The $53 Huawei Band 2 Pro watch tracks sleep, your heart, and more

All the activities are yours for the tracking.

The Huawei Band 2 Pro all-in-one activity tracker smartwatch has dropped to $52.88 on Amazon from a street price around $70. We haven’t seen it drop in price since May.

The watch comes with built-in GPS, a heart-rate monitor, multiple modes for different sports, a sleep monitor, and more. The sleep tracking helps record data based on tracking light, how much you sleep, REM deep sleep stages, and more. It’s water resistant and has a PMOLED display. Use workout apps to help coach you through different sports and keep track of things like recovery time. One charge of the watch will last up to 21 days based on how you use it.

See on Amazon

Apple to Release iOS 12.1 Tomorrow With Group FaceTime, New Emoji, Dual-SIM and Real-Time Depth Control

Apple today announced that it plans to release iOS 12.1 to the public tomorrow following its Brooklyn event that is expected to see the debut of new iPad Pro models and refreshed Macs.

As we’ve discovered in the iOS 12.1 betas that have been available since September, iOS 12.1 brings several important new features to the iPhone and the iPad.

The update brings support for Group FaceTime, the feature designed to let users chat with up to 32 people at one time. Group FaceTime was present in the iOS 12 beta, but it was removed from the iOS 12 launch to provide Apple with additional time to develop the feature.

Other FaceTime features are included in iOS 12.1 as well, such as automatic detection of active speakers to surface the icon of the person who is speaking, ringless notification to let you join a call without being disruptive, and Messages integration for starting a Group FaceTime call right from the Messages app from a group chat.

iOS 12.1 will also bring more than 70 new emoji characters, such as cold face, woozy face, hot face, red hair, white hair, leg, foot, teddy bear, llama, raccoon, kangaroo, mango, cupcake, bagel, and tons more. A full list of all of the new emoji is available here.

On iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR, iOS 12.1 introduces real-time Depth Control so you can adjust the amount of background blur before a photo is even captured, and support for the digital eSIM, which will allow two SIMs to be used at one time.

iOS 12.1 should be released alongside new updates for tvOS, watchOS, and macOS right around 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, Apple’s typical release time for new software updates.

Related Roundup: iOS 12
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Popular Reddit App Apollo Pulled From App Store Over Push Notification Snafu

Popular Reddit app Apollo was removed from the App Store this afternoon after developer Christian Selig released an update that adds push notifications as a premium feature, Selig explained on Reddit.

After introducing the latest version of the Apollo app, which has a paid feature enabling push notifications, Apple informed Selig that he was in violation of rule 3.2.2 that prohibits apps from monetizing Push Notifications and other iPhone and iPad capabilities provided by the hardware or operating system. The email Selig received from Apple:

Hello,
We are writing to let you know about new information regarding your app, Apollo for Reddit, version 1.3, currently live on the App Store.
Upon re-evaluation, we found that your app is not in compliance with the App Store Review Guidelines. Specifically, we found:

Business – 3.2.2 We noticed that your in-app purchase auto-renewable subscription product provides access to built-in Push Notification capabilities, which is not appropriate for the App Store.
For this reason, your app will be removed from sale on the App Store at this time.

Deliberate disregard of the App Store Review Guidelines and attempts to deceive users or undermine the review process are unacceptable and is a direct violation Section 3.2(f) of the Apple Developer Program License Agreement. Continuing to violate the Terms & Conditions of the Apple Developer Program will result in the termination of your account, as well as any related or linked accounts, and the removal of all your associated apps from the App Store.

Future submissions of this app may require a longer review time, and this app will not be eligible for an expedited review. If you have any questions about this information, please reply to this message to let us know.

Selig said that he’s “quite confused” by Apple’s decision, as he had worked with Apple on the implementation of the premium service after the app update was previously rejected for the same reason.

For background, several weeks ago, Selig said that the 1.3 update of Apollo had been rejected by Apple because it included the in-app purchase for unlocking push notifications. Selig explained at the time that he needs to charge to add push notifications due to the server costs associated with implementing them.

In an update earlier this month, Selig said he was able to develop a workaround with Apple by bundling the feature with other premium options like app theming and custom icons for an “Apollo Ultra” service, and the update was released on Saturday.

It’s not clear why Apple pulled the Apollo app after telling Selig that it was appropriate to implement push notifications as part of a paid bundle of features, but Apple has been known for making confusing App Store decisions in the past. It’s likely the issue will be solved quickly, and Selig says he will keep Apollo customers updated on the status of the app.
Discuss this article in our forums

Best nine ebook reading apps for Android

Like to read a quick chapter during your morning commute? In that case, you’re probably carrying a Kindle with you every day. But to be fair, with smartphones getting bigger and bigger these days, you don’t even need a Kindle anymore.

Simply install an ebook reading app on your phone and get your ebooks on board your mobile, and you won’t have to carry two devices around.

So for this article, we’ve rounded up some of the best e-reading apps you can download and use on your Android device when you feel like reading a chapter or two.

Moon+Reader

What it is:

An innovative eReader app with tons of functions and support for many ebook formats.

Why we like it:

• The app boasts support for epub, mobi, pdf, chm, umd and lots more, so you won’t have to convert your files.
• A user-friendly shelf-like interface where you can see all your books and from where you can easily import more files.
• Offers direct access to free libraries like Project Guttenberg.
• The eReader features a Day/Night mode.
• Easily customize your reading experience by adjusting the font size, auto-scrolling mode and speed, or adjusting the brightness.

Note: Free to download. Subscription up to $4.99.

Download Moon+Reader

Bookari Free eBook Reader

What it is:

Previously known as Mantano Reader, Bookari is one of the most popular eReaders out there which also offers a discovery option.

Why we like it:

• The app acts as a discovery tool, letting you browse the pre-configured bookstores, OPDS in-browser catalogues, or websites you have added manually.
• Bookari lets you synchronize your library across devices, so you can easily switch between your phone and tablet and find your reading positions, bookmarks and more in place.
• Allows you to search for books via quick access filters like tags, authors and rating.
• Supports popular ebook formats like epub or pdf, but not mobi.

Note: Free to download. Subscription up to $5.49.

Download Bookari

Prestigio eReader

What it is:

A super-friendly eReader with Material Design which lets you keep all your books in one place, read, as well as discover new material.

Why we like it:

• An intuitive and aesthetically pleasing user interface that allows you to easily scan your device for specific files.
• Comes with different themes for the shelf.
• The app has an in-built dictionary.
• There’s also a store which you can browse which contains a Free section.
• You can customize your reading experience by choosing your favorite, font type, size and style.
• Offers support for a wide range of ebook formats including epub, html, mobi, pdf, fb2 and lots more.
• Tired of reading? The app also has a Text-to-Speech function that will read out to you.

Note: Free to download. Subscription up to $2.99.

Download Prestigio eReader

AIReader

What it is:

A simple yet powerful eBook reader for Android that includes quite a lot of features.

Why we like it:

• The app lets you open and load one book at the time and provides easy access to customization tools. Readers have the option of changing the font style, size or color, as well as margins and spacing. Screen rotation is also supported.
• The Actions tab includes a Dictionary option, Autoscroll and Text-to-Speech.
• AIReader supports a large number of reading formats including text, epub, html, doc, mobi and prc.

Note: Free to download. Subscription up to $9.72.

Download AIReader

FullReader

What it is:

A featured-packed eReader app with a visually pleasing user-interface that will help you get out the most of your library.

Why we like it:

• One of the few eReading apps out there that offers support for more “exotic” formats like DjVu, odt, rar, 7z and even MP3 for audiobooks.
• Offers integration with Google Drive, Dropbox and OneDrive, so you can sync books between several devices.
• The app offers all the customization tools you need for a perfect reading experience. But it has some extra, like the built-in translator.
• Users can set quick access to certain functions or tools.

Note: Free to download. Subscription up to $7.99.

Download FullReader

PocketBook Reader

What it is:

A fun eReader app with a beautiful interface and a unique floating customization menu.

Why we like it:

• The unique customization menu which appears as a floating circle each time you open a book. Easily change the font size, text or background color and much more.
• The app also supports audiobook and has a Text-to-Speech function, so if your eyes are tired you can simply switch to the audio option.
• Among the few eReading apps out there that also comes equipped with a built-in ISBN Scanner.
• Completely add-free!

Download PocketBook Reader

ReadEra

What it is:

A practical eReader app that automatically detects all the books and documents present on your device.

Why we like it:

• ReadEra is very easy-to-use. The app auto-populates your shelf with the books and documents available on your device. It also lets you edit the font color, size or style, as well as line spacing and text alignment right from the reading window.
• You can neatly organize your documents and books by author and series. There’s also the option to add files to the collection: To Read, Have Read and Favorites.
• It’s completely ad-free!

Download ReadEra

Media365 Book Reader

What it is:

An eReading app that also doubles as a publishing platform for authors who want to get their names out there.

Why we like it:

• Features a refreshing and vivid green theme
• Includes a practical eReader function that supports all types of formats including comic book formats.
• Offers a customizable reading experience by letting you choose from multiple font sizes and types, adjust brightness and page orientation.
• Has a Discover tab where you can get and read free eBooks for free.
• Authors can publish their work and start making money.

Note: Free to download. Subscription up to $4.99.

Download Media365 Book Reader

EBookDroid

What it is:

A full-featured reader app capable of displaying just about any book format you might happen to throw at it including Amazon’s AZW ebook format.

Why we like it:

• Comes with a highly customizable document viewer that lets you adjust View Mode Settings, as well as Screen Orientation and more.
• The app is specially designed to support DJVU and PDF files, but you can use it to view a ton of other documents.
• The app comes with external dictionary support and offers access to OPDS catalogues like Project Gutenberg.

Download EBookDroid

Other apps, digital readers you might want to try:

• Wattpad (if you want to discover free books and stories written by authors from around the world)
• Kobo (bookstore that sells eBooks and audiobooks)
• Google Play Books
• Amazon Kindle (a reading app that’s also a book store)

The flagship-quality OnePlus 6T is here: Now here’s where to buy it

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Flagship phones may have a lot to offer, but they’re really expensive, and getting pricier by the month. That, however, is where OnePlus comes in. The company has been building flagship-tier phones for a number of years now and usually offers them at a much lower price than other flagship devices. The latest is the new OnePlus 6T, which boasts a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor, up to 8GB of RAM, and more.

Of course, you may be wondering how you can get your hands on the new OnePlus 6T for yourself — which is exactly why we’ve put together this guide. This time around, for the first time, OnePlus is offering the 6T through a carrier in the U.S. thanks to its partnership with T-Mobile — essentially giving you more options than ever to buy the phone. On top of that, T-Mobile is offering the phone for half-off — if you get it on October 29 in the New York Times Square T-Mobile store.

No matter what your situation, here’s how to get your hands on the OnePlus 6T.

Does my carrier support the OnePlus 6T?

Before buying the OnePlus 6T, it’s important to note that like previous OnePlus models, the device is GSM-only. Unlike previous models, however, Verizon has certified the OnePlus 6T to work on its network, so you will be able to buy the phone unlocked and take it to Verizon. In other words, the only major network that the OnePlus 6T won’t work on is Sprint, so if you’re on Sprint you’ll need to switch in order to use the OnePlus 6T. That also means that Sprint’s mobile virtual network operators won’t support the phone — like Boost Mobile.

Buying the OnePlus 6T unlocked

As usual, the OnePlus 6T is available unlocked and you will be able to get it directly through the OnePlus website. Of course, if you do so you’ll have to pay for the OnePlus 6T upfront, which is something to keep in mind. The phone goes up for sale on November 1, and it’s available in a few different colors, though the color you get may impact pricing. Pricing for the phone can be found below.

• Mirror black 6GB RAM and 128GB of storage: $550
• Mirror black 8GB RAM and 128GB of storage: $580
• Midnight black 8GB RAM and 128GB of storage: $580
• Midnight black 8GB RAM and 256GB of storage: $630

Other than the OnePlus website, it’s likely you’ll be able to buy the phone through Amazon and other retail partners, though we’re not sure exactly when they will show up through those partners.

Buying the OnePlus 6T through T-Mobile

For the first time, OnePlus is offering the OnePlus 6T through a carrier in the U.S., and that carrier is T-Mobile. Like the unlocked version, the OnePlus 6T will go on sale at T-Mobile starting on November 1. Unlike the unlocked version, however, T-mobile is only offering one variant of the phone — the Mirror Black version with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage.

Through T-Mobile, the phone comes at $580 outright, which equates to $24.17 per month for 24 months on T-Mobile’s Equipment Installment Plan. T-Mobile is also offering up to $300 off for an eligible trade-in, and if you get the full amount you’ll only pay $11.67 per month for 24 months.

If you live in New York, you may be able to get the phone before everyone else, and for less than everyone else. OnePlus will be taking over the flagship T-Mobile store in Times Square on Monday, October 29 at 5 p.m., where you’ll be able to get the phone for half-off its normal price.

Editors’ Recommendations

• OnePlus 6T: Absolutely everything you need to know
• OnePlus 6T review
• OnePlus 6: Everything you need to know
• The 6-inch OnePlus 5T: Everything you need to know
• OnePlus’ ‘Crackables’ includes puzzles in both the digital and physical worlds

OnePlus 6T vs. OnePlus 6 vs. OnePlus 5T vs. OnePlus 5: Should you upgrade?

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The self-proclaimed “flagship killer” has come a long way over the last few years, with an aggressive policy of turning out new smartphones every six months. OnePlus has consistently offered close-to-cutting-edge specs at knockout prices that undercut the competition.

It looks as though the OnePlus 6T is the best phone the company has ever turned out, but how does it measure up to its predecessors? We decided to pit it against the last three OnePlus releases to see precisely what has changed and to help you decide whether it’s time to pull the trigger on an upgrade.

Specs

OnePlus 6T

OnePlus 6
OnePlus 5T

OnePlus 5

Size
157.5 x 74.8 x 8.2 mm (6.2 x 2.94 x 0.32 inches)
155.7 x 75.4 x 7.8 mm (6.13 x 2.97 x 0.31 inches)
156.1 x 75 x 7.3 mm (6.15 x 2.95 x 0.29 inches)
154.2 x 74.1 x 7.3 mm (6.07 x 2.92 x 0.29 inches)

Weight
185 g (6.52 oz)
177 g (6.24 oz)
162 g (5.71 oz)
153 g (5.40 oz)

Screen size
6.41 inches
6.28 inches
6.01 inches
5.5 inches

Screen resolution
2,340 x 1,080 pixels (402 ppi)
2,280 x 1,080 pixels (402 ppi)
2,160 x 1,080 pixels (401 ppi)
1,920 x 1,080 pixels (401 ppi)

Operating system
Android 9.0 Pie
Android 8.1 Oreo
Android 7.1.1 Nougat
Android 7.1.1 Nougat

Storage space
128GB, 256GB
64GB, 128GB, 256GB
64GB, 128GB
64GB, 128GB

MicroSD card slot
No
No
No
No

Tap-to-pay services
Google Pay
Google Pay
Google Pay
Google Pay

Processor
Snapdragon 845
Snapdragon 845
Snapdragon 835
Snapdragon 835

RAM
6GB, 8GB
6GB, 8GB
6GB, 8GB
6GB, 8GB

Camera
Dual 16MP and 20MP rear, 16MP front
Dual 16MP and 20MP rear, 16MP front
Dual 16MP and 20MP rear, 16MP front
Dual 16MP and 20MP rear, 16MP front

Video
2,160p up to 60 fps, 1080p up to 240 fps, 720p up to 480 fps
2,160p up to 60 fps, 1080p up to 240 fps, 720p up to 480 fps
2,160 at 30 fps, 1080p up to 60 fps, 720p at 120 fps
2,160 at 30 fps, 1080p up to 60 fps, 720p at 120 fps

Bluetooth version
Bluetooth 5.0
Bluetooth 5.0
Bluetooth 5.0
Bluetooth 5.0

Ports
USB-C port
3.5mm audio jack, USB-C port
3.5mm audio jack, USB-C port
3.5mm audio jack, USB-C port

Fingerprint sensor
Yes, in display
Yes, on back
Yes, on back
Yes, on front

Water resistance
No
No
No
No

Battery
3,700mAh

Fast charging

3,300mAh

Fast charging

3,300mAh

Fast charging

3,300mAh

Fast charging

App marketplace
Google Play Store
Google Play Store
Google Play Store
Google Play Store

Network support
T-Mobile, AT&T
T-Mobile, AT&T
T-Mobile, AT&T
T-Mobile, AT&T

Colors
Mirror Black, Midnight Black
Midnight Black, Mirror Black, Silk White, Amber Red
Midnight Black, Lava Red, Sandstone White
Midnight Black, Slate Gray

Price
$550
$530
$500
$480

Buy from
OnePlus
Discontinued
Discontinued
Discontinued

Review score
4 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5 stars
4 out of 5 stars

Performance, battery life, and charging

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

If you’re looking for an area of compromise where OnePlus scrimps to keep its costs down, you won’t find it in the performance department. The OnePlus 6T and OnePlus 6 both have the virtually ubiquitous Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor inside, which you’ll also find in everything from Samsung’s Galaxy Note 9 to Google’s Pixel 3. The older OnePlus 5T and 5 have the previous year’s Snapdragon 835, which is slightly slower and less power efficient.

All of them come with 6GB or 8GB of RAM, which may be overkill unless you’re a major multitasker. Storage has been upped from 64GB or 128GB to 128GB or 256GB in the newest phone. OnePlus is not keen on the humble MicroSD card slot, so you won’t find one in any of these phones.

The 3,300mAh battery found in the OnePlus 5, 5T, and 6 has finally been upgraded in the 6T to 3,700mAh. Even accounting for the larger display, that should provide a boost to stamina. All of these phones support fast charging, but you won’t find any Qi wireless charging support.

Winner: OnePlus 6T

Design and durability

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

We think this is a category where you can see the clearest evolution of the OnePlus range. We felt the OnePlus 5 was aping the iPhone a little too closely, but the fingerprint sensor moved around back in the 5T. The OnePlus 6 did adopt the notch, but it was smaller than the iPhone X’s and the central camera module and fingerprint sensor on the back gave it a feel of its own. The OnePlus 6T is perhaps its most distinct phone yet, with that teardrop notch, the slimmest of bottom bezels, and an in-display fingerprint sensor. It’s a refined, attractive design that’s going to turn heads.

Water resistance is an area where OnePlus has cut corners. While most flagship smartphones nowadays can be submerged without damage, there’s no IP-rating for any of these OnePlus phones. The OnePlus 5T and OnePlus 5 both had aluminum frames and backs, but the newer duo are glass front and back, so durability is definitely an issue here. It should be noted the OnePlus 6T is wrapped in Gorilla Glass 6, which is the most durable version from Corning yet.

Something that’s sure to disappoint some people is the lack of a traditional headphone port in the OnePlus 6T, especially since all the other phones here have a standard 3.5mm audio jack.

Winner: OnePlus 6T

Display

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The shift in the display from the OnePlus 5 through to the OnePlus 6T mirrors wider industry trends. We’ve gone from a 5.5-inch display with a 16:9 aspect ratio to a 6.4-inch display with an 19.5:9 ratio, which has prompted a resolution shift from 1,920 x 1,080 pixels to 2,340 x 1,080 pixels. Interestingly, all these phones have essentially the same pixel density and they’re all AMOLED screens. The extra size isn’t the only benefit of the OnePlus 6T’s display though, it’s also brighter, with better color accuracy and more software tuning options than its predecessors.

Winner: OnePlus 6T

Camera

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

On paper, it looks like these phones all have the same exact camera setup, a dual-lens 16-megapixel and 20-megapixel main camera and a 16-megapixel front-facing camera. There have actually been a few jumps in the hardware quality, with newer sensors, and lots of developments on the software and tuning side that mean you can see concrete improvements. The camera in the OnePlus 6 is definitely better than the cameras in the 5 and 5T. The OnePlus 6T also features some new artificial smarts for scene recognition and improved portrait and low-light capabilities, but we’ve yet to test it against the OnePlus 6, so we’re not yet sure if there’s any discernible jump in quality.

Only the 6 and 6T have super slow motion video support.

Winners: OnePlus 6 and 6T

Software and updates

With Android 9.0 Pie out of the box, the OnePlus 6T has a clear advantage. The OnePlus 5 and 5T can both be upgraded to Android 8.1 Oreo, which is what the OnePlus 6 launched with, and they will eventually get the update to Android Pie. The OnePlus 6 has received the Android 9.0 Pie update already. All of them have OxygenOS on top, which offers various customization options and shortcuts that you won’t find in stock Android. We expect the 6T and 6 to have a similar shelf life in terms of updates, so there’s no dividing them here.

Winners: OnePlus 6 and 6T

Special features

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The in-display fingerprint sensor enabled OnePlus to hit new heights with its design in the 6T, but most of the other special features are nothing new for the range. As mentioned, OxyegnOS offers lots of gesture shortcuts and customization options, and there’s also a special gaming mode to prevent interruptions and ensure your gaming sessions are as smooth as possible.

Winner: OnePlus 6T

Price

Price has always been a major selling point for the OnePlus range, but it has been creeping higher with each new phone. We’ve gone from $480 for the basic model of the OnePlus 5 up to $550 for the OnePlus 6T, but that’s still great value compared to other flagships on the market. OnePlus also discontinues its older phones as soon as the new ones are released, so there’s no option to go back and buy an older model unless you can find some remaining stock from another seller.

The OnePlus 6T is also available now from T-Mobile, giving you another place to buy it from. It’s also compatible on Verizon — a first for OnePlus — making it the most accessible OnePlus phone ever.

Overall winner: OnePlus 6T

The OnePlus 6T is the best phone that OnePlus has made so far, but it’s very, very similar to the OnePlus 6. We’re talking about some extra battery capacity, a better design, and a slightly bigger display. If you already have the OnePlus 6, then you should hold onto it for a while. For people with the OnePlus 5T or OnePlus 5, the 6T is going to be a more tempting upgrade, and you can add faster performance and a better camera to the list of temptations.

Editors’ Recommendations

• OnePlus 6T: Absolutely everything you need to know
• Samsung Galaxy Note 9 vs. OnePlus 6: Does more expensive mean better?
• The 6-inch OnePlus 5T: Everything you need to know
• OnePlus 6T review
• OnePlus’ ‘Crackables’ includes puzzles in both the digital and physical worlds

A new Windows Defender feature will better guard your PC against viruses

Microsoft is working on helping protect your PC from hackers and other viruses with a new feature for Windows Defender on Windows 10. A sandboxed mode for the free and built-in antivirus tool is set to raise its security by separating it from the rest of Windows to further prevent hackers from getting access to your system.

Announced on October 26, the sandbox feature for Windows Defender is currently in beta testing with Windows Insiders. Unlike free software, this makes Windows Defender the first complete antivirus solution with sandboxing, which is a feature that helps ensure that viruses and malware can’t hijack the tool itself to do damage to Windows 10.

“Putting Windows Defender Antivirus in a restrictive process execution environment is a direct result of feedback that we received from the security industry and the research community. It was a complex undertaking: We had to carefully study the implications of such an enhancement on performance and functionality. More importantly, we had to identify high-risk areas and make sure that sandboxing did not adversely affect the level of security we have been providing,” Microsoft said.

After the hard work to build Windows Defender in sandbox mode, more time is still needed to examine the feature based on feedback from beta Windows users and security researches. However, Microsoft is still making it easy for anyone to enable the feature, regardless if enrolled in the Windows Insider program or not.

If running the Windows 10 Creators Update or later, sandboxing can be force enabled on any machine by heading to the Command Prompt as an administrator, typing in “setx /M MP_FORCE_USE_SANDBOX 1”, and then restarting.

“The ability to gradually deploy this feature was another important design goal. Because we would be enabling this on a wide range of hardware and software configurations, we aimed to have the ability at runtime to decide if and when the sandboxing is enabled,” Microsoft noted.

In a world where viruses and other threats are always evolving, this is just one of the many steps Microsoft is taking toward innovating Windows Defender and making it secure. It has previously invested in research, artificial intelligence, and the cloud to better analyze and deliver protection to all Windows 10 devices.

Editors’ Recommendations

• The best free antivirus for Mac in 2018
• How to install the Windows 10 October 2018 Update right now
• Windows 10 Home vs. Pro vs. S Mode
• Apple’s latest feature ensures MacOS apps are safer than ever
• Microsoft plans to overhaul a central feature of Windows 10

This cafe lets students trade their data for a ‘free’ cup of coffee

“There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch,” says the narrator in Robert Heinlein’s 1966 science-fiction novel The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress. As it turns out, there may be no such thing as a free coffee, either. At least, that’s our takeaway from Shiru Cafe, an international line of cafes with one United States branch near Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island — and more soon to open in the U.S. at Harvard, Yale and Princeton universities, and Amherst College.

Shiru offers a “brand new unique business model,” namely to give out free cups of coffee exchange for user data. In other words, it’s the same business model used by tech giants like Facebook, Google, and others — only with caffeine instead of “free” social media or email access. In order to get their free coffee, students must sign up with their name, email, college or university, major, year in school, and professional interests. This is then used to target them with information from corporate brands who essentially sponsor the running of the cafe.

“Through a free drink, we try to give students some information which sponsor company [sic] would like to inform exclusively for university students to diverse the choices of their future career,” the company’s website notes.

In an email to Digital Trends, a representative for Shiru Cafe said that it “takes students’ privacy very seriously and does not share this information with any third parties or directly with our sponsor companies.” Instead, the information is provided in aggregate and then used to arrange face-to-face meet-ups with recruiters in which additional information can be provided.

The Brown branch of Shiru Cafe opened in March and has “exceeded” the company’s expectations. The company estimates that more than 75 percent of Brown students will register with the cafe this semester and it is already receiving upward of 600 customers each day.

It’s definitely an interesting idea, although it’s certainly easy to see why some might find asking cash-poor students to instead trade their data for beverages could be troubling. Still, as noted, this is a business model that is well established among Silicon Valley tech giants. So if we’re worried about trading data for coffee, why are we happy to trade it for email, search engine results, access to social networks, and more?

Editors’ Recommendations

• The best laptops for college in 2018
• Tinder wants to help you make friends at school this year with Tinder U
• WatchOS 5: All our favorite new features
• The best coffee makers of 2018
• How to make money on Instagram (even if you don’t have a bajillion followers)

Text-based lie detector can help cops filter out fake robbery reports

Computational spell checkers and grammar checkers have been around for decades, but what if software was also able to act as a lie detector for text-based documents? That might sound crazy, but it’s a subject that researchers from the U.K.’s Cardiff University and Spain’s Charles III University of Madrid have been working on — and it’s apparently paying off. What computer science researchers have developed is a tool which can reportedly help police identify false statements regarding mugging-style robberies. This is a big problem in certain parts of the world and can lead to a range of negative outcomes — including false insurance claims, wasting police time, and, potentially, even wrongful arrests. The consequences of filing a false police statement can include heavy fines and even jail terms.

The new text analysis tool, called VeriPol, uses machine learning techniques to look at information such as the type of items which have been reported stolen and descriptions of perpetrators. According to its creators, it can then identify false police reports with more than 80 percent accuracy. Common recurrences in false reports include focusing more on the stolen property than the incident, a lack of precise details, limited details of the attacker, and lack of witnesses or hard evidence.

“The main goal is to create a tool that can be helpful for an early detection of these fake police reports, so it can be a complement to police expertise,” Dr. Jose Camacho Collados, a research associate at Cardiff University, told Digital Trends. “In particular, in [our research] we try to specifically study if such a tool can be automatically learned from the textual content of the reports, written by the police, and be applied to new police reports. We used classical machine learning approaches, taking as input police reports which were known to be true or false. The main findings were that people lie using similar patterns and that a classic machine learning approach can detect such patterns and be applied effectively in this problem with a high degree of accuracy.”

VeriPol has been used in several pilot studies, which demonstrated how it is can be successfully used to filter out false robbery reports. “We have now integrated this system in Spanish police architecture, together with an integral training program, and it is being used across a large number of police stations in Spain,” Camacho Collados continued. “As a side — and perhaps more important — effect, we expect that the awareness and communication of this problem will further prevent people from filing fake police reports.”

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Startup to apply quantum mechanics to protect data in fiber-optic cables

A startup called Quantum Xchange has struck a deal giving it access to some 500 miles of fiber-optic cable running along the east coast of the U.S. to conduct trials of a new data transmission method. The system leverages quantum mechanics to encrypt data in a manner that would destroy that data if it were spied on, thereby, in theory, protecting the data from attacks on the network infrastructure.

One of the most damning revelations to emerge from the Edward Snowden revelations of 2013 was that the NSA had reportedly tapped into undersea fiber cables in order to facilitate its wholesale spying efforts on U.S. citizens. Driven by concerns over overzealous oversight from domestic sources, and foreign threats, Quantum Xchange is looking to pioneer a new way of securing data that should make it unreadable to anyone but its intended recipient(s).

It’s developing what it describes as a quantum key distribution (QKD) network. It encrypts the content (here’s how that works) using a quantum bit, known as a qubit. As TechnologyReview describes it, the data itself is protected by the encryption and the qubit key is protected through the fragility within its quantum state. If it were spied on by a party it wasn’t intended for, that would wipe out all the information it carries, thereby making it impossible to snoop on. Better yet, the attempted intrusion would be obvious and detectable.

To facilitate this kind of technology, the QKD will need to set up trusted nodes along the data’s route which act a little like repeaters to boost the signal. There will be 13 of those over the length of the test network that Quantum Xchange is creating.

Named “Phio,” the new network will be used first by banking and other business institutions to shepherd information between New York City and New Jersey. If the project proves successful, Quantum Xchange expects to expand its usage and expand the network in the future.

“We are incredibly excited about the launch of Phio for commercial use,” said Quantum XChange’s CEO and president, John Prisco. “It has raised the bar for modern-day encryption and key exchange, especially now as we sit on the cusp of quantum computers becoming a reality. This technology is essential for every organization that needs unbreakable encryption to keep their mission-critical data safe over any transmission distance – from banking, critical infrastructure, and healthcare organizations to telecommunications and government agencies.”

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