Category: Tech

Latest Technology News, Alternative, Bio-Tech, Medical, R&D and Innovations

Beware Mac Users, Mac’s First Firmware Virus is On the Loose

We all have an impression that Apple’s ecosystem is supported by the most secure operating system in the world. But, this statement may not be considered true anymore. The myth has been broken today by a team of hackers who have developed the world’s first virus for Mac and named it Thunderstrike 2.

This virus can be transferred via USB sticks or even email phishing. This then bypasses the Mac’s Operating System and directly attacks the BIOS – the software that appears before the main operating system after the system boots up. The worm then targets a machine’s option ROM or lives in the option ROM of peripherals.

Worse, because of living within the ROM of peripherals, the Thunderstrike 2 can spread from one Mac to another without even having to connect to a network. Anti-Virus programs are useless as the malware cannot be detected at the hardware’s BIOS level. Thus, checking for infection is very difficult.

The only way to remove this virus is to open up the hardware parts of the Mac and manually re-flash the chip. Xeno Kovah, co-founder of a security training firm called LegbaCore, who developed the worm says:

For most users, that is really a throw-your-machine-away kind of situation. Most people and organisations don’t have the wherewithal to physically open up their machine and electrically reprogram the chip.

Kovah and his partner Corey Kallenberg uncovered a series of firmware vulnerabilities that affected 80% of the systems they had, including HP, Dell, Lenovo and Samsung. These vulnerabilities, as found by the researchers, allowed them to bypass the firmware and reflash the BIOS to plant malicious code within the firmware. Kovah and Kallenberg tried to test the same vulnerabilities on MacBook boot flash firmware and found out that almost all the attacks on PCs and laptops could be replicated for Mac too.

The first version was fixed with OS X 10.10.2 and required the hacker to have physical access to the computer. The new version is incorrigible because the malware can be transferred via a link. The latest OS X security update (10.10.4) seems to try and resist the bug to a certain extent, instead of being engulfed by it completely.

So, what can you do to protect your Mac? All we can do right now is hope Apple rolls out a BIOS update soon.

August 4, 2015
Motorola Customers Can Now Get Repair Services at Their Doorstep

Motorola, keeping up with their philosophy of ‘innovation’ to meet customers requirements, has now started a pilot project that provides an after-sale service to customers at their doorstep, in Delhi, Gurgaon and Noida. This service has been called – the Moto Xpress.

The Moto Xpress is a home pick up and drop service, that caters to your needs whether you are at home or in the office. This service is expected to rectify software and accessory issues, on the spot, within an hour while hardware issues can be resolved in about 5 working days. Furthermore, the service comes at the pocket-friendly rate of Rs. 199 per service.

One can avail of the Moto Xpress’ services by dialling the service booking number, that is, 011-41717124. Once your request has been registered, the staff service will notify a trained Motorola representative, who will reach you as soon as possible.

Currently, Motorola has over 160 service centres across the country, a Bangalore Moto Care Service & Experience Center, a Moto Help App that allows you a direct access to customer care executive and now, in addition to this, Motorola has the Moto Xpress, which will be functional starting this week.

August 4, 2015
OnePlus to Venture Beyond the OnePlus 2 with a Brand New Lineup of phones

The OnePlus has taken the mobile industry by storm. The Chinese smartphone manufacturer launched the highly successful OnePlus 1 last year, followed by the OnePlus 2 this year. Barely a month after OnePlus announced its latest phone, it has already declared that a new device is in the pipeline. Currently rumoured to be the OnePlus 3, It is speculated to be releasing in December.

.@Sosi88 OnePlus 3 will be released in 2016, probably H2. Don’t panic.

— Carl Pei (@getpeid) August 3, 2015

Pushing all the rumours aside, OnePlus has confirmed that the new device will not launch on Christmas. Yesterday, four employees of OnePlus conducted a Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) session where they answered quite a lot of questions about the current OnePlus 2, along with a few questions about the future device. Most of the questions were related to NFC, wireless charging and quick charging, to which OnePlus replied:

With the OnePlus 2, we made the set of choices that we think delivers the best user experience, but because users are not the same, they won’t all feel the same. That’s fine – we’ll work hard to make each iteration better than the last.

Lastly, they talked about the new phone. OnePlus said the new phone will be an entirely new segment of the company smartphone and should not be considered as a OnePlus 2 successor. This can be true as one employee from OnePlus confirmed saying, “we can only tell you that this is not going to be the OnePlus 3 nor a OnePlus 2s.” He also said, “We’ll be broadening our range this year.” The new device may address the problem of lack of NFC, wireless charging, quick charging or any other features the current OnePlus 2 lacks.

The OnePlus 2 has been launched and will be available in India from 11^th August, for a price of Rs 22,999 for the 16GB variant and Rs 24,999 for the 64GB variant. The device has a 5.5-inch display with a Sandstone back cover.

The smartphone comes with a 1.8GHz octa-core 64-bit processor with 4GB of RAM. The phone has a 13MP rear camera with sensor pixel size of 1.3 microns, which is supposedly 35% larger than standard smartphone cameras. The added Laser Focus feature will help take clear shots in less that 0.3 seconds. The camera even includes OIS (Optical Image Stabilisation) – a feature previously seen on the iPhone 6 Plus. The company has added a 5MP camera in the front.

OnePlus 2 comes with a USB type-C port, a first for any flagship smartphone. Reversible in nature, the USB type-C allows for faster data transfers and is compatible with almost every device with standard USB ports.

You can check out the whole unboxing below:

What do you think the next OnePlus device will be named? Comment below.

August 4, 2015
OnePlus Defends OnePlus 2 and for Making People ‘Settle’

It is a known fact that the OnePlus 2 doesn’t include the NFC, however users and potential customers have been unhappy about this. Therefore, today on a Reddit – Ask Me Anything, four employees of the company fielded questions on everything, such as the voice-over-LTE, the lack of NFC and other such matters. For those who aren’t aware of the term, NFC or Near Field Communication is a short range wireless RFID technology, that can be used for touch-based payments or wireless charging.

Apart from this, OnePlus has been faced with some very serious questions about their taglines and not being able to match up to them. For example, their tagline that says “innovations from the future,” or “Never Settle” and claiming to follow a philosophy that essentially warrants them to create a device without gimmicks, bloatware or compromises; have all been under the radar recently.

A Redditor asked that “with such a powerful mantra like that, wouldn’t it be ironic to settle without quick-charging or wireless charging if I choose your phone?” Here is what OnePlus said:

We’ve always said that never settle is true for us too. That means, if you’re not happy with the product you shouldn’t settle for ours either. With the OnePlus 2, we made the set of choices that we think delivers the best user experience, but because users are not the same they won’t all feel the same. That’s fine – we’ll work hard to make each iteration better than the last.

Adding to this, an employee also mentioned the power of the new Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0 technology, as being able to charge a phone from 0% to 100% in approximately 2 hours. Despite this, there have been comparisons with the Nexus 6, that is said to charge enough for the entire day in just one hour. Another aspect that has been criticized, is the inability of the OnePlus 2 to take advantage of the NFC-based Android Pay.

Last but not the least, OnePlus was asked about a recent interview given by Carl Pei at USA Today, speaking about the release of a third device; to which an employee confirmed that there will most definitely be another OnePlus smartphone, however it won’t be called the OnePlus 3 or OnePlus 2S.

Do you think OnePlus has responded adequately to the queries of its users?

For more information: [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”https://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/3fmkb5/oneplus_ama_postlaunch_edition/”]Reddit.com[/tw-button]

August 4, 2015
Another Leak Shows Us What the iPhone 6S Might Look Like

New leaks about the iPhone 6S have given us details about the design of the phone. The rendered leaks show us, that the iPhone 6S could be a thicker version of its predecessors.

Here is a closer look:

The drawings imply an almost specific measurement of 7.1 mm thickness as compared to the iPhone 6, which is 6.9 mm. The iPhone 6S Plus is also said to be thicker than the 6S, at 7.3mm. These leaks also suggest that the phone could have a Force Touch feature – this feature senses the amount of force used when users press their touchscreen while the phone accesses the different functions based on the touch. It is also reported that the iPhone 6S could offer faster LTE speeds and an improved chipset. Moreover, other iPhone 6S leaks have also suggested, that it might come with an improved NFC and 16GB storage.

Source:[tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://www.uswitch.com/mobiles/news/2015/07/uswitch_exclusive_iphone_6s_leak_renders_for_case_designers_give_us_most_complete_look_so_far/”] uSwitch[/tw-button]

August 4, 2015
Samsung Releases the Galaxy S4 Value Edition

Samsung has launched a new device today, called the Samsung I9195I Galaxy S4 mini plus. The mini plus is said to be a smaller version of the Galaxy S4 and is also called the Galaxy S4 Value Edition, depending on the market.

Image Source: GS Marena

The specifications include a 4.3″ Super AMOLED qHD screen, and it is run by the Snapdragon 410 chip with a quad-core 1.2GHz Cortex-A53 CPU, Adreno 306 GPU and 1.5GB of RAM. It also comes with an 8MP camera with 1080p video recording and a 1900mAh battery with an operating system run by the Android KitKat.

It is said that besides the improved chipset and the power boost, everything else remains similar to the Galaxy S4. The new device is said to have been listed on Samsung sites in the European Union last month and is already on sale. The S4 mini plus / S4 mini VE is said to be priced at 239 euros (approx. Rs. 16,727), and even as low as 190 euros (approx. Rs. 13,300)

August 4, 2015
Microsoft Assures Users Will Be Able To Access WhatsApp on Edge Soon

Microsoft released Windows 10 on 29th July but, if you are an avid WhatsApp Web user, it is likely that you may not be able to use this feature on your brand new Edge browser. At least, not yet.

If you have been using Internet Explorer, or Microsoft’s brand new browser called Edge in Windows 10, you’ve been out of luck – so far. Currently, WhatsApp Web is not cooperative with Microsoft’s Edge browser, though it can be accessed on Mozilla Firefox, Opera, Apple Safari and Google Chrome, which are all consistent on Windows.

According to a Windows Central report, a Microsoft program manager revealed that the company is, in fact, striving to get WhatsApp Web support to Edge.

Softpedia has quoted Microsoft’s Program Manager Greg Witworth (on Twitter), as stating that the Redmond-based company is working with the instant message service company to allow WhatsApp Web to support Edge users.

@MSEdgeDev @TheWebJustWorks FYI, WhatsApp is blocking IE and Edge: https://t.co/0uxALD6m0Z cc @gregwhitworth

— Alan Peto (@alanpeto) August 2, 2015

@alanpeto @MSEdgeDev @TheWebJustWorks Thanks for the heads up, we have an open line of communication with them regarding this cc: @dstorey

— gregwhitworth (@gregwhitworth) August 2, 2015

The report says that WhatsApp Web for Edge may be made accessible as an OS update; however, there is no particular timeline given for the launch of the service.

Moreover, Microsoft’s Internet Explorer (IE) does not support WhatsApp Web. Hence, those on Windows need to use other browsers to access WhatsApp on their desktops.

Meanwhile, WhatsApp Web has been updated to feature aspects at par with the smartphone version of the popular messaging service. You will notice a new “edit” icon adjacent to “current status”, which allows you to make changes to your status and share it with friends. You can also hover over their current profile image, and an option is displayed that can be used for editing the image.

With the roll out of Windows 10 happening on a global scale, Microsoft has announced the price of the operating system in India. Microsoft’s official online store has listed the Home version under Rs 7,999 and the Pro version for Rs 14,999. For those users who are using Windows XP and earlier versions, or are assembling new PCs or laptops need to purchase the software. And, for those who are operating original Windows 7 and Windows 8, you are eligible for the free upgrade.

Windows 10 brings a new Edge browser, a new Windows Store, Office 2016 suite and completely redesigned Photos, Videos, Music, Maps, People, Mail and Calendar apps, among other upgrades.

August 3, 2015
New Leak of LG’s Nexus 2015 Smartphone Reveals Design Details

The LG Nexus for 2015 has been talked about, ever since since rumours suggested that it would look as stylish as the Nexus 5 and would be priced lower than the Nexus 6.

Amidst many leaks, the most recent one is that of an LG Nexus 2015 case cover, that shows what the phone could look like from different angles, while also showcasing the thickness as well as the orientation of the buttons. These pictures suggest that the new Nexus might feature a single-sided array of buttons along the right edge of the device. Some of the ports seems to include a headphone jack along the bottom and a charging port also at the bottom, that seems to look like a USB Type- C.

The case also features a cutout for a rear facing camera and a flash module. However, it is also rumoured, that the lower circle cutout could be a fingerprint reader.

With these promising leaks, the LG Nexus 2015 is looking to be another winner Nexus smartphone. Let us know what you think of the device so far.

August 3, 2015
Sony Announces New Smartphones With 13MP Selfie Cameras

After weeks of speculation and rumours, Sony has finally released their two new ‘camera focused’ smartphones, the Xperia M5 and the Xperia C5 Ultra. Both the devices will be offering great photography experiences to its users, especially since mobile cameras have always been a USP for Android devices.

Tony McNulty, Vice-President of Value Category Business Management at Sony Mobile Communications, said

We are pleased to present two new products that highlight Sony’s advances in camera technology.

Sony Xperia C5 Ultra

Starting with the 6-inch Xperia C5 Ultra, like all the previous Xperia C series models, it is made for clicking selfies. It has a 13MP front camera with an LED flash. It also stars a 22 mm wide-angle lens with an 88-degree field of view, auto-focus, 4X digital zoom, full HD video recording, image stabiliser, Auto Scene Recognition, red-eye reduction and many more. The primary 13 MP camera also comes packed with the same specs. On the inside, it is packed with a 1.7GHz MediaTek Octa core processor, 2GB RAM,16GB storage, 2930 mAh battery and with LED flash on both the front and back side. But, unlike Sony’s other mid-range and premium smartphones, the Xperia C5 Ultra doesn’t sport water and dust protection.

Sony Xperia M5 is waterproof

The new Xperia M5 has a 21.5MP Exmore RS camera, wrapped in the company’s latest exclusive Sony IMX230 CMOS sensor. This enables you to get 5x zoom without losing the quality of the photo. It also features hybrid autofocus, f/2.2 aperture and fast autofocus (0.2 seconds), and 4K video recording capability. On the front, it comes packed with a 13MP snapper with auto-focus. Other specs of this device include a 5.0-inch full HD display and it is powered by a 2.0GHZ MediaTek Helio X10 processor, IMG Rogue G6200 graphics engine, 3GB RAM, 16GB storage, 2600 mAh battery. The M5 is also waterproof.

Both the devices will be available in two variants (single or dual SIM) and will be available in select countries by mid-August. Pricing may be revealed during the local launch events of the handset.

August 3, 2015

Yu Yureka Plus Price Slashed

The Yureka Plus originally priced at Rs. 9,999 is now being quoted at Rs. 8,999, making it the most affordable smartphone in the market. The Yureka Plus comes with a Full High Definition (FHD) display, an Octa core Snapdragon 615 processor, Lollipop Cyanogen OS 12, 2GB DDR3 RAM, and a 13 MP AF rear camera with a Sony Sensor among other features. This price drop has been announced as a response from the company, to the overwhelming feedback it received from fans, asking them to keep the device at the Yureka price point.

Yureka Plus has seen a successful sale of 50,000 units during the first flash sale, and now it comes in two more colours – an Alabaster White and a Moondust colour. The Yureka Plus also offers an integrated 4G LTE Cat4 modem and 64-bit multi-core CPU, a 5.5 inch FHD IPS display, a Qualcomm Adreno 405 GPU with an H.265 HEVC support, dual SIM slots, and a 2500mAh battery.

Registrations for the exclusive sale on Amazon.in will shut on the 4th of August, 2015 while the sale of the phone will take place only on the 6th of August.

Here are the specs:

Display	5.5 inch FHD, IPS
OS	Cyanogen OS 12
Processor	Octa Core Snapdragon 615
Camera	13 MP AF rear camera with flash, 5MP FF Front Camera
RAM	2GB DDR3 RAM, 16GB ROM
Battery	2500mAh
Colours	Moondust Grey, Alabaster White
Price	Rs. 8,999

However, it is still odd to see Yureka Plus announcing such a price drop, right after its launch.

August 3, 2015

Nokia Bids Farewell to Its Here Maps Unit For $3 Billion

We know that Nokia has been away from the limelight of smartphones and is no longer considered the competition it used to be. Now, another field that they will be stepping away from completely, is the area of maps. Nokia sold its Here unit to the parent company, Daimler that has German carmakers like Mercedes, BMW and Audi, under it.

“High-precision digital maps are a crucial component of the mobility of the future. With the joint acquisition of Here, we want to secure the independence of this central service for all vehicle manufacturers, suppliers and customers in other industries,” said Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of Daimler.

The price that it was sold at was $3 billion dollars and each partner i.e., each of the car companies will own an equal stake in Here maps. The deal is supposed to officially close in the first quarter of 2016.

August 3, 2015
OnePlus Has Plans to Launch Another Device This Year

OnePlus announced its new smartphone OnePlus 2 just last week, and the company is already talking about a third device which will be released by Christmas, this year.

OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei recently said in an interview with USA Today that they would be bringing out a third device by Christmas, which may or may not have higher specs than the OnePlus 2. He also mentioned that the prototype is a “daily driver,” however, no other information about the device has been shared.

He also spoke about the vision of OnePlus, and said that it was about “working with everyone as partners” while also mentioning that the company would like to make its OxygenOS compatible with “everyone’s stuff”.

“We want to work with other people. By making our own we are already competing with our potential partners before even approaching them and giving them a chance”, added Pei.

He also confirmed that the company will not be expanding to create OnePlus TV or any other smart products in the near future, quoting that it believes “different brands should focus on different things”.

Let us know what you think about the OnePlus 2 and whether you’re looking forward to the release of a third device.

Source: [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2015/08/02/oneplus-carl-pei-interview/30947799/”]USA Today[/tw-button]

August 3, 2015
Samsung Galaxy Note 5 Will Not Include an Expandability Option

Recent leaks by @evleaks, have given us more information about the specifications of the Samsung Galaxy Note 5.

It is now said to come with a 5.66 inch display with QHD resolution. The Galaxy Note 5 is the first in the series to increase the screen size from the current 5.7 inch display, and is said to be powered by Exynos 7420 chipset, also available in the Galaxy S6.

The Note 5 is also said to come with a 4GB RAM space and an internal storage of up to 32 GB, however, it will not come with the option of an expandable memory via a microSD slot. Further leaks also suggest that the camera would be a 16MP unit with a front camera of a 5MP unit.

The Galaxy Note 5 and S6 Edge + are officially scheduled to launch on the 13th of August. However, Samsung hasn’t confirmed any of the above rumours.

Source:[tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_note_5_specs_leaked_no_microsd-news-13349.php”] GS Marena[/tw-button]

August 3, 2015
You Can Now Reserve Your Very Own Turing Phone

We had earlier told you that the Turing Phone is set to be out by September and the company as well as users are waiting to get their hands on the phone, which the company claims is “unhackable and unbreakable.” Now, reservations are open, even though billing still remains closed.

Perplexing? The company has made the smart decision of announcing ‘reservations’ instead of pre-order because one can leave their details on the website, choose the colour of the phone they desire and even the storage space they require, however, this procedure will not yield a phone or a commitment from yourself to purchase a phone from the company. It’s mainly like a statement or perhaps a marketing strategy.

Turing Robotics, is banking on the fact that the phone will sell for its strong security feature. It has no headphone jack or USB dock for the same reason. It has an IPX8 certificate making it water resistant and has a unique and stylish appearance.

The Turing Phone lacks a headphone jack and USB port. Source: Turing Robotics Industries.

Expected to be priced at Rs. 55,000, it may seem like a steep price for a relatively new phone, in the market. However, the Turing is made of a mix of metals called ‘Liquidmorphium’ making it sturdy and resilient.

On the specifications front, the Turing Phone runs on the 2.5 GHz Snapdragon 801c processor with 3GB of RAM. The phone supports 4G LTE and is powered by a 3000 mAh non-removable battery. The rest include a 5.5 inch full HD display, a 13MP rear and an 8MP front camera and a fingerprint scanner on the left side of the phone. The phone runs on Android 5.1 Lollipop with Turing Aemaeth UI. The phone can be charged by a magnetically attached power connector, like Apple’s MagSafe.

It is available in three variants – 16GB, 64GB and 128GB. In India, the 64GB variant will be available for a price of around Rs. 55,000 and the 128 GB variant will be available at a price of around Rs. 68,000. The Turing Phone comes in three models – Pharaoh, Cardinal, and Beowulf, each one taking colour and texture cue from the source material.

Register for the smartphone here.

August 3, 2015
Airtel to Expand Company Stores By December

Airtel has decided to open up 1000 more stores by December, to give customers a first-hand experience about its 4G services and information about its low-priced handsets.

Reports suggest, that Airtel is in talks with Samsung, ZTE, Huawei and Xiaomi to launch affordable 4G devices starting from Rs. 4000, later this year. Airtel is also said to be expanding, by opening many company-owned company operated (coco) retail outlets. There are already 300 stores, and the company plans to open a 1000 more by December.

According to statistics, Airtel is said to be spread across 1.5 million outlets in towns and villages and covers approximately 86.8 per cent of the population as of March 2015. Airtel, exclusively provides 4G services in over 45 cities via TD-LTE & FDD-LTE technology.

Other competitors like, Reliance Jio Infocomm are said to re-enter the telecom business with a smartphone priced at Rs. 4000 by December, which will offer voice and data services at Rs.300-500 per month.

With Airtel’s competitors also stepping it up, it is to be seen whether Airtel will be the largest 4G providing company. However, Airtel has not confirmed any of these sources.

Source: [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://www.bgr.in/news/airtel-to-add-1000-company-owned-stores-by-december-to-support-its-4g-market/”]BGR[/tw-button]

August 3, 2015