EcoTank All-in-One, a printer designed for small businesses.

The new WorkForce Pro has enough ink in the box to print up to 16,000 black-and-white pages and 11,00 color pages, which means businesses averaging 450 sheets a month may not have to buy ink for two years. The printer uses a set of four ink packs, which Epson says is more affordable than the traditional cartridge. The printer packs start at $25.

The printer isn’t the first to integrate Epson’s cartridge-free concept, but uses the smaller Replaceable Ink Pack System. Compared to ink and toner, Epson says, best-case scenario, the ink packs can save up to 80 percent over the cost of traditional ink cartridges and toner for a color laser printer.

Compared to the earlier model, the ET-8700 is more compact, at about 40 percent of the size of the previous generation model. The printer still offers a 250-page capacity and an 80-page rear tray, with the option to buy a 500-page tray add-on.

Epson says the new printer also delivers on speed, with prints speeds of up to 24 pages per minute, and scans also reaching that speed using the USB interface. Print settings and options are controlled from a 4.3-inch touchscreen.

“With the new low-cost replacement ink packs integrated along the base of the ET-8700 printer, we’ve taken Epson’s traditional EcoTank design, and optimized it for high productivity,” Nils Madden, marketing director for consumer marketing at Epson America, said in a press release. “We’ve made it easier for business owners to enjoy the hassle-free two years of ink in the box with this new, easy-to-use design and ultra-fast print speeds, giving them more time to focus on what’s really important — managing their businesses.”

The ET-8700 also offers Wi-Fi and Ethernet connectivity, and sells with a two-year limited warranty.

The WorkForce Pro ET-8700 printer will launch sometime this month with a list price of about $1,000.

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Cambridge Analytica designed cryptocurrency to sell back your personal data

Bryan Bedder/Getty Images

In a twist of irony, Cambridge Analytica — which worked on Donald Trump’s digital campaign strategy and was the subject of scandal for Facebook — had been quietly working on its own virtual currency designed for an initial coin offering, or ICO. Cambridge Analytica’s cryptocurrency was conceived as a means to pay for a system allowing people to store and sell their online data to advertisers, former employee Brittany Kaiser told The New York Times in an interview, essentially allowing people to protect the data that the company had exploited from some 87 million Facebook users.

Cambridge Analytica promoted its virtual currency business to blockchain companies wishing to use predictive modeling to target investors. The psychographic profiles that the company has created allow for more precisely targeted advertising.

“Who knows more about the usage of personal data than Cambridge Analytica?” Kaiser said in an her interview. “So why not build a platform that reconstructs the way that works?”

Work for the virtual currency began in the middle of last year, with Cambridge Analytica aiming to raise as much as $30 million through the ICO, according to Reuters.

“Prior to the Facebook controversy, we were developing a suite of technologies to help individuals reclaim their personal data from corporate entities and to have full transparency and control over how their personal data are used,” a Cambridge Analytica spokesperson said in an email statement to Reuters. “We were exploring multiple options for people to manage and monetize their personal data, including blockchain technology.”

Jill Carlson, a consultant for several blockchain companies who had attended pitch meetings with Cambridge Analytica, said that the company’s approach “was contrary to the ideas of openness and transparency that drew her to virtual currency projects like Bitcoin,” according to the Times report.

“The way that Cambridge Analytica was talking about it, they were viewing it as a means of being able to basically inflict government control and private corporate control over individuals, which just takes the whole initial premise of this technology and turns it on its head in this very dystopian way,” Carlson said.

In one instance, Cambridge Analytica would send virtual currency to different areas in Mexico as incentive for people to fill out surveys. The data would be used to design political campaigns for Mexican candidates running for office.

Work on the the coin’s technical specification was overseen by Alexander Taylor, Cambridge Analytica’s chief data scientist. Kaiser has since left the company, in February, and remains critical of Cambridge Analytica. It’s unclear if Cambridge Analytica is still pursuing work on the coin, though Kaiser believes that the work has not moved forward.

“A spokesman did not comment on the coin offering, but did say the firm was looking at using blockchain — the technology underlying digital currencies — to help people secure their online data,” Reuters reported.

Kaiser is pursuing similar ideas in her new role at Bueno Capital.

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Leak reveals Microsoft’s new Xbox Avatar system

Microsoft’s new Xbox Live avatars have been on the cards for a while now, with the company last year promising more diversity and customization. Now, a leaked video (allegedly from a former Microsoft designer and since removed from YouTube) has revealed what they’ll look like, plus the editor interface that’ll let you design your character.

A look at the #NewAvatars@JamieMoranUK @Rand_al_Thor_19 @BeastFireTimdog @Mooch1978 @JezCorden @The_CrapGamer pic.twitter.com/htVGQ1xg29

— ✖IdleSloth✖ (@IdleSloth1984) April 17, 2018

The new Xbox Avatar Editor lets you customize body, face, hair, makeup and limbs with color pickers across all features and the option to purchase additional items from the avatar store. It’s pretty comprehensive — you can even edit your character’s fingernails. While the update won’t support items from existing avatars, you’ll be able to import your previous character into the system. The editor will operate across Xbox One and Windows 10, and will be made available to testers this month, so you shouldn’t have to wait too long to start designing your virtual self.

Via: The Verge

Source: @IdleSloth1984 (Twitter)