Epic calls Google 'irresponsible' for exposing Fortnite security flaw
The CEO of Epic Games has slammed Google's "irresponsible" disclosure of a security bug in its hit game Fortnite. Tim Sweeney accused Google of trying to "score cheap PR points" by revealing a vulnerability in the game's installer.
Epic chose to bypass Google Play when it released Fortnite for Android leading to concerns about security. On Friday, Google revealed details of a security flaw that could be exploited to secretly install malware onto people's phones.
Report: Apple to launch three iPhones later this year
Following the success of the iPhone X, the tech world is waiting to see what Apple has up its sleeve next -- and with new devices expected to be announced mid-September, we shouldn't have to wait too long to find out. Now a new report suggests that next month we'll see not just one or two new iPhones... but three.
Citing "people familiar with the matter", Bloomberg says that Apple is set to launch no fewer than three handsets with the full-screen look of the current iPhone X. The trio of phones has been designed to have broader appeal with a wider range of pricing, sources say.
Creative unveils Sound BlasterX G6 USB DAC for PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, and Xbox One
While your computer's onboard sound might be "good enough," if you are serious about audio quality, it would be wise to invest in a sound card. USB variants in particular are a great way to easily update your desktop or laptop's sound. This won't just benefit listening to movies and music, but in some cases, gaming too.
Creative has long manufactured superior PC sound hardware -- its "Sound Blaster" products are legendary. Today, the company announces its latest such offering. Called "Sound BlasterX G6," the USB DAC offers an insane 130dB dynamic range. Best of all, it is compatible with PC (Windows and macOS), Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. It will probably work with Linux-based operating systems -- such as Ubuntu and Fedora -- too.
Shooting at Madden NFL 19 tournament leaves three dead
Three people have been killed and several injured in a shooting at a video game tournament in Jacksonville, Florida. A gunman shot two participants dead before killing himself at the event which was livestreamed on Twitch.
Police say that in addition to the three fatalities, eleven people were injured in the shooting. The shooter has been named as David Katz from Baltimore; he is said to have become angry after losing the tournament and pulled out a handgun.
Apple replaced my butterfly keyboard
Yesterday, the local Apple Store emailed that my wife's former 13.3-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar was ready. We picked up the laptop hours later. If you haven't heard about specks of debris causing MBP keyboard failure, I can confirm from our experience that such problem occurs. In mid-June 2018, Apple initiated a free repair program, which we used last week with surprisingly positive results.
I purchased the custom-configured MBP in mid-November 2016, and right out of the box the spacebar occasionally skipped. The malfunctioning worsened over time, and, coincidentally (or not), reached crisis a few days after Apple admitted to problems with the Butterfly keyboard. The spacebar became stiff to touch, requiring considerable pressure to push, sometimes working but more often not.
Fortnite installer had a serious security flaw that Google just revealed
It seems that the concerns about Fortnite's security were well-founded -- although not necessarily for the reasons some people might have expected. Epic Games has been criticized for its decision not to make Fortnite available through Google Play, leading Google to show warnings to anyone conducting searches for the game.
Now a Google engineer just revealed that the first version of Epic's installer had a serious security vulnerability, placing Android users at risk. A post on Google's Issue Tracker shows that the installer could be abused to secretly download and install any app with any level of permissions -- a Man-in-the-Disk exploit.
Microsoft's Your Phone Android app now available for Windows 10 Release Preview Insiders
A week ago, Microsoft made its new Your Phone app available to all Windows 10 users. The app, which lets you sync content directly from a phone to a Windows 10 PC, was pulled shortly afterwards, as it transpired it was released accidentally.
Fast ring Insiders were still able to access and use the app though, and today Microsoft makes it available to Insiders on the Release Preview ring as well (this is the ring in which you run the current, public version of Windows 10 but still get early access to updates, applications and drivers).
Microsoft releases Windows 10 Redstone 5 Build 17746 to the Fast ring
If you’re a Fast ring Insider, you’ll be aware that new builds of the next Windows 10 feature update -- 1809, aka Redstone 5 -- are coming thick and fast these days, as Microsoft works hard to get it finished in time for its Fall release.
Three days ago, the software giant rolled out Build 17744, and today we get Build 17746.
You can now power your Raspberry Pi over Ethernet
The Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+ launched five months ago and as well as being faster, with dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2, it came with the ability to be powered through Power over Ethernet (PoE) via a HAT.
Today the Raspberry Pi Foundation announces that the HAT is now available to buy, and at a reasonable price too.
T-Mobile hacked -- over 2 million accounts exposed
T-Mobile has revealed that it fell victim to a security incident earlier in the week, and details of around 2.3 million accounts were accessed.
The hack attack took place on Monday, August 20, and while T-Mobile stresses that no financial data was taken, it concedes that it detected "unauthorized capture of some information". The exposed data includes names, billing zip code, phone number, email address, account number and account type, which would be enough for hackers to launch successful phishing attacks.
Does your website risk leaking personal data?
Recent scandals surrounding the use of personal data, such as the Cambridge Analytica scandal, plus the large fines that can be levied under GDPR, have focused minds on the protection of information.
But is your website at risk of exposing your visitors' data? Auditing and monitoring specialist DataTrue has produced an infographic looking at the risks site tags may pose to privacy.
Best Windows 10 apps this week
Boogiedown! Fortnite is bribing players into enabling 2FA -- and that's a good thing
Security is a serious business (including for Fortnite-maker Epic Games), but it's not something most people take seriously enough -- as the number of weak and reused passwords out there shows. Epic, however, has just given players of its hit game an incentive to enable two-factor authentication on their account.
By enabling 2FA in Fortnite, players can unlock a hidden extra -- the Boogiedown emote. While this is undoubtedly a form of bribery, it is no bad thing. There are just a few simple steps you need to follow to access the new emote.
Sony announces PDP Cloud Remote for PS4, and you can sort of get it for FREE!
I love my Apple TV -- it is great. Well, mostly great, I should say. You see, the remote that it comes with is rather terrible. It is not at all ergonomic -- it fits terribly in any human hand. Not to mention, its reliance on a trackpad is an exercise in frustration. In theory, the idea of sliding your finger to navigate makes a lot of sense. In practice, however, it isn't reliable -- I often over-scroll or under-scroll, and as a result, I select the wrong things. I wish Apple would release a more traditional remote for its box. Ultimately, using a Harmony remote with Apple TV saved my sanity.
Also bad? Navigating media with a video game console controller. Yeah, it is passable, but if you have a PS4 or Xbox One, and you stream a lot of music, TV, and movies, a true remote is a wise investment. Today, Sony announces a new officially licensed remote from a company called PDP. The "Cloud Remote for PS4," as it is called, looks like a joy to hold and use. Believe it or not, you can even program it to your TV using the cloud! Best of all, you can sort of get the Bluetooth remote for free!
Data transformation: The missing ingredient from edge computing strategies
It’s easy to get excited about the Things in the Internet of Things (IoT). Tiny computers, factory robots, devices with 3D cameras, devices with GPS units -- everything from telemetry units on long-haul freight trucks to gumball-size sensors reporting from atop the cooling towers of power plants. The world of network-connected devices, whether specialized or general purpose, is more varied and creative than ever.
The innovation taking place with this hardware is truly impressive. But to take full advantage of the hardware, it’s important to pay just as much attention to the software. Edge computing is going to quintuple the amount of data enterprises collect from devices in just the next three years. quintuple the amount of data that enterprises collect from devices in the next three years alone. How to manage that data and make the most of it -- well, that’s a pretty edgy job.
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