US and UK spy agencies are exploiting flaws in security software
Those worries that governments are trying to undermine security software? They’re well-founded. The Intercept has learned that both the US’ National Security Agency and the UK’s Government Communications Headquarters have been reverse engineering security software, such as antivirus tools and encryption programs, to look for flaws that can be used in surveillance hacks. Some of the targets in recent years include Kaspersky Lab’s security suite (sound familiar?), Acer’s eDataSecurity and Exlade’s CrypticDisk. GCHQ also deconstructed numerous other commonly available programs, including vBulletin’s forum software and popular server management tools.
The NSA, at least, has taken things one step further. A 2010 presentation reveals that the agency was monitoring threat reports sent to antivirus and firewall software makers in the hopes of finding exploits, whether they’re brand new forms of malware or vulnerabilities in the defensive apps themselves. It’s easier than you might think, too. It’s not always possible to update virus definitions very quickly, and many antivirus developers can take weeks or months to patch exploits in their own code.
There’s a number of concerns with these activities beyond the spying itself. GCHQ’s reverse engineering stretched interpretations of the law, and the organization spent extensive time buttering up the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to get approval for its activities. And as Kaspersky suggested after discovering a breach in its networks, there’s a betrayal of trust here — intelligence agencies are compromising the very programs that are meant to keep you safe.
[Image credit: AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky]
Filed under: Internet, Software
Source: The Intercept (1), (2)
Microsoft sends mixed signals about free Windows 10 upgrades
Microsoft has managed to confuse us (again) about its Windows 10 upgrade policy. Last week, it said Insider Program preview users would “receive the Windows 10 final release build and remain activated.” While testing the buggy preview hasn’t been easy, the offer sounded too good to be true since it meant that virtually anyone could get a free copy. However, yesterday Microsoft quietly removed the “remain activated” part of the article and clarified that only owners of a genuine Windows 7 or 8.1 copy would get the next version for free when it arrives on July 29th.
@ZacB_ @joebelfiore Yes, as long as running a prerelease build connected with registered MSA: http://t.co/vlaGyfwzbr
– Gabriel Aul (@GabeAul) June 21, 2015
To make things even murkier, Microsoft’s Gabriel Aul later said that Windows 10 insiders would remain activated when the final release arrives, as long as they had an associated MIcrosoft account. We think that means that previewers who don’t have a valid Windows 7/8.1 copy will still get a “legit” copy that can be updated, but not a valid license. In other words, you can have the software for personal use, but don’t try to use it commercially. This jibes with previous Microsoft statements that it would provide a “mechanism” for all users to get a free copy, pirates included.
Assuming our guess is accurate, it’s not clear whether Microsoft has actually changed its upgrade policy or just made an error on the original post. We do know, however, that It would have been nice if it had updated it with some kind of explanation, rather than just slipping in new wording and leaving it up to the internet to guess.
Taylor Swift slams Apple for skimping on Music royalties during trials
Taylor Swift isn’t just miffed at Spotify for its low payouts to musicians… she has a beef with Apple, too. The pop star has written an open letter saying that Apple Music won’t get her latest album, 1989, because the service isn’t paying artists or producers during subscribers’ 3-month trial period. According to Swift, it’s not about her own cut. She’s more concerned about the “young songwriter” who’s counting on that first single to stay afloat. While she’s a fan of Apple steering listeners toward paid streaming, she doesn’t think that it’s fair to ask people to “work for nothing,” especially when the iPhone maker has plenty of spare change to spend.
Apple hasn’t responded to the letter, and we’ve reached out to see what the Cupertino crew says. However, it’s already clear that the dispute over Apple Music’s long unpaid trials will have consequences for your access to major label musicians, not just indies. While Apple is paying a higher than normal rate in hopes of making up for the royalty-free period, that may not matter much if your favorite singer is upset enough to pull some of her catalog in protest.
[Image credit: John Davisson/Invision/AP]
Filed under: Internet, Software, Apple
Source: Taylor Swift (Tumblr)
Facebook and Google get neural networks to create art
For Facebook and Google, it’s not enough for computers to recognize images… they should create images, too. Both tech firms have just shown off neural networks that automatically generate pictures based on their understanding of what objects look like. Facebook’s approach uses two of these networks to produce tiny thumbnail images. The technique is much like what you’d experience if you learned painting from a harsh (if not especially daring) critic. The first algorithm creates pictures based on a random vector, while the second checks them for realistic objects and rejects the fake-looking shots; over time, you’re left with the most convincing results. The current output is good enough that 40 percent of pictures fooled human viewers, and there’s a chance that they’ll become more realistic with further refinements.
Google’s take heads in the opposite direction. Instead of striving for realism, it’s producing art by letting the neural network run wild and decide on the visual elements that it wants to emphasize. If you give the machine a photo of the sky and it thinks there are birds in the scene, it’ll keep amplifying those avian traits until they’re impossible to miss. The finished work is more than a little trippy, especially if you give it random noise as its source material — as you can see above, the results give impressionist and surrealist painters a run for their money. You’re not likely to see these Facebook and Google programs replacing human artists and photographers, but they’re skilled enough to draw images you might enjoy.
Filed under: Science, Internet, Software, Google, Facebook
Via: The Next Web, Singularity Hub
Source: Facebook (ArXiv.org), Google Research Blog
Motorola starts pushing Android 5.1 Lollipop to 1st Gen Moto X
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The long awaited Android 5.1 Lollipop update for the 1st Gen Moto X is finally, and officially, on the way to various retail versions of the phone. Motorola’s software product manager, David Schuster, made the announcement via his G+ page earlier today. The update is rolling out to the US, Brazil and Rogers in Canada.
The update is a pretty big deal for the 1st gen device. It pulls it off Android 4.4 and pushes it strait to 5.1. As one would expect,it brings in all the wonderful, and beautiful, animations of Lollipop along with all the features like the new Recent Apps feature, selecting Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections from the quick settings, the new notification system and Smart Lock (trusted devices). The improvements and changes are pretty extensive, feel free to read over most of them at the Motorola Moto X 1st Gen release notes page. I don’t see the Chop Twice gesture for the flashlight that they included in the 2nd Gen Moto X 5.1 update though. That doesn’t mean it isn’t there. They do say they added in a quick toggle for it in the notification panel though.
The release seems to be directed toward non US carrier branded variants of the device. Those of you bought it outright, and unlocked, from Motorola will probably see the update long before hand. Once again, the carriers get in the way. I certainly hope that they get busy on making it available and don’t just skip on past it like we have seen in the past. If you have an unlocked version bounce into Settings > About Phone > System Update. If you are gifted the update, make sure you have well over 50% battery life, a solid Wi-Fi connection and some time to let it download and install. If you see it available let us know how the install goes and how you like it.
Source: David Schuster G+ | Motorola Via Androidandme
The post Motorola starts pushing Android 5.1 Lollipop to 1st Gen Moto X appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Amazon launches Fire OS 5 dev preview, based on Android Lollipop
Amazon is still trucking along with its customized version of Android — though we’d imagine updates are more focused on the company’s Kindle Fire tablets and TV hardware, rather than the disastrous Fire Phone. Developers can get their hands on a preview version of Fire OS 5 today, while the final version is coming later this fall. The new OS finally brings Android Lollipop to the company’s devices, though you likely won’t see many of Google’s interface improvements under Amazon’s skin. The addition of Lollipop should also make Fire OS 5 compatible with more Android apps than before. Amazon’s also updated its online testing service to tell developers if their apps are compatible with the new OS in 90 seconds.
[Photo credit: AP Photo/Reed Saxon]
Filed under: Software, Mobile, Amazon
Source: Amazon
Google further embraces custom Android with standalone clock app
Google released a standalone clock in the Play Store this week. While Mountain View has been keen on serving up pieces of the Nexus experience (read: unskinned Android) for a while now, this latest release provides more evidence that the company is going all-in on a la carte apps. For users of devices other than a Nexus or Moto X — which also offers a nearly bloat-free OS — this means they can take advantage of the core pieces of Android and the larger Google ecosystem. In other words, you can customize a Samsung or HTC device how you see fit. It’s like Google is making what we commonly refer to as “stock” Android another skin, but in separate apps so that users can choose exactly what they want. Since last April, users have been able to install a standalone Camera app built by Google, while Gmail, Maps, Messenger and Calendar have their own individual software, too.
In addition, there’s a standalone Google Now launcher available for download. That piece of software puts the handy card-based virtual assistant a swipe away and brings “OK Google” voice controls to the device of your choosing. Other handset and tablet manufacturers are set on draping Android in a custom cloak, but Google is making sure users have a choice. Don’t like the way the clock looks on your Samsung Galaxy S6? Want easy access to Google Now on that HTC One M9? The idea of these separate add-ons, especially the Google Now launcher, gives you a way to ditch Sense or TouchWiz for Google’s own vision. Mountain View is giving you the means to swap in its Nexus-style tools by releasing key pieces of the operating system through its app store. This also means that the company can update the core experience without having to wait for the next version of Android to push big changes.
Google isn’t limiting itself to Android’s features, either. It’s also breaking it core services up into individual apps. For example, Drive had the tools for editing Docs, Sheets and Slides before Google turned them into separate apps. This gives users direct access to what’s needed to create a spreadsheet or tweak a presentation without having to dive through Drive’s menus. More importantly, it also means that if you only plan to use Sheets, you don’t have to Slides as well. And most recently Google separated Photos from its home within Google+. Obviously, it still ties into Google’s web services, but it’s another step in building a Google Experience that’s no longer anchored to “stock” Android.
See, Google realizes that the ability to skin and customize Android is part of what makes it so appealing to phone manufacturers. But, it’s also what makes it so appealing to users. And the company wants to make sure that if you want a “pure” Google experience you can get it, even if you buy your phone from Samsung.
Filed under: Software, Mobile, Google
Via: Android Police
Source: Google Play
Lyft pays $300k to get New York off its back
One downside of reinventing an industry is that you can sometimes forget that the red tape you’re bravely circumventing was put in place for a reason. It’s a lesson that Lyft has learned the hard way after being fined $300,000 by New York for operating a taxi service without the proper insurance. As far as Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is concerned, ride-sharing outfits are welcome in his state, but only if they’re making sure they obey the rules and ensure that their customers are safe.
That means that, from now on, all Lyft drivers will have to have the proper insurance — supplied by a business operating and regulated within New York State. As part of that, the company can’t offer, sell or provide insurance for drivers if said policies aren’t governed by New York insurance law.
The list of obligations doesn’t end there, since Lyft will now be obliged to give authorities three weeks’ notice whenever it plans to expand into a new city. Officials in Buffalo and Rochester felt aggrieved when the company set up shop there in April 2014 without even so much as a courtesy call and a basket of fruit.
If you hadn’t noticed, as these ride-sharing companies have grown in stature, so has the target that’s planted on their backs. There’s plenty of accusations involved, including not paying drivers fairly, not observing the nuances of employment law, not taking safety seriously enough and not respecting the established players in the market. Still, these growing pains are worth it given the pile of cash that’s waiting for the winner at the end of this battle.
[Image Credit: AP]
Filed under: Transportation, Software
Via: Washington Post
Source: NY Attorney General’s Office
Twitter tests pages that collect tweets about places and products
Twitter started life as a way to let your friends know what you were doing and thinking. But everyday the glorified status update service evolves in an attempt to be all things to all people and, more importantly for its bottom line, all companies. Twitter is experimenting with pages dedicated to specific products and places. This is a little different from the new event specific feeds and the dedicated buy button that debuted last year. Rather than just a button a company can embed in a tweet, this is basically a profile dedicated complete to a product. That includes a photo or a video about it, plus a description, price and, obviously, the option to buy it. But, just as important, below that you’ll find a bunch of relevant tweets, including posts about the product from people you follow, news updates from the company itself or other related content. And of course, similar pages can be built for places such as restaurants or museums. Twitter is also allowing tastemakers and brands to curate their own collections of places and goods. So, if you needed to find all of the products that Demi Lovato has endorsed you could in one quick trip to Twitter.
Filed under: Internet, Software
Source: Twitter
Redditor gives us an adorable reason why Android M should be Android Marshmellow
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Every year, around this time, we’re often pondering what dessert Google is going to name their next version of Android after. This year with Android M, we’ve had great suggestions like Milkshake, Mint and Milk Chocolate, but one Redditor has put his 2 cents in about why he thinks it should be called Android Marshmellow. CaptGarfield provided the following image he created to illustrate his point of view and his argument is… well, adorable.
In the style of Stay Puft Marshmellow Man from Ghostbusters, you can almost see a life-size version of this marshmellow Andy sitting on the Google HQ front lawn. Too bad that licensing and trademarks would make this a minefield for Google to navigate and get the rights to, but it’s always nice to imagine. What do you think Android M should be? Do you like Android Marshmellow? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
The post Redditor gives us an adorable reason why Android M should be Android Marshmellow appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
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