Six months ago, Google offered to pay US$200,000 to any researcher who could remotely hack into an Android device by knowing only the victim’s phone number and email address. No one stepped up to the challenge. While that might sound like good news and a testament to the mobile operating system’s strong security, that’s likely…
Most of the Android world was focused on new hardware, instead of software, this week. The Galaxy S8 and S8+ that got all the attention, with that gorgeous screen, tiny bezels, and somewhat useful software. But it’s updates you’ve come for, and we have some to deliver. And there’s more information about why Android Wear 2.0…
If you’re expecting to buy laptops with Intel’s next-generation Core chips code-named Cannonlake chips by the end of this year, you may be disappointed. There’s a chance that shipments of Cannonlake — Intel’s first on the 10-nanometer production process — may slip into next year. Intel previously said Cannonlake would ship by year end, but…
April Fools Day is practically a national holiday in Mountain View, so you can expect a series of pranks and jokes over the weekend. But Google is starting early this year, and everyone can get in on the joke. Open up your Google Maps app and you’ll find a new icon above compass symbol that…
The Galaxy S8 is one of the most stunning phones we’ve ever laid eyes on, but there’s one design element we can’t quite wrap our heads around. Instead of centering the fingerprint sensor on the back like so many other phone makers have done, Samsung has placed it next to the camera, virtually assuring that most…
Facebook is making it easier to support your friends’ causes. The company recently announced a new feature that lets users create personal fundraisers. The new option is meant to raise money for medical treatments, classroom support, and similar efforts. A GoFundMe-style feature is a no-brainer for the social network, as Facebook sees it. When you’re…
As the Senate Intelligence Committee held its first public hearings examining Russian hacking yesterday, lawmakers received a stark warning that the intrusions have been far broader in scope than the intelligence community’s finding that Russian hackers meddled in the 2016 presidential election to help Donald Trump defeat Hillary Clinton. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) seemed to…
The emergence of the DDoS-as-a-service industry has lowered the costs for attacks to $25 or less, allowing criminals with no technical expertise to reach profit margins of up to 95 percent, according to a report released last week. And the prices of the attacks are likely to drop even further, as more insecure connected devices…
More and more attackers are carrying out their work without using malware so they can evade detection by traditional, file-based security platforms, which presents a tough problem for security pros trying to defend against them. Nearly two-thirds of security researchers polled by Carbon Black say they’ve noted an uptick in these attacks just since the…
A supporting cast of smaller features add value Image by Mark Hachman / IDG Microsoft may have talked up the creativity aspects of the Windows 10 Creators Update, but some of the best things about Windows’ major releases are all the little conveniences that fly under the radar. To read this article in full or…