Apple Inks Deal for ‘Defending Jacob’ Series Starring Chris Evans

Apple has given a straight-to-series order for drama series “Defending Jacob,” which will star Chris Evans, known for his roles in “Captain America” and “The Avengers,” reports Deadline.

“Defending Jacob” is a thriller based on William Landay’s bestselling novel of the same title. The book covers the murder of a 14-year-old boy and his friend Jacob, who may have committed the crime.

According to Deadline, the tv adaptation is described as a “gripping, character-driven thriller.”

The series was created and written by Mark Bomback, known for the “Planet of the Apes” trilogy. Morten Tyldum, known for “The Imitation Game,” “Counterpart,” and “Jack Ryan,” is set to direct.

“Defending Jacob” is just one of more than a dozen television shows Apple has in the works. The first of the TV shows could debut as soon as March 2019, and the content may be distributed through an as-of-yet unannounced streaming service.

Related Roundups: Apple TV, tvOS 12Tag: Apple’s Hollywood ambitionsBuyer’s Guide: Apple TV (Neutral)
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How to Use the New Effects Camera in Messages

In iOS 12, Apple added a new Effects camera in Messages that’s similar to the live camera features in Snapchat and Instagram, allowing you to take a photo in the Messages app and then edit it with stickers, filters, text, and more.

On devices with a TrueDepth camera system, the Effects camera even works with Memoji and Animoji, allowing you to overlay cartoon emoji heads over your own head.

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Accessing the Effects Camera

The Effects camera lives in the Messages app, and Apple’s made it easy to locate.

Open the Messages app.
Choose a conversation with someone.
Tap on the Camera icon next to the App Store icon.
Make sure you’re in either standard Photo or Video mode.
To get to the available Effects, tap on the small star-shaped icon to the left of the shutter button.
The Camera in the Messages app is located in the same place that it was in iOS 11, but instead of opening up a smaller camera window that also provides access to your already-captured photos, it is a full-screen camera complete with editing tools.

To get to photos you’ve already taken in the Messages app, you need to open up the app drawer by tapping on the App Store “A” icon and then choosing the Photos icon.

Available Effects Camera Features

There are multiple tools for editing your photos, all of which are displayed in a bar above the camera shutter, organized by icon. Here are the options, in the order that you’ll see them in the app.

Animoji/Memoji (TrueDepth devices and front-facing camera only)
Filters
Text
Shapes
Sticker packs
After the four main sections, every other icon represents a different sticker pack that you have installed on your device.

All of these options work in photo and video mode with both the rear and front-facing cameras, with the exception of Animoji and Memoji, which only work with the front-facing camera.

You cannot use the Effects camera with slo-mo videos, portrait mode photos, square-shaped photos, or panoramas, but you can access these types of images in the Messages camera.

Animoji and Memoji

With the Animoji and Memoji filters, you can choose an Animoji or a previously created Memoji that will be displayed over your own face when using the front-facing camera of a device with a TrueDepth camera system.

The Memoji and Animoji filter looks similar to what you might expect from a Snapchat filter, and because it uses the TrueDepth system, the Animoji and Memoji stay lined up with your head while you move and talk, mimicking your facial expressions just like when you use Animoji in Messages.

Filters

There are more than a dozen filters you can add to your photos or videos, which display in realtime. The filter section of the Effects Camera is accessed by tapping on the icon that looks like three RBG dots.

There are standard filters for making a photo or video warmer or cooler, several black and white filters, and a selection of fun filters like watercolor, ink, and comic book, that give you a sketched or painted look.

Text

Text can be added to a photo or video by tapping on the icon that looks like “Aa,” with plain text, text in bubbles, and text in shapes as available options.

Pick the text design that you want and then type in your message. After you tap “Done,” you can resize the text with pinch gestures.

If you choose the icon that looks like a smiley face, you can add any emoji that you want to the photo or the video, and resize it just like standard text.

Shapes

With the Shapes tool, you can insert a variety of shapes in a sketched style, with options that include arrows, fireworks, circles, checkmarks, and squiggles.

There are no options to draw your own shapes, so you can only use the stock options. Shapes are static when used in photos, but will animate when used in videos.

Shapes can be resized with pinch gestures and relocated by placing a finger on the shape and dragging it to a new location.

Stickers

After the four available built-in options, all of the additional icons in the Effects camera will be the sticker packs that you have installed. These sticker packs will vary based on your own downloads and apps, and it will look different for everyone.

Like Text and Shape Effects, stickers can be placed anywhere on the photo or video and resized using pinch gestures. You can drag the sticker anywhere on the photo and reposition it using the same gestures you would use to put stickers within iMessages.

For stickers that animate, you will see the animations when using them in video mode, but there are no animations in photo mode.

New sticker packs for use with the Effects camera can be downloaded from the Messages App Store using these directions:

Open the Messages app.
Tap on the gray App Store Icon to make sure the app drawer is open.
With the app drawer open, tap on the blue App Store logo to open up the App Store.
From here, you can browse through popular stickers, search for sticker packs, or find games and apps that come with stickers you can use with the camera.Some of the sticker packs are free, while others are available for $0.99 to $1.99 on average.

Stacking Effects

All of the different effects can be stacked up, so you can combine multiple options. You can use filters with Animoji, for example, and also decorate photos and videos with stickers.

To use multiple effects, select your first option, such as Animoji, and choose what you want to apply. From there, tap the “X” in the upper right corner to go back to the Effects camera options and you can choose another category.

Using this method, you can stack up all of the effects if desired, using filters, stickers, shapes, and text with Animoji and Memoji options.

Make sure not to tap the Effects camera again while applying your different filters and effects because when you tap it, it will clear all of your set options.

Removing Effects

To remove an Animoji or Memoji filter, tap on the Animoji icon and then tap on the big “X” all the way at the left of Animoji/Memoji list.

To remove a photo filter, open up the filter menu and then scroll over to the first option, which is “Original” and select it.

To remove text, stickers, or shapes, tap the item you want to remove in the photo or video field and then tap the “X” to delete it.

If you want to remove all of the effects that you’ve put in place at once, tap the Effects icon again to go back to the main camera interface. This clears all of your settings, and if you tap the Effects camera icon again, you’ll have a blank slate to work with.

Beta Limitations

In the iOS 12 beta, the Camera Effects feature in Messages is only available on iPhone SE and iPhone 6s. It is unavailable on the iPad. These limitations are expected to be lifted when iOS 12 launches in the fall.

Related Roundup: iOS 12
Discuss this article in our forums

12 Awesome Flying Cars And Taxis Currently In Development

We were promised that the future would bring flying cars, right? We were. And the good news is that tech entrepreneurs around the world are finally getting started on creating what are commonly known as VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing, pronounced vee-toll) vehicles designed at car size.

Of course, no one is ready for flying cars quite yet. There’s no infrastructure to support them, and a whole new set of auto laws would have to be drawn up to regulate them (like personal drones, but a thousand times worse). The first commercial VTOLs we will see won’t be hanging out at the local auto dealer—they’ll be taxi services built to shuttle people from part of a city to another.

Here’s all the current projects that want to put you in the seat of a flying car.

Uber’s VTOL taxis

Of all the VTOL taxi projects, Uber’s is the most ambitious. The company is currently planning on launching pilot program for “Uber Elevate” flying taxies in Dallas and Los Angelas. Uber has been working on this project since 2016, and hopes to see results soon.

While Uber has stated that it wants flying cars that can movie horizontally (preferably on road) as well as vertically, the company is keeping largely quiet on just what prototypes it is considering. We know they have five different partners working on creating a flying car model, including a Boeing research lab.

Uber’s expansion is important because it gives us a good idea of the challenges involved in adopting flying cars around the world (which is also kind of a bummer). For example, personal VTOLs just don’t function dependably in a city with lots of harsh weather, so Uber is limited to choosing cites with very mild conditions and little rain for safety reasons—as well as cities with the right shape and metro areas for taxis. Uber also needs real estate partners and friendly governments so they can work out all the associated regulations. Since Uber’s ideal taxis will be electric in nature, the company also needs a very reliable, scalable electrical grid to work with. These requirements add up quickly, and show how much work these flying car entrepreneurs have ahead of them.

AeroMobil’s ambitious prototype

AeroMobil, based in Slovakia, is determined to making a functioning flying car. They are on their fourth prototype, so you know they aren’t joking. All the prototypes are loosely known as the “AeroMobil” and when a commercial launch date is set (the company is hoping for 2020, with finalized version of the model aimed for 2025) it will no doubt continue the brand name.

The company has plenty of concept art to show how car would work in its final form. It’s one of the more notable “hybrid” models, and we aren’t talking about fuel. Unlike true VTOLs, hybrid flying cars are often designed to take off of runways to gain flight, but also have the ability to revert to a more car-like shape that allows them to drive on roads. As you can tell, this requires both retractable wheels and wings, along with a very efficient fuel system. AeroMobil is hoping that it can create a functional electronic model. The company has partnered with notable organizations including Starburst, an aerospace “accelerator” to help get their car to market ASAP.

Airbus Vahana

Project Vahana, via Airbus, seeks to create an electric VTOL aircraft that is entirely self-piloted. There’s a lot of advantages to the self-piloting model. It can save costs when it comes to hiring and training pilots (who typically expect a higher salary than a taxi driver), and software engineers already have plenty of experience creating autopilot system for larger planes that can be applied to these VTOLs. It’s also an ideal way to run a taxi service, since the cars can automatically return themselves to centers for maintenance or take a different route based on current orders.

Of course, it’s also a lot to demand of a flying car. However, Vahana is progressing along a successful development program. In early 2018, the Vahana prototype had its first successful full-scale flight test. It wasn’t much—the 20-foot aircraft simply rose 16 feet into the air, and stayed there for 53 seconds. However, it did this entirely with the autopilot technology, and Airbus is planning on future tests for moving forward and other basic maneuvers.

Kitty Hawk’s flying prototype

Kitty Hawk’s CEO, Sebastian Thrun, claims that flying their latest prototype is, “As easy to use as playing Minecraft,” so we’re already sold—plus this also means there’s currently no pilot’s license required to drive it. The latest prototype, appropriately called “Flyer,” is a 250-pound model created by the startup to show off their ultralight design. Kitty Hawk, started by Thurn and Google cofounder Larry Page, plans on creating both a personal flying machine that’s largely for off-road fun (ultralight vehicles like this can’t fly over urban areas by law), and an air taxi for more urban environments. The small, drone-like personal flyer holds a lot of promise for those who want a quick and dirty flying car experience, but so far it’s only available for test flights on a lakeside training center

Volocopter 2X

The Volocopter design is ambitious. It also looks really cool, a mini-copter designed for personal flight, featuring 18 rotors, controlled via a single joystick, and powered via electric batteries. We’d say that the whole thing isn’t very practical, but then they went ahead and made a full-sized test model and ran it across the stage at CES 2018 thanks to a little sponsorship by Intel.

That makes this model another option that’s relatively close to hitting the market. However, it also appears to be largely recreational or limited to short taxi flights. The latest version has a flight time of 30 minutes and a range of 17 miles between charge centers. Intel’s work on the project includes complex tech, including four independent sensor units to control positioning, nine different electric battery packs with built-in redundancies, and even a parachute stowed on top of the vehicle is something goes wrong. It’s no wonder Volocopter is Dubai’s latest pick for their upcoming air taxi force (although Dubai has dumped other prototypes in the past, so it’s not a guaranteed deal).

Workhouse SureFly

The SureFly is a robust, heavy-duty VTOL that’s aimed at commercial services and personal consumers looking for a durable, self-controlled flying experience — at around $200,000 per unit. It’s not just a concept model, either. The SureFly prototype spent a few days in early May 2018 making its first untethered test flights, which lasted up to 20 seconds at a time. The ideal final model of the SureFly will have a top speed of 70mph and a flight ceiling of 4000 feet. It’s also going to weigh around 1,100 pounds, so it’s no surprise that this VTOL eschews the popular electric battery model and finds power with a more traditional gasoline engine.

Opener BlackFly

Opener

Coming from Canadian designer Opener, the BlackFly is a highly distinctive VTOL that combines personal piloting with a wealth of automatic features, including auto-landing and automated return to home functions, thus enabling flight without the need for formal licensing (a popular trend, as you may have noticed). Despite the design, BlackFly flies via a familiar method. Eight drone-like rotors are positioned across two wings. Taking off, however, is a bit more unique, as the VTOL is made to rock back and forth to literally pick up momentum to launch upward. Specs allow for a lengthy 40-mile range at 80mph, although regulations limit those numbers substantially for those who want to fly their own aerial vehicles.

The Passenger Drone

While Passenger Drone may be a pretty plain name for a flying car, it’s also very accurate. More than most of the ongoing projects, the 16-rotor Passenger Drone looks like a supersized battery-powered drone that’s designed for the urban scene and bypassing long miles of traffic. A couple other interesting things set the PD apart from other VTOLs, too. Instead of focusing on joysticks or traditional controls (although there is a manual joystick), the unit is designed to use a touchscreen that can be programmed with a specific destination. The VTOL then plans out the route and flies on its own, making it an ideal taxi service over a 20-mile range. And a snazzy design is always a plus!

Terrafugia’s Transition

Terrafugia

The Transition is another hybrid model designed to convert between the road and the skies as needed, with retractable wings and wheels. But that’s not the only way that the Transition is a true hybrid model. It also uses a combination of gas and electric engines to help power the model, and a boost mode for an extra burst of speed when flying (which sounds a little dangerous to us, but what do we know). In the past, the Transition was expected to eventually sell at $280,000, but these days the company is refraining from providing a listed price.

Ehang 184

When the Ehang 184 first showed up at CES a few years ago, it seemed pretty impossible – a personal quadcopter VTOL that was fully automated, totally safe, completely comfortable, and powered via a basic touchscreen interface that anyone can use. Frankly, it all seemed like so much vaporware with a bunch of claims that couldn’t really be substantiated. These days Ehang is still making some pretty crazy claims. For example, it’s hard to believe the company has tested its model over a thousand times in all types of situations (including gale force winds, with 500 pounds of extra weight, and so on), as they claim—the only test footage available is decidedly more pedestrian. After all, this sort of thing has happened before.

However, other details give us reason to believe that some version of the Ehang 184 will go into operation. Ehang has specified that each taxi will have a command center that will automatically ground the flying car in poor weather conditions, and that the models are primarily designed to flying in basic U-shapes from one port to another, which sounds much more in line with what other prototypes are capable of.

On the other hand, Ehang filed for U.S. bankruptcy protection in May of 2018. The move was called “strategic,” and the company is still in operation, but it doesn’t exactly inspire confidence.

Joby Aviation’s air taxi

A previous Joby Aviation design from 2014.

After working for years on personal aerial craft, Joby Aviation recently received a massive cash infusion from the likes of Toyota and Intel that provides $100 million to create an electric air taxi. This model is interesting, because it’s larger than many projects (able to seat up to five), and while it is called a VTOL, the model appears to be based on a more traditional aircraft with multiple propellers, which raises a lot of questions about how it’ll work in practice. Hopefully we will be able to see a real prototype before too long.

Boeing’s $2 million design contest

Boeing is really invested in the idea of flying cars, so much so that it created a GoFly $2 million design contest for design teams around the world to design just a really great flying car concept. The first round is already over, and 10 different teams have passed to the next stage, which means they will all be working on build a prototype of their design. You can check out the some of designs in question here, and just how crazy they are. There are hoverbikes, rotary models, UFO-shaped cars, alien-tastic hovering pods, and much more. We really hope that at least a couple of these prototypes end up functioning, and that we get to try them out.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Terrafugia Transition flying car will finally go on sale in 2019
• 6 flying cars that you might actually be able to own (and fly) in your lifetime
• The BlackFly by Opener is a flying car that could turn us all into pilots
• Rolls-Royce wants to put you in a flying taxi come the early 2020s
• The history of drones in 10 milestones

Walmart stocks its stores with VR training for its employees

Walmart is taking the next step into the world of virtual reality — and the company is bringing its employees along on the ride. The multinational retailer will begin rolling out Oculus Go headsets in mass to all of its 4,500-plus retail locations in the United States. Aimed at assisting associates in learning new skills, Walmart notes that the technology will help the company boost employee retention and confidence during training experiences.

Walmart first began dabbling with VR experiences last year, when it incorporated the emerging technology into 30 Walmart Academies. According to Walmart’s Senior Director of U.S. Academies, adding VR to its training routine has boosted both confidence and retention, while also increasing general test scores by up to 15 percent. The company claims that even associates who watch the training are benefiting from increased retention.

Oculus Go has created an affordable and portable offering for companies looking to integrate the solution into their workflows. Walmart noted that it expects to have more than 17,000 Oculus Go headsets in stores by the end of the year. Larger Supercenter locations will receive four headsets for the project, while smaller neighborhood markets and discount stores will receive two to get started.

The new venture is possible thanks to the team at STRIVR, a company that helps organizations train their people through VR. “The power of VR is real, and when offered as a cornerstone of learning and development, it can truly transform the way an organization trains its people,” STRIVR CEO Derek Belch said in a statement.

Walmart plans to focus on three main areas with its VR training programs: new technologies, customer service, and compliance. Recently, the company launched its new PickUp Tower system, allowing customers to pick up pre-ordered goods they ordered online via a robotic storage system. Ten stores used the VR solution to train their associates to work with the new technology before the PickUp Towers were installed.

Using VR as a training solution for corporations can help immerse associates in memorable experiences while cutting down on the number of individuals needed to teach the new material. Walmart joins the ranks of companies stepping into a new dimension of reality, and with a noticeable increase in knowledge retention and test scores, it isn’t likely to be the last.

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Tap Strap wearable keyboard gains support for VR applications

Last year Tap Systems released what it called the future of computing, a wearable keyboard that allowed users to type with a single hand. By slipping your fingers through five interconnected rings, you could tap away on any surface, creating a portable ‘take anywhere’ keyboard. Now, the company has indicated that its solution, the Tap Strap, is compatible with Windows Mixed Reality, Oculus Rift, and HTC Vive headsets, allowing users to tap away in virtual reality (VR).

While touch typists might scoff at the idea, the inability to directly view your keyboard while typing due to a VR headset can be quite a hindrance. Tap System’s solution means that you can type away without needing to look at the device you are using to accomplish the task. The invention even allows users to simulate the click of a mouse, putting all of your computer’s primary inputs directly on your hand.

Tap has noted that the product can be used sitting or standing, so whether you are looking to simulate a virtual desktop experience, or you need to whip out a keyboard while playing a stand-up shooter (although we don’t know why), you can begin typing at a moment’s notice. Offering flexibility, the solution could prove useful to everyday users, gamers, and professionals utilizing VR in their workflow.

Mobile applications and games are available for iOS and Android devices to help users improve their typing skills. The company will also soon be offering what they call TapAcademy, a training solution that promises to get you typing at over 30 words per minute within 30 days. Speed typists might be discouraged to learn though that the typing speed record, according to Tap Systems, is only 62 words per minute.

Those considering the application of the Tap Strap in VR should note that the device’s micro-battery can squeeze out eight hours of operation, after which it will require recharging via its proprietary charging case. The charging case itself holds a 370mAh backup battery and is recharged via a MicroUSB cable.

While not everyone will find a use for Tap System’s one-handed solution, it may find some love within the world of VR, where direct visibility with a keyboard isn’t possible. Those looking to try out the exercise can purchase the device at its current price of $179.

Editors’ Recommendations

• The best VR headsets of 2018
• Apple AR glasses: News and rumors about ‘Project Mirrorshades’
• Oculus Rift review
• HTC Vive review
• Tap to Alexa makes it easier for deaf community to interact with Amazon assistant

Tap Strap wearable keyboard gains support for VR applications

Last year Tap Systems released what it called the future of computing, a wearable keyboard that allowed users to type with a single hand. By slipping your fingers through five interconnected rings, you could tap away on any surface, creating a portable ‘take anywhere’ keyboard. Now, the company has indicated that its solution, the Tap Strap, is compatible with Windows Mixed Reality, Oculus Rift, and HTC Vive headsets, allowing users to tap away in virtual reality (VR).

While touch typists might scoff at the idea, the inability to directly view your keyboard while typing due to a VR headset can be quite a hindrance. Tap System’s solution means that you can type away without needing to look at the device you are using to accomplish the task. The invention even allows users to simulate the click of a mouse, putting all of your computer’s primary inputs directly on your hand.

Tap has noted that the product can be used sitting or standing, so whether you are looking to simulate a virtual desktop experience, or you need to whip out a keyboard while playing a stand-up shooter (although we don’t know why), you can begin typing at a moment’s notice. Offering flexibility, the solution could prove useful to everyday users, gamers, and professionals utilizing VR in their workflow.

Mobile applications and games are available for iOS and Android devices to help users improve their typing skills. The company will also soon be offering what they call TapAcademy, a training solution that promises to get you typing at over 30 words per minute within 30 days. Speed typists might be discouraged to learn though that the typing speed record, according to Tap Systems, is only 62 words per minute.

Those considering the application of the Tap Strap in VR should note that the device’s micro-battery can squeeze out eight hours of operation, after which it will require recharging via its proprietary charging case. The charging case itself holds a 370mAh backup battery and is recharged via a MicroUSB cable.

While not everyone will find a use for Tap System’s one-handed solution, it may find some love within the world of VR, where direct visibility with a keyboard isn’t possible. Those looking to try out the exercise can purchase the device at its current price of $179.

Editors’ Recommendations

• The best VR headsets of 2018
• Apple AR glasses: News and rumors about ‘Project Mirrorshades’
• Oculus Rift review
• HTC Vive review
• Tap to Alexa makes it easier for deaf community to interact with Amazon assistant

Robot jellyfish could be used to patrol fragile coral reefs

Could schools of robot jellyfish soon be patrolling the world’s oceans, monitoring fragile environments such as coral reefs? That’s the dream of U.S. researchers, comprising of scientists from Florida Atlantic University and the U.S. Office of Naval Research.

They have developed a nature-inspired soft underwater robot, capable of some impressive underwater locomotion — including movement from side to side and swimming through small openings, all with the distinctive “jet propulsion” movement we instantly associate with jellyfish.

“Jellyfish are highly efficient swimmers; they get a lot of miles per gallon, so to speak,” Erik Engeberg, one of the researchers on the project from Florida Atlantic University, told Digital Trends. “Thus, we used them as inspiration for our design to enable long exploratory missions with low battery requirements.”

Jellyfish are highly impressive when it comes to moving through the water. Their propulsive ability is thanks to their body shape, which produces a combination of jet propulsion, vortex, rowing, and suction-based locomotion. To mimic aspects of this movement, the researchers building the jellyfish robot used two impeller pumps which draw in and push water to hydraulically drive the robot in the desired direction.

IOPscience

“We made [the robotic jellyfish’s tentacles] soft so that it would not cause damage to delicate ecosystems like coral reefs,” Engeberg continued. “We used water to inflate the tentacles so that they undulate in a lifelike manner. Conventional underwater robots are rigid, and often use a propeller for locomotion, meaning they could unintentionally chop up coral reefs accidentally.”

One thing that makes the robot design so innovative is its simplicity. It requires no valves to work, which reduces space requirements and cost. To date, the team has 3D printed five of the jellyfish bots while using silicon for its actuators.

At present, the project is still in its relative infancy. In the future, however, the team hopes to further develop the robot by adding features such as environmental sensors such as sonar, as well as a navigational algorithm that lets it determine whether it can fit through certain gaps.

“The jellyfish robots would work well in a drift dive situation, where they are inserted into the water at one point and drift with the current with some maneuverability if any important sensor readings were found,” Engeberg said. “We would be careful to monitor their locations so that they could be safely removed after the mission.”

A paper describing the work was recently published in the journal Bioinspiration and Biomimetics.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Soft Robot Jellyfish Could Be Used to Patrol Fragile Coral Reefs
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• This underwater robot could soon autonomously hunt predatory lionfish
• MIT’s Cheetah 3 robot doesn’t need sight to navigate stairs

Wi-Fi vulnerability could allow attackers to steal your data on unencrypted sites

Casezy/Getty Images

Computer scientists at the University of California, Riverside, have discovered a security flaw that affects all Wi-Fi routers. Hackers could exploit the weakness in the transmission control protocol (TCP) and perform a web cache poisoning attack to steal passwords, login information, and other private data. Unfortunately, a fix isn’t possible, as the vulnerability stems from a 20-year-old design based on TCP and Wi-Fi. To prevent hackers from using the exploit, researchers recommend that manufacturers build routers that operate on different frequencies for transmitting and receiving data.

Fortunately, this attack technique won’t work with encrypted sites that use HTTPS and HSTS. Users on Ethernet connections are similarly not affected. Given that the attack won’t work on encrypted sites, most users who browse the internet on a modern browser shouldn’t be affected. Many browsers, including Google’s Chrome, already warn users if they visit an unencrypted site.

TCP works by breaking down data into manageable chunks, called packets, for computers to communicate. The data packets begin with a random first number, but the subsequent numbers in the sequence will predictably increase, and hackers can guess the next number to intercept communication between the sending and receiving computers. Given that there are approximately 4 billion sequence numbers, it is difficult for hackers to make a correct guess.

“But if the attacker can figure out which number triggers a response from the recipient, they can figure out the rough range of the correct number and send a malicious payload pretending that it comes from the original sender,” the researchers wrote in a blog post detailing the attack. “When your computer reassembles the packets, you’ll see whatever the attacker wants.”

When the victim visits a website that’s controlled by the hacker — who can be connected remotely using a different Wi-Fi network — the site will run a JavaScript that creates a TCP connection to a banking website. The exploit will work if the victim stays on the site for as little as 1 minute. Hackers can display pirated movies, for example, in an attempt to lure the victim to stay on the site for longer. While the victim is on the site, the hacker can guess the sequence number for the banking packet and inject a malicious copy of the bank webpage into the victim’s cache to steal passwords and login information.

This web cache poisoning tactic ensures that the victim will always see the malicious site whenever they try to visit the banking website in the future, and the malicious copy of the site can sit in the browser cache for deacdes or until the victim clears the cache.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Hacked Chrome extension disguised as legitimate version steals logins
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Walmart takes $380 off the MacBook Air for a limited time

There are a lot of lightweight and portable laptop options on the market today from from brands like Dell, Apple, Acer, and Samsung, but choosing the right one for you can be rather daunting. Buying a laptop, much like buying a car, is all about figuring out what you’re going to use it for. If you have a family of four you’ll be driving around town, you probably don’t want to buy a Ferrari. It’s expensive, impractical, and has way more horsepower than you’re ever going to use. So when all you really need is a solid, dependable laptop that won’t slow you down, a discounted MacBook Air is a great option.

Though normally priced at $900, the 11.6-inch MacBook Air has been discounted to just $520 from Walmart — that’s a $380 discount you don’t see every day. This particular model is a great work companion, assuming you aren’t planning on doing any heavy video editing or Photoshop design. With 128GB of storage, an Intel Core i5 processor, and 4GB of RAM, the MacBook Air is an excellent option for anyone searching for a decent lightweight laptop. Many comparable budget notebooks and Chromebooks on the market right now are great if you’re only planning to browse the web, but if you’re looking for something with a little bit more juice to it, Apple hardware is the way to go.

That $380 discount is nice, but as an added bonus, Walmart is throwing in an extra charger. This is especially useful if you plan on doing a lot of traveling, or will just be moving between the office and home fairly often. Apple chargers have been notorious for being fairly spotty at times, so having an extra one laying around never hurt anyone. There’s always that one person, maybe it’s even been you, who is constantly asking if anyone has a spare MacBook charger — so you know they’re a hot commodity.

Choosing to buy a MacBook over a Dell Notebook or a Chromebook is often a fairly easy decision — assuming you already have a preference. However, if you are looking at similar laptops from other brands and just want the best piece of tech you can find for less than $600, this Apple MacBook Air deal is something you should definitely consider.

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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.

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Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 tips and tricks

Shortly before Samsung announced its Galaxy Note 9 smartphone, it launched the Samsung Galaxy Tab S4, a productivity tablet that can stand up against the iPad Pro. The Tab S4 features a gorgeous display, pogo pins for an external keyboard, and even a stylus — the S Pen — that comes included with the tablet.

If you’ve recently upgraded to Samsung’s latest tablet, some features can be hard to find, so here are a few of our favorite Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 tips and tricks to get you started.

How to maximize battery life

There’s no denying that the Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 has amazing battery life, but sometimes you just need to eke out a little more juice. Luckily, if you’re running on empty, there are a few things you can do to buy a little more time.

One easy way to extend battery life is to minimize the amount of time the screen is on when it’s not being used. If you wish to adjust the length of time the screen is active, go to Settings > Display > Screen Timeout. Select the radio box for 15 or 30 seconds.

Another option to extend battery life is to ensure Smart Stay is turned off.  Smart Stay uses the front-facing camera to keep the screen on when you’re using the Samsung Galaxy Tab S4. To turn this feature off, go to Settings > Advanced Features and toggle off the Smart Stay slider.

Finally, Samsung has a built in option to save power that’s hidden in the settings. To turn this feature on, go to Settings > Device Maintenance and tap the Battery icon, then select Save Power. 

How to enable and disable DeX

Jullian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 is one of the first products to have DeX integration. DeX provides a PC-like experience on the S4 when using the keyboard or attaching the tablet to a monitor via an HDMI adapter.

If you purchased the optional book keyboard, the quickest way to launch DeX is simply by attaching it to the S4. Once connected, you’ll see the DeX logo appear and the screen will transition automatically.

If you’re not using the keyboard, don’t despair: You can manually enable and disable DeX. If you’re in the tablet screen, you’ll just need to open the Quick Settings drop-down menu by swiping from the top of the screen with two fingers. Swipe left (unless you’ve already customized Quick Settings) and tap the Samsung DeX icon to enable DeX mode.

Disabling DeX mode is a little different. In DeX, you’ll find Quick Settings in the menu bar by tapping on the up arrow. Once you’ve opened Quick Settings, tap the Samsung DeX icon and move the Samsung DeX slider bar to the left to return to the regular tablet mode.

How to customize your home screen

Ready to make the Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 reflect your personality? There are several options on the Tab S4 that let you personalize the display to your liking.

First, you may want to switch the display mode. You can choose between four screen mode options: AMOLED photo, AMOLED cinema, Basic, and Adaptive Display.

Of the options, Adaptive Display is the most interesting, as it optimizes your screen based on the content and usage. To switch screen modes, go to Settings > Display > Screen Mode. Tap the option you’d like to enable.

You can also switch the background and wallpaper on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S4. To change your wallpaper and background, long tap on the home screen and select the Wallpapers icon. Tap your desired wallpaper or select From Gallery to choose an image from the gallery.

Adding widgets is a similar affair. To add widgets to your Tab S4, long press on the home screen and select the Widgets icon. Select the widget you’d like to use and drag it to the home screen.

And if you’re not a fan of Samsung’ s unique navigation bar, you can easily change it as well.

How to use multi-window mode

If you want to take full advantage of all the screen real estate on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S4, multi-window mode may be the perfect option. Multi-window mode allows you to open and display two apps simultaneously.

To use multi-window mode, you’ll first need to make sure the feature is enabled and that you’re in tablet mode. To enable it, go to Settings > Advanced Features > Multi Window. Toggle on the split-screen view action and pop-up view options. Swipe in from the right edge of the screen toward the center to choose Tablet mode.

Once enabled, make sure you have the apps that you wish to use open and maximize the app you’d like to see on the top half of the screen. Long tap the Recents button in the navigation bar to select the app you’d like to open on the bottom half of the screen. To resize the apps, simply drag the resize bar between the apps.

When you have multi-window mode enabled, you’ll see a temporary menu appear with three options. The first is called App Pair Window, which allows you to save frequently used app pairs to the home screen. The second is the Pop Out Window option, which creates a small floating window in front of the primary app, while the third icon swaps the position of the apps.

How to customize the navigation bar

While Samsung has made major improvement to its Samsung Experience skin over the years, it still has some quirks. One of those quirks is the navigation bar where the Recents and Back icons are reversed compared to most Android devices. Luckily, it’s easy to change.

If you want to customize the navigation bar, you’ll first want to make sure you’re in tablet mode. Once in tablet mode, go to Settings > Display > Navigation Bar.  To hide the navigation bar, you can toggle on the Show and hide button. If you want to change the background color in the navigation bar, you’ll see a selection of color options. Finally, if you want to change the arrangement of the navigation bar buttons, tap on the Button Layouts option and select your desired option.

How to right-click

Jullian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

What good is a PC-like interface like DeX if you can’t right-click on applications and settings? Luckily, Samsung makes it pretty easy to right-click on the Tab S4.

To right-click on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S4, you’ll need to make sure you’re in DeX mode. Once you’re in DeX mode, simply tap the app with two fingers to bring up the right-click options.

How to click and drag, and resize windows

Jullian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

While DeX mode makes multitasking easy, it’s not always intuitive. Moving and resizing windows is a bit different than what you’ll find on a Window PC or Mac.

If you want to move an app, you can use the S Pen or your finger. Simply tap near the top of the app and move it to your desired position.

Resizing apps is a pretty similar gesture. To resize an app, simply tap any edge of an app with your S Pen or finger. When you see the app highlighted in blue, you can adjust the app to your preferred size.

How to find DeX-optimized apps

Jullian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 ships with a paltry selection of DeX-optimized apps. And while its easy to find just about any app in the Google Play Store, finding DeX apps is a bit more challenging.

If you’re looking for Dex-optimized apps, simply tap the Applications icon on the bottom of your display. When the Applications window opens, tap the Apps for Samsung DeX icon at the top of the screen to open a DeX-optimized store.

How to get the most out of your S Pen

Jullian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Ready to take your productivity to another level? The Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 ships with the aforementioned S Pen, a stylus that allows you to not only write directly on the tablet, but to access different quick menu options as well.

While it’s simple to use the S Pen to write and sketch on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S4, did you know that you can also take notes when the screen is turned off? To do so, you’ll need to make sure the Tab S4 is in tablet mode. Once in tablet mode, just tap the button on the S Pen as you’re touching the screen.

Air Command is another feature that can only be accessed with the S Pen. With Air Command, you can quickly access shortcuts to popular apps such as Screen Write, Live Message, and the drawing app PENUP.

To access Air Command, simply tap the S Pen button close to the Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 and tap on the pen icon that appears on the edge of the screen.  A scroll wheel will show shortcuts for popular apps. If you wish to add shortcuts, simply tap the plus icon.

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