Lenovo announces modular, moddable Moto Z range with swappable Moto Mods
It looks like the next big movement in smartphone design is going to be physically customisable handsets. The latest company to do more than just add bigger screen, ramp up the processor speed and chuck in a bit more RAM is Lenovo. Today the company announces the Moto Z family with Moto Mods.
At the moment, the 'family' comprises just two phones: the Moto Z, and the more powerful Moto Z Force. Things get off to a promising start with the handset boasting impressive specs, and measuring just 5.2mm thick (which Lenovo boasts is 'The world's thinnest premium smartphone'). Which is just as well because, as you'll see, the available Moto Mods -- snap-on modules that clip to the rear of the phone to add functionality -- make it a whole lot thicker.
Facebook lets users upload interactive 360-degree photos
Interactivity is the name of the game these days, as illustrated by the explosion of interest in VR. Facebook may not have gone quite as far as bringing virtual reality to your newsfeed, but it does now support 360-degree photos -- or 360 Photos as it has been dubbed.
Starting tomorrow, you'll be able to upload either 360-degree photos, or panoramic photos. On the web, these become interactive images that you can scroll around using a mouse, but on a smartphone you have a couple of options. You can either tap and drag your way around an image, or hold up your phone and move it around, taking advantage of the accelerometer. If you want to get really fancy, you could don a Samsung Gear VR headset.
Google rolls out Android update that brings location-aware Nearby feature to handsets
An Android update is rolling out that makes it easier to take full advantage of location-aware apps. You might be somewhere for which there is the perfect app to enhance your visit, but if you don’t know of its location-specific capabilities, you just might never use it. Enter Nearby from Google.
Google offers a number of example scenarios in which Nearby might be useful. Walk into a CVS, and you could be notified of the in-store photo printing service. Visit a key landmark, and you could enjoy a virtual tour, or learn more about it. Developers are being encouraged to deploy 'beacons' which, when triggered, will either call up a web site, fire up an app, or offer an app download when users are in particular locations.
Self-driving cars and cybersecurity: What are the risks of car hacking?
Can hackers get into the driver’s seat in autonomous vehicles? The short answer here is a resounding "Yes!" Just last year, researchers/hackers Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek exploited a security issue with the mobile Wi-Fi system available in some Fiat-Chrysler products: They demonstrated they could use a laptop to take control of key vehicle systems in a Jeep Cherokee. Not only were they able to change the audio volume, adjust the air conditioning, and turn on the windshield wipers, they gained control over the transmission -- bringing the vehicle to a stop on the highway.
Luckily, it was all part of a pre-planned demonstration with a writer for Wired magazine, who was driving the car. The hacking part, however, was entirely real. The automaker had to recall 1.4 million vehicles as a result. It also was a wake-up call for both the auto industry and the government, which have teamed up with technology companies to start taking automotive cybersecurity more seriously going forward. They'll have to, too, to be ready for the predicted shift to self-driving vehicles.
European workers use cloud services for whistle blowing
Wait until you hear what employees in Europe are using cloud services for. Oh, boy.
Blue Coat Systems has polled more than 3,000 workers in France, Germany and the UK, asking them about their cloud usage habits, and, as it turns out, some employees use such services (Dropbox, Box, Office 365, Slack, LinkedIn, Facebook, Gmail, etc.) to store data before starting a new job, for corporate espionage, whistle-blowing and even "personal protection".
Mozilla launches Secure Open Source (SOS) Fund
Open source software is ideal for security. Its transparency allows code to be publicly reviewed and audited. This not only helps to detect bugs and vulnerabilities, but intentional backdoors too. In contrast, closed source software can be a mystery to users -- who knows what is lurking in your favorite such programs?
Unfortunately, auditing open source software takes resources. While everyone has the freedom to review code, most consumers do not know how to do so, meaning things can be hiding in plain sight because folks with the know-how don't have the time to look at it. Thankfully, Mozilla is aiming to increase resources with its newly-formed Secure Open Source (SOS) Fund. To show just how committed the Firefox-maker is to the cause, it has already earmarked a half million dollars.
Buffer overflow vulnerability in PDFium PDF reader affects Google Chrome
The name PDFium might not be immediately familiar, but if you're a Chrome user there's a high chance you're using it to view PDFs. The PDF viewer is built into Google's browser, and a vulnerability has been discovered in the jpeg2000 library which could allow for malicious code to be executed.
Unearthed by Aleksandar Nikolic from Cisco Talos, the heap buffer overflow vulnerability could be exploited by simply getting a user to open a PDF document with an embedded jpeg2000 image. The National Vulnerability Database entry warns that the security flaw affects versions of "Chrome before 51.0.2704.63 [and] allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service or possibly have unspecified other impact via a crafted PDF document".
IDC: Windows 10 is hurting -- not helping -- the PC market
It’s not news that the PC market is in serious decline. We’ve been talking about the death of the PC here for more years than I care to remember, and the latest forecasts from IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly PC Tracker don’t provide any relief either.
According to the analyst firm, worldwide PC shipments are forecast to decline by 7.3 percent year over year in 2016, with Windows 10 cited as one of the reasons behind the drop.
Philips unveils Sonicare FlexCare Platinum Connected smart toothbrush with Bluetooth
One of my favorite things is my Philips Sonicare toothbrush. While I used to think folks that spent so much money on a fancy toothbrush were a bit crazy, my dentist always recommended it. I ended up receiving one as a Christmas gift, however, and I couldn't be happier. The Sonicare not only makes my teeth feel cleaner, but is more hygienic, thanks to the UV light holder for the replaceable head.
If you take your dental health seriously, and value a quality toothbrush, Philips has a new product that will make tech nerds giddy. The Sonicare FlexCare Platinum Connected is a smart toothbrush that connects to your smartphone using Bluetooth and can even map your mouth. Is this needed innovation, or just overkill?
Number and frequency of DDoS attacks rising
The number, and the frequency of DDoS attacks (distributed denial of service) continues to grow, a new report by content delivery network (CDN) services provider Akamai Technologies says.
The company said its DDoS mitigation platform, the Akamai Intelligent Platform, mitigated 4,500 DDoS attacks during the first quarter of 2016, representing a 125 percent jump, compared to the same period last year.
Watch Lenovo reveal its latest tech innovations, including a Protect Tango smartphone, here -- LIVE
Lenovo has attracted a lot of criticism recently due to its occasional bundling of malware and flawed applications on its PCs, but the Chinese technology company does produce some very good products.
Today marks the start of Lenovo Tech World, the firm’s annual technology showcase, and among the products set to be launched will be the world’s first Project Tango-enabled smartphone, which Lenovo says "promises to make AR and VR as pervasive as your GPS".
Intel improves its Unite conference room technology
With businesses becoming more geographically dispersed and employees often working on different platforms, conferencing is a vital tool. But the challenge of getting equipment to cooperate can result in loss of time and productivity.
Chip maker Intel had this issue in its own business and came up with an in-house solution to solve the problem. Intel Unite improved the company's meeting set-up time by 70 percent and was made available to other businesses. Now it wants to make Unite more attractive with some new enhancements to the product.
When and where can you buy OnePlus 3 on launch day?
As we are getting closer to the launch of the OnePlus 3, we are learning more and more about the new flagship killer. Today, OnePlus reveals exactly when and where prospective buyers will be able to get their hands on its latest smartphone.
The OnePlus 3 will officially launch on June 14, and that is when we will also find out how much it will actually cost. OnePlus says that it will be released on the same day in major markets across the globe, and, unlike in the case of its predecessor, you will not need an invite to buy one.
Older workers can handle new technology
The stereotype of older people having trouble using new technology is nothing more than that -- a stereotype. At least, according to a new report by Dropbox and Ipsos Mori. The two companies surveyed more than 4,000 workers aged 55 and more about their use of technology in the workplace.
The results will most definitely be surprising to some.
SCOSCHE goBAT 4400 is both a portable USB battery pack and flashlight
It is amazingly sad that in 2016 consumers still must face a major dilemma -- battery anxiety. Laugh all you want, but the fear of running out of juice is a legit issue. Yes, this is partly due to concerns about trivial things like being disconnected from social media and texting, but more importantly, it can be scary to lose the ability to call 9-1-1 in an emergency. Hopefully battery life in future smartphones will last weeks, not mere hours.
If you are constantly worrying about battery life, a portable USB battery pack is a smart purchase. There are countless models available nowadays -- Amazon is chock full of them. Today, SCOSCHE releases its goBAT 4400. As the name implies, it is 4,400mAh -- not the largest such capacity. While it doesn't stand out much from the crowd, its price tag and integrated flashlight make it fairly interesting.
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