Samsung may shift to metal chassis with Galaxy S5

 

The successor to Samsung’s Galaxy S4 could ship with a feature that many have been demanding for quite some time – a metal chassis. That’s right, the latest rumor suggests the fifth generation hero phone could do away with the plastic body in favor of an aluminum or magnesium housing to give it a more premium look and feel according to Korean news site ET News.

In a time when premium phones like the HTC One and the iPhone 5 all use a metal chassis, Samsung has stuck with cheaper plastic materials for their flagship devices because its more durable and lightweight. But that philosophy may soon be put to the wayside to help strengthen Samsung’s brand image.
A premium metal handset isn’t likely to show up until sometime next year and if the move is successful, it could convince Samsung to shift from plastic to metal on other high-end handsets as well. But the decision could also mean the end of a feature that many others have already done away with – the replaceable battery.

Keep in mind, however, that this isn’t the first time we have heard rumblings regarding Samsung’s move to a metal chassis. Back before the Galaxy S4 was released, some believed it would be the first to receive the premium treatment. That obviously didn’t happen and even now less than a week before Samsung reveals the Galaxy Note III, the same metal rumor is being tossed around by some.

 

 

Windows 8 market share surpasses all versions of OS X combined

 

According to Net Applications, Windows 8 has achieved a milestone in the month of August, overtaking the market share of all versions of Mac OS X combined. Microsoft's latest operating system gained 2.01 percentage points in August to end with 7.41% of the market, allowing it to gain a narrow lead on Mac OS X, which posted a market share of 7.28%.
The growth Windows 8 experienced in August was the largest month-on-month gain since its launch in October last year, although it's not quite clear what sparked the sudden influx of upgrades. It could perhaps be related to the price cuts of Microsoft's Surface RT and Surface Pro tablets, or the leaks of the Windows 8.1 RTM, or simply a large amount of mid-year system purchases.

Net Applications: Operating system market share, August 2013

Operating System	August 2013 Market Share	July 2013 Market Share	Market Share Gain
Windows 8	7.41%	5.40%	2.01%
Windows 7	45.63%	44.46%	1.14%
Windows Vista	4.11%	4.24%	-0.13%
Windows XP	33.66%	37.19%	-3.53%
Windows Other	0.38%	0.27%	0.11%
Windows Total	91.19%	91.56%	-0.37%
Mac OS X	7.28%	7.19%	0.09%
Linux	1.52%	1.25%	0.27%

Windows 7 also saw a gain of 1.14% in August, while Windows Vista and Windows XP declined by 0.13 and 3.53 percent respectively. Overall, Windows saw a fractional decline of 0.37% in the month, which allowed both Mac OS X and Linux to gain a small amount of market share.
Despite gains for Windows 8 in August, it seems Microsoft hasn't been able to convince a large number of Windows 7 users to upgrade. The launch of Windows 8.1 later this year, which addresses a number of complaints surrounding Windows 8, may prompt more users to upgrade their OS, but at least for now it seems Windows 7 and Windows XP will remain kings of the market.

Microsoft buys Nokia's Devices and Services unit for 5.4 billion Euros

 

 

Huge news is coming from Redmond today, with Microsoft announcing that they've purchased Nokia's Devices and Services unit for 5.4 billion Euros. Of that sum, 3.79 billion Euros (~US$4.99 billion) will be spent on the business, while a further 1.65 billion Euros (~US$2.18 billion) will snag the company's patent portfolio.
The acquisition of the Devices and Services unit brings across the entire mobile phone business, including their Lumia (Windows Phone) and Asha (feature-phone) ranges, as well as assembly facilities, design teams and sales personnel.
Around 32,000 employees will transfer from Nokia to Microsoft thanks to the purchase, including 4,700 people in Finland, and 18,300 people directly involved with manufacturing. Nokia CEO Stephen Elop has stepped down from his position, and will return to Microsoft once the deal completes in Q1 2014. Risto Siilasmaa will assume an interim CEO position at what remains of Nokia.
Without the devices unit, Nokia will focus on delivering three core technologies: their HERE location-based services (which Microsoft has licensed for four years), Advanced Technologies (a licensing and development arm), and network infrastructure (NSN). However, with the Lumia business now belonging to Microsoft, Nokia will become a much smaller company.

In an email by Steve Ballmer to Microsoft employees, the exiting CEO stated that Microsoft is "very excited about the proposal to bring the best mobile device efforts of Microsoft and Nokia together". He highlights the "incredible work" the team has achieved, producing devices such as the 41-megapixel Lumia 1020, stating that "now is the time to build on this momentum and accelerate our share and profits in phones."
Microsoft's acquisition of Nokia's Devices and Services unit for 5.4 billion Euros is considerably less than the $8.5 billion the company paid for Skype in 2011. This deal, however, could be pivotal in setting up the future of Windows Phone, with a close marriage of hardware and software potentially setting up the company do to serious battle with iOS and Android.

Key Lime Pie is out, KitKat is in as codename for next Android version

 

 

Key Lime Pie has been given the boot as the codename for the next version of Android in favor of KitKat. No, today isn’t April Fools’ Day – apparently Google reached out to the candy maker and a deal was made to use the trademarked name as the codename for the next version of Android.
KitKat is the trademarked name of the candy bar made by Nestle and licensed by Hersey in the US. According to Android director of partnerships John Lagerling, the decision to move away from Key Lime Pie came after they realized very few people actually know the taste of a key lime pie.
As the story goes, KitKat is apparently a favorite snack among Android coders. Late last year, someone suggested using that name for the upcoming version of Android (4.4, not 5.0) and within 24 hours of reaching out to Nestle, an agreement was made. It’s said to be the type of deal where no money changes hands but rather a marketing opportunity for both parties.

Google has traditionally named each Android version after a dessert: cupcake, donut, éclair, froyo, gingerbread, honeycomb, ice cream sandwich, jelly bean and now, KitKat.
To help promote the partnership, Google and Nestle are launching a Willy Wonka-style promotion starting September 6 that will give candy bar buyers a chance to win a Nexus 7 or Google Play credits. Just look for the specially branded KitKat bars featuring the Android robot in stores.

Samsung unpacks trio of Galaxy devices at IFA: Note 3 phablet, the Gear smartwatch and the Note 10.1 2014 Edition

 

Samsung on Wednesday hosted the second edition of their Unpacked Event in Berlin just ahead of IFA 2013. As anticipated, the Korean tech giant showcased two key products (and one surprise device) in their ever-expanding Galaxy line of devices – the Galaxy Note 3 smartphone, the Galaxy Gear smartwatch and the Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition – in typical Samsung over-the-top fashion complete with an orchestra and all.
The Galaxy Note 3 features a new soft textured leather-like plastic back cover with stitching around the edges and a very thin front bezel. It now has a more premium look and feel – something that critics have complained about for some time when compared with metal designs from Apple and HTC. Rear panel cover colors include black, white and pink.

Despite having a larger screen, the Note 3 is actually thinner and lighter (5.9 ounces versus 6.4 ounces) than previous iterations. It includes a 5.7-inch SuperAMOLED 1080p display operating at 1,920 x 1,080 with 368 ppi pixel density, a 2.3GHz Snapdragon 800 processor for LTE models or a 1.9GHz Samsung Exynos Octacore for 3G variants, a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera with High CRI LED flash and smart stabilizer, 2-megapixel front shooter, 3GB of RAM, 32B or 64GB of storage, a microSD expansion slot, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac and a 3,200mAh battery.

 There’s a new and improved S Pen as well as category 4 LTE technology. The latter promises support for all types of LTE networks around the world. The device will ship running Android 4.3 and will come pre-loaded with Samsung Knox security software. It will ship on September 25 globally and arrive in Japan and the US starting in October.

 

 

Galaxy Gear is described as the true companion for Galaxy Note although it will work with a myriad of Galaxy devices via software update. Available in six different colors, the device itself is crafted from stainless steel and features a camera embedded in the wrist strap. Gear is capable of displaying various information like text messages or e-mails and it can even initiate a phone call through voice control. With a speaker and microphone strategically positioned in the wrist strap, you can talk through the watch by holding it near your face. This allows you to make and receive calls without taking your phone out of your pocket.

 
The Galaxy Gear carries a 1.63-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 320 x 320. The strap-mounted camera isn't terribly impressive with a 1.9-megapixel BSI sensor and auto-focus lens. Inside is a single core 800Mhz processor, a 315mAh non-removable battery that's reportedly good for up to 25 hours of use, two internal microphones with noise cancellation support, a speaker, Bluetooth 4.0, accelerometer, gyroscope, 4GB of storage and 512MB of RAM. Expect to pay $299 for the timepiece when it ships in October.

 

 Samsung's new Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 edition boasts the same 10.1-inch screen size as before in a package that weighs a little more than two ounces less than its predecessor. This time around, however, the device boasts a resolution of 2,560 x 1,600 (299 ppi) thanks to the WQXGA Super Clear LCD screen.

 

 

Inside is an 8,220mAh battery, options for 16GB / 32GB / 64GB of storage, a microSD card slot, 8-megapixel rear camera, 2-megapixel front shooter and the same 2.3GHz quad-core / 1.9GHz octa-core processor that will power the Note 3. It's also running 3GB of system RAM and will ship with Android 4.3 Jelly Bean. The Note 10.1 2014 Edition will ship in three different models: Wi-Fi only, Wi-Fi with 3G and Wi-Fi with LTE. It will be available in black and white during the third quarter although an exact release date and pricing hasn't been set as of writing.

Jelly Bean adoption nears 50 percent as KitKat waits in the wings

 

Adoption of Android Jelly Bean continues to climb as we await the arrival of its successor, KitKat. The latest stats from Google’s developer dashboard reveal the mobile operating system is now installed on more than 45 percent of all Android devices as of September 5.
Collectively, Android Jelly Bean 4.1.x and 4.2.x is installed on 45.1 percent of all devices running the latest Google Play Store app. That’s an increase of 4.6 percent from last month’s figure of 40.5 percent. As we have seen in the past, however, Jelly Bean’s gains come at the expense of other versions.

Ice Cream Sandwich installs are down to just 21.7 percent, Honeycomb remained steady at 0.1 percent and Gingerbread installs fell to 30.7 percent. Froyo is also down to just 2.4 percent.
Even with Jelly Bean’s success, Android fragmentation is still a real problem and with KitKat waiting in the wings, the issue isn’t likely to remedy itself anytime soon. Handset manufacturers have traditionally dragged their feet in getting the latest updates ready for customers but when you consider the sheer amount of different Android phones on the market, it’s no wonder it takes so long.
At the same time, the majority of budget handsets still ship with outdated versions of Android, namely Gingerbread. Most phones that fall into this category will never see an update issued as the hardware isn’t speedy enough to run newer revisions.

 

Bigger iPhone: Apple said to be testing up to 6-inch screens

 

 

The iPhone 5S and 5C haven’t even been announced yet but that isn’t stopping Apple from looking to the future. That future reportedly includes larger displays ranging in size from 4.8-inches up to six inches according to "people familiar with the matter" as reported by the Wall Street Journal.
The current iPhone 5 ships with a 4-inch display, the first handset from Apple to include a bump in display size since the release of the original iPhone way back in 2007. An iPhone with a six inch display would put the handset among the largest on the market, rivaled only by phablets like Samsung’s Galaxy Mega and perhaps a small handful of international devices.
It’s not uncommon for Apple and several other tech firms to test multiple variants of a product before it hits retail. Whether or not Apple would ultimately release devices in multiple sizes remains to be seen but it doesn’t seem likely. Unlike Samsung that’s content to throw everything at the wall to see what sticks, Apple has up to this point been very calculated with their product releases.
If true, however, such a move would mark a turning point for Apple as they continue to explore options to remain relevant in a red hot smartphone market that’s now dominated by Korean rival Samsung. It can be argued that Apple’s last truly innovative product was the iPad which singlehandedly spurred the lucrative tablet market we all know today.

Groups claim Facebook's new policy threatens user privacy, asking FTC to step in

Facebook is running into to some trouble with about a half a dozen different privacy groups regarding some changes the massive social networking site is trying to make to some of its most important user privacy documents.

Last week Facebook proposed changes to be made to its Data Use Policy and Statement of Rights and Responsibilities documents. The changes included what appears to be alterations made to what information the site uses for advertisements, among other things.

The privacy groups, including Center for Digital Democracy, Consumer Watchdog, Electronic Privacy Information Center and the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, have now sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission asking them to take action against Facebook's proposed changes. The groups claim that the new amendments infringe on user privacy and could be in violation with a settlement made between Facebook and the FTC back in 2011.

That settlement stated that Facebook must have user permission before accessing and sharing personal data beyond what the regulations set out in its legal guidelines. The privacy groups say the new changes go against this ruling and harken back to the infamous Facebook Beacon advertising initiative. Now shutdown, the Beacon program led to a $9.5 million settlement in favor of users who said Facebook didn't properly notify them regarding the use of outside data for advertising
.
“The proposed changes are broad enough to allow Facebook to resurrect programs similar to Beacon, a program that just about everyone including Facebook agreed was wrong and was subsequently shut down,” the privacy groups said.

Also an issue with the privacy groups, Facebook's new proposed policy changes the way the company handles younger users' personal data as well. Facebook has added language stating that anyone under 18 needs parental consent to join, which according to the groups, essentially means that the company can access and share the personal data of teenagers the same way as anyone else. The groups say that this completely defeats any kind of meaningful limitation Facebook had towards the commercial exploitation of the images and names of younger Facebook users.
For the full breakdown of the proposed policy changes, head over to Facebook's "Proposed Updates to our Governing Documents" page.

 

Lenovo Yoga 11S Ultrabook Review

Late last year we took a look at the Lenovo Yoga 13 Ultrabook, one of the first Windows 8 convertibles to hit the scene. The system performed decently well in our testing and while it was cool to use the machine as an oversized tablet with Windows 8 touch capabilities, the size and especially the weight (3.4 pounds) translated into an experience that wasn’t terribly practical.
To that end, Lenovo's latest entrant in the hybrid marketplace looks to address some of these issues, also replacing the modest and not very successful Windows RT-based Yoga 11.
The Lenovo Yoga 11S is described on the company’s website as a groundbreaking multimedia mini ultrabook, measuring just 11.6-inches, the convertible is a bit lighter than the Yoga 13 (although not by much) at 3.08 pounds. What it lacks in size compared to the larger Yoga 13, however, is reflected in the price tag as it starts at just $749.99 – a full $150 cheaper than the starting price of the larger system when we reviewed it.

Our evaluation unit is equipped with an Intel Core i5-3339Y clocked at 1.5GHz (max Turbo frequency of 2.0GHz), 8GB of RAM, Intel HD Graphics 4000 and a 256GB Samsung solid state drive. As referenced earlier, the Yoga 11S packs an 11.6-inch IPS display operating at 1,366 x 768. Our price as tested here today is $999.99.

Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11S - $750 - $999

• 11.6-inch IPS multitouch display (1366×768)
• 3rd Generation Intel Core i5-3339Y CPU (1.5GHz - 2GHz)
• Intel HD Graphics 4000
• 8GB PC3-12800 DDR3 SDRAM 1600 MHz
• Windows 8 64-bit
• 256GB Samsung SSD
• 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0
• Integrated 720p HD Camera
• HDMI out, 1 x USB 2.0, 1x USB 3.0, SD/MMC card reader
• 3.5mm Audio In / Mic Jack combo
• 4 Cell Lithium-Ion battery (~6 hrs)
• 11.73" x 8.03" x 0.67"
• 3.08 lbs

Aesthetically, the Yoga 11S is virtually identical to its bigger brother which isn’t a bad thing. The outside of the lid feels like a semi-soft plastic and is silver with the Lenovo name engraved in the corner that still looks very clean and modern.
Across the front edge of the system is a backlit power button, battery indicator and a small recessed button that’s used to launch OneKey Recovery – a software suite that allows you to back up your system or recover it from a previous state. On the right side of the Yoga 11S is a screen orientation lock button, right side speaker, a single UBS 2.0 port and an SD/MMC card reader.
There’s not much to see on the reverse save for a row of ventilation slots between the screen’s two hinges. Moving to the left we find a combination headphone / microphone jack, a single USB 3.0 port and an HDMI-out port.
On the bottom of the Yoga 11S are four anti-skid pads and 11 small six-sided screws that would need to be removed with a non-standard screwdriver to gain access to the internals. This would make the task of adding or replacing system memory a bit more time-consuming but it does appear to be possible.

 

The screen on this hybrid doesn’t have a gaudy plastic bezel as there’s a single piece of glass that covers the IPS panel but there is a sizable bezel that frames the actual screen. Normally I wouldn’t approve of this but since this system doubles as a tablet, it’s acceptable as it gives you ample room to actually hold the device without inadvertently making contact with the touchscreen.
Lenovo has included a 720p webcam that’s centered just above the screen with what appears to be an ambient light sensor beside it and another on the far right edge. At the very bottom of the screen is the Windows 8 Start button that quickly allows you to switch from Windows UI to the traditional desktop and vice versa.

The keyboard on the Yoga 11S features island style keys which is becoming commonplace on notebooks today. The board is a little more compact compared to the Yoga 13 but even still, I didn’t run into any real problems using it. My only complaint here is that the keys (especially near the center of the board) feel very mushy. The entire middle area of the keyboard sinks in noticeably when pressed. It’s certainly not a deal breaker but I did expect a little more firmness given the Ultrabook branding.
Key layout is acceptable aside from a few keys like Backspace and Tab being shorter than usual. It’s also worth noting that the Page Up / Home and Page Down / End keys aren’t in their traditional space. Instead, you will find them at the bottom right flanking the Arrow keys.

The touchpad on the Yoga 11S is very similar to what I found on the Yoga 13 which is a good thing. I still prefer Lenovo’s older style with dedicated physical buttons for the left and right mouse click but I could certainly warm up to what they have done with this integrated touchpad. The size and positioning of the pad was spot-on and I had virtually no trouble with it during use. The area around the pad and the keyboard was very comfortable and offered just the right amount of movement without my wrists feeling like they were slipping away.

Performance, Usage Impressions

Our sample system arrived running Windows 8 64-bit although one could opt for the Pro version when ordering. I’m a bit more versed with Windows 8 now compared to when I reviewed the original Yoga last December. If you’re new to Microsoft’s latest operating system, I would urge you to check out our in-depth review of Windows 8 to get you headed in the right direction.
One thing I love about Windows 8 is how quickly it boots to a usable state (having a solid state drive certainly helps here). From a cold boot, I was in Windows and ready to go in 14 seconds flat. That’s a few ticks slower than the Yoga 13 but all in all, it’s very fast and runs circles around anything else Microsoft has released to date.

Once inside Windows, I headed over to the Add / Remove programs list as I always do. I found just shy of a dozen suspect programs that I would immediately remove had I purchased this system myself. It isn’t the worst case I’ve seen by far but it’s a marked increase over the six or so questionable programs I found on the Yoga 13.

 With Windows 8, we were forced to modify our benchmarking procedures slightly. PCMark Vantage refused to give an overall score no matter how hard I tried. We are also doing away with our “real-world” web-browsing battery test in favor of the much more standardized Powermark application. All of our other testing procedures have been carried over from Windows 7.

Massive DDoS attack on .cn domain brings down Chinese websites

 

 

China found itself on the receiving end of a massive denial-of-service attack this weekend that reportedly disrupted and slowed access to millions of websites, including major properties like Amazon.cn, Sina’s social networking site Weibo and Bank of China. According to the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC), the attack specifically targeted the country’s .cn servers, starting at around 2 a.m. local time on Sunday and followed by a more intense attack at 4 a.m. Service has been gradually restored since then.
While official details are scarce at the moment, CloudFlare CEO Matthew Prince told the WSJ that the company saw a steep drop in traffic from the country, dipping 32 percent below its normal traffic for that hour.
CNNIC described this as the largest denial-of-service attack the country has ever faced and says they’ve  already launched measures to protect the domain system. It's unclear where the attack originated from or if it’s still ongoing; a spokeswoman for the entity said it would update the public once more information was gathered.
Motives behind the attack are also unknown and unlikely to be publicly revealed. Th wall street journal notes the timing coincides with the government wrapping up the trial of former Communist Party heavyweight Bo Xilai, over alleged corruption and abuse of power, and a crackdown on ‘social commentators’ (i.e. influential people taking on social networks to discuss sensitive topics within the nation).
As far as potential perpetrators, while the country has previously said it’s seeing an increase in attacks coming from the US, South Korea and Germany, CloudFlare says the attack could have been carried out by a single individual. China itself has often been accused of launching DDoS attacks; in fact, it was the top source country for DDoS attacks in Q4 2012, according to Akamai's State of the Internet report, with the US coming in second.

Researchers modify handsets to block others' calls and SMS messages

Security researchers from the Technical University of Berlin have discovered a new way to block both phone calls and SMS messages with just a few software modifications to their own mobile device. According to the MIT Technology Review, the exploit works by embedding custom firmware in the baseband processor -- the component of the phone responsible for communicating with nearby network towers.
Under normal circumstances, when a call is sent out, the tower sends out a “ping” to the intended recipient. Before the call is properly connected or the SMS message is received, the intended receiver must answer back by effectively saying “it’s me”. The modified handsets, however, intercepts these signals by responding to the “pings” faster than the actual recipient. As a result, the unknowing victim never receives the message. If the hack is pulled off successfully, it can steal communications within an area approximately 75 square miles in size.
Fortunately, there are some restrictions as to what the exploit can actually do and who the software can target. First off, Motorola phones are currently the only known handsets that can be modified for these purposes.The jammers also only affect 2G GSM networks, rendering them useless against 3G and 4G variants. That being said, GSM networks are still the most popular network worldwide and are used by nearly 4 billion people.
Another limitation is that only phones under the same provider can have their communications blocked; for example, T-Mobile phones are immune to modified Verizon handsets. Most importantly, the hack can’t actually be used to listen in on calls or read SMS messages; disrupting the pinging process is about as far as the research group went.
Interestingly, the threat could be eliminated if current GSM protocols are altered to include the exchange of encrypted codes. This safeguard isn’t expected to be deployed anytime soon though - not unless there’s imminent danger. Victor Bahl, principle researcher of the mobility and networking research group at Microsoft, explained, “The defense is expensive to deploy. I can only speculate that the cell network providers are reluctant to invest in mitigation strategies in the absence of an immediate threat.”

Hacker pleads guilty to selling login credentials for US supercomputers

 

Andrew James Miller, a 24-year old hacker from Pennsylvania, gained access to the Energy Department’s series of supercomputers and attempted to sell the pilfered login credentials to an undercover FBI agent. Today, Miller pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy and computer fraud, and could receive up to 18 months in prison if he enters into a plea deal.

According to Wired, although this hacking feat was perhaps Miller’s largest heist, it certainly wasn’t his only one. He bragged to the undercover officer that he had also broken into the corporate servers of several major firms including Google, Adobe, WordPress, Yahoo, and American Express. His method of choice was deploying keyloggers on employee computers to lift their credentials.

To gain entrance to the supercomputer network, Miller first hacked into a Japanese university that had ties to the computers. To connect himself with a potential buyer, he went through Robert “Intel” Burns, a fellow member of the hacking group Underground Intelligence Agency. Burns voluntarily assisted authorities by putting Miller in touch with the FBI agent that all of the illegal transactions would later go through.

Miller started off relatively small, completing $1000 deals with the undercover officer for the corporate logins to Domino’s Pizza and global telecommunications provider RNKTel, among others. In building a case against Miller, one prosecutor explained, “With that administrator-level access, a bad actor could not only have accessed RNKTel’s confidential business records but could also have altered customer accounts to obtain, for free, the telecommunication services that RNKTel sells to its customers.”

Ratcheting up the risk as well as his potential gains, Miller requested $50,000 for “root” access to the supercomputers housed by the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center in California. Due to their use in Energy Department-approved projects, these computers are among the most powerful in the world.

Needless to say, Miller was never paid the $50,000 he had asked for, and the feds subsequently used the undercover operation to build a very compelling case against him.

 

Samsung to arm Android handsets with built-in antivirus software

 

 

As mobile devices quickly become synonymous with a second computer (or even primary computer in some scenarios), the need for security is greater than ever. Samsung agrees with this ideology, and has teamed up with security firm Lookout to place antivirus protection on all of their new Android smartphones.
Lookout's technology will be integrated into Samsung's Knox security software, and is targeting business professionals who share the same device for both personal and work use. Lookout will supposedly bring real-time, cloud-based scanning to the platform, helping to eliminate threats that stem from email attachments, file-sharing services and internet browsers.
Although Samsung didn’t directly criticize Android’s built-in security offerings, their decision insinuates you can't entirely rely on the open source OS. According to Chicago cyber-security firm Trustwave Holdings Inc., approximately 200,000 pieces of malware were found on the Google platform in 2012, nearly 50,000 more than the previous year.
Security specialists point to Android fragmentation as the source of the problem. Older versions of the Android OS are non-compatible with the new security updates provided by Google, leaving them vulnerable to attack. The Google Play marketplace has also been criticized for its lax security measures and inability to effectively screen for harmful applications.
Despite these concerns, Google is adamant that the problem is being overblown. “There’s not really a significant amount of risk that users are being exposed to,” explained Android’s security engineer, Adrian Ludwig, “It’s also, frankly, nothing like the risks they accept in their daily lives.”
It’s also important to note that there are vast differences between deploying antivirus software on a desktop computer to that of a smartphone. For one, mobile devices are often scolded for their poor battery life; a situation that is made even worse by constantly checking-in to the security firm's servers. Furthermore, most mobile operating systems don’t provide unrestricted access to system files in the way that traditional computers do.
It'll be interesting to see how Lookout plans to overcome these barriers, and if their software provides any formidable defense against potential malware attacks.

 

Weekend Open Forum: What is your favorite stealth video game/franchise?

 

 

For me video games have always been about the immersion of putting myself in the shoes of a single character on screen -- and maybe because I've never been naturally good at fast paced FPS games -- stealth experiences have always resonated with me. Developers have been trying to master the art of stealth since the very early days of the Metal Gear series and even in Wolfenstein dating back as far as 1981. Nowadays, the genre has evolved with some great franchises like Splinter Cell, Hitman and my personal favorite, Metal Gear.
Even though I have always had a soft spot for Snake's convoluted story-lines and admittedly stiff game mechanics, the other big players in the genre have always made me question who has done it the best? Not the story, not the characters, but the actual stealth gameplay mechanics. Even a game like Dishonored should be involved in the conversation in my opinion, it obviously doesn't have the pedigree of the aforementioned franchises, but it certainly added a level of speed and mobility to what was generally thought of as a slow paced and methodical genre. As for single game experiences, my favorites are Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Hitman: Blood Money and MGS:3.
For this week's open forum, we're wondering what your favorite stealth game/franchise is and what you think of the genre as a whole. Do the long-running franchises like Metal Gear and Hitman hold the crown or do new players like Human Revolution and Dishonored bring it to the next level?

 

Titanic 2

Everyone knows about the historical ship TITANIC. It was a passenger ship which was sank with 1514 passengers and crew in the North Atlantic Ocean on April 15, 1912 after colliding with an Iceberg on its first journey. According to this tragedy a movie was also released and run successfully all over the World and still today it is one of the great movies among the world. But our topic is not the movie.  It’s the ship. Titanic ship is building again. “TITANIC 2” is one of the most attractive news of the world.

One of the Australia’s richest men, Clive Palmer who is estimated to be Australia’s fifth richest person has made a plan to build a 21^st century’s classic ship “Titanic 2 “in China. Its fast voyage will from England to New York set for 2016. “CSC Jinling Shipyard” of China will build “TITANIC 2”.  It will build at the same Dimensions as its Predecessor.

“TITANIC 2” will be every bit as luxurious as the original Titanic but the build company will use the art of 21^st century technology. The latest navigation and safety system will be added with “TITANIC 2”. Some changes will happen in “TITANIC 2” from TITANIC. Moist Probably “TITANIC 2” will sail in the Northern Hemisphere to North America is scheduled for late 2016.  Palmer has invited the Chinese navy to escort the “Titanic 2” to New York.

The announcement of “TITANIC 2” comes just weeks after the 100 anniversary of the sinking of Titanic that mean in April, 2012.

“Titanic 2” will have all modern facilities. It will be the ultimate in comfort and luxury . A gymnasium, swimming pools, libraries, high class restaurants, Luxury cabins etc. In”TITANIC 2” will also include an exhibition room which will be located in the space of the original’s coal boilers. It will showcase his home state of Queensland.

The Life In Your Hand: The Best Music On Your Gadget

Today everyone walks with their preferred device on their hand; you will see people bumping into each other because their focus is on their devices, bumping to the music because their earphones are on loud, and taking pictures or talking on their phones. This is the way society has lost its bearing on what is important and what is not; or has sit? www.iomoio.com has made life better for all music lovers by offering an avenue for them to get all the music they want by way of downloading.

The thing is, unbelievably, society has not lost its bearing at all, and they have found a way to show how important it is to find inner peace before you can show that peace to the world; even Mahatma Gandhi said so. If your music gives you this inner peace, you need to know where you can find it in quality, quantity and any time you want, you can mp3 songs online almost everywhere but only quality songs with this website and here is why you should:


Iomoio gets your type of music

From the love ballads of the seventies, to the latest in house and techno beats, you will find them here. From the Supremes to Drake and David Guetta, that type of music is available; you can download the singles or the albums depending on what you want. Whether you have a love for classical music, hip-hop, techno, salsa and rhythm and blues you will get it here.

You can preview your choices

The other good thing is that you can review this music before you downloading. This helps you confirm that you are about to download the song you were looking for because today songs have titles that are almost similar. This feature helps you get what you want. The song plays for the entire length instead as snippets as with other websites making sure that you downloads and get what you want and nothing else.

They have an expansive database

Their database is massive and as mentioned earlier, you can download music from any age or from any year. If you are into old school, new school, the new jack swing; whatever it is you will get it here. Their database is also secure and you are assured of downloading a virus free song. The best things in life, are convenient and will definitely cost you something but it will be referred to as free as the saying goes. This kinds of downloads will definitely be worth every penny you spend and the fact that you will get the music you are looking for on this website will be worth your time.

Music and soundtracks

No other websites affords you the availability and the ability of the great soundtracks that never became an album. If you like, a song on a movie or a musical, this is the site to find the sound. You will be in a position to enjoy the track repeatedly as well as get to replay your best scenes in the movie or movies you enjoy, with time you will be lip synching as you watch the movie.

Place Your Business at the Fingertips


Because your potential clients are shopping on the Internet at times that are convenient for them, your cyber-store must be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and provide an enjoyable shopping experience for all. Your website must be attractive and reliable enough to convince them to stay on your site long enough to explore what you have to offer and how you can improve their quality of life.
Working with a reliable team of website development experts will provide you with the time you need to run your company while they are busy creating an effective tool that brings in traffic. Having professionals by your side working from a mantra of honesty and integrity will give you a competitive edge over other businesses that are working to make a profit through e-commerce.

A Competitive Website

To be effective, your website must be attractive, functional, and deliver the message that you want your targeted audience to receive. Make sure that the team with which you partner uses quality images, a clear description of your goods and services, and develops a website that runs smoothly for your visitors. You only have one chance to make a good first impression, and today’s on-the-go society will not stay on your website for very long if it isn’t easy to navigate.
Every part of your website design must work toward the common goal of driving traffic to your website so that leads and sales can be generated. An experienced team will know exactly what will
work effectively for your company, and they’ll work diligently to deliver a website that you can be proud of.

Points to Consider

Your website development team must be experienced, confident, and able to communicate with you on a regular basis as they craft your website. Your website design and all of its strategies must be individually tailored for your business and should take the performance of your company to new heights with its overall functionality. You’ll want your company to be accessible from all types of mobile devices so that a society that is constantly on the go can obtain information about your products from any location at any hour of the day or night. It’s imperative that they have a successful experience from the first moment that they arrive on your site.

The Right Team for You

The right mobile website development team for your project will be experienced and have the ability to work hand in hand as a team to create an attractive website that drives great volumes of traffic to your cyber-location. They should be knowledgeable about SEO techniques, web hosting, system maintenance, and email campaigns, as well as other campaigns that can take your company toward the benchmarks that you have in place for success. Partnering with a team of professionals who know what works and how to deliver an effective product to your company will be an excellent investment for your business.

5 Ways to Share Your Documents Online


There are some methods of file sharing are safer and more user-friendly than others. Here, we’ll examine the different ways to share documents online and the pros and cons of each method.

Email
 

Email is still a common way to share files. It is easy to share a file via email, but it is certainly not the most efficient way. You are limited in file size, so sending documents or files that are heavy on images, sound or video are nearly impossible. You also can’t always rely on the email to get to its recipient. While this may just pose a nuisance for an ordinary file, it is a big security risk where files containing confidential information are concerned.

FTP

FTP servers have been used for quite some time, too. They’re actually quite efficient for sharing files, but novice Internet users typically have no reason to know how to use an FTP server. Unless you own or manage a website, this type of file sharing is impractical. If not done correctly, you can also inadvertently give the entire World Wide Web access to your files. Unless you’re an advanced Internet user, this method is not recommended.

Social Networks

Social networks are a great way to communicate, and they’re often used to share files, too. The benefit to these services is that they’re very easy to use, and communication is fast and simple. The downside to social networks for sharing files is that social networks are very public. Even private messages aren’t very secure because someone could easily hack into most social profiles and get access to the files.

Peer-to-Peer Networks

If you thought that Peer-to-Peer networks have fallen to the wayside, think again. They’re still alive and well though their use has declined somewhat since the height of their popularity in the early- to mid-2000s. Uploading and downloading files is easy, but it comes at a price. You open your computer up to a lot of security risks when using these networks. If you use peer-to-peer services, invest in solid antivirus and antimalware programs.

Cloud Services

Cloud services like ShareFile.com are the best solution for securely sharing files online. You can set passwords, authorize users and manage permissions to ensure that your files are safe and can only be changed or edited by those you grant permission to. Most have apps to help you manage files from your mobile devices. An added benefit of these services is that a copy of your file or folder stays in the cloud unless you delete it. Having backups of your files is always a smart idea in case your computer is ever lost, stolen or damaged.

All of these methods are still widely used today, but it’s important to keep the safety of your identity and your computers in mind. Minimize risks when file sharing by sticking to trusted resources and scanning your system for threats. Share files responsibly, and encourage others to do the same.

Top Web Design Skills That Separate the Professionals from Amateurs

There are many essential skills that you need to possess if you want to design a successful website. Whether you are new to the field or a long-time designer, you probably already understand that web design is complicated and ever-changing. While it always helps to learn the basics of web design on your own, there are certain skills that only the high-calibre professionals possess. In order to get the most out of your website, you should look for someone who is equipped with the following essential skills.

1. HTML

HTML (HyperText Markup Language) is the most basic element of web design. Every aspect of web design starts with HTML. Without this fundamental knowledge, your website’s design will fall apart rather quickly. Even if you create a website using the most basic of templates, you should always hire someone who can utilise HTML concepts to give it a more professional touch.

2 .CSS

 is said that the brother of HTML is CSS (Cascading Style Sheets). CSS is another language that every web designer worth his salt should know. If HTML is mostly utilised for tagging elements, CSS is the main language that determines how your design will look on the user’s end.

3. Creativity

Some people are born with it, while others need to develop creativity. When a web designer has the right mix of inspiration and knowledge, very bright ideas can be sparked. Creativity can be fuelled by your knowledge about web design. It is, of course, very hard to create something out of nothing. Thus, the more web design knowledge someone is armed with, the more likely they will be to come up with more creative web design solutions.

4. JavaScript and Ajax

After you familiarise yourself with HTML and CSS, you will need to know about software programs like JavaScript and Ajax. These software programs will enable you to add extensions and variety to your site.

5. Java, Perl, C++, PHP, ASP, MySQL Database, and Flash

These are among the more complicated aspects of web design. While many web designers settle with the first four skills, a real expert needs to equip himself with additional skills to have an edge over other web designers. Knowing how to use these software programs will help you extend your market, thus increasing your market value.

6. Search Engine Optimisation

Search engine optimisation, or SEO, is vital if you want your website to attract visitors. SEO skills will help you obtain a higher ranking on search engine return pages and increase your online presence. Sure, you can familiarise yourself with basic SEO concepts like keyword placement and the like, but if you want to get the most out of your website you need to consider enlisting experts.

How to Get Success in SEO

Web optimization overall results has to be a priority of even more targeted visitors to the web site. Besides you will be observed with the bots, you’ll never ever look on site one among all search engine optimizing.

Web optimization conclusion are using what page are typically in & the more effective the score the higher.

1) Website Ranking: Reading good search engine optimization could rely plenty on the content. Ensure it is often considered as helpful and benefit from your keywords more than once in each & every sentences. When the SEO robots reside towards your web site, they could come upon each keywords & get ranking your web site for your kids. Another sneaky tactic for recognized search engine optimizing is usually to hunt down different web pages comparable to yours. Bear in mind that key terms is a huge component in having an advantageous optimization so be sure you are displaying as a minimum 2% saturation in your blog site content.

2) Check out your Webpage URL: Employing a URL overflowing with your essential keywords is commonly a major guide in search marketing since the SEO could show immediately what your internet page is all about. Bear in mind putting your keywords and phrases on its own to the sector brand are not really likely to confirm merely premier rank while using search-engines like Google. You’ll find different issues likewise, whilst it’s still considered a principal factor.

3) Key phrases is definitely an thing to contemplate: To get fine search engine optimisation, remember to create your try to get terms in article content, be the foreign language that search engine optimisation recognize. For those who work together with design, only bring search phrases included in the alt tag space & the website placement may over that. To help get good search marketing success you should look at the small Search engine marketing things, and even, carrying out the more expensive styles too.

4) Let’s browse the Webpage Headline: With the suitable headline for just a post could raise the website placement and reach the attraction from a person conducting investigates for use on your content. Focusing on optimizing your internet site will be to extend your targeted customers so ensure you craft a necessary and notice possessing title using the services of your keywords and phrases. Slightly more often distinct perhaps you may develop your headline, the lower rivalry where you could have for ones certain themes which can you’ll need merely primary online site seo effects. Two spots for one to should seek advice from your key terms will be in the very idea of the posting & with the commencing belonging to the primary post title on the initial piece.

Battlefield Game Reviews

Overview

Platform: PS3, Xbox
Developer: Electronic Arts
Genre: Action Adventure

 

We Liked:

 The beta was really awesome to play. This is a beta review of Battlefield 3. I give it 5 stars out of 5 stars for one of the best games I have played on PS3 ever.

 

 

 

Possibly the best game coming out 10.25.2011. Some say it will be better then COD which based on graphics and game play most likely will. Battlefield 3 is going to have an Alpha and a Beta trial stage, so its developer, DICE, has started revealing some details about how they’ll work and when gamers can start experiencing the new first-person shooter.
Battlefield 3 has been receiving a lot of details in the last few months, with DICE, its developer, and Electronic Arts, its publisher, sharing plenty of things about the new title that is set to arrive later this year, in October.
Now, the game is set to see the start of an alpha trial in August, as well as a beta stage, which should kick off in September.
As you can imagine, lots of fans want details on these trials, so DICE posted a few answers for their questions on the Battlefield 3 blog, including how the trial stages will work, how buyers of the Medal of Honor: Limited Edition will participate, so check them out below.
How can I get into the Alpha Trial?
It is a highly tech focused test period where the main purpose is to do a number of server related tests in preparation for game launch requiring a set amount of players online to ensure the final experience is as much fun and easy as possible.
Is this the Beta promised to buyers of Medal of Honor: Limited Edition?
No, this is an Alpha Trial, meaning this software is still not at the “Beta” development milestone. The Open Beta will start in September. The exact date for when Medal of Honor: Limited Edition players can join the Beta will be announced at a later date.
Can I join the Battlefield 3 Closed Alpha Trial?
The Alpha is a closed test and by invitation only. If you’d like to have a chance to be called upon make sure to register for our newsletter and ensure your Veteran status is up to date. We are also not giving away keys to the Alpha Trial on any of our social networking platforms.
Buyers of the Medal of Honor: Limited Edition are urged to enable the reception of newsletters from EA, as the codes for the Battlefield 3 beta will be sent through such an email later this year.
Expect more news about Battlefield 3 alpha and beta stages soon. Watch for it on PS3, XBOX.

 

LAUNCHING GOOGLE WALLET ON NEXUS S


PRODUCT REVIEW:

Pros:

 Not tested yet at a store but paying should be easy as pie. Simple to launch for those who have the Nexus S. $10 free added to whatever amount you put in.

Cons:

 It only works on the Nexus S so far. Its not a official launch update but more of finding it. Not all stores have the Google Wallet check out.

 

 

 

 

To take advantage of Google Wallet on your Nexus S before everyone else follow these steps exactly. First download the ROM manager app if you dont already have it. Flash your googlewallet.zip file and check every box except making a backup then reboot your phone. Then try and launch Google Wallet once its FCed. If everything goes right then it should show up on your screen and make you sign into your Google account. Google should give you $10 and then you can add more money if you want.

 

 

 

CYBORG R.A.T.5 GAMING MOUSE REVIEW

The Cyborg RAT 5 gaming mouse is a mouse designed to fit any hand size, maximize comfort and enhance performance. I personally love it and use it daily, whether for gaming, or just work. Soe of the features include: Adjustable Length, Custom Weight System, Precision Aim Mode, 4 Custom DPI Settings, 5600 DPI, Lightweight Metal Chassis, Powerful ST Programming Software and much much more! Go to the site here,   http://www.cyborggaming.com/prod/rat5.htm
VIDEO REVIEW HERE:   http://youtu.be/ZYRPC_hj7yE

PROS:

-comfortable
-mouse can adjust to your hand size
-you can change the weight of the mouse
-12 programmable buttons
-up to 5600 dpi
-very durable
-nice design
-doesn’t require mouse pad

CONS:

-surface material vulnerable to hand sweat and stains
-expensive (69.99)
-surface gets worn out easily if used alot

4G NETWORK: WILL IT KILL Wi-Fi HOTSPOT ?

Nowadays on one hand where internet availability has become an absolute necessity another added need of the day, which is also growing day by day, is the availability of portable internet as you move around the globe, anywhere and anytime. Given this need in most parts of the developed and developing world, a greater stress is now placed on either the availability of Wi-Fi internet or internet on one’s mobile phones, which you can utilize on the go for all sorts of necessary tasks. The need for both has as yet been equally important and vital for a wide range of people and those too from all sorts of fields of life.  With the development of 4G mobile communication technology and hence the resulting advancement in mobile internet services, many have come to consider its possible consequences on the usage of Wi-Fi internet and the popularity of Wi-Fi hotspots. In this regard many arguments, varying in views, have come up.
The comforts and discomforts of a 4G network; Fast and reliable internet on the go
The availability of a fast and reliable 4G network may as well allow ever greater volumes of downloads even on phones. Hence where 3G may as well have sufficed to allow for only necessary internet usage, with 4G the need for Wi-Fi seems to be growing even less for many. Even iPads coming with 4G, allow the comfort of turning it on and off depending when you need to use it. Hence the internet is utilized only when needed, for example on a vacation or a journey, with clients only paying for the time they used it.
Despite these obvious and apparent ease that come with using a 4G network, critics have often reflected upon the very much valid other side of the situation. It has often been realized that the quality of coverage of a 4G system will be more challenging to maintain and provide. Similarly the technology and infrastructure that is needed to be developed for a 4G network is extremely expensive to be employed in many parts of the developing or under developed world, for example part of Asia and Africa. Given the above facts an extensive global coverage of 4G, or as we may call it a ‘universal coverage’, cannot be expected quiet soon.

Most predicted outcome: the co-existence of 4G and Wi-Fi Hotspots
In a situation where the pros and cons of both Wi-Fi and 4G entail a more complementary role, co-existence of both systems is often predicted to be the outcome. Given the expensive nature of the required set up for 4G provision and the limited coverage challenge, especially in developing countries, Wi-Fi comes as a cheaper option in most parts of the world. Even amongst tourists the demand of a wi-fi hotspot is ever increasing, especially in hotels where they decide to stay, where this facility is now deemed to be extremely vital. Such an availability of internet reduces the reliance on 4G which may serve to be expensive when in another region.Similarly Wi-Fi hotspots also allow for internet usage at its maximum without the fear of going above one’s monthly limit.
Another possibility that has been postulated by various critics is that Wi-Fi hotspots and hence the internet they provide will yet again remain a solution to lower the 4G congestion that may result, especially once its rapid usage begins. As mentioned above,given the recent provision of Wi-Fi in public places like shopping centers, hotels and airports, there is also an opportunity for marketers to utilize them for advertisement purposes, especiallythose that will be shown on the Wi-Fi login pages. Such provisions of Wi-Fi hotspots until today are increasingly becoming common today, and with such a recent and huge capital investment in these, a rapid switch to 4G entirely still seems to be a distant possibility.