Google confirms the death of rootless Substratum theming in Android P

Rootless themes are dead. That’s it. They’re gone.

User customization is one of the reasons so many of us choose Android as our mobile OS of choice, and in 2017, an app called “Andromeda” came out as a way to use powerful Substratum themes to completely change just about every aspect of your phone’s UI and popular apps without needing root access.

Right after the first Developer Preview of Android P was released, however, it was discovered that Google had changed something deep within Android’s core that stopped this rootless theming from working. It was unclear at the time if this was done intentionally or by accident, but we now have confirmation this was done on purpose.

On the Google Issue Tracker, a Googler issued the following statement on June 13:

We appreciate the feedback and would like to share some background information and clarifications.

The Overlay Manager Service (OMS) is intended for device manufacturer’s use. OMS, in its current form, is not designed to be a generic theming feature — more design considerations will need to be put into it in order to uphold Android platform’s security and product standards for users. Accordingly, OMS has never been advocated as a public developer feature.

Earlier this year a security patch (CVE-2017-13263) was released to OEMs for Android Oreo devices. The patch restricts the installation of overlays to pre-installed or system-signed apps, in response to a legitimate security issue raised in Android Oreo. Android P also includes this critical security patch, so it restricts overlays in the same way as does Android Oreo.

We understand that custom theming is an important capability for some users. We will take your feedback into consideration with any future work in this area.

In other words, the days of using Substratum themes without having to flash a custom ROM are over.

As disappointing as this news might be to power-users, Google has also confirmed it’s going to soon give owners of its Pixel phones a toggle to manually enable a dark theme that’s currently only accessible when applying certain wallpapers in the Pixel Launcher.

That may not be nearly as extensive as what’s available with Substratum, but it could be a sign Google wants to move away from these hacky methods and start introducing proper, out-of-the-box tools that give users more control over how their phones look.

What do you think about Google’s decision to end rootless Substratum theming? Sound off in the comments below.

Android P Beta hands-on: The best and worst features

Android P

• Android P: Everything you need to know
• Android P Beta hands-on: The best and worst features
• All the big Android announcements from Google I/O 2018
• Will my phone get Android P?
• How to manually update your Pixel to Android P
• Join the Discussion

These are all the phones LG is releasing in 2018

From the V40 to the Q7, here’s what LG has in store for 2018.

Although it may not be the most popular smartphone brand in the States, LG releases more Android phones than almost anyone else in the West.

Ranging from high-end flagships to budget phones that barely cost $100, LG kicks out a number of handsets throughout the year that are all catered to different demographics. Keeping up with these releases can be a challenge, so in an effort to keep you in the know, here’s a list of all the phones LG’s released in 2018 and what we’re still expecting later in the year.

The phones we’re still expecting

LG V40

The LG V30

LG’s V series is always home to the company’s most powerful (and expensive) phones. We’ve already seen a couple entries this year in the form of the V30S and V35, but later in the fall, we’re expecting something big from LG with the V40.

The rumor mill for the V40 is slowly kicking into gear, but right now, we’re expecting the phone to come equipped with a Snapdragon 845, OLED display, and dual camera setup.

It’s expected that the V40 will be released between August and September, and like it or not, will probably come with a price tag around the $900 range.

LG V40: How LG’s next flagship can win me over and find success

LG X Power3

The LG X Power2

Each year sees LG release a ton of throwaway mid- and low-range phones, and in 2017, one of the most interesting was the LG X Power2. The X Power2 had pretty forgettable specs, but there was one aspect that made it stand out — a huge 4500mAh battery.

We’d love to see a successor to the X Power2, and while it’s possible that one could still be announced, the chances are getting more and more unlikely with each day that passes. LG announced the X Power2 in February last year, and at the time of publishing this article, we’re well into June.

Changing up release cycles isn’t entirely unheard of for LG, so we’ll keep an eye out just in case the X Power3 does become a reality.

The phones that have been released

LG V30S ThinQ

At CES in January, LG gave us our very first look at the V30S ThinQ. Of all the phones LG’s released this year, the V30S has to be one of the most forgettable.

Outfitted with the exact same specs as the V30 from 2017, the only new things the V30S introduced were two new colors, 2GB of extra RAM, and software improvements for the camera that boosted its low-light performance and added a few AI features.

The V30S isn’t a bad phone, but considering its fancy software tricks were eventually ported over to the regular V30 anyways, we’re still scratching our heads about why this thing exists.

LG V30S hands-on: A 2017 smartphone with 2018’s buzzwords

LG G7 ThinQ

Following up on the highly-underrated G6, LG’s first big flagship for 2018 is the G7 ThinQ. The LG G7 ThinQ was announced in early May, and while its notch-donning display might lead you into believing it’s just another iPhone X clone, LG made a lot of smart decisions with the G7 that makes it hard to put down once you start playing around with it.

Similar to past LG releases, the G7’s secondary rear camera is a wide-angle lens that allows you to capture much more of a scene around you with just a tap of your screen. This is something few other OEMs offer, and it’s easily one of our favorite uses for a second camera.

Also found on the G7 is a feature called “Boombox.” By using part of the G7’s inside as a resonance chamber, the phone vibrates with power as music is kicked out by its external speaker. Not only does this result in much louder audio on its own, but the effect is amplified when you place the G7 on any hard surface.

Also, if you’re a stickler for good haptic feedback, this is something that LG is destroying all other Android OEMs at.

LG G7 ThinQ hands-on preview: All about that bass

LG V35 ThinQ

The best way to think of the LG V35 is as a stepping stone between the V30 and V40. It’s got the exact same design and screen as the V30 and V30S, but its internals are completely upgraded. There’s a Snapdragon 845, 6GB RAM, 64GB of storage you can expand with a microSD card, and a 3300mAh battery.

The cameras found on the V35 are the same ones you’ll get on the G7, and if you’re anti-notch, you’ll be pleased to know that there’s no cutout at all on the V35’s screen.

As well-rounded of a package as the V35 is, its $900 asking price makes its appeal extremely limited — especially when phones like the OnePlus 6 offer most all of its specs/features for just $530.

LG V35 ThinQ coming to AT&T on June 8 for $900

LG Q7

Looking for a generic mid-range Android phone touting the LG logo? Introducing the LG Q7 series!

Joking aside, the Q7 lineup actually looks pretty solid. There are three models available, and depending on where you live, the phone will be available as the Q7, Q7+, or Q7a.

The 5.5-inch FHD+ display has a tall 18:9 aspect ratio with slim bezels, and to ensure the phone keeps chugging no matter what comes into contact with it, it’s outfitted with IP68 and MIL-STD 810G ratings.

Pricing is still up in the air, but LG says it’s bringing the Q7 to Europe, Asia, and the Americas.

LG announces Q7 mid-range series with glass designs and slim bezels

LG Q Stylus

LG’s getting rid of its G Stylo branding this year and replacing it with Q Stylus. To kick off the new naming scheme, we’ve got the LG Q Stylus, Q Stylus+, and Q Stylus A.

Similar to the Stylo 3 from last year, the Q Stylus comes with a stylus you can use for jotting down notes, editing screenshots, turning videos into GIFs, and more. When you’re not using the stylus, you can store it inside the phone for easy transportation.

To accompany all your doodles and notes, the Q Stylus has a large 6.2-inch Full HD+ screen with an 18:9 aspect ratio. The battery measures in at 3300mAh, there’s NFC for Google Pay, and IP68 dust/water resistance should keep it safe no matter the environment you’re in.

LG Q Stylus series announced with IP68 water resistance, Oreo, and more

LG K30 / K10 / K8

For its K series this year, LG released the K30, K10, and K8.

All three of the phones are packed with your typical array of mid-range specs, including things like HD displays, plastic designs, single rear cameras, fingerprint sensors, etc.

The K10 isn’t sold in the U.S., but if you’re interested in picking up the K30 or K8, they’re available for $225 and $140, respectively.

See the K30 at T-Mobile See the K8 at B&H

LG Aristo 2 / Aristo 2 Plus

In January this year, LG released the Aristo 2 in the U.S. A few months later in June, the phone received a minor rebranding as the Aristo 2 Plus and made its way to T-Mobile.

Both the Aristo 2 and Aristo 2 Plus come outfitted with a 5-inch 720p display, quad-core 1.4GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, 13MP rear camera, and a 2410mAh battery.

Despite being released in 2018, the phones run Android 7.1 Nougat, and based on LG’s track record for lower-end hardware, it’s incredibly unlikely they’ll ever be updated to Oreo, let alone Android P.

See at MetroPCS

LG Zone 4

In late March, the LG Zone 4 was announced as a new budget option for Verizon Wireless. It’s got a 5-inch 720p HD display, 1.4GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, and 16GB of expandable storage.

Other specs include a 2400mAh battery, 8MP rear camera, and 6MP selfie cam.

The Zone 4 is sold through Verizon’s prepaid plan and costs $115.

See at Verizon

LG X4+

Last on our list, we’ve got the LG X4+. The X4+ never made its way to the States, as it was created specifically for LG’s South Korean market, but the many similarities it shares to LG’s other budget phones means we didn’t miss out on much.

Some key specs for the X4+ include a 5.3-inch 720p display, Snapdragon 425 processor, 2GB RAM, and a 3000mAh battery.

The addition of NFC means the phone supports LG Pay, and the MIL-STD 810G is nice to see at this price range. In USD, the X4+ costs around $280.

Be your own mechanic with the $11 Kobra OBD-II Wi-Fi car code reader

Don’t let your codes stay codes.

This Kobra OBD-II Wi-Fi car code reader is down to $11.19 on Amazon with code PP94JP7K. It sells for $20 without the code and we haven’t seen a sale on these readers in a couple months now. This version uses Wi-Fi, so it’s compatible with iOS, Android, and, God forbid you’re still using one, Windows phones.

The problem with Wi-Fi is you can’t always get it near your car. You can get this Bluetooth car code reader for $7.12 with code Z6KXA33D. That’s down from a price of $13, but the Bluetooth version does not work with iOS.

Skip using the phone altogether with Kobra’s direct OBD-II professional diagnostic car scanner for $12.39 with code 7934LGIX. That’s about $6 off what it normally goes for. You won’t be able to transfer the data to your phone, but you can also scan and read the codes a lot faster and take action.

The Kobra car code reader can connect to and read the code from any car made after 1996. It can then use Wi-Fi or Bluetooth (depending on which one you buy) to transmit the readings to the free app, or third party apps like Torque Pro on Android or DashCommand on iOS. It can retrieve both generic codes and car manufacturer specific Diagnostic Trouble Codes. Clear that Check Engine light that has been pestering you for months. More than 1,573 reviewers give this reader 3.7 stars.

See on Amazon

Verizon announces its third unlimited plan that costs $95/month

You can also mix and match unlimited plans on a family account.

On June 18, Verizon’s going to be shaking up its wireless plans once again. In addition to its Go Unlimited and Beyond Unlimited plans that are already available, June 18 will see the launch of the carrier’s third unlimited plan — Above Unlimited.

Above Unlimited will be Verizon’s most expensive yet at $95/month for one line, and for that price, you get “Premium Unlimited 4G LTE Data” doesn’t get slowed down during congested network times until you use 75GB during a billing cycle. For context, the $85/month Beyond Unlimited sees slowdowns after hitting 22GB.

Above Unlimited also comes with more 4G LTE speeds with your mobile hotspot (20GB vs. 10GB on Beyond Unlimited), 5 TravelPasses each month that can be used in 130 countries, and 500GB of Verizon Cloud storage.

In addition to the new Above Unlimited plan, Verizon is also giving its customers the ability to mix and match the plans you want on a family account. Instead of everyone having to choose the same plan, now all the lines on your account have their choice of Go Unlimited, Beyond Unlimited, and Above Unlimited.

If you’re a Verizon customer, do you plan on switching to Above Unlimited?

Best Verizon Wireless Deals of June 2018

Carriers

• Which unlimited plan should you buy?
• Verizon’s Unlimited plans: Everything you need to know
• Everything you need to know about the T-Mobile ONE unlimited plan
• Everything you need to know about the AT&T Unlimited plan
• Everything you need to know about Sprint’s Unlimited Freedom plan
• Join the Discussion

OnePlus 6: Everything you need to know

Unlock the secrets.

The OnePlus 6 is now available, and it’s a compelling option for someone looking for an unlocked phone at a reasonable price — starting at $529 to be specific. But price aside, it’s a great choice for anyone, even those considering more expensive options, thanks to a combination of hardware and software, and a community that continues to support the company and one another.

Here’s everything you need to know about the OnePlus 6!

The latest OnePlus 6 news

June 14, 2018 — One million units of the OnePlus 6 were sold in just 22 days

We expected the OnePlus 6 to sell like hotcakes, but I don’t know if anyone was anticipating demand on this level. On June 14, OnePlus confirmed that it crossed one million sales of the OP6 just 22 days after it launched.

OnePlus notes that this demand is a “sharp upward hike from even the OnePlus 5T”, and as such, the OnePlus 6 is now taking the title of the company’s best-selling product to date.

For comparison, both the OnePlus 5 and 5T each crossed one million units sold within three months of launching.

June 12, 2018 — The OnePlus 6 in Silk White is back on sale for a limited time!

If you missed out on the opportunity to grab a sexy OnePlus 6 in sexy Silk White, now’s your chance — though it will probably sell out pretty quickly.

See at OnePlus

Read our review and watch the video

First thing’s first, watch the video and read the review. There’s plenty about the phone to learn, even though much of it is familiar. But the essential question a review tries to answer is, Should you buy this thing? And the response is an unrestrained, Yes.

The OnePlus 6 is the company’s finest phone ever, with excellent design, build quality, battery life and, for the first time, cameras.

Read the review

Review the specs

Once you’re done reading the review, you should, ahem, review the specifications. The phone is powerful — like one of the most powerful on the market today — with plenty of headroom and legroom (it’s proverbially spacious is what I’m trying to say) for whatever you want to throw at it. Apps-wise, not like object-wise.

OnePlus 6 specifications

How does it compare to other phones?

Of course, the OnePlus 6 doesn’t exist in a bubble — you have to compare it to other devices if you’re going to decide whether you should buy it. Thankfully, we’ve done most of the work for you, comparing it to the best flagships on the market right now.

• OnePlus 6 vs. Google Pixel 2 XL: Which should you buy?
• OnePlus 6 vs. Samsung Galaxy S9+: Which should you buy?

What about to other OnePlus phones?

Yeah, OnePlus owners like to keep it in the family, so to speak, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see many upgrading, or thinking of upgrading, from an existing OnePlus device, like a 3, 3T, 5, or 5T. Of course, with the company releasing two phones a year these days, it won’t be long until the next upgrade cycle hits, but that also means that the existing phones age quite well, thanks to frequent software updates (the joys of not going through carriers).

If you have a OnePlus 5 or 5T, you can probably hold onto those phones for a bit longer — unless you need the camera improvements. OnePlus’s 2016 phones, on the other hand, may be getting a bit long in the tooth and could use a replacement.

• OnePlus 6 vs. OnePlus 5T: Should you upgrade?
• OnePlus 6 vs. OnePlus 5: Should you upgrade?
• OnePlus 6 vs. OnePlus 3T & 3: Should you upgrade?

Is the OnePlus 6 camera that much better than before?

This photo was taken in nearly pitch-dark conditions. OnePlus ramps up the light sensitivity to ISO6400, which would normally produce a lot of grain, but this photo is totally usable thanks to better software processing.

Yes! The OnePlus 6 has a larger 16MP sensor than previous OnePlus devices, with pixels that are 19% bigger, so low-light photography is immensely improved. It’s not going to overtake the Huawei P20 Pro or Pixel 2 for Low Light Champion Of The World, but it’s reliable in all conditions, and that’s more important than anything else.

The camera is probably the biggest improvement over previous OnePlus models.

The phone’s main sensor is aided by a fast ƒ/1.7 aperture, so true depth of field is a thing, along with drastically improved image signal processing from Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845. Together, the phone is able to detect the correct settings more quickly, take multiple shots if necessary, enable HDR mode automatically, and reduce or eliminate grain in dark conditions.

There’s also Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), which was in the OnePlus 3 line but removed in last year’s series for unknown reasons. It’s back now, and paired with a larger sensor and faster main lens, the results speak for themselves.

On the other hand, the OnePlus 6’s secondary camera has less to do — it’s a 20MP sensor with an ƒ/1.7 lens, but its main purpose is to facilitate portrait mode which, while good, isn’t enough reason to have a second sensor in the first place.

Is the notch distracting?

The notch is what it is. You may hate it out of an aversion to all things Apple, or you may learn to live with it and forget it’s there. Most people will fall somewhere in the middle — it’s a character trait, like a freckle or a certain hairstyle.

What it does, though, is open up spme additional real estate on the 6.28-inch screen, which is great. But it also limits the number of icons that can be seen in the notification area, which is a bummer. Plus, the clock on the left side of the notification bar will never make sense. If you watch the video below, though, you can see ways to tweak the notification area to your liking. And you can also disable the notch altogether if you want to.

How’s the software?

It’s good! Running Android 8.1 Oreo, OxygenOS has turned into one of the most enjoyable, reliable versions of Android to date. OnePlus has also added a number of additions to make the whole thing run more smoothly, especially if you’re looking to maximize your screen real estate.

One of the more interesting changes to the software is a set of gestures that eliminates the bottom navigation keys, relying on swipes up from different areas of the bottom edge to go back, home, and enter multitasking. It’s different, but not bad. You’ll have to try it yourself.

As for tips and tricks, we’ve already got that list going, so if you’re looking to make the most of your OxygenOS experience, we have you covered.

• How to enable navigation gestures on the OnePlus 6
• How to disable the notch on the OnePlus 6

What’s it cost?

The OnePlus 6 starts at $529 USD for the base model and goes up to $629 for additional RAM and storage. There are three configurations and three colors, and here’s a breakdown of which one to buy.

Here’s how the pricing breaks down in various regions.

6/64	$529	€519	£469	$699
8/128	$579	€569	£519	$769
8/256	$629	€619	£569	$839

See at OnePlus

Tell me more about the colors

There are three colors: Mirror Black, Midnight Black, and Silk White.

• Mirror Black is going to be the most common, since it’s the only color offered in the cheapest tier. It’s shiny, reflective glass, so it gets fingerprint-y, but that’s OK because you’ll likely put the phone in a case (see below). It’s also a little slippery, which is to be expected. Mirror Black is offered in 6GB / 64GB configurations for $529.

• Midnight Black is the color we’ve come to expect from OnePlus over the years, though the matte-looking finish belies a glass back, too, like the Mirror Black. Midnight Black is only available in 8GB / 128GB and 8GB / 256GB configurations for $579 and $629, respectively.

• Silk White is the most limited of the three colors, and is selling out fast. It’s also covered in glass, but like the Midnight Black model it has a matte finish and is easier to grip. Its white back has rose gold accents, and it’s definitely the nicest and most unique of the three colors. It’s only available in the 8GB / 128GB configuration for $579, and once the run is sold out, OnePlus is not making any more.

What color OnePlus 6 should you buy?

I heard there’s an Avengers version — TELL ME EVERYTHING

Yes, you heard right: OnePlus has once again worked with Disney on licensing a special version of the OnePlus 6 for the Chinese and Indian markets. Last year, OnePlus offered an understated Start Wars variant of the OnePlus 5T, and now the Avengers version takes advantage of the hype behind the recent film release.

The Avengers version comes in a unique box and includes an Iron Man case and a OnePlus/Avengers co-branded medallion, which is neat. And while there’s a familiar glass back on the Avengers Edition, it has a Kevlar-style design underneath. Because Kevlar=superheroes, or something.

While the special edition isn’t coming to the U.S. officially, I’m sure that some entrepreneurial Indian and Chinese resellers will do the dirty business of importing some of them at a huge premium to this side of the world.

This is the OnePlus 6 Marvel Avengers Edition

The OnePlus 6 doesn’t work on Sprint or Verizon

The OnePlus 6 technically supports the CDMA bands for Verizon and Sprint in the U.S., but the phone lacks certification for their networks, so those users — just under half the smartphone-wielding U.S. population, is out of luck.

We’ve got your full technical explainer below.

The OnePlus 6 doesn’t work on Sprint or Verizon

Do you like cases?

As it does with all of its phones, OnePlus has unveiled a series of first-party cases for the OnePlus 6, and they’re all pretty great.

This year, there’s a fancy new protective bumper made of woven nylon, and while it adds a bit more bulk than the typical snap-on, I think it looks and feels awesome.

These are the official OnePlus 6 cases you can buy at launch

What are your thoughts on the OnePlus 6?

Let us know in the comments!

OnePlus 6

• OnePlus 6 review
• OnePlus 6 vs. OnePlus 5T: How much changes in six months?
• OnePlus 6 vs. OnePlus 5: Should you upgrade?
• These are the official OnePlus 6 cases
• The OnePlus 6 doesn’t work on Verizon or Sprint
• Join the discussion in the forums

Why Intel’s monopoly could soon end (and you should be stoked)

When’s the last time you saw a laptop without an Intel chip in it? It’s likely been a while — if ever. That doesn’t sound like the end of the world, but when one company completely dominates a market innovation is stifled, prices remain high, and the average person ends up losing out.

Despite Intel’s reign, a few companies are making some headway that could pave the way for competition in the processor world. Intel’s processors are certainly fast, but it’d be nice to have a meaningful choice between chips when buying a new laptop.

Qualcomm makes its move

Intel famously missed the boat on mobile, often seen as the biggest mistake in the company’s storied history. That offered room for Qualcomm to rise as a leader in smartphone hardware, supplying the SoC (System on Chip) for nearly every Android smartphone in existence. The company now has chance to transition into the PC space. This year introduced the first generation of Windows 10 PCs powered by Qualcomm smartphone chips, including the HP Envy x2, Lenovo Miix 630, and Asus NovaGo.

Throughout the 90s, Apple computers were run by PowerPC, an alliance of IBM, Apple, and Motorola.

This new platform for Windows PCs is a partnership with Microsoft called “Always Connected PCs.” The name doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, but the proposition was something new and attractive. Make laptops more like smartphones by greatly expanding battery life and including built-in LTE connection.

With those boxes checked, your 2-in-1 could be used on the bus, in a park, and anywhere else you might not have a connection to electricity or Wi-Fi.

Battery life and connectivity are incredibly important to anyone buying a laptop. You might not be interested in the current selection of less-capable Always Connected PCs, which is rather slim — but with a new generation already announced on a more efficient chipset, we’ll likely see more choices appear over the remainder of 2018.

Behind the scenes, Apple plans its escape

If you’re a Mac user, you might be aware of Apple’s long history with Intel. MacBooks and iMacs have all used Intel chips for over ten years now — and for the most part, that’s been a positive thing. However, it’s not likely to last forever.

Apple hasn’t always used Intel. All throughout the 90s until 2006, Apple computers were run by PowerPC, an alliance of IBM, Apple, and Motorola that used a completely different CPU architecture than Intel’s popular x86. PowerPC always struggled to keep up with Intel, which ultimately led to its demise.

But things have changed. Apple isn’t the same company it was in the 90s. Today it has a massive infrastructure for engineering and implementing its own processors for the iPhone, iPad, and other devices. The in-house chips designed by Apple have proven incredibly effective, outpacing all peers and giving the company’s mobile hardware a performance edge. When the iPhone X came out, it’s A11 bionic chip performed twice as well in benchmarks as its biggest competitor, the Qualcomm-powered Samsung Galaxy S9.

This year, AMD showed off a 32-core processor called Threadripper 2 that smashes anything Intel offers (or pretends to offer).

Recent reports hint Apple is looking to move MacBooks processors back under its own jurisdiction, and perhaps even into Intel’s backyard – Portland, Oregon. Apple has quietly opened its own engineering lab and is rumored to be poaching Intel employees. Though there’s been no official confirmation about a new project, it’s not hard to imagine what Apple has planned for the future of its computers.

Apple is a company that always wants more control of its product, especially in hardware. We wouldn’t be surprised if Apple decides to develop and implement its own CPUs for the Mac. It may not have worked for the company in the 1990s, but with experience in mobile processors under its belt, the company has a serious shot at removing Intel from its products altogether.

AMD is always a looming threat

While AMD still struggles to find homes for its high-powered processors, you can’t discount the progress the company has made in the past year. At Computex this year, the company showed off a 32-core processor called Threadripper 2 that smashes anything Intel offers (or pretends to offer). With AMD on top in the speed race, the company is starting to build some momentum in changing people’s perception of the rivalry.

AMD can’t take on Intel alone, but with the pressure added by Qualcomm and Apple, some serious competition may about to be injected into our computers over the next few years — and that’s a good thing for you.

Editors’ Recommendations

• High-end Always Connected Windows 10 PCs may pack Snapdragon 1000 in 2018
• AMD vs. Intel
• The best processors for gaming
• Apple’s macOS reaches a historic milestone in its life span
• HP reopens pre-orders for its first ‘always connected’ Windows 10 PC

Report claims late 2017 cryptocurrency spike was artificially inflated by Tether

A new report stemming from the University of Texas at Austin claims that the big surge in cryptocurrency values during 2017 was artificially created using a digital currency called Tether. Written by finance professor John Griffin and graduate student Amin Shams, the report focuses on Bitfinex, one of the largest unregulated digital currency exchanges on the market. Its owners are also the creators of Tether. 

By December 19, 2017, the price of a Bitcoin surged up to $19,549 and then tanked to $6,417 in early February. Since then, Bitcoin’s value has peaked slightly above $11,000 but thereafter continued to take a slow drop to the current price of $6,592. Other cryptocurrencies experienced a similar rise and fall, such as Ethereum skyrocketing to $1,334 on January 10 and then down to the current value of $477. 

Griffin and Shams examined digital currency exchanges during the highest peaks and noticed unusual activities stemming from Bitfinex. According to the report, patterns indicated that one or more individuals were intentionally pushing digital currency values higher on other exchanges that had sagging prices. To inflate these values, they purchased the low-value cryptocurrency using Tether. 

For instance, when Bitcoin’s price would fall, purchases used with Tether increased. When Bitcoin would begin to surge, Tether usage didn’t decrease as expected. According to Griffin, the pattern suggests that someone or a group of individuals were purposely using Tether to “protect Bitcoin prices during downturns.” 

Data used by the research is based on millions of transaction records stored in public ledgers, or blockchains. This data showed that half of the digital coin value spike in 2017 took place within hours after a batch of Tether coins began hitting cryptocurrency exchanges. Coincidentally, Tether entered the exchanges when cryptocurrency prices were plunging. 

“I’ve looked at a lot of markets,” he said. “If there’s fraud or manipulation in a market it can leave tracks in the data. The tracks in the data here are very consistent with a manipulation hypothesis.” 

The 66-page paper originally set out to understand how Tether flows through the currency markets. Parent company Tether Ltd. supposedly creates Tether coins in batches of 200 million and moves them to Bitfinex. Currently there are 2.5 billion coins in circulation, and each trades at $1 because each digital coin is backed by $1 stored in a real-world bank. It’s an alternative to the volatile cryptocurrency market while providing the security benefits of digital currency.

Naturally Bitfinex denies these allegations. 

“Bitfinex nor Tether is, or has ever, engaged in any sort of market or price manipulation,” Bitfinex Chief Executive Officer JL van der Velde said. “Tether issuances cannot be used to prop up the price of Bitcoin or any other coin/token on Bitfinex.” 

Bitfinex is registered in a Caribbean jurisdiction but reportedly has offices in Asia. The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission sent subpoenas to both Bitfinex and Tether on December 6, 2017 as cryptocurrency values continued to rocket skyward. At the time, Tether said it was hacked and lost around $30 million in digital coins. Tether had yet to provide any proof that it had money in reserve to back its digital currency. 

Editors’ Recommendations

• The Justice Department is now cracking down on cryptocurrency scams
• Another initial coin offering ‘exit scam’ steals $660M from Vietnam’s investors
• Who owns all the Bitcoin? A few billionaire whales in a small pond
• Hackers are now favoring ransomware over personal data theft
• Despite PC industry’s flat year-to-year growth, HP dominated first-quarter sales

You’ll want to perk up when it comes to the new ‘Lazy State’ Intel CPU bug

A new security vulnerability in a similar vein to Spectre and Meltdown has been discovered in Intel CPUs. The “Lazy FP state” flaw makes use of the speculative execution vulnerability that has been the bane of Intel CPUs for the past few months as repeated exploits have been discovered. It could potentially allow malicious actors to steal data from an affected user, though it has proven easier to patch than previous exploits of a similar type.

Processors from both AMD and Intel have been hit with a number of different security bugs in the past few months, as flaws at the deepest level of the hardware were discovered. While Spectre was applicable to both chipmakers’ hardware though, this latest bug is one that impacts Intel CPUs only. It affects every “Core” CPU released since Intel’s 2011 Sandy Bridge range debuted.

The problem stems from the fact that modern CPUs often store the state of running applications to improve performance when switching between tasks. That leaves a window of opportunity for malicious actors to read the contents of that register.

“It affects Intel designs similar to variant 3-a of the previous stuff, but it’s not Meltdown,” Red Hat computer architect Jon Masters said via Zdnet. “It allows the floating point registers to be leaked from another process, but alas that means the same registers as used for crypto, etc.”

That’s perhaps the most worrisome aspect of this flaw, in that it allows for the extraction of data while encryption is being conducted. That could be especially problematic if servers were targeted.

Fortunately, this flaw is much less of a problem than those previously discovered. It has already been patched out in a number of environments — including Linux 4.9 or newer, Windows Server 2016, and Windows 10. Better yet, the fix does not impact performance as it has done in the case of certain other exploits related to Spectre and Meltdown.

The general recommendation for anyone running potentially affected hardware is to make sure that you operating system is patched to its latest version and to keep an eye on your motherboard manufacturer’s website for any potential BIOS updates that are released.

Editors’ Recommendations

• New Spectre-like bug could mean more performance-degrading patches
• Microsoft’s Windows 7 Meltdown update granted access to all data in memory
• Intel reportedly gears up to patch 8 Spectre Next Generation CPU flaws
• AMD is working on fixes for the reported Ryzenfall, MasterKey vulnerabilities
• AMD has a fix for Spectre variant II, but will motherboard makers support it?

How to create a light scene with Philips Hue bulbs

Take control of your lights, and add a little personal style while you are at it.

Out of the box, it couldn’t be easier to set up Philips Hue bulbs. You pick a room to label them, and instantly gain the ability to control them either all at once or one at a time depending on your needs. This control mechanism offers you a lot of flexibility, but somewhat less creative control.

For those of us with a desire to have the bulbs in our rooms be different colors depending on the time of day or our mood, the Hue app has scenes. This feature lets you create a preset of color, temperature, and brightness settings per bulb which can be activated as a group. It’s nice when you have a specific style in mind when a movie is playing, or at the end of the day when you’d prefer the lights be a little lower for entertaining.

Here’s how to set scenes up in your Hue app!

Creating a new Hue Scene

Open the Hue app on your phone and select New scene from the top left.
Choose the room you want to set this scene up in.
Tap the top color bar to name the scene.

Once you reach this part of the process, you have two options available to you. The color dial in the center of the screen will let you drag your lights to whatever color you want, and you will see your lights change to that color. You can set up your scene manually by positioning your lights on whatever part of this disc you want, and using the top bar to adjust the brightness of the lights as you adjust the scene.

You can also tap the camera button and use a photo to create a scene. Photo scenes allow you to use whatever photo you want to create a scene, and the app will choose a color palette based on the colors in the photo.

Philips includes a selection of photos in the app for you to use to get started, but the ultimate goal here is for you to be able to use a great photo you have taken as a color palette for a scene. Once you have chosen a photo, you drag the light bulbs or light strips to the right place on the disc, just like the other scene mode.

Tap the check mark in the top right of the app when you have finished designing your scene, and you’re all done! This new scene will be added to the list of default scenes Philips includes with the app, so you can create as many of these scenes as you like.

Removing a Hue Scene

Philips doesn’t have a limit on how many scenes you can have on your phone, but it does have a limit on how many you can see on the screen at once. If you’re not a fan of the Hue scenes included with the app by default, or you want to get rid of a scene you have created, you can delete it quickly right from the app.

Open the Hue app and select a room.
Tap on the scene button (it looks like a paint palette).
Tap on the scene you want to change.
Tap on the edit button in the top right corner of that scene.
Tap Delete, and confirm you want to delete the scene.

What’s your scene?

How do you like the new Hue 3.0 app for Android? Let us know in the comments below!

Deal: Awesome BOGO deals on the Galaxy S9, S8 Active, LG G7 and Google Pixel 2!

For a limited time, T-Mobile, Sprint, and Verizon all have buy-one-get-one-free offers on a variety of Android phones, including the Samsung Galaxy S9 or S9+, Samsung Galaxy S8 Active, LG G7 ThinQ, and Google Pixel 2.

Not wanting to be left out of the fun, one of the best deals this week comes from AT&T’s buy-one-get-one-free offer on the Samsung Galaxy S9. Sign up for their Unlimited Choice Enhanced plan and enjoy unlimited 4G LTE data, talk and text, and HBO for life.

The plan also includes international texting to 120 countries around the world and international calling. On this plan, you’ll be paying off your new Samsung Galaxy S9 in monthly installments for a total of 30 months, although you can upgrade after just 2 years.

You’ll need to sign up for AT&T’s upgrade program, AT&T Next (which lets you upgrade your phone every 2 years) to be eligible.

These offers won’t last long, so be sure to get a deal now before it’s too late!

Sprint

LG G7 ThinQ

T-Mobile

Samsung Galaxy S9

Samsung Galaxy S9+

LG G7 ThinQ

Verizon

Google Pixel 2

LG G7 ThinQ

AT&T

Samsung Galaxy S9

Carriers

• Which unlimited plan should you buy?
• Verizon’s Unlimited plans: Everything you need to know
• Everything you need to know about the T-Mobile ONE unlimited plan
• Everything you need to know about the AT&T Unlimited plan
• Everything you need to know about Sprint’s Unlimited Freedom plan
• Join the Discussion