Fixing ‘Stagefright’ flaw on Android is harder than we thought
The Stagefright vulnerability for Android won’t seem to want to go away. According to Exodus Intelligence researchers one of the patched issued by Google could still allow access to Android devices. The researchers told Engadget via email, “the summary is that the Stagefright vulnerability is still exploitable and the 4-line patch that was implemented is faulty. We have been able to trigger the fault that still affects over 950 million Android devices.” The issue with the patch was reported to Google which open sourced the patch for the patch this morning.
Google told Engadget,”currently over 90 of Android devices have a technology called ASLR enabled, which protects users from this issue. We’ve already sent the fix to our partners to protect users, and Nexus 4/5/6/7/9/10 and Nexus Player will get the OTA update in the September monthly security update.”
Of course, like with all things Android, outside of the Nexus line, it’s a wait and see situation when it comes to updates from phone makers. Hopefully they’ll be hitting phones and tablets in the near future. But with only six days notice, Exodus Intelligence didn’t give Google or its partners much time to get the patch ready.
Traditionally, researchers give companies 30 days notice about a security issue. This gives both parties adequate time to work on a patch and share information. In the post about the patch issue, the researchers explained that it decided to forgo the usual 30 days because the original issue was reported over 120 days ago, Google was still issuing the faulty patch and the amount of attention the original vulnerability had attracted.
So keep on the lookout for this new patch to fix the old patch.
Filed under:
Misc, Software, Google
Source:
Exodus Intelligence
Tags: Android, ExodusIntelligence, google, security, Stagefright, vulnerability
Samsung Galaxy Note 4 vs. Note 5: a thorough comparison
Samsung is definitely trying something new with the Note 5. I guess they weren’t satisfied with the Note 4 sales, and dramatically overhauled the design, as well as eliminating the device from Europe altogether. I honestly have no idea why Samsung would choose to eliminate the Note line from Europe, and I am sure this is quite disappointing to those who wish to buy the Note 5. Samsung claims they have been listening to the consumers, which means the consumers have been clamoring for a drastic change in the core of the Note line. And I guess consumers in Europe must hate the Note because Samsung doesn’t want to sell it to them anymore.
Anyways, the announcement has come and gone, and now it is time for a comparison.
From the live stream, the VP of Samsung mobile said they focused on making the device easier to hold, and making it easier to fit into people’s pants who wear “skinny jeans”. Man those people with skinny jeans sure have a loud voice because they brought about a design revolution in the Note series.
The most obvious change between the Note 4 and the Note 5 is the design and build. Samsung opted to go for a premium build in the Note 5 be removing all plastic and swapping it for curved glass on the back of the phone. They also improved the strength of the metal frame. Samsung claimed to make the Note 5 smaller than the Note 4, and they did but marginally. They shaved almost 2mm from the width, 1mm for the thickness, and reduced the weight by 5g(Note 4 weighs 176g and the Note 5 weighs 171g). I’m not sure how reducing the width by 2mm, and the thickness by 1mm helps those with skinny jeans, but I wear chubby jeans so I would need help with this analysis.
In terms of design, the Note 5 looks like a blown up version of the S6 with a stylus.
As good as it looks, I am not a fan of a glass back because it is one more piece that can shatter if it is dropped and even worse, glass will attract greasy fingerprints. The soft plastic back on the Note 4 was definitely a positive when it came to durability and eliminating fingerprints.
The Note 5 is a revolution in terms of design for the Note line. I think the Note 5 and the S6 both look great, but the Note 4 was not a bad looking device either.
Storage
Like the Note 4, the Note 5 will come in 32GB and 64GB models. But unlike the Note 4, the Note 5 will NOT have expandable memory. For Note 4 users, having the ability to add 128GB of memory through a microsd card offered a cheaper alternative to paying $100 for the 64GB model. It also allowed Note 4 users to interchange memory cards if needed.
Samsung made the decision to remove expandable memory from the Note 5, bucking the trend of what other manufacturers are offering. I really don’t understand this move and I certainly do not believe they were listening to consumers as all other flagship devices offer expandable memory including the 2015 Moto X.
Stylus
The famous S Pen got a minor upgrade in how it is removed from the phone. Rather than using a fingernail to grasp the ridges at the bottom of the S Pen, like on the Note 4, Samsung added a spring loaded mechanism – now you push on the stylus and it will pop out.
In addition, Samsung continued its tradition of adding great features to the S Pen like writing on the device when the screen is off. This sounds cool, but writing without seeing is something that will be new to almost all of us. They also added “Write on PDF” which allows users to edit and annotate PDF documents using the S Pen. This sounds very useful if you deal with PDF files like I do.
CPU and RAM
No iteration would go without an upgrade to the CPU, and the Note 5 did that by taking the processor from the S6 and putting it in the Note 5. The Note 3 and Note 4 both had better processors than their S counterparts, so this is a recent change for Samsung. Benchmark tests for the Samsung Exynos 7420 show that it is the top performing CPU at the moment, although by Note standards, having the same processor as the S6 is disappointing as Note users typically want more.
Although Samsung did upgrade the RAM to 4GB which should help with some of the additional features brought to the S Pen.
Both the CPU and RAM should provide a quality experience. Although the Note 4 is no slouch and still ranks near the top of benchmark tests.
Display
The Note 4 display is fantastic. Samsung’s Super AMOLED display is the best display on the market. Contrast ratio and spectacular colors are something you just can’t appreciate until you see the display for yourself. The Note 5 maintained the Note 4’s display size of 5.7″, pixel density of 500+, and 2k resolution. Simply put, the display is the same and that is nothing to balk at. Samsung still maintains its lead on displays through the Note 4 AND Note 5.
Camera
As shown in Josh’s camera comparison test, the S6 camera is special. Samsung realized they hit the nail on the head with this camera and opted to put it in the Note 5. The camera comes as a 16MP shooter with optical image stabilization(OIS), and features a F/ 1.9 aperture which should help it take better low-light shots. The camera is also capable of shooting 4K video at 30fps, and 120fps for slow-motion. Samsung has bridged the gap between mobile devices and DSLR cameras. There really isn’t much need for a standard point-and-shoot camera these days if you can get your hands on the Note 5 camera.
The Note 4 also has a 16MP shooter with OIS, but doesn’t quite match up to the photo quality of the S6 and and Note 5. If Josh can get his hands on both Note devices, I would love to see a head to head comparison of photos between the two devices.
Battery
Sadly, this is one area where all fans will be disappointed. Samsung decided to shrink the Note 4’s 3220mAh battery down to 3000mAh for the Note 5. Samsung claims their new processor is much more energy efficient than the Snapdragon 805, which allowed them to shrink the battery. The Note 5 is rated at 21 hours of talk time whereas the Note 4 is rated at 20 hours. Regardless, Note users can never have enough power so this is a disappointment to see Samsung sacrifice .9mm in thickness for a smaller battery.
The bigger issue for most Note users is with the new design of a fixed back plate. Samsung allowed users to access their battery in the Note 4, which was a favorite for power users as all they needed to do was swap a battery to get back to 100% power.
However, Samsung did add built-in wireless charging into the Note 5, whereas the Note 4 was capable if you changed the back plate to enable wireless charging.
Summary
When I logged into the Androidguys chat group of writers, I noticed a few of them saying how they are excited about the new S6 Plus and the new Note 5. None of them are Samsung loyalists as they all use everything but Samsung, with exception to Josh Noriega who recently switched to the S6 Edge as his first Samsung device. Maybe Samsung is onto something by focusing on design over function. Those of us who have loved Samsung galaxy devices loved them for being different. We clamored over the ability to swap batteries, add SD cards, and things of that sort. Up until the Galaxy S6 Edge and now the Note 5, the writers I work with never really considered a Galaxy device.
The Galaxy Note 5 is nothing to sneeze at and it is one heck of a powerhouse. It comes with the fastest processor available today with 4GB of RAM running on Android 5.1. It is without a doubt a great phone, but not so much so when you compare it to the Note 4.
Even reading through early analysis on popular sites such as Engadget, I see that many people are excited for the Note 5 and S6 Plus, but I can tell you as an actual Samsung fan I am thoroughly disappointed. I feel unheard and unwanted by Samsung. If they can gain better profits and sales through a new customer base, then I applaud them for appeasing their shareholders. I can without a doubt say I care more about functionality over beauty. The sales numbers will speak for themselves and will prove Samsung right or wrong with their drastic changes in the Note line.
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Samsung Galaxy Note 4 vs. Note 5: a thorough comparison
Samsung is definitely trying something new with the Note 5. I guess they weren’t satisfied with the Note 4 sales, and dramatically overhauled the design, as well as eliminating the device from Europe altogether. I honestly have no idea why Samsung would choose to eliminate the Note line from Europe, and I am sure this is quite disappointing to those who wish to buy the Note 5. Samsung claims they have been listening to the consumers, which means the consumers have been clamoring for a drastic change in the core of the Note line. And I guess consumers in Europe must hate the Note because Samsung doesn’t want to sell it to them anymore.
Anyways, the announcement has come and gone, and now it is time for a comparison.
From the live stream, the VP of Samsung mobile said they focused on making the device easier to hold, and making it easier to fit into people’s pants who wear “skinny jeans”. Man those people with skinny jeans sure have a loud voice because they brought about a design revolution in the Note series.
The most obvious change between the Note 4 and the Note 5 is the design and build. Samsung opted to go for a premium build in the Note 5 be removing all plastic and swapping it for curved glass on the back of the phone. They also improved the strength of the metal frame. Samsung claimed to make the Note 5 smaller than the Note 4, and they did but marginally. They shaved almost 2mm from the width, 1mm for the thickness, and reduced the weight by 5g(Note 4 weighs 176g and the Note 5 weighs 171g). I’m not sure how reducing the width by 2mm, and the thickness by 1mm helps those with skinny jeans, but I wear chubby jeans so I would need help with this analysis.
In terms of design, the Note 5 looks like a blown up version of the S6 with a stylus.
As good as it looks, I am not a fan of a glass back because it is one more piece that can shatter if it is dropped and even worse, glass will attract greasy fingerprints. The soft plastic back on the Note 4 was definitely a positive when it came to durability and eliminating fingerprints.
The Note 5 is a revolution in terms of design for the Note line. I think the Note 5 and the S6 both look great, but the Note 4 was not a bad looking device either.
Storage
Like the Note 4, the Note 5 will come in 32GB and 64GB models. But unlike the Note 4, the Note 5 will NOT have expandable memory. For Note 4 users, having the ability to add 128GB of memory through a microsd card offered a cheaper alternative to paying $100 for the 64GB model. It also allowed Note 4 users to interchange memory cards if needed.
Samsung made the decision to remove expandable memory from the Note 5, bucking the trend of what other manufacturers are offering. I really don’t understand this move and I certainly do not believe they were listening to consumers as all other flagship devices offer expandable memory including the 2015 Moto X.
Stylus
The famous S Pen got a minor upgrade in how it is removed from the phone. Rather than using a fingernail to grasp the ridges at the bottom of the S Pen, like on the Note 4, Samsung added a spring loaded mechanism – now you push on the stylus and it will pop out.
In addition, Samsung continued its tradition of adding great features to the S Pen like writing on the device when the screen is off. This sounds cool, but writing without seeing is something that will be new to almost all of us. They also added “Write on PDF” which allows users to edit and annotate PDF documents using the S Pen. This sounds very useful if you deal with PDF files like I do.
CPU and RAM
No iteration would go without an upgrade to the CPU, and the Note 5 did that by taking the processor from the S6 and putting it in the Note 5. The Note 3 and Note 4 both had better processors than their S counterparts, so this is a recent change for Samsung. Benchmark tests for the Samsung Exynos 7420 show that it is the top performing CPU at the moment, although by Note standards, having the same processor as the S6 is disappointing as Note users typically want more.
Although Samsung did upgrade the RAM to 4GB which should help with some of the additional features brought to the S Pen.
Both the CPU and RAM should provide a quality experience. Although the Note 4 is no slouch and still ranks near the top of benchmark tests.
Display
The Note 4 display is fantastic. Samsung’s Super AMOLED display is the best display on the market. Contrast ratio and spectacular colors are something you just can’t appreciate until you see the display for yourself. The Note 5 maintained the Note 4’s display size of 5.7″, pixel density of 500+, and 2k resolution. Simply put, the display is the same and that is nothing to balk at. Samsung still maintains its lead on displays through the Note 4 AND Note 5.
Camera
As shown in Josh’s camera comparison test, the S6 camera is special. Samsung realized they hit the nail on the head with this camera and opted to put it in the Note 5. The camera comes as a 16MP shooter with optical image stabilization(OIS), and features a F/ 1.9 aperture which should help it take better low-light shots. The camera is also capable of shooting 4K video at 30fps, and 120fps for slow-motion. Samsung has bridged the gap between mobile devices and DSLR cameras. There really isn’t much need for a standard point-and-shoot camera these days if you can get your hands on the Note 5 camera.
The Note 4 also has a 16MP shooter with OIS, but doesn’t quite match up to the photo quality of the S6 and and Note 5. If Josh can get his hands on both Note devices, I would love to see a head to head comparison of photos between the two devices.
Battery
Sadly, this is one area where all fans will be disappointed. Samsung decided to shrink the Note 4’s 3220mAh battery down to 3000mAh for the Note 5. Samsung claims their new processor is much more energy efficient than the Snapdragon 805, which allowed them to shrink the battery. The Note 5 is rated at 21 hours of talk time whereas the Note 4 is rated at 20 hours. Regardless, Note users can never have enough power so this is a disappointment to see Samsung sacrifice .9mm in thickness for a smaller battery.
The bigger issue for most Note users is with the new design of a fixed back plate. Samsung allowed users to access their battery in the Note 4, which was a favorite for power users as all they needed to do was swap a battery to get back to 100% power.
However, Samsung did add built-in wireless charging into the Note 5, whereas the Note 4 was capable if you changed the back plate to enable wireless charging.
Summary
When I logged into the Androidguys chat group of writers, I noticed a few of them saying how they are excited about the new S6 Plus and the new Note 5. None of them are Samsung loyalists as they all use everything but Samsung, with exception to Josh Noriega who recently switched to the S6 Edge as his first Samsung device. Maybe Samsung is onto something by focusing on design over function. Those of us who have loved Samsung galaxy devices loved them for being different. We clamored over the ability to swap batteries, add SD cards, and things of that sort. Up until the Galaxy S6 Edge and now the Note 5, the writers I work with never really considered a Galaxy device.
The Galaxy Note 5 is nothing to sneeze at and it is one heck of a powerhouse. It comes with the fastest processor available today with 4GB of RAM running on Android 5.1. It is without a doubt a great phone, but not so much so when you compare it to the Note 4.
Even reading through early analysis on popular sites such as Engadget, I see that many people are excited for the Note 5 and S6 Plus, but I can tell you as an actual Samsung fan I am thoroughly disappointed. I feel unheard and unwanted by Samsung. If they can gain better profits and sales through a new customer base, then I applaud them for appeasing their shareholders. I can without a doubt say I care more about functionality over beauty. The sales numbers will speak for themselves and will prove Samsung right or wrong with their drastic changes in the Note line.
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Deal: Your chance to win a Nexus 6 and Nexus 9!
The AA Deals Store is known for offering discounts on great tech products, but from time to time it also sponsors free contests. Such is the case with the latest Double Nexus Giveaway event, in which participants get the chance to win a Nexus 6 and a Nexus 9. Yes, winners would get both devices!
The best part is you don’t have to buy anything or pay fees. All you have to do is enter your email. Users can also improve their chances of winning by sharing the event on Twitter. It’s that simple!
Editor’s Note: This deal is through StackCommerce, in partnership with AA Deals Store and other StackSocial partners — and not an exclusive Android Authority contest.
How to enter the Double Nexus Giveaway
- Submit your email address and click ENTER NOW (Make sure it’s valid as this is where we’ll contact the winner)
- After entering your email address above, share on Twitter for additional entries. The more your friends and followers enter, the more entries you receive. Good luck!
- Be sure to register with a valid email address so we can contact you if you win
- Limit one registration per person – registering more than one email address will result in disqualification from this giveaway
This contest ends on September 16, 2015, so you have about a month to participate. You do have to be 21 years old and there are some other legal limitations, depending on where you live. You can read the rules here.
That’s it, guys! I see no reason for you not to participate, so go sign up now. It’s free and you could walk away with a Nexus 6 smartphone and a Nexus 9 tablet. What a treat!
Enter to win a Nexus 6 and a Nexus 9!
ICYMI: Robot barkeeps, Android Experiments and more
Today on In Case You Missed It: We take on two pieces of robot news, both of which seem promising for different reasons. First, a robot with responsive, human reflexes is being designed to enter dangerous situations where a real person might be injured. The secret is that the controller is a guy wearing a matching robot exoskeleton. Then, more MIT scientists executed an algorithm that allows robots to actually buzz around and serve alcohol. Obviously, we’re fans of that. Lastly, Google unveiled a video describing its Android Experiments project and some of the applications are super interesting.
For our final video, we are sharing a not tech-related video that is mesmerizing. It’s from an artist’s work that uses honey, paint and oil to show swirling close-ups as colors merge and flow together.
If you come across any similarly interesting or noteworthy videos, we’d love to see! Please tweet us (or comment below) with the #ICYMI hashtag to @engadget or @mskerryd.
Filed under:
Cellphones, Cameras, Displays, Misc, Gaming, Handhelds, Robots, Transportation, Science, Internet, Google
Tags: Alphabet, android, AndroidExperiments, boozebot, engadget, engadgetdailyshow, engadgetvideo, google, icymi, incaseyoumissedit, MIT, robot, robotbarkeep, video
Google reopens Map Maker edits after digital vandalism
Google is ever so slowly reintroducing Map Maker, the service that allows anyone to contribute to Google Maps. The company was left a little red-faced in May when a prank submission was discovered depicting an Android mascot urinating on the Apple logo. Google eventually took it down and suspended auto-approved edits while it figured out a new moderation system. The answer, it hopes, is to increase its reliance on the community. Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, India, Ukraine and the Philippines are now open for editing again, but this time Google has appointed “regional leads” to double-check the submissions in each area. Google only has so many employees dedicated to Map Maker, so it’s praying the passion of its fans will be enough to avoid any further mishaps.
Filed under:
Google
Via:
Android Police
Source:
Google Product Forums
Tags: android, apple, digitalvandalism, google, googlemapmaker, mapmaker, mascot, urine, vandalism
Niantic Labs, makers of Ingress, being spun off into an independent company
Niantic Labs, the division behind the super popular augmented reality game Ingress will be spun off into a new company. They’re currently a division within Google but will soon become independent of the search giant. There’s no word on if this is a move brought on by the creation of Alphabet but Niantic will NOT be an Alphabet property.
Google will remain a big part of the company while it looks to bring in “new partners” to reach more audiences. Ingress has 12 million installs and 250,00 active players and will begin to transfer data over from Google to the new Niantic company on September 11th. In an email to customers, Niantic has stated that players will be opt out of this. While this doesn’t seem to be a big deal, just remember that even though Niantic is going to become its own company, they will still operate under the umbrella of Google. So your data will still be safe.
“Important Account Information: Niantic Labs is becoming an independent company. We’ll be taking our unique blend of exploration and fun to even bigger audiences with some amazing new partners joining Google as collaborators and backers. Niantic will be building on the success of +Ingress, which has been downloaded more than 12M times, has attracted more than 250,000 people to live events around the world, and has inspired users to collectively walk the distance from the earth to the sun while playing, exploring and discovering. Stay tuned at http://www.NianticLabs.com and our social channels for more information.“
Ingress has been a bit of a phenomenon in Android gaming. While augmented reality games aren’t a huge segment yet, Ingress boasts an impressive player base. It’s even big enough to spawn accessories made just keeping you up and running since the game is so hard on batteries. It’ll be interesting to see where the company heads next.
Source: Android Central via Ingress Google+
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‘Ok Google’ prompt becomes more useful for iOS users
Google has rolled out a new update for its iOS app, which considerably upgrades what its voice prompt can do. Now, the app can take what’s loaded on your browser into account when answering questions. If you’re reading an article about George Washington, for instance, it instantly knows who you’re talking about when you ask: “Ok Google, when did he become president?” No need to specify who “he” is — the assitant even dictates the main answer in addition to returning the typical search results. If you’re reading about a certain location, say Disneyland, you can ask “Ok Google, how do I go to this place?” and it will tell you how to get there by car or other means. The latest version of Google for iOS also returns more detailed local search results and lets you copy-paste from anywhere in the app. You can download it right now from iTunes if you want to be able to do more hands-free search queries.
Filed under:
Misc, Mobile, Google
Via:
9to5mac
Source:
iTunes
Tags: app, google, ios, mobilepostcross, okgoogle
Google Drive web viewer can open files using compatible apps
You can easily launch files within applications on your PCs or Macs from the Google Drive folder, but now you can also do so straight from the cloud service’s web viewer. If you have the viewer loaded on your browser, right click on a file to preview it, then access the “Open With” drop-down menu to see the list of apps you can use. Or, you can just click “Open” to launch the file through the default app associated with it — PDFs, for instance, can instantly fire up Adobe Reader, while photos can open Preview, Photoshop and any other image editor. You need to make sure the GDrive installed on your computer is the latest version (v. 1.23+), and you need to sync your files. Once that’s done, you’ll be able to access your Drive’s contents more quickly.
Source:
Google Drive (Google+)
Tags: cloud, google, googledrive
Android Experiments is Google’s attempt to increase creativity on the platform
The Android platform is a diverse one with a large variety of inventive apps and games, but Google would like to take this a step further. In order to further explore the creative possibilities of the platform, while also giving developers a new place to draw inspiration from, Google introduced “Android Experiments”.
Android Experiments is a site where developers are invited to showcase their most inventive Android and Android Wear apps. With apps like “Inkspace” which allows you to write and draw in 3D space and “Time Mesh”, an Android Wear watch face that changes shape based on motion, the site is already off to a great start. Android Experiments only accepts open-source and currently has 20 apps on the site. The site only posts the best apps, which unfortunately means that some developers will be let down, but they would “love to see [their] creations.”
If you’d like to check out the site, or to submit your own app, visit the site.
The post Android Experiments is Google’s attempt to increase creativity on the platform appeared first on AndroidGuys.
AIVAnet 