Telecommunications Security researcher Ravi Borgaonkar from the Berlin Technical University has revealed just how easy it might be to perform a malicious factory reset on Samsung Android smartphones running the TouchWiz interface.

Claiming to have used codes for Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD), a session-based GSM protocol typically used to send messages between a mobile device and an application server, Borgaonkar remotely wiped a Samsung Galaxy S III on stage at the Ekoparty Security Conference in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

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Piriform Ltd has updated its popular freeware cleaning tool for Windows with the release of CCleaner 3.23. The latest build promises improved performance in Windows 8, plus better memory usage and faster shutdown times. Version 3.23, which is also available as a portable application, also adds support for Firefox 16 ahead of its final release, plus improves the startup tool in two key areas.

It also comes with the usual plethora of minor improvements and bug fixes. Aside from its headline performance improvements, CCleaner 3.23 enhances its Startup Tool by improving discovery of a program’s publisher as well as ensuring better support for Run Once actions. As well as adding support for Firefox 16, CCleaner 3.23 tweaks its browser cleaning tools in two further ways, first by adding support for the niche CoolNovo (formerly ChromePlus) browser, and by adding DNS Prefetch and Journal and TMP file cleaning to its roster of Google Chrome cleanup tools.

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Modern cameras come with all sorts of useful features to help ensure you get the best shots. They can identify faces, detect smiles and even blinks. OMG’s new Autographer camera goes a step further by actually doing away with the need for a human photographer, deciding for itself when to start snapping.

Described as the world’s first intelligent, wearable camera, that enables users to "see the unseen", the Autographer employs five in-built sensors (light, color, motion, direction and temperature) and Microsoft ‘SenseCam’ technology to choose the best moments to take a picture. All you have to do is wear the camera and make sure the wide-angle lens is facing forward at all times.

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Dear Google, that's it! I've had enough! Enough of the random lockups and reboots. Enough of the buggy browser and convoluted multitasking. Enough of Android!

Google, I've given you a fair shot. I drank the Kool-Aid. I joined the Android Army. And I wore my green robot tattoo thingy with pride. However, I could never shake the feeling that I've been running with the wrong crowd.

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Based on some quick testing, I can confirm the expected: iPhone 5 is best for someone already living the Apple lifestyle, being invested in companion products or services, including (and perhaps particularly) iCloud. iPhone 5 is also excellent choice for someone migrating from a feature phone. Flip and brick phone users will amaze at the handset's thinness, lightness and marvellous features.

I'm convinced Apple has two main target markets for iPhone 5: People with older models and those migrating from dumb phones, and there is a whole lot of the latter. Smartphones accounted for just 36.7 percent of all handset sales in second quarter, according to Gartner. The global market growth potential is yet huge.

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Panasonic on Tuesday debuted the second generation upgrade of its lightweight Toughbook 53 notebook computer, which features a faster processor, a larger storage capacity, and improved battery life.

For almost fifteen years, Panasonic's Toughbook has been one of the most recognized brands in ruggedized mobile PCs, and it has included a number of different enterprise-class form factors. Last year, however, the company took the Toughbook brand into two new directions that mirrored the state of the consumer PC industry at large, and the impact it has been having on enterprise devices: Android-powered mobile tablets and lighter-weight touchscreen notebooks.

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Great news for modding enthusiasts, the Android Open Kang Project team announced the availability of the new Jelly Bean build 3, one week after Jelly Bean build 2 was released.

The current iteration of the Android distribution is based on Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean, build number JRO03R and takes a focus on stability rather than on implementing numerous new features like with the previous build.

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Let's be honest, the news that Myspace is being revamped probably doesn’t have you jumping for joy and punching the air. In fact, I expect your response is probably similar to mine -- a little bit of interest mixed with a lot of "so what?" Myspace was the number one social network in the days before Facebook and Twitter, but now it’s a faded and largely forgotten web presence used by people who should have let go and moved on a long time ago.

But before you dismiss the revamp entirely, as I nearly did, it’s at least worth watching the teaser video Myspace just released because, as it turns out, the completely rebuilt service is beautiful, glossy and -- rather surprisingly -- it might just have you wanting to try it out. I know. Using Myspace! What's next, lobbying Yahoo to bring back GeoCities?

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In the land of the rising sun a new tablet --the Google Nexus 7-- is making its first appearance.

The popular 7-inch tablet sporting Android 4.1 Jelly Bean was launched by Google in Japan. Like with the European launch, the Nexus 7 only comes in one flavor -- the 16GB model and it is available for purchase directly from Google's local Play Store for a price of 19,800 Japanese Yen, which is roughly $255.

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Berlin-based O&O Software GmbH has announced a major update to its secure data deletion tool, O&O SafeErase 6.0. Version 6.0.85, also available as a dedicated 64-bit build, has been fully optimized to work with Windows 8 ahead of its release next month.

Version 6.0.85 also implements a customer-requested feature, allowing users to configure the program to shut down after completing a data-shredding task, plus offers enhanced tools for improving internet security along with deleting entire computers and SSD drives before disposal.

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Adobe has announced the availability of Photoshop Elements 11and Premiere Elements 11 -- major overhaul for both packages. A completely revamped interface based on the Photoshop engine greets you on launch, for instance, with a choice of Quick or Expert editing modes, an action bar, one-click options, bold icons and more: it’s all very crisp and clear.

New effects include Premiere Elements 11′s FilmLooks, Hollywood-style color treatments that can give your movie the look of an old news reel (for instance) with a quick drag-and-drop. The Time Remapping tool provides some quality and easy-to-control fast and slow motion effects (from 8x down to 1/8x).

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As Microsoft’s recent $1.2 billion Yammer acquisition proves, there’s a growing demand for enterprise social networks at the moment. Big name firms like Citrix and SalesForce have invested heavily in the popular communications trend, and Bitrix24 has seen some 10,000 SMBs sign up to use its cloud-based service since the May launch -- helped in no small part by the fact it’s entirely free for companies with 12 or fewer users.

Buoyed by its growing user base, Bitrix24 now targets startups with a $2.4 million program designed to popularize social intranet use at firms that might consider it out of their reach for one reason or another. The company plans to do this by giving away a thousand one-year subscriptions to its flagship Professional Intranet plan (worth $2,400 each) and all companies need do to be considered for one of these grants is to fill out the short application form on the company’s website.

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I'm having one of those "duh" moments this afternoon, actually it started in the AM. Gartner analysts today profess the obvious: Windows 8 is a gamble, but one Microsoft must make to stay relevant. Really? Like we haven't said similarly here at BetaNews, and others elsewhere, for months. Given, the only good news today seems to be iPhone 5, and we're all so tired here of promoting Apple's Jesus Phone (could the Second Coming really get this much press), anything Windows 8 is welcome.

Something more: Gartner analysts finally go on record clearly stating that the post-PC era -- what I call the cloud-connected device era -- is here; not coming someday, but upon us now. Well, the transition phase anyway. That's worth putting on record for your reference and our future stories.

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Weather apps consistently rank behind games as the second most popular class of mobile applications (Source: Nielsen) but does your weather app tell you where you're most likely to be hit by a bolt of lightning?

WeatherBug Elite for Android, which received a major version update today, includes that very feature, called "Lightning Alerts."

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I spent a long time chatting with prospective iPhone 5 purchasers at my local Apple store at the weekend. I wasn’t queuing up with them, just getting feedback on why they were so keen to buy a handset that isn’t, frankly, the most amazing or revolutionary device Apple has ever produced. The reasons I received ranged from: "I’m out of contract and need a new phone" to "I buy everything Apple makes".

I also got a lot of the "iPhone is the coolest phone", responses. Even when Apple messes up, people still love the company. Its phones may no longer be the fastest or arguably the best, but they still have a magical "cool" quality about them, as does Apple itself.

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