Internet-connected toys accused of spying on kids
Smart toys can certainly inject some life into playtime, but they raise big privacy concerns when an internet connection is involved… and if you believe some critics, at least a few toys have crossed the line. Over 18 privacy groups are filing complaints with both the US’ Federal Trade Commission and the European Union alleging that Genesis Toys and its tech partner Nuance are violating deceptive practices and privacy laws (including COPPA) through the way certain toys record kids’ voices. Reportedly, i-Que and My Friend Cayla not only capture kids’ voices without adequate notice or permission, but send it to Nuance with few safeguards over how that information is handled. It could be used in databases that Nuance sells to police and intelligence agencies, the groups say.
The organizations also accuse Genesis of failing to prevent unauthorized Bluetooth devices from connecting to the toys. Someone could eavesdrop on conversations, according to the complaint, raising the threat of “predatory stalking and physical danger.” Bluetooth normally requires that you be relatively close (within 33 feet), but that would still allow someone at a playground or outside the home to snoop on unaware kids.
It’s uncertain whether or not the FTC and EU will address the complaints. We’ve also asked Genesis and Nuance for their responses. However, it won’t be surprising if this prompts some companies to rethink how they make smart toys, including those that use cameras and otherwise capture what kids are doing. Simply speaking, a toy isn’t the same as a smart speaker or other typical voice-activated devices — it’s explicitly aimed at kids, and there are different privacy expectations as a result.
Source: Norwegian Consumer Council
Tim Cook Says Apple Watch Set New Sales Record in First Holiday Shopping Week
Earlier today data from market research firm IDC said that Apple Watch’s share of the wearables market fell to 5% as fitness trackers “reigned supreme.” In an email responding to a Reuters inquiry about the report, Apple CEO Tim Cook said Apple Watch’s sell-through rate hit a new high recently.
“Sales growth is off the charts. In fact, during the first week of holiday shopping, our sell-through of Apple Watch was greater than any week in the product’s history. And as we expected, we’re on track for the best quarter ever for Apple Watch,” he said.
Cook added that Apple’s data shows that the Watch “looks to be one of the most popular holiday gifts this year.” The IDC report estimated that Apple shipped 1.1 million Apple Watch units in the third quarter, down from 3.9 million shipments last year during the same quarter.
IDC attributed the decline to an “aging lineup” and an “unintuitive user interface.” Apple addressed those concerns with the Apple Watch Series 2, but the model’s launch date in mid-September hampered its impact in the third quarter.
While Cook told Reuters that Apple’s sell-through rate was high, he has not yet responded to Reuters’ request for specific sales figures. Apple doesn’t disclose Apple Watch sales figures, instead grouping it into its “other products” category, which also includes iPod and Apple TV, in earnings results.
Related Roundups: Apple Watch Series 2, watchOS 3
Tag: Tim Cook
Buyer’s Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)
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Honda’s NeuV concept fires up its ’emotion engine’
Enthusiasts frequently talk about cars as though they have personalities and feelings, despite that not being the case. However, Honda’s latest concept aims to change that. It’s called the NeuV, and Honda describes it as an “automated EV commuter vehicle” that will be able to have emotions. Kind of.
In conjunction with a company called Cocoro SB, Honda endowed the NeuV with what is called an “emotion engine,” but it’s not what allowed you to play Gran Turismo 3 about 15 years ago. According to a press release from July when Honda announced the collaboration, the technology will allow the car to react to its owner’s conversations and emotions, with the goal being that the owner forms a deeper emotional bond to the vehicle.
The prospect of a car that have feelings is one that leaves us unsure of how to feel ourselves. At least for the sake of the car, we hope the system works well at generating affection, because the shape sure doesn’t. Though the transparent panels are interesting, it’s hard to get excited by a machine that shares more design cues with the Whirlpool line than most conventional automobiles.
As for the idea of emotional cars on a larger scale, it could be awesome, or unsettling. It would be really cool to take a sports car with emotions out for a spirited drive, and for it to feel as happy and joyous as we are behind the wheel. It would be like having a real life Herbie from The Love Bug. However, we also wouldn’t want our cars to become upset with us, and it’s hard not to conjure images of Christine or HAL 9000 when thinking along those lines. If a future Honda refuses to open your doors, start car shopping immediately. In the meantime, we’ll be looking forward to learning more when it debuts at the 2017 Consumer Electronics Show.
Related Video:
Source: Honda
66 of the best Christmas movies you can stream right now
If you’re anything like us, you plan to watch as many Christmas films as possible over the holiday season.
There are tonnes of films to choose from, after all, including cult classics, cute newbies, and of course the occasional oddballs that you secretly love. But instead of trudging through the snow to a video store (if those even exist anymore) to get physical copies, you should just step into the 21st century and stream them. From YouTube to Netflix, movie-streaming services are aplenty. All you have to do is browse the gallery aboe, pick a movie and streaming service, and watch.
- 36 geeky wrapping papers to use on Christmas gifts this year
- Best geek Christmas jumpers: Star Wars, Sonic, Game of Thrones, etc
As we’re in a festive/giving spirit though, you don’t even have to do that, because we’ve rounded up 66 of the best Christmas movies available to stream online right now. Some of them cost a tiny bit of money, while others are free. We’ve even included some non-traditional Holiday movies. Remember, you can check JustWatch.com to find any movie – Christmas or whatever – across all the streaming services out there, though we added links to streams in our gallery.
You’ll also find trailers and ratings. Happy Christmas!
Click here to browse the gallery.
Tech giants band together to fight terrorist content online
Some of the biggest names in tech have concocted a plan to combat the spread of terrorist content online together. Facebook, Microsoft, Twitter and Alphabet-owned YouTube are creating a shared database of “hashes” for any terror-related content they remove from their services. Hashes are unique code identifiers associated with each photo and video that computers can use for identification. For instance, if Facebook spots a new recruitment or (heaven forbid) beheading video on its website, the social network will give it a hash before and upload it to the database. The websites won’t automatically purge photos and videos in the database, though — each service will still review and remove them on their own.
According to The Wall Street Journal, this partnership was a direct result of the companies’ regular meetings with European Union officials. European authorities have been putting the pressure on internet companies to do something to curb the spread of terrorist propaganda, since extremists have been using their platforms to spread their message. Twitter, for one, had to shut down hundreds of thousands of accounts associated with ISIS and other extremist groups this past year.
The other companies are pretty experienced in fighting off terror content, as well. Microsoft started auto-purging them from Xbox Live, Outlook Docs and its other services in May this year. In June, Reuters reported that YouTube and Facebook, among other internet companies, were using automated systems to find and remove terror-related images and videos. They reportedly uploaded their finds to a shared database, as well, though it’s unclear whether that earlier experimental effort is associated with this collaboration. WSJ says the four companies will begin sharing their hashes next year and are open to welcoming new additions to the group in the future.
Source: Twitter, Facebook
‘Pizzagate’ and the real danger of fake news
The internet has always had its fair share of fake news and hoaxes, but it wasn’t until recently that it’s become an issue of national importance. One of the more vexing questions is whether or not fake news could have influenced the outcome of the election — would a false story about the Pope endorsing Trump be enough to sway voters, for example. While fake news leading to a misinformed voter is certainly of concern, it can also lead to dangerous and potentially violent situations.
That’s what happened last Sunday when Edgar Maddison Welch went into a Comet Ping Pong, a pizzeria in Washington D.C. with an AR-15 assault rifle and fired one or more shots. In his words, he was there to “self-investigate” Pizzagate, a conspiracy theory which alleges that Hillary Clinton and campaign manager John Podesta were leaders of a child sex trafficking ring run from the restaurant’s basement.
It’s a pretty crazy story, but it gained traction quickly. Initially spun out of 4chan, the news spread to Reddit and then to fake news sites. The story grew larger and more convoluted; people started to accuse the Democratic Party of running an even larger international child trafficking ring, and that Podesta’s emails to Clinton contained “code” words that had hidden meaning pertaining to the alleged trafficking.
What’s worse is that the conspiracy theory received major traction by right-wing outlets like InfoWars and Alex Jones. Another apparent Pizzagate believer is Michael G. Flynn, who happens to be the son of General Michael Flynn, Trump’s choice as his National Security Advisor. When CNN anchor Jake Tapper questioned his Pizzagate beliefs, stating that there is no evidence of it, Flynn instead demanded evidence of it not being true, which is far harder. The burden of proof here lies with the accuser.
Even the General himself retweeted a fake news site that alleged Clinton and her aides were responsible for “child exploitation” and “sex crimes.” Many Trump supporters fell for it too.
Before long, the news was shared and spread on Facebook and Twitter many times over, and thousands appear to have fallen for it. The pizzeria started receiving death threats via phone and social media. Examples include: “I will kill you personally.”
Obviously fake news is bad because it results in an ill-informed public. But it’s a whole other thing when someone believes in falsehoods so fervently that they’re willing to take dangerous and potentially violent actions because of it, just like Welch had done.
This is especially disconcerting when you consider fake news that peddles not just in misinformation, but also hate. There was a series of false stories in Myanmar that aimed to malign Muslims by claiming they had attacked Buddhist sites. Though discredited by the police, the news spread nonetheless, fueling anti-Muslim sentiment, leading to more attacks against the country’s minority Rohingya Muslim population.
Even if Zuckerberg is right in saying that only 1 percent of Facebook has fake news, that’s one percent too many if it leads down this dangerous path of distrust and violence.
Android Security Bulletin: Everything you need to know
Fixing the latest bugs and exploits in Android every month.
Google has detailed the latest Android Security Bulletin and released the fixes for Nexus and Pixel devices.
These are exploits and other security concerns that affect Android as a whole. Issues with the operating system, kernel patches, and driver updates may not affect any particular device, but these need to be fixed in the Android base by the folks maintaining the operating system code. That means Google, and they’ve detailed the things they have improved for this month.
Updated factory images for Pixel and Nexus devices that are supported are available, and over-the-air updates are rolling out to users. If you don’t want to wait you can download and flash the factory image or OTA update file manually, and here are some handy instructions to get you started.
How to manually update your Nexus or Pixel
The company who made your phone uses these patches to send an update out to you.
These changes have been released to the people making Android phones for at least 30 days, but Google can’t force anyone to deliver them to you. If you’re using a phone from Samsung, LG or anyone besides Google, you’ll need to wait for them to send an update and shouldn’t try to flash any of the above files.
Of course, Google has safety checks in place to prevent any problems on your phone because of any security exploits. Verify Apps and SafetyNet are at work anytime you add an app to your phone, and seamless updates to Google Play Services will keep them up to date regardless of any hold up from a manufacturer or carrier. Details and incident numbers can be found in the yearly Android Security Review (.pdf file).
Highlights for December 2016
December 2016’s update comes with two patch dates: 12/01/2016 and 12/05/2016.
- Fixes in the 12/01 update cover Android in general, and address issues with the Android operating system itself. The most serious exploit addressed was in the CURL library (software used to transfer data that covers most transfer protocols and security certificates), where a man-in-the-middle attack could be performed by someone with a spoofed security certificate. Other patches for Smart Lock, the telephony system, and comm stack are also included.
- The 12/05 patch date covers issues with the kernel or drivers. These aren’t part of Android, but Google is the central maintainer and assembles updated code and resources from the folks making the hardware components. This time we see fixes for serious exploits from Qualcomm, MediaTek, and NVIDIA — so chances are your phone needs these. Samsung’s Exynos chips are covered outside of the Android Security Bulletin and are patched by Samsung themselves.
If you get an update with a patch date of 12/05 you also have every issue addressed by the 12/01 update in place.
What is Amazon Go and how does it work?
Tech companies are constantly exploring new ways to sell us their goods, and Amazon’s latest example has plenty of people scratching their heads.
The online retailer has announced it is opening a brick-and-mortar physical store in Seattle, Washington, so that you can start buying your goods from Amazon in person rather than through Amazon.com. But the most unique thing about this store, which is called Amazon Go, is that it doesn’t have any registers. You simply walk in, pick out what you want, and walk out. Amazon is calling this a “Just Walk Out” shopping experience.
Here’s everything you need to know about Amazon Go.
What is Amazon Go?
Amazon has described Amazon Go as “a new kind of store with no checkout required”. That means, when you shop at Amazon Go, you’ll never have to wait in line. The store works with the new Amazon Go app. With that app, you can enter Amazon Go, take the products you want, and go. The first Amazon Go store is basically a grocery store with roughly 1,800 square feet of retail space.
Amazon said it began working on the store concept four years ago, with the idea that it wanted to “push the boundaries of computer vision and machine learning to create a store where customers could simply take what they want and go”. Amazon Go therefore uses the same types of technologies found in self-driving cars, such as computer vision, sensor fusion, and deep learning.
This technology can detect when products are taken or returned to the shelves and keeps track of them in your virtual cart. When you leave the store with your goods, Amazon will charge your Amazon account (presumably the default payment option tied to the account), and send you a receipt.
What can you buy at Amazon Go?
Amazon
Here’s what Amazon is selling in its first Amazon Go store:
“We offer delicious ready-to-eat breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack options made fresh every day by our on-site chefs and favorite local kitchens and bakeries. Our selection of grocery essentials ranges from staples like bread and milk to artisan cheeses and locally made chocolates. You’ll find well-known brands we love, plus special finds we’re excited to introduce to customers. For a quick home-cooked dinner, pick up one of our chef-designed Amazon Meal Kits, with all the ingredients you need to make a meal for two in about 30 minutes.”
How does Amazon Go work?
Amazon Go app
Amazon
To get started with Amazon Go, you need an Amazon account, a supported smartphone, and the free Amazon Go app. Amazon hasn’t announced which smartphones it’ll support, but we’re assuming the latest Android and iOS phones, based on its advert above. The video shows customers opening the Amazon Go app on their phones, then holding it to a scanning device, which works like a subway turnstile, and entering the store.
Customers then put away their phones and began shopping. Some people had Amazon Go-branded orange recycling bags, while others simply had their own totes or nothing at all. Customers picked up items, mulled purchasing them, and sometimes put items back on the shelf. But once they had everything they wanted, they could just go. The video shows people leaving the store — sometimes while even drinking or eating what they bought.
At least one woman in the video pulled out her phone to see her receipt. From that screen, we could see most of the Amazon Go app. It had a navigation bar at the bottom with tabs for four screens: “Key”, “Receipts”, “About”, and “More”. The Key screen seems to bring up the QR code that the store’s turnstiles scan to let you in, while the Receipts screen serves up what you bought after you’ve left.
Just Walk Out technology
Amazon
Amazon said it is using a combination of artificial intelligence, computer vision, and data pulled from multiple sensors to allow customers to only be charged for the stuff they picked up. The computer vision aspect seems to indicate that there are cameras being used to track you in the store. It’ll be interesting to see whether Amazon can successfully prevent stopping theft and fraud.
A patent application filed by Amazon in early 2015 first revealed details about a new kind of retail store that would allow Amazon customers to pick items and leave without stopping at a cashier register or kiosk. The patent described a store that would work using a system of cameras, sensors, or RFID readers to identify shoppers and the items they’ve chosen. Here’s an excerpt:
“[W]hen the customer passes through the exit (transition area) of the retail location, the items picked by the user may be automatically transitioned from the materials handling facility to the user and the user may be charged a fee for the items. … For example, if the user is purchasing items from a retail location, rather than the user having to stop and ‘check out’ with a cashier, teller or automated check station, because the picked items are already known and identified on an item identifier list associated with the user, the user may simply exit the retail location with the items. The exit of the user will be detected and, as the user passes through the exit (transition area), the user, without having to stop or otherwise be delayed, will automatically be charged a fee for the items (the items are transitioned to the user).”
So, according to this Amazon patent application, which could be describing Amazon’s new Just Walk Out technology, when a person exits the Amazon Go store, the store’s system triggers a receipt that is sent to the shopper indicating the items sold and the purchase price. As to how Amazon would be able to connect a product with a specific shopper, the application describes the use of cameras that would take photos.
They would take photos when a person entered the store, removed something from a shelf, and left with an item in their hands. There is also a mention of “facial recognition” and user information, which may include, but is not limited to, images of the user, height of the user, weight of the user, a username and password, user biometrics, user purchase history, etc.
Needless to say, Amazon is being pretty vague right now, and we’re not entirely sure if this patent application accurately describes the current iteration of Just Walk Out technology. However, if it is a camera-tracking system that also uses AI in the form of facial recognition or user biometrics, as well as sensors, such as something in the label of products, we could see the technology stoking some privacy concerns.
Where is Amazon Go located?
Amazon
The first Amazon Go store is located at 2131 7th Ave, Seattle, Washington. It’s on the corner of 7th Avenue and Blanchard Street.
When will Amazon Go be available?
Amazon Go is currently open to Amazon employees in beta. Amazon said it will make the store open to the public in early 2017.
Go here to get notified when the store opens.
What’s next for Amazon Go?
Amazon hasn’t said if it is planning more stores, nor has it really detailed what’s next, but we could see Amazon using its first Amazon Go storefront to better develop the Just Walk Out technology. It could then license the tech to other stores and make money from it. If the tech gets good enough, it could ideally put an end to retail theft, because when you try to walk out of a store with a stolen item, you’d still be charged.
But all that’s just speculation.
Want to know more?
Check out Pocket-lint’s Amazon hub for related news.
Demand for wearable tech is growing (but not for smartwatches)
If you were hoping the smartwatch market would bounce back from its recent slump when a slew of new models hit the market, you’re about to be disappointed. IDC estimates that wearable device shipments grew ever so slightly (3.1 percent) in the third quarter of 2016, but that fitness trackers were almost exclusively responsible for the increase. Fitbit, Garmin and other activity band makers improved their shipments by the double digits, while the smartwatch world actually shrank.
Apple still leads the smartwatch sphere in these estimates, with 1.1 million Apple Watches shipped over the summer. However, that’s a steep drop of roughly 70 percent year-over-year — Apple was moving 3.9 million in the third quarter of 2015. Samsung was a rare star in this field with shipments doubling, although IDC cautions that the numbers are artificially inflated thanks to Galaxy Note 7 buyers who got to keep their free Gear Fit 2 and Gear IconX extras despite having to return the phone. A significant chunk of its shipments came from cellular-equipped Gear S2 watches sold through carriers.
It’s hard to say how much of a decline the smartwatch market is facing, assuming it faces one at all. Apple Watch Series 2 only started shipping two weeks before the quarter ended, and Samsung’s Gear S3 didn’t arrive until mid-November. A recovery was unlikely during the summer — if it happens, it’ll be thanks to holiday shoppers picking up new models. No matter what, it’s clear that smartwatches aren’t as red-hot as companies initially thought they would be.
Via: 9to5Mac
Source: IDC
Android is not iOS, December 2016 edition
Marshmallow rises while KitKat slowly melts.
December’s Android distribution numbers are out, and they’re boring. Android is still not iOS, and things don’t change in large increments, so haters will still hate and defenders will still hate.
Impressively, Android 6.0 Marshmallow now holds the single version crown with 26.3% share. That takes over Android 4.4 KitKat, the previous leader, which dropped 1.2% to 24% even. Lollipop cumulatively holds the lead with 34%, divided between versions 5.0 and 5.1.
Android distribution numbers, December 2016
Nougat rose a modest 0.1% in the month to 0.4% total, which seems small but with the total Android install base is actually quite a big number. That should increase more quickly when devices like the Galaxy S6, Note 5, and Galaxy S7 begin receiving Nougat en masse in 2017.
Meanwhile versions under KitKat — Jelly Bean, Ice Cream Sandwich, Gingerbread and Froyo — still comprise a ridiculous 15.3% of the install base, and that number is ever-so-slowly dropping as people upgrade their phones and tablets.
Here at AC, the user traffic numbers are very different, with the vast majority of people on either Android 6.0 Marshmallow or 7.0 Nougat. Very few people hold anything below Lollipop.
What version of Android is your phone or tablet running?
Android Nougat
- Android 7.0 Nougat: Everything you need to know
- Will my phone get Android Nougat?
- Google Pixel + Pixel XL review
- All Android Nougat news
- How to manually update your Nexus or Pixel
- Join the Discussion
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