Apple Mac bug a bigger threat than ‘Heartbleed’

A security flaw called Shellshock in software on Unix-based operating systems is worse than ‘Heartbleed’, the exploit that affected nearly every computer last year.

The bug could take years to fix, and there’s nothing users can do to protect themselves.

Unlike Heartbleed, which let hackers spy on computers, Shellshock gives them access to control targeted systems.

The vulnerable software is called Bash, which is used by Apple Mac computers.

It’s used to control the command prompt on many Unix-based operating systems.

Cyber security firm Rapid7 and US government-backed National Vulnerability Database have rated Shellshock 10 out of 10 in severity for its maximum impact.

However they rated it low for the complexity of exploitation because hackers only need three lines of code to break into the system.

Hackers could theoretically set specific environment variables on Bash, which would let them take control of victims’ computers.

Even worse, they could potentially use Shellshock to create worms, or attacks that would automatically replicate across machines.

“In theory, this could take the form of an infected machine scanning for other targets and propagating the attack to them,” security expert Troy Hunt told The Guardian.

“This would be by no means limited to public-facing machines either; get this behind the corporate firewall and the sky’s the limit.”

Robert Graham, a security expert and CEO of Errata Security told The Independent it will take a long time for experts to fix all affected systems.

“Years from now we’ll keep finding yet another device that’s still not been patched,” he said.

He claims to have found at least 3,000 systems vulnerable to the bug, but he has only scanned systems on port 80.

He added that a scan for embedded webservers on odd ports would give him “a couple times more results”.

Mr Graham warns that DHCP services could also be infiltrated.

Shellshock is so serious that even the US Department of Homeland Security has released a warning and issued patches to fix servers.

The exploit, which was discovered by Linux expert, Stéphane Chazelas has gone unnoticed for at least 10 years.

Security researcher, Michal Zalewski wrote on his blog: “My take is that it's a very unusual bug in a very obscure feature of a program that researchers don't really look at, precisely because no reasonable person would expect it to fail this way. So, life goes on

Samsung shows off battery-sharing cable for your mobile devices

Samsung's latest tech accessory is the Power Sharing cable, a battery buddy-up system that'll let you drain juice from one device and power up another.

The cable is double-ended with micro-USB connectors, meaning it's good to go with any micro-USB-friendly device.

In terms of Samsung, that means it's good for all the latest category flagships like the Samsung Galaxy S5, the Galaxy Tab S, and the Galaxy Gear smartwatch.

"The new Power Sharing cable gives multi-device users a versatile way to charge their devices - it lets users share the power of their Galaxy battery with either thei own devices or a friend's no matter where they are," says the Korean tech firm.

To work the new wares, you'll first need to download Samsung's Power Sharing app from either Samsung Apps or the Google Play Store.

Once that's sorted, you can then select the amount of power you want to shift over, and then plug in both devices. Voila, instant juice.

Sammy also says its cable is teeny enough to 'fit in a pocket and purse'.

The Power Sharing cable ships in two colours, namely black or white, and retails for £15 - although Samsung says it's nearly out of stock, so get your bids in quick if you're keen.

Apple's iOS 8.0.1 gets pulled after breaking TouchID and networks

Apple has pulled iOS 8.0.1 after it emerged that the update was preventing some iPhone features from working correctly.

The update was designed to provide some minor bug fixes, and largely to make sure HealthKit was working correctly.

In reality, the software Apple pushed over actually stopped the TouchID sensor from working, as well as removing cellular data networks, for a large number of users.

A Redditor (hamy89) reported an official response from Apple via online chat that read: "we have identified an issue with the new iOS 8.0.1 release and our engineering team is hard at work to correct this for all of our customers as quickly as possible."

The message continued: "We greatly apologise for the inconvenience and greatly appreciate your patience. As of right now there is not ETA on the fix but we will have one shortly."

Following the (unsurprising) internet furore, Apple offered a fix that would re-install iOS 8.

"We have a workaround for you if you have an iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus and you lost cellular service and TouchID functionality today after updating to iOS 8.0.1," reads the statement.

"We are also preparing iOS 8.0.2 with a fix for the issue, and will release it as soon as it's ready in the next few days."

Unfortunately, re-installing iOS 8.0 means the Health app is not working once again, so it's not short of trading one problem for another.

This fiasco follows an on-going en masse complaint over iPhone 6 Plus handsets reportedly 'bending' or 'warping' for many users under normal usage.

Samsung's relaxing on mobile to focus elsewhere

Samsung is reducing efforts in its mobile division, with the Korean tech firm reportedly shifting a large number of software engineers to work on other projects.

The WSJ says around 500 software engineers will be leaving the 'mobile unit', to work on 'consumer eletronics, TVs, network, printer, and its corporate software R&D divisions.'

The change-up could signal that Samsung's content with its current mobile software, and wants to bring other parts of the company up to par.

Samsung's smartphones and tablets are some of the firm's most popular products, and take up prime position in the eyes of many consumers.

It's worth noting though that Samsung's TouchWiz Android skin is often slammed for poor design. Tizen OS is also fairly unpopular. Both are products of the software engineer workforce.

Samsung spoke to the WSJ regarding the move, with the firm suggesting its transfers were intended 'to further strengthen the company's overall software prowess.'

It's important to remember that we're not actually sure how many software engineers will be remaining in the mobile divison, although we do know the firm had just north of 40,000 software engineers as of 2013.

Samsung also said it wanted 'to enhance [its] competitive edge in the Internet of Things (IoT) industry and increase synergies for the Tizen platform.'

Smart home platforms are a target for many firms right now, so a focus on the Internot of Things by Samsung is unsurprising.

Earlier today we heard Amazon was working on its own smart home tech, designed to make it easier for customers to make purchases via the retail giant.

Robot butlers with RFID scanners could be used as service animals

We already use dogs and monkeys as service animals to help people with disabilities, so why not use robots as well? Researchers at Georgia Tech have combined RFID tags, long-distance scanners, and a self-propelled robot to develop a method of reliably locating objects in a real-world setting. With this setup, people with reduced mobility or short-term memory can ask the robot for help finding important items like medicine or documents.

In their research paper, Travis Deyle, Matthew Reynolds, and Charles Kemp explain how they used ultra-high frequency RFID tags to help their custom PR2 robot locate specific items in a complex environment. Items of interest are fixed with unique RFID tags, and the robot has a long-distance RFID scanner mounted on either shoulder. From there, the robot moves about the living space — logging all of the tags it senses. After a lap or two around the house, it can then search out a specific tag, and move toward the item in question.

Apple stuffs rumours and says Beats Music isn't being binned

Late last night, TechCrunch reported that Apple was going to 'discontinue' Beats Music.

The tech site cited 'five sources' that included 'several prominent employees at Apple and Beats', revealing that the Cupertino firm was keen to shut down the streaming service.

It seems the article is only a half truth however, as Apple has now patently affirmed the contrary, with Apple's PR rep Tom Neumayr telling Recode the story is 'not true'.

Recode did, however, report that Apple might be modifying Beats Music in the form of a departure from the current branding.

TechCrunch responded to Apple's clarification, writing: "This aligns with what my sources said, which is that the Beats Music brand will be shut down, but that it's unclear what Apple wants to do in streaming music."

"It seems quite possible that te Beats Music product could be rolled into iTunes rather than being 'shuttered', but that's semantics."

It seems that the issue is the result of a confusion over the term 'shut down'. Apple says it's not going to kill of Beats Music, but it could be argued that a complete absorption into iTunes is very much the same thing.

It's also worth noting that while it's still early days in the Apple/Beats merger, Cook & Co. made no mention of the audio firm during the recent keynote, and none of the new products have shipped with Beats Music built in.

This could be a signal that Beats may in fact be undergoing a re-branding process internally, which still could result in the complete destruction of 'Beats' as we know it.

Instagram's in-app ads go live in the UK today

Instagram has hit the on-switch for in-app advertisements here in the UK, meaning your feed is about to bid welcome to some unexpected visitors.

The social media giant says the initial roll-out will only show off 'carefully selected brands', including Cadbury, Starbucks, and Sony Music.

'Corporate scum,' we hear you cry. 'How dare they fill my feed with obtuse marketing propaganda?!'

Fortunately, Instagram's sticking a big old 'Sponsored' tag next to paid-for posts, so you won't mistakenly spend your whole paycheck on Cadbury's chocolate just because you thought they were your #insta-mate.

"We want ads on Instagram to be as engaging and high-quality as the experience of flipping through a favourite magazine," says James Quarles, Instagram's business and brand development boss.

The firm's also sorted out a handy guide that will fill you in on how the ad system is actually going to work.

For starters, Instagram promises that advertisers won't have re-use access to your photos and videos, meaning they can't nick anything from your feed.

It also suggests using the feedback button to 'hide ads you find less interesting', so it's easy to improve the system in the future.

The Instagram team says it wants advertisements to 'feel as natural to Instagram as the photos and videos many of you already enjoy from your favourite brands."

Instagram's had a huge user base for quite some time now, although it's not yet monetised the app in any consumer-tangible way, despite being completely free to download.

Just last month, Instagram launched its second app, Hyperlapse, which is designed to create stabilised time-lapse videos

Nearly half of Apple's mobile users now have iOS 8

Apple's latest mobile operating system is now installed on 46% of devices since it began rolling out to users on the 17th October.

The new OS has yet to overtake iOS 7, which currently sits at a 49% adoption rate. There's several reasons for this.

For starters, many simply can't upgrade - iPhone 4 users for instance - as the new OS simply isn't supported on devices that old.

There's also likely a healthy contingent of Apple users who are happy to stick with iOS 7, either out of preference, or for performance reasons.

iOS 8 has been reported by many as causing a noticeable slow-down on some models, particular the iPhone 4S.

Alongside these groups, there'll also be many who simply just haven't got around to upgrading yet, or simply don't know how to.

The figures will have been especially bolstered after Apple managed to sell upwards of 10 million iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus units over the launch weekend, all of which will come with iOS 8 installed as standard.

Interestingly, there's also a remaining 5% of Apple device users running operating systems before iOS 7. That's old school.

The new statistics show up on Apple's developer support page for the App Store. It's handy for devs to know how many people are using a given OS, as incentive to provide app compatibility for olders systems.

By comparison, just 24.5% of Android users are using Google's latest 4.4 KitKat operating system.

The world welcomes NX1 at Photokina 2014

Photokina is the world's leading imaging fair and it is being held in Cologne, Germany from until the 21st of September. At the Photokina 2014, on September 15th, Samsung held Samsung Premiere 2014 – NX at PHOTOKINA 2014. And all eyes were on Samsung, as people were anticipating what one of the biggest players in the imaging market will reveal at the Samsung Premiere 2014.

When the time came Myung Sup Han (EVP and× Head of Imaging Business Team, IT & Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics) unveiled the Samsung NX1 and Malcom Andre, (Product Manager at Samsung Europe) gave the product presentation.

From the Samsung Premiere 2014, we’ve learned that Samsung has designed NX1 completely from scratch, from the imaging engine to the sensor to the auto focus system. The result is a completely new type of CSC (compact system camera) with best-in-class technology and performance. Just to name a few distinctive characteristics of NX1, it supports:

- 15FPS continuous AF shooting,

- Auto Focus (AF) System III with 205 Phase Detection AF points

- 28MP APS-C BSI CMOS Sensor

These are some of the features that advanced photographers have long been waiting for. Since more and more semi-professional and professional photographers are leaning towards more lightweight and portable CSC models, NX1 provides a genuine alternative to DSLRs. However, the magnesium alloy body of the NX1 makes it highly durable allowing no compensation for its portability.

Myung Sup Han, EVP and Head of Imaging Business Team, IT & Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics, is unveiling Samsung NX1

Ads by OffersWizard×"The NX1 represents the pinnacle of× Samsung’s advanced photographic expertise and heralds a new era of intuitive, premium quality photography for all photographers," said Myoung Sup Han, Executive Vice President and× Head of Imaging Business Team, IT & Mobile Communications business at× Electronics. "With the launch of the NX1, Samsung is re-defining what is possible with a compact system camera, allowing photographers everywhere to achieve previously unimaginable levels of quality in each and every image they capture."

Emphasizing the fact that NX1 is also an interchangeable lens camera,× Samsung also announced the new 50-150mm S ED OIS lens, which features F2.8 maximum aperture and 35mm equivalent 77-231mm focal range. 

People have been playing around with the NX1 at the Photokina 2014. The general first impression among the exhibitors at the product booth has been great. People seem to be impressed with the image quality, fast AF system and the overall design of the NX1. 

As Samsung expects the NX1 to mark a turning point in premium photography, we look forward to see the kind of photos created by all the expert photographers around the world with the NX1. At Samsung Tomorrow, we plan to bring more information on NX1, so please stay tuned.

- See more at: http://global.samsungtomorrow.com/?p=42234#sthash.fNsVio53.dpuf

Samsung Launches Industry’s First 28-Megapixel APS-C CMOS Image Sensor for Digital Cameras

Samsung introduces its new 28 megapixel (MP) APS-C* CMOS image sensor for digital cameras, which offers superior light absorption thanks to the back-side illuminated (BSI) pixel technology and 65-nanometer (nm) low-power copper process.

Samsung Launches Industry’s First 28-Megapixel APS-C CMOS Image Sensor for Digital Cameras

Utilizes advanced back-side illuminated (BSI) pixel technology and 65-nanometer (nm) copper process technology to offer outstanding image quality and energy efficiency

Samsung Electronics, a world leader in advanced semiconductor solutions, announced its new 28 megapixel (MP) APS-C* CMOS image sensor for digital cameras. Currently in mass production, the new S5KVB2 is designed into Samsung’s new compact system camera, the NX1, and will be showcased along with the camera at Photokina 2014 held in Cologne, Germany, September 16 to 21. 

Utilizing Samsung’s advanced BSI pixel technology, the new S5KVB2 sensor offers superior light absorption. By using 65-nanometer (nm) low-power copper process as well as fine design technology, this new imager satisfies the requirements for power efficiency and noiseless high quality imaging in high-end compact system camera formats.

“To satisfy the increasing market need for high-end image sensors in digital cameras, Samsung has introduced this new imager, which features excellent higher resolution, superior image quality, and faster shooting speed with low power consumption,” said Kyushik Hong, vice president of System LSI marketing, Samsung Electronics. “Based on its leadership in CMOS imaging technologies, Samsung will continue to address new trends in camera sensor markets.”

The new S5KVB2 is the industry’s first APS-C sensor to adopt back-side illuminated (BSI) pixel technology. The BSI structure moves the metal layers to the rear side of the photodiode to reduce the loss of light. Applying BSI pixels, Samsung’s newest imager improves the light sensitivity of each pixel and increases light absorption in peripheral areas by approximately 30 percent, resulting in crisper, sharper images compared to a conventional front-side illumination (FSI) pixel-based imager.

By moving the position of the photo diode, the sensor’s metal wiring layout is better optimized for faster continuous speed. As a result, the S5KVB2 offers 30fps** video recording at Ultra HD resolution, being capable of delivering ultimate video quality on a camera.

In addition, the imager adopted Samsung’s advanced 65nm low-power copper process, which is well ahead of 180nm aluminium process, generally used in the camera sensor industry. Based on the finer ICs and the use of copper, the 65nm copper process enables power consumption to be reduced dramatically compared to an imager based on a previous process technology. As a result, the new S5KVB2 imager has less thermal emissions.

Through the advanced fabrication process and IC design, the S5KVB2 also decreases random noise significantly.

- See more at: http://global.samsungtomorrow.com/?p=42253#sthash.w9r4ihF8.dpuf

Samsung Electronics introduced the 27-inch S27D590C Full HD Curved Monitor designed to enhance visually compelling entertainment content.

 

Samsung 27-inch S27D590C Curved Monitor Redefines the Viewing Experience

Designed to make multimedia content more engaging, vibrant and true-to-life

Samsung Electronics introduced the 27-inch S27D590C Full HD Curved Monitor designed to enhance visually compelling entertainment content. The advanced display creates a more immersive viewing experience through its curved design and innovative features.

“Our new, 27-inch curved monitor takes movie watching and gaming to new heights from the monitor’s unique curved screen and comprehensive entertainment features, to the incredible picture quality and the impressive sleek design,” said Seoggi Kim, Senior Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “The S27D590C embodies our singular focus to create a truly unforgettable entertainment experience.”

Ultimate Viewing Experience

The curvature of the S27D590C improves the viewing experience in comparison to traditional flat screen monitors as the screen boasts nearly uniform viewing distances from the center of the screen to its edges. This curvature matches the natural curve of the human eye and makes it easy for the viewer to completely immerse themselves in games and movies.

Additionally, the screen’s curvature creates a wider field of view and greater sense of depth, which enables viewers to enjoy a panoramic view and gives the screen a 3D-like effect. The 3D effect is particularly apparent when enjoying first-person perspective games, such as racing and flight simulators, avatar-based adventures and shooters.

With an ultra-wide viewing angle of 178 degrees both horizontally and vertically, the curved monitor’s vertical alignment (VA) panel optimizes the viewing experience from any position and minimizes picture distortion. In addition, the S27D590C’s Mega Dynamic Contrast Ratio technology delivers a high contrast ratio of 3000:1 and 350 cd/m2 brightness help produce life-like images with deeper blacks, pristine whites and brighter colors.

Optimized for Entertainment

The integration of enhanced entertainment features takes gaming and multimedia content experience to the next level. The monitor comes fully equipped with built-in 5-watt dual speakers that deliver high-quality stereo sound as well as a game mode function that can be quickly activated with a simple touch of a button. The game mode intelligently detects on-screen changes and corrects blurry images, enhances colors and alters contrast for improved visibility of in-game action.

The monitor has a clean and minimalist look, ensuring viewers enjoy the enhanced viewing experience of the curved screen without any distraction. Its sophisticated design makes pictures seemingly float in mid-air, captivating the viewer instantly. Users can also easily adjust the screen angle using the tilt screen function to minimize glare and reflection. The monitor also supports 100×100 mm VESA standard brackets for stress-free wall or table mounting.

- See more at: http://global.samsungtomorrow.com/?p=42293#sthash.6Kf597Gb.dpuf

Tesla Gigafactory, Blue Lagoon and an electric unicycle

Tesla has emerged as one of the world's most exciting and successful electric vehicle manufacturers -- and now the Silicon Valley company is getting into the battery business in a big way. Tesla CEO Elon Musk just unveiled new images of the company's $5 billion battery "gigafactory" -- and he also broke the news that it will be powered entirely by renewable energy! Most vehicles fall into a specific category: sedan, pickup truck, station wagon, etc. -- but Toyota's new U Squared concept is the Swiss Army knife of cars. The insanely flexible vehicle folds out to seat up to four passengers, or you can fold down three seats and roll out an array of racks, movable rails and storage trays to accommodate everything from surfboards and bikes to bulky equipment.
In other transportation news, we showcased the world's smallest (and cutest) electric car, and designer Austin Marhold has created a tiny electric unicycle that weighs just 24 pounds and fits between your shins. The self-balancing unicycle is reportedly very intuitive to ride, lightweight and portable. A family of four recently embarked on a 6,200-mile e-bike trip across the country. If they make it, they'll break the world record for an e-bike trip, and they'll be promoting clean transportation alternatives along the way. And a man from Oregon has transformed a school bus into a rustic mobile cabin using salvaged shingles made from leftover forest cuttings.
When we think about renewable energy, solar, wind and hydropower might be the first sources that come to mind -- but they aren't the only natural sources of clean energy. Geothermal energy powers much of Iceland, and it also provides an incredibly unique water source for the country's biggest and most famous spa. The stunning Blue Lagoon, named for its milky turquoise hue, is fed by runoff water from the nearby geothermal plant, and its waters are as healing as they are luminous. Current solar technology tends to be expensive and difficult to produce -- but a team of Australian researchers found a way to change all that by upgrading existing printers to spit out a solar cell every two seconds! In other energy news, a nonprofit organization called Solar Sister is distributing solar-powered products like lanterns and cellphone chargers through women's rural networks in Africa. The Indian government recently announced plans to install as many as 2,200 solar-powered mobile communication towers throughout the country in hopes that mobile technology can push development in economically weak regions. And in Russia, a researcher is exploring whether cloud power could provide some of our clean energy and water needs. The scientist has created a tethered blimp that captures water from the clouds with a mesh that hangs vertically in the air and sends water to a hydropower plant on the ground via conduit attachments.
In design news, iPhone fans may have been salivating this past week at Apple's announcement on Tuesday, but all we could focus on was the Apple Watch, which got us all hot under the collar with its health- and fitness-tracking sensors and apps. Speaking of Apple, did you know that Steve Jobs was a low-tech parent? When an interviewer asked what Jobs' kids thought of the iPad, Jobs replied, "They haven't used it. We limit how much technology our kids use at home." We're in agreement with the idea of limiting children's access to screen-based technology for their own health and development, which is why we're thrilled that a new, decidedly low-tech Waldorf School just opened up in lower Manhattan. And as far as innovative toys go, the Dino Pet is one of the wildest we've ever seen -- the living lamp glows in the dark due to the bioluminescent dinoflagellates it contains.

Starbucks' shake-to-pay and tips now work on Android too

0

Love Starbucks but hate feeling left out of the shake-to-pay fun because the device in your pocket is running Android instead of iOS? Those days are over, my caffeine-craving friend. An updated version of the titular app has hit Google Play and it's packing the aforementioned payment option as well as digital tipping. The coffee juggernaut's rewards system is now on the payment screen too -- all in time for the Seattle outfit's declaration that autumn is officially here.