Specializing in Computer Repair, Networking, Internet Solutions, Web Designing, Hybrid App Designing and Windows Operating systems.
Intel's decision to consider outsourcing manufacturing heralds the end of an era in which the company, and the US, dominated the semiconductor industry — - World's largest chipmaker considers outsourcing manufacturing — Crucial technology expertise is shifting overseas, to TSMC
A Garmin employee confirms that the company's servers were hit by WastedLocker, a ransomware variant developed by Russia-based cybercriminal group Evil Corp — 07/24/20 Update below. This article was originally published on July 23rd, 2020. It has been updated to reflect that BleepingComputer …
A vigilante hacker has been sabotaging the Emotet malware botnet, replacing a quarter of daily payloads with animated GIFs, stopping victims from being infected — Emotet botnet activity goes down as Emotet admins are wrestling with a vigilante for control over parts of their infrastructure.
StuffThatWorks, a crowdsourcing platform for data-driven treatments for chronic conditions, raises $9M seed funding from Bessemer Venture Partners and others — The company develops a crowdsourcing platform, that provides data-driven insight into the most effective treatments for chronic conditions …
Sea Machines Robotics, a provider of software and equipment for autonomous boats and ships, raises $15M Series B led by Accomplice — Autonomous vessel software and systems provider Sea Machines Robotics today closed a $15 million funding round to accelerate deployment of its technologies in the unmanned naval boat and ship market.
NTT Disruption, which acquired Jibo's assets, says the social robot will remain operational for existing owners as it plans to target the enterprise market — Jibo was supposed to die over a year ago, yet somehow, it's still alive. The social, lovable robot went viral on Twitter last March …
Source: the rescheduled House Judiciary antitrust subcommittee hearing featuring CEOs of Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google will take place this Wednesday — The CEOs of Apple, Facebook, Amazon and Google will now testify before the House Judiciary antitrust subcommittee on Wednesday …
This year's Xbox Games Showcase made it clear that Microsoft's true focus for next generation Xbox gaming is not on hardware but on Xbox Game Pass subscription — If you were heading into Microsoft's Xbox game showcase yesterday to witness a demonstration of why next-gen gaming and the …
Joker malware is yet another threat to your privacy and sensitive information. It recently attacked mobile Android devices across the globe, which lead to the removal of several apps from the Google Play Store.
That said, Joker malware is anything but a joke. If you want to keep your device secure, you’ll need to know what Joker malware is, and how it works.
This deceptive malware is called “Joker” for a reason—the malware hides behind the mask of a seemingly authentic app and preys on unknowing users. You might also see Joker malware called Bread, which are both the same thing.
Google first encountered this threat in 2017, and it’s still an ongoing issue. The persistent hackers behind Joker malware constantly find ways to manipulate the Google Play Store’s security flaws, allowing the camouflaged malware to go undetected.
Joker’s authors have several methods to get their infected app past the security protocols in the Play Store. In fact, they even make a malware-free version of the app, upload it to the Google Play Store, and then later install the malware on your device by cloaking it as an “app update.”
When you install an app infected with Joker malware, it signs you up for a paid subscription without your permission. To make matters worse, Joker malware can also get hold of your contacts, SMS messages, and your device information. It’s difficult to get your money back after falling victim to this scam, so it’s important to prevent infection before it even happens.
Apps infected with Joker malware don’t blatantly ask for your private information. The malware is much sneakier than that, making it even harder to realise when you’ve become a victim.
The first type of Joker malware mainly relied on SMS fraud. By sending an SMS message to a premium number from your phone, Joker malware would sign you up for subscriptions or make payments without your knowledge. Since these premium services and subscription plans are often partnered with mobile carriers, you’d typically see these unwanted charges on your cellphone bill.
In early 2019, Google tightened restrictions on apps that asked to access your Call Log or SMS. Thanks to this policy change, many Joker-infected apps were caught, and later removed from the Play Store. The implementation of Google Play Protect has also helped keep Android devices safe.
Despite Google’s efforts, Joker malware persists. Research by Check Point has found a new kind of Joker malware that’s just as deceitful as the last. Instead of engaging in SMS fraud, it now uses an old trick that’s typically found in Windows malware.
After landing on your device, Joker malware downloads a an executable DEX file from a command-and-control server. This code is used to secretly sign you up to premium subscriptions. It then proceeds to prevent subscription confirmation notifications from popping up on your phone.
To do this, Joker malware takes advantage of Notification Listener, an Android feature that gives apps access to your device’s notifications. The malware hijacks the Notification Listener, allowing it to interfere with your push notifications.
The most recent version of Joker malware manages to get past Google’s security using a clever technique. According to Check Point, “the new variant now hides the malicious DEX file inside the application as Base64 encoded strings, ready to be decoded and loaded.”
This means that when the app gets placed on the Play Store, there’s no sign of malware. It’s only when users actually download the app that the malware bares its teeth.
Google recently removed 11 apps from the Play Store that contain Joker malware. If you have any of the following apps, uninstall them immediately:
While most of these malicious apps function as alternative messaging apps, others include an image compressor, reminder alarm, a wallpaper app, and more. If any of these apps sound familiar to you, check your mobile and credit card bills. Any sketchy-looking transactions or subscriptions could be a sign of Joker malware.
Since Joker-infected apps look legitimate from the outside, you’ll need to take some extra precautions when downloading apps. The above photo is an example of an app infected by Joker malware—looks pretty legit, right? That’s just how much these infected apps can blend in with all the rest.
You should also keep in mind that many Joker-infected apps have fake user reviews on the Play Store. These positive reviews build trust, and also entice you to download the app.
Fortunately, it’s fairly easy to spot fake reviews once you know what to look for. If you see any duplicate reviews under an app, the reviews are likely fake. The same goes for generic reviews that make no mention of the app’s name.
Besides knowing how to identify an unsafe app on the Play Store, you can also protect yourself by installing a reliable security app on your device. You might not think you need an antivirus app on your Android, but it can definitely come in handy when trying to combat Joker malware.
Lastly, you should only install apps that you really trust. Do some extra research on any apps that you want to download. If you see any sign of a scam, avoid it at all costs.
Although Google managed to take down over 1,700 Joker-infected apps in January 2020, and later removed the 11 apps listed above, that doesn’t mean we’re completely safe. Joker malware is still out there, and will likely stay there for a while. It’s constantly adapting to the Play Store’s security policies, which means it’ll continue to evolve as time goes on.
Does this mean that some apps on the Play Store are currently hiding Joker malware? Unfortunately, some apps have probably made it past security protocols. This only means you need to exercise some extra caution when downloading apps.
Just because there are dangerous apps out there doesn’t mean you have to stop installing APKs from third-party sites. Stay secure, and download from one of these best sites for safe Android APKs.
Read the full article: What Is Joker Malware? How to Protect Yourself From This Threat
Are you dumb or are you smart? These free online cognitive tests and experiments will calculate your brainpower compared to the average person.
There are a ton of online IQ tests, but there is more to smarts than intelligence alone. Some of these tests are completely non-verbal. Others have been around since the 1930s and are still relevant. Some are used by the NFL, and some will even find your inherent biases. And they’re all free.
Disclaimer: While these are popular psychological tests, don’t take the results too seriously. If you think you need a cognitive test to check any degeneration in your mental faculties, seek professional medical help rather than online tests.
The Wonderlic Test is a common cognitive test used in a number of job interviews like business, school, nursing, mechanics, product management, and even the NFL. You can take a timed Wonderlic test online for free to see how you’d do.
The 12-minute timed test has multiple-choice answers for its 50 questions. The questions span a variety of brain tests like memory, mathematics, linear logic, lateral thinking, and other cognitive abilities. The website encourages you not to use a calculator because one won’t be provided in a real-life Wonderlic test either.
At the end of the 12-minute timer, the test ends and you’ll get your score along with a chart. The chart notes how well you did, but I’d advise you to take that with a pinch of salt. Beat The Wonderlic sells courses on how to get better at the test, so it’s in their best interest to make you believe you aren’t doing as well as you might be. If you’re interested in something like that, check how brain-training games can help you.
Many IQ tests require a good understanding of the English language or mathematical skills. But what about good old logic and common sense? Aren’t those more handy faculties to have for problem solving? Dr. John Raven thought so, and set about creating a completely non-verbal IQ test.
The Raven Matrices Test shows you a series of shapes and symbols, with one missing part. By using the rest as clues, you have to find out the missing shape from the six options given to you. It gets progressively more difficult as you go through the various levels from A to E.
Each level has 12 questions in this version by Psycho-Tests, based on the original Raven suggestions. It is a non-timed test so you can take as long as you need. In the end, it will tell you your IQ based on your answers, and what percentile of the global population you rank in.
In 1930, John Ridley Stroop discovered a phenomenon called “interference” and formed a test for it, called the Stroop Test. Since then, mental health experts applied this test in a variety of brain scans to check how attentive and responsive one is.
In the main Stroop Test, you are shown a series of color words (red, blue, green, yellow) written in different colors. Your objective is to name the color while ignoring the letters it spells out. Press R, G, B, or Y on the keyboard as quickly as possible, giving the name of the color. It is a lot more difficult than it sounds.
The Stroop Test indicates how quickly you can stop your natural response to a stimulus (like reading) and switch to a different task. You can take a few different versions of the test online:
Speaking of PsyToolkit, you must visit this great resource to understand and try online demonstrations of 25 free cognitive tests. It’s one of the few websites that doesn’t need Adobe Flash to run these.
It hosts cool implementations of several N-back task tests to see how good your short term memory is. You’ll also find other popular psychological tests like the Iowa Gambling Task, Deary-Liewald Task, and Wisconsin Card Sorting Task.
If you don’t know what these mean or what they measure, don’t worry, PsyToolkit will guide you through each step. It has a clear description of the experiment, how to take it, and what the measures indicate. Psychology students can even use the website’s resources and the code to create their own versions for free.
It’s natural and human to build biases. Social behavior and cues around us condition our brain into developing quick responses and automatic reactions, which might be incorrect. Researchers at Harvard started Project Implicit to calculate your inherent biases, in a series of free online tests.
Largely, Project Implicit tests two types of biases: social and health. Among the social biases, pick your country of origin or residence before you begin, as the cues and tests differ by nation. Here are a few examples of both social and health tests:
There are many more like this at the Project Implicit website. Most tests require a mouse or a keyboard, but you can also take some tests with a touchscreen device. Typically, each test takes about 8-10 minutes of your time, if you pay attention.
There are a few other brain analysis apps that will satiate your curiosity about the inner workings of your mind. Cambridge Brain Sciences offers a free online “brain health” analysis, while Brain Errors shows how your mind can make simple errors. For this and more, check these brain training and analyzing apps.
Read the full article: How Smart Are You? 5 Free Online Cognitive Tests to Check How Well Your Brain Works
Audrey Tang, Taiwan's digital minister and an accomplished programmer, is showing how digital tools can build strong, open, accountable democracies — Audrey Tang says tech can build trust, tame misinformation, and strengthen democracy. Her plan might even work in the US.
While Slack files an antitrust complaint against Microsoft's Teams bundling, Google, with its G Suite bundle, is uniquely positioned to be an even bigger threat — Slack surprised Microsoft with a competition complaint in Europe yesterday. After arguing for months that Microsoft Teams …
AB Tasty, a startup focused on improving UX on e-commerce sites, travel portals, fashion sites, and more, announces $40M Series C, bringing total raised to $64M — AB Tasty has raised a new $40 million funding round led by Credit Mutuel Innovation with existing investors Korelya Capital, Omnes, Partech and XAnge also participating.
The EFF and 17 other advocacy organizations urge US court to rule that Trump's appointee to the OTF violated the law by ousting OTF's president and the board — Government Attempts Takeover of Private, Independent Nonprofit Protecting Internet Freedom — San Francisco—The Electronic …
If there’s one thing you can count on, it’s Samsung finding a way to leak its own products. And the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live have become the company’s worst kept secret.
Samsung’s latest wireless earbuds have been the subject of a couple of different leaks, one from Samsung’s own Galaxy Buds app on Android and iOS. The app tells us just about everything there is to know about the upcoming true-wireless earbuds.
Interestingly, this isn’t the first time Samsung has leaked a pair of its earbuds through its mobile app, as the company also detailed the Galaxy Buds+ in this way. Which makes us wonder whether Samsung is doing it on purpose or just not learning from past mistakes.
Thanks to a leak from the Galaxy Buds app on iOS and Android, we’ve learned a great deal about Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Buds Live.
Probably the most essential feature the app leaked about the upcoming bean-shaped earbuds is the inclusion of active noise cancellation. You can toggle this feature on and off within the app.
Another app-based feature we learned about is Find My Earbuds. As you might expect, this feature will help you find one or both of your buds should they go missing. This is a pretty standard feature for higher-end true-wireless earbuds, so it only makes sense that Samsung would include it.
Lastly, the app detailed the touch controls offered on the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live. There’s also a toggle to disable touch controls if you’re not into that sort of thing.
This is how you will have to put in your Samsung Galaxy Buds Live (or BEANS).
From the Buds Live APK.#Samsung #GalaxyBudsLive pic.twitter.com/NKREpg8ojx
— Ishan Agarwal (@ishanagarwal24) July 24, 2020
A previous leak from WinFuture broke down some of the specs for the upcoming earbuds. So you can expect 4.5 hours of estimated battery life, three microphones, and 12mm drivers pumping the sound into your eardrums.
The one thing missing from these leaks is release information, including the price. However, Samsung is expected to announce the Galaxy Buds Live on August 5th at 10AM ET during its Unpacked event.
The WinFuture leak suggests that Samsung’s wireless earbuds will retail for $169, which sounds like a reasonable price for a pair of true-wireless earbuds with active noise cancelation. For example, Apple’s Airpods Pro (how to choose between the AirPods and AirPods Pro) with active noise cancellation sell for $249.
Image Credit: Twitter/@h0x0d
Read the full article: Everything We Know About the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live
You can try out the next version of iOS now by installing the iOS 14 public beta on your iPhone. Apple usually makes public beta software available months before the official release of a new iOS version. This means you can get your hands on new features before anyone else.
We’ll show you how to install the iOS 14 public beta for free using the Apple Beta Software Program. These same steps will work to install the iPadOS 14 public beta on an iPad, too.
By its very nature, beta software is unfinished. That means it will most likely be less reliable, with more software bugs than what you’re used to. Beta software can even cause data loss or battery drain on your iPhone.
If you need your iPhone to work perfectly—whether for work or family—you shouldn’t install beta software on it. Find a spare iPhone to use with the iOS 14 public beta instead.
That said, we’ll show you how to uninstall iOS 14 public beta as well, in case you change your mind after installing it.
There are two versions of iOS 14 beta available: public and developer. Apple typically releases the developer beta a couple of weeks before the public beta, allowing developers to tweak their apps in preparation for a public release.
Apple’s developer beta is only available to members of the iOS Developer Program. This costs $99/year and comes with access to analytics and testing tools, along with the ability to release apps on the App Store.
If you don’t want to pay for the iOS Developer Program, Apple usually releases the public beta only a couple of weeks later. These releases come through the Apple Beta Software Program, which lets anyone install beta software on their devices.
Most people don’t want to pay $99/year to join the iOS Developer Program. So we’ll focus on how to install the iOS 14 public beta instead.
There are only three steps you need to follow to install the iOS 14 public beta on your iPhone. The entire process takes a couple of hours, depending on how much data is on your iPhone and how fast your internet connection is.
Make sure your iPhone is fully charged and you have plenty of time before getting started.
Every time you back up your iPhone, it erases your existing backup to create the new one. Any backups you make using the iOS 14 public beta might not work if you revert to iOS 13 again. To protect your data, you should archive an iOS 13 backup now, so you can still use it if you uninstall the iOS 14 public beta in the future.
When you archive a backup, it means your iPhone won’t delete it during future backups. If you don’t create an archived backup using iOS 13, you may lose all the data from your iPhone if the iOS 14 public beta doesn’t work properly.
Use a computer running macOS Catalina or later, or iTunes, to create an archived backup:
To install the iOS 14 public beta you need to enroll your iPhone in the Apple Beta Software Program. You do this by installing an iOS 14 Beta Software profile on your iPhone, which lets you download the iOS 14 public beta as a software update.
First, you need to sign up for the Apple Beta Software Program using your Apple ID. This is completely free, unlike the iOS Developer Program, which grants even earlier access to beta software.
To sign up and enroll your iPhone in the Apple Beta Software Program:
All you need to do now is check for new software updates on your iPhone. With the iOS 14 Beta Software profile installed, your iPhone should download the iOS 14 public beta as a software update.
Depending on your internet connection, it could take a couple of hours for your iPhone to download and install the update.
Make sure your iPhone is connected to Wi-Fi with plenty of battery (or keep it plugged in), then:
You may not want to keep the iOS 14 public beta software installed on your iPhone if it’s too buggy or unreliable. After all, many third-party apps still need to release updates to run perfectly on the new software, plus Apple is still working to fix its own software bugs.
If you want to uninstall the iOS 14 beta from your iPhone, you have two possible options.
The easiest way to uninstall iOS 14 beta from your iPhone is to delete the beta profile from your settings. After you do this, your iPhone will stop looking for iOS 14 beta software to install and will install the next iOS 13 update Apple releases instead.
To remove the iOS 14 Beta Software profile:
You may need to wait for Apple to release a new iOS 13 update for you to install if there isn’t one available now. Apple typically releases new updates every couple of weeks, so you shouldn’t need to wait long.
If you want to uninstall iOS 14 beta immediately without waiting for Apple to release a new software update, your only option is to erase your iPhone using Recovery Mode.
Erasing your iPhone deletes all the content from it: photos, messages, apps, and more. If you followed the steps above, you should be able to restore an archived backup after erasing your iPhone to recover your lost data.
Unfortunately, this backup won’t contain any data you added to your iPhone after creating the backup. The only way to keep that data is to follow the first uninstall option above.
The steps to enter Recovery Mode vary depending on your particular iPhone, but they all involve connecting your iPhone to a computer running macOS Catalina or later, or iTunes. Follow these instructions to enter Recovery Mode on your iPhone. Then choose to Restore your iPhone when prompted in Finder or iTunes.
After restoring your iPhone, choose to restore your archived backup in Finder or iTunes.
There’s a wealth of exciting features coming to the iPhone with iOS 14, but there are already plenty of great iPhone features in iOS 13 that most people aren’t aware of. You might not need to install the iOS 14 public beta if all you want is a few new features to play with.
Take a look at these secret iPhone features that already exist in iOS 13. You can use them to pay for dinner, measure physical objects, share your location, and more.
Read the full article: How to Install (Or Uninstall) the iOS 14 Beta on Your iPhone
