5 Reasons to Buy the Samsung Galaxy Note 5

Samsung’s impressive Galaxy Note 5 phone or “phablet” is one of the best Android smartphones released in 2015. With so many excellent options this year buyers have a tough choice, and below are five reasons we think the Galaxy Note 5 is worth buying.

In August, Samsung surprised many by not only announcing, but also releasing the new Galaxy Note 5. This was a full two months earlier than expected considering the Galaxy Note 4 was released at the end of October. Its gorgeous 5.7-inch Quad-HD display, great camera, fast charging and other features all make it a great smartphone.

The Note 5 made our list above detailing the best Android smartphones of 2015, and for a few reasons. What’s even better is it still could be one of the best Android phones for most of 2016 as well. With that in mind, below are a few reasons we think the Note 5 should be your next Android smartphone.

Early in 2016 Samsung could release a trio of new Galaxy S7 devices, one that’s even bigger than the Galaxy Note 5, but that could be too big for some. Meaning until a Galaxy Note 6 in the fall, the Note 5 should still be the perfect device for millions of users.

As we said above, in August Samsung shocked many by releasing the Galaxy Note 5. It was actually released just two weeks after being announced in New York City across all carriers in the US, and around the globe. Then it went up for sale at Amazon, Best Buy, and many other retailers. And while it wasn’t as popular as the Note 4, considering it has a smaller battery and no micro-SD card, there are countless other features that make up for those few missing pieces.

Our review above goes over every little detail about the excellent Galaxy Note 5, and it even received an Editors’ Choice Award for the display and other things. Below are some of the reasons we love it, and think buyers will too.

Top 10 Best Smartphones 2015 & 2016

Beautiful Screen

This year a lot of smartphones were released with big screens, but none of them can compare to the Galaxy Note 5. Simply put, it’s the best display in any smartphone, period. Samsung’s AMOLED display has some of the best colors, contrast, dark blacks, sharp and crisp text and comes in at an insanely high 2560 x 1440 Quad-HD resolution. Meaning four times more than a 720p HDTV. Yes, it looks good no matter what angle, or what you’re watching.

Yes 1080p is enough for most, especially on a screen this small, but the Quad-HD AMOLED panel in the Note 5 won award after award. It isn’t an average LCD display like most other smartphones. It’s the best screen money can buy, and you’ll instantly notice this while using it at a carrier store, or at Best Buy.

The color saturation is amazing, it doesn’t have any weird color tints to ruin the experience. It’s just gorgeous all around. To make things even better, the bezel around the entire display is smaller too. What that means is the Note 5 has the same 5.7-inch screen as last years Galaxy Note 4, but the device is physically smaller. Making it easier to use, hold and enjoy, without feeling like you’re holding a huge weapon in your hand.

Samsung Pay

At first I wasn’t sold on the entire wireless payment idea after trying Google Wallet or even seeing the frustration of millions of iPhone users trying to purchase stuff with Apple Pay, but Samsung really nailed it with Samsung Pay. It’s the easiest and best method around, and here’s why.

You see, the benefit of Samsung Pay over the others like Apple or Android Pay, is that it’s backwards compatible with old swipe-based payment terminals, which is essentially 95% of all places in the United States. So instead of a few hundred thousand retail stores or vending machines with a new NFC payment terminal, the Galaxy Note 5 can be used to pay for things almost everywhere in the United States.

Samsung Pay works on the Note 5 and all of Samsung’s flagship devices in 2015, like the Galaxy S6 or S6 Edge, and accepts almost all major credit cards, carriers, banks, and now even supports gift cards and other things.

Simply swipe up (even while the phone is turned off) tap the fingerprint scanner, and put your phone near a terminal and it works, even at Walmart where they’ll tell you, “that doesn’t work here” then be amazed when it does. I never thought I’d use it so much, but I’ve even left the house without my wallet knowing I’ll be good with Samsung Pay, it’s that effective. This alone is one of my favorite features above all.

Amazing Camera

Being able to take decent photos with a smartphone is a nice convenience. Being able to instantly fire up the camera by double tapping the home button (even while the phone is off and locked) and taking stunning 16 megapixel photos or 4k video in less than a second, with great results, is even better. That’s the benefit of buying the Galaxy Note 5.

Its 16 megapixel camera has optical image stabilization, a very fast autofocus, an auto-HDR mode that means I rarely use the flash to ruin color accuracy, and even photos in low light turn out pretty good. Like the display, the Galaxy Note 5 camera won a few awards too, and was the #1 smartphone camera for most of the year, beating the iPhone 6. Yes, it’s that good. Oh, and there’s a pro mode for those who’d like to mess with ISO, color temp, shutter speed and other things for truly amazing photos.

If I had one complaint it’s with our next topic, which is the design. There is no micro-SD card, so 32GB is barely enough to last most a year before they upgrade to a new phone, but we’re hearing the Galaxy S7 could return the micro-SD card for expandable storage.

Excellent Aluminum Design

After years of making some of the best and most popular smartphones, Samsung really needed to do something after the textured pimple plastic design of the Galaxy S5. It was ugly, even if it was a durable and great phone.

In 2015 Samsung completely revamped the Galaxy S6 and Note 5. They added an all aluminum design with Gorilla Glass 4 on the front and back for durability, and a beautiful metal casing with curved and chamfered edges.

Samsung ditched cheap plastic materials, fake leather backs and big bezels, and delivered a sleek, thin, premium smartphone all while packing it with more technology than ever before.

A big part of the design was making everything universal and “just work”. Wireless payments isn’t limited by one option, they designed the phone to do both. It doesn’t just have fast charging, it has fast wireless charging. They added it all, while making the phone thinner, faster, and better than ever.

Fast Charging & Wireless Charging

Like we said above, Samsung did everything right by leaving nothing out. They could have just added a micro-USB port and called it a day. Instead they added Adaptive Fast Charging, which means the phone recharges from 0-50% in less than 25 minutes, and 0-100% fully charged in only 75-80 minutes. Older phones took nearly 2-3 hours to fully recharge.

That isn’t all though, Samsung also added wireless charging. Allowing users to drop it on a mat and charge without plugging in wires. However just like Samsung Pay, they didn’t stop there. The Note 5 is the first phone to support “Fast Wireless Charging” making it almost as quick as charging with the included wire. Wireless charging has been a niche feature because it was slow, but that’s not the case here. While still slower, the Note 5 can fully recharge with a fast wireless charging in a little over 110 minutes. Still faster than older devices using a micro-USB wall plug.

Yes the battery is smaller than the Note 4, but Android 5.1.1 Lollipop (and soon Marshmallow) is more efficient. Add in the fast and wireless charging features, and battery life has never been a concern with the Note 5. Something I can’t say about the Galaxy S6, LG G4 or others.

That’s Not All

That isn’t all either. Samsung added neat features to the S-Pen, like writing on the screen and saving notes while the phone is turned off. Sound output is better. The front 8 megapixel camera takes amazing wide-angle selfies, and the software isn’t terrible either.

The Note 5 is still loaded with bloatware, but Samsung removed a lot of those gimmicky features and changes in TouchWiz that covered stock Android. It’s more simple, clean, and has themes. I’m running a stock Android “material” theme from the Theme Store, with the Google Now launcher for a stock Android-like experience.

Add in support for Samsung Gear VR, tons of official cases and more, and it’s easy to see why so many people love the Galaxy Note 5. The phone is available from all major carriers, comes in a few different colors, and is still one of the best phones available today. Grab one now at a carrier store.

Quantum Break, Uncharted 4, GoW 4 and more: Seven shooter games to look forward to in 2016

Video games industry is getting bigger every passing day. It has already dwarfed Hollywood in terms of record-breaking revenues. With the dawn of 2016, we can only expect the things to get bigger and better. More than anything, this holds true for the shooter genre. So let us see the list of blockbuster gun-slinging games to watch for out next year.

Quantum Break

Platform: Xbox One (exclusive)


Remedy, the Finnish studio behind the excellent titles such as Max Payne and Alan Wake, has been working on Quantum Break for years. The third-person shooter (TPS) features intriguing gameplay that allows the protagonist stop time to fight the enemies. Apparently, he accidentally acquires the superpower due to a failed time-travel attempt. Originally scheduled to launch in 2015, the Xbox One exclusive title is now set to hit the stores next year. Too bad, the developers can’t manipulate the time where it matters the most.


Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

Platform: PS4 (exclusive)


Naughty Dog’s flagship game is making a return to take full advantage of the PS4’s capabilities. For those not in the know, Uncharted is an excellent third person shooter with a mix of action adventure elements. It is almost like Tomb Raider meets Gear of Wars. So far, Uncharted has managed to deliver impressive graphics, strong characters, witty dialogue, and engaging gameplay in every instalment. Looking at the latest gameplay trailer, Uncharted 4 looks even better. Don’t take my word for it, check out for yourself.

Gears of War 4

Platform: Xbox One (exclusive)


Set on a fictional Earth-like planet Sera, the Gears of War is one of the best shooter franchise for a console. The alien-slaughtering game is best known for its explosive action and excellent cover mechanics. Oh, did I mention the Mark 2 Lancer? An assault riffle with a gasoline powered chainsaw. After acquiring the rights from Epic Games, this will be the first Gears of War game developed by Microsoft’s in-house studio coalition. You bet, they are going to utilise the Xbox One’s power in a right way.

Far Cry: Primal

Platforms: Microsoft Windows, PS4, Xbox One


The ruthless first person shooter set in exotic locations is making a comeback. So far in the series, you are mostly detached from the modern world, but this time around, the world as we know it does not exist. The FPS is set in the Mesolithic period. That’s over tens and thousands of years back in time. Using primitive weapons, you face enemies such as mammoths and sabretooths. As usual, weapon crafting will play a major part in your survival.

Doom

Platforms: Microsoft Windows, PS4, Xbox One


The big daddy of all First Person Shooters, Doom dates back to 1993. With a brand new engine, hell looks incredibly hellish in the latest iteration. The best part is that Bethesta hasn’t fiddled with the incredibly gory twitch gameplay. The beloved shotgun dubbed as Pinky is also making a comeback. Hit play, to watch the first gameplay trailer that showcases raw action and gunplay.

Dead Island 2

Platforms: Microsoft Windows, PS4, Xbox One


Who doesn’t like the beaches and sunshine? Well, if you also happen to be a zombie fan, the Dead Island is tailored for you. The open world game offered incredibly fun gameplay with twisted humour. Gameplay showcased in 2011, suggested the sequel to be more vibrant. However, it got stuck in the development hell for years. Finally, with an undisclosed developer on-board, the publisher Techland has promised to release the title in 2016.

Crackdown 3

Platforms: Xbox One (Xbox One exclusive)



This third-person shooter revolves a super-soldier who fights crime. That’s almost like every other video game. However, what sets it apart from the crowd is clever use of destructible environments in the gameplay. Almost every inch of the city in this game is destructible. As you can see in the trailer, Crackdown 3 looks as if it is developed by Michael “explosive” Bay.

Diwali 2014 buying guide: Gaming consoles with games to get this Diwali - See more at: http://techtrainindia.blogspot.in/search?q=uncharted+4#sthash.kJUoMYpy.dpuf

Meizu and Lenovo expected to launch devices with Samsung Exynos 8870 chipset in 2016

Looks like in 2016, Qualcomm and MediaTek will have a new competitor in the form of Samsung. Having already demonstrated the prowess of the Exynos 7420 chipset this year, Samsung is working towards releasing the high end Exynos 8890 chipset next year. A lower power variant of the same chipset will be christened Exynos 8870.

According to Chinese website, My Drivers, Meizu is most likely going to implement the Exynos 8870 chipset in its upcoming flagship phone – the Meizu Pro 6. Not many details are known about Meizu’s upcoming phone.

According to another user pointed out by Gadgets360, the other client that will be incorporating Samsung Exynos 8870 chipset in its handset will be Lenovo.

Samsung’s high end 8890 chipset is based on the 14nm FinFET process and houses Samsung’s first custom-designed 8-core CPU with a 64-bit architecture. The SoC supposedly packs in eight cores and according to the leaked benchmark, produced a score of 103,692 points said a report on GSMArena. In comparison, the recently announced Huawei HiSilicon-made Kirin 950 SoC that also packs in eight cores scored only 79,000 points.

Indeed, Samsung seems to be gunning for the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820, that is expected to be really powerful with its eight core setup and custom Kyro cores.

LG G5 likely to sport Ticker display, Snapdragon 820 and more

Leaks regarding LG’s next flagship phone have surfaced online. The LG G5 is said to pack in features similar to the recently unveiled LG V10, including a secondary display as well.

According to a report by VentureBeat, the new LG G5 will sport a 5.3-inch QHD display, along with the same 1440 x 2560 QHD resolution. It alleged also gets a secondary ‘ticker’ display, first seen on the V10 smartphone. In addition, the smartphone will be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 820 processor paired with 3GB RAM. It will most likely run Android  6.0 Marshmallow and will feature 32GB of internal storage and will sport a 16MP camera along with a 135-degree wide-angle capability along with an 8MP front facing camera.

Shedding more light on the camera, the report added, “In between the two lenses is a circle with a quartet of elements in a square configuration, according to the briefed individual, who was also shown images of the upcoming flagship. Two of those are LED flash bulbs, while another one is a laser for assisting with autofocus, first deployed on 2014’s LG G3. The fourth element is also found on G4: a so-called RGB sensor to further assist with autofocus and other scene-recognition functions.”

The device will also sport a fingerprint scanner and will be powered by a 2800mAh battery. The LG G5 will also be branded as the ‘Magic Slot’, which is said to enable some functional expansion by way of hardware modules. Exact details have not been shared at the moment.

Facebook fights back for free internet in India

India has become a battleground over the right to unrestricted Internet access, with local tech start-ups joining the front line against Facebook Inc founder Mark Zuckerberg and his plan to roll out free Internet to the country’s masses.

The Indian government has ordered Facebook’s Free Basics plan on hold while it decides what to do.
The program, launched in more than 35 developing countries around the world, offers pared-down web services on mobile phones, along with access to the company’s own social network and messaging services, without charge.

But critics say the program, launched 10 months ago in India in collaboration with mobile operator Reliance Communications, violates principles of net neutrality, the concept that all websites on the internet are treated equally. It would put small content providers and start-ups that don’t participate in it at a disadvantage, they say.

“India is a test case for a company like Facebook and what happens here will affect the roll out of this service in other smaller countries where perhaps there is not so much awareness at present,” said Mishi Choudhary, a New York-based lawyer who works on technology and Internet advocacy issues.
Also at stake is Facebook’s ambition to expand in its largest market outside the United States. Only 252 million out of India’s 1.3 billion people have Internet access, making it a growth market for firms including Google and Facebook.

In a letter seen by Reuters, the heads of nine start-up including Paytm, backed by China’s Alibaba Group , and dining app Zomato, have written to the watchdog Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) urging it to ensure Internet access was allowed without differential pricing.

The executives said in the letter, dated Tuesday, that differential pricing for Internet access would lead to a “few players like Facebook with its Free Basics platform acting as gate-keepers”.
“There is no reason to create a digital divide by offering a walled garden of limited services in the name of providing access to the poor,” they wrote.

Zuckerberg has got personally involved.

“We know that for every 10 people connected to the Internet, roughly one is lifted out of poverty,” he wrote in The Times of India newspaper this week. “We know that for India to make progress, more than 1 billion people need to be connected to the Internet.

“What reason is there for denying people free access to vital services for communication, education, healthcare, employment, farming and women’s rights?”

Reuters

Microsoft will warn email users of suspected hacking by governments

Microsoft will begin warning users of its Outlook.com email service when the company suspects that a government has been trying to hack into their accounts.

Microsoft told Reuters about the plan in a statement. It comes nine days after Reuters asked the company why it had decided not tell victims of a hacking campaign, discovered in 2011, that had targeted international leaders of China’s Tibetan and Uighur minorities in particular.

According to two former employees of Microsoft, the company’s own experts had concluded several years ago that Chinese authorities had been behind the campaign but the company did not pass on that information to users of its Hotmail service, which is now called Outlook.com.

In its statement, Microsoft said neither it nor the U.S. government could pinpoint the sources of the hacking attacks and that they didn’t come from a single country.

The policy change at the world’s largest software company follows similar moves since October by Internet giants Facebook, Twitter and most recently Yahoo Inc.

Google Inc pioneered the practice in 2012 and said it now alerts tens of thousands of users every few months.

For two years, Microsoft has offered alerts about potential security breaches without specifying the likely suspect. In the statement, Microsoft said: “As the threat landscape has evolved our approach has too, and we’ll now go beyond notification and guidance to specify if we reasonably believe the attacker is ‘state-sponsored’.”

Microsoft declined to say what role, if any, the Hotmail hacking campaign played in its policy change.

The Hotmail attacks had also targeted diplomats, media workers, human rights lawyers, and others in sensitive positions inside China, according to the former employees.

Microsoft had told the targets to reset their passwords but did not tell them that they had been hacked. Five victims interviewed by Reuters said they had not taken the password request as an indication of hacking.

Online free-speech activists and security experts have long called for more direct warnings, saying that they prompt behavioral changes from email users.

Reuters

India mobile subscribers rise to more than 1 billion for the first time: TRAI

India’s mobile phone subscriber base peaked to more than 1 billion users for the first time, data released by the telecom regulator, TRAI on Wednesday showed, making India the only country after China to achieve that milestone.

Total wireless subscribers in Asia’s third-largest economy rose to more than 1 billion at the end of October from 996.7 million at September-end, the data showed. Mobile subscriptions in India have surged in recent years, helped by the launch of cheaper smartphones and record low call rates as a result of a cut throat competition among mobile phone operators to expand customer base.

According to a recent report, though India has over 96 crore mobile subscribers, only 6 percent of them are over 50 years of age, indicating that senior citizens are not fully receiving the benefits of mobile Internet, says a survey.

As per the findings, the senior segment in some of these markets represents as little as 2 percent of active mobile users, with still fewer using smartphones. Telenor Group has released data from four of its Asian markets – India, Thailand, Bangladesh and Malaysia.

The survey also found that the top reasons consumers cited for not using mobile data are related to perceived utility and complexity of the services. Of this demographic pattern, 29 percent said they have no reason to use the mobile Internet and 24 percent reported that using the mobile Internet is “too complicated”.

With inputs from Reuters

Facebook’s Free Basics services shut down in Egypt

As the debate over Free Basics and net neutrality entered an interesting phase in India, Egypt has decided to shut down Facebook’s controversial free internet service, media reported on 31 December.
Although authorities in Egypt were yet to announce the reason behind it, telecom carrier Etisalat Egypt, Facebook’s partner in Egypt, has suspended the free internet service that it began providing two months ago, tech website Engadget.com reported.

According to Facebook, over three million people in Egypt have signed up for Free Basics.
Of those three million, one million received access to the internet for the very first time.
Facebook, however, hopes to “resolve this situation soon”.

In India, full page ads in major Indian newspapers and a personal piece by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in a leading English daily defending Free Basics has taken the war over “free” or “selective” internet services for the poor and net neutrality into a new phase.

Academicians from India’s premier institutes IITs and IISc have slammed Facebook’s Free Basics initiative, terming it “flawed” and “misleading”.

Meanwhile, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has extended the last date for receiving comments on its paper on differential data pricing, which is key to the debate on net neutrality to January 7.
Egypt, Etisalat Egypt, Facebook, Facebook Free basics, Free Basics Service, Free Basics shut down
TRAI has invited comments whether such plans should be allowed or not.

According to media reports, the regulator has received about 1.65 million comments, the highest ever on any paper floated by TRAI till date.

For those who are yet to be part of the ongoing debate, Free Basics is an app that gives users selective access to services like communication, healthcare, education, job listings and farming information — all without data charges.

On the other hand, “net neutrality” means that governments and internet service providers treat all data on the internet equally and, therefore, not differentially charge users, content, platforms, sites, applications or mode of communication.

Facebook rechristened its free internet platform internet.org — which it developed in conjunction with Reliance Communications Network — as Free Basics in September.

According to Facebook, it has been able to offer Free Basics services to a billion people across Asia, Africa and Latin America.

IANS

Sony Xperia Z6 Lite tipped to launch in May; 5-inch display, Snapdragon 650

Sony was earlier rumoured to launch five smartphones under its Xperia Z6 series and now, looks like the company will include one more device, expected to be called the Xperia Z6 Lite.

According to Chinese website Mobile-Dad, the new device will most likely sport a metal-made rear along with a 5-inch display and a 2.5D curved glass. It will be powered by a hexa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 processor. It is expected to be announced in May 2016, along with the other variants as well. It will be priced $385 (approximately Rs 25,500).

Apart from this device, Sony is expected to introduce 4 devices in 2016, as a part of its Xperia Z6 series, two of which will be flagships, packing in the Snapdragon 820 chipsets. Going by the current naming tradition, we would have the Xperia Z6, Xperia Z6 Compact, Xperia Z6 Plus and the Xperia Z6 Ultra.

The news comes from CNBeta that claims to have met those, who have actually used the new range of Sony devices. In terms of design, the source that used the device states that Sony has used more metal this time around, which hints at the fact that Xperia lovers could get to see an all-metal Sony Xperia smartphone instead of the Omni-Balance design with sandwiched glass and metal, that now seems to have gotten a bit old. The metal bits are expected to deliver a fresh new look to the Xperia Z6 series.

The Ultra would obviously be a phablet-sized device keeping in line with older ultra models. According to earlier reports, Sony was supposed to go with just one flagship in the coming year, so the update is indeed good news for Sony fans.

Samsung may unveil new 12-inch tablet running Windows 10: Report

Samsung is reportedly gearing up to launch a new 12-inch tablet, which is likely to be a part of the company’s Galaxy Tab series. The alleged tablet has received certifications from the Bluetooth SIG and Wi-Fi Alliance authorities. The device is expected to be unveiled early 2016.

According to a report by Techlabor, the tablet carries the codename SM-W700 and will run Windows 10 OS. This might the company’s first Windows 10-powered tablet and will mostly support Wi-Fi b/g /n /ac, and Bluetooth 4.1. It might offer a 2K or 4K resolution and will be powered by an Intel core processor, coupled with 4GB RAM.

In October, the company announced the Samsung Galaxy View tablet, which was first teased at IFA earlier this year. The company is calling the View as ‘the largest Android mobile device on the market’.

In terms of specifications, the tablet features a 18.4-inch full HD screen with a 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution. It is powered by a 1.6GHz octa-core processor paired with 2GB RAM. It includes an internal storage of 32GB and 64GB variants accompanied with a microSD card for expandable memory as well.

It comes equipped with a 2.1MP front facing camera and weighs 2.65 kg. The device also promises 8 hours of video playback with its 5,700mAh battery. In terms of connectivity, the Android Lollipop-powered tablet includes LTE support along with NanoSIM, 4.1 LE Bluetooth and WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac.

Now Android Malware Uses Firewell Rules To Evade Detection From Antivirus Security Applicaion

Android Malware Uses Firewell Rules To Evade Detection From Antivirus

Researchers at Symantec have discovered a new piece of Android malware that drops and runs a firewall binary called DroidWall on compromised devices to prevent security applications from connecting to their services.

Dubbed Android.Spywaller by Symantec, the malware initially behaves like other mobile threats by hiding its icon in an attempt to cover its track and by releasing an encrypted payload containing the malware service logic and loading it into memory. As soon as the threat has been installed on a compromised device, it displays a “Google Service” icon on the device, although the Internet giant doesn’t offer such a product.

At the same time, the spyware is collecting data belonging to specific third-party communication applications, including 

• WhatsApp
• Wechat
• Skype
• BlackBerry Messenger
• Skype
• Oovoo
• Coco
• QQ
• SinaWeibo
• Talkbox
• TencentWeibo
• Voxer
• and Zello.

According to Symantec, the list of data gathered by this malware ranks it among the most comprehensive spyware to date.

The malware then attempts to root the device and start collecting sensitive information while running in the background. All of the information the malware collects from the device ,exfiltrate sensitive data from compromised devices and then sent to a backend server, Symantec explained in a recent blog post.

The Malware Collect the information including 

• Call logs(PII)
• SMS
• GPS readings
• Browser History
• Browser Saved PasswordE
• Emails
• Radio
• Images
• and contacts.

While this behavior has been seen before in mobile threats, Symantec’s researchers note that the new malware stands out because of another method discovered in its reverse payload which checks to see if the Qihoo 360 mobile security app is installed on the device and then block it.

The Qihoo 360 application is popular in China and has a unique identifier (UID) on each device, and the malware collects the identifier if the program is installed. Next, Android Spywaller drops and runs the DroidWall firewall binary, which is a customized version of iptables for Android. This allows it to create firewall rules that will block the targeted security application by referencing its UID.

Developed by Rodrigo Rosauro as an open source app to help users protect their devices, DroidWall was sold to AVAST in 2011, but its source code is still available from Google Code and Github. Although it was initially designed in the form of a security tool, DroidWall can be used by cybercriminals to compromise user security.

For the time being, the malware is targeted at users in China, where a higher proportion of devices are rooted and more exposed to malware since official Google services are not available in the country.

The infection numbers are currenty relatively low, but the threat is worth noting because its authors are using legitimate tools for malicious purposes. To stay protected, users should install a security solution that can block mobile threats, should keep their software updated at all times, and should make sure they install apps only from trusted sources.

AVG's Chrome extension exposes personal data of 9 million users

According to Ormandy’s report, the Chrome extension, dubbed AVG Web TuneUp and featuring extension id chfdnecihphmhljaaejmgoiahnihplgn, is force-installed on the end-user systems along with the AVG AntiVirus application. The extension adds a series of vulnerabilities to the browser, thus putting its more than 9 million installed users at risk.

The extension, which has over 9 million active users, contains a serious flaw that exposes users' 

• Browsing history
• Cookies, 
• and Personal data 

....to attackers.

“This extension adds numerous JavaScript API's to chrome, apparently so that they can hijack search settings and the new tab page,” wrote Ormandy in the bug report. “The installation process is quite complicated so that they can bypass the chrome malware checks, which specifically tries to stop abuse of the extension API.”

Among the vulnerabilities that AVG Web TuneUp brings along, the researcher mentions a “trivial universal” XSS (Cross-Site Scripting) in the "navigate" API, which could allow websites to execute scripts in the context of any other domains. According to Ormandy, a website could read emails from mail.google.com and perform other actions as well because of this high-severity flaw.

Ormandy was involved in the discovery of vulnerabilities in Kaspersky's anti-virus product in September and a critical vulnerability in FireEye network security devices earlier this month.

Ormandy wrote in a follow-up response to the bug report Monday, “I believe this issue is resolved now, but inline installations are disabled while the CWS team investigate possible policy violations.”

Huawei rolling out Android Marshmallow update for Honor 7

Huawei has has begun rolling out its Android 6.0 Marshmallow update for the Honor 7 smartphone. The smartphone was announced back in October and went on sale on Flipkart for Rs 22,999 in the same month.

The smartphone maker put out a post on its official Facebook page and also has a strange note at the bottom asking users to register with their details for their respective OTA updates. Clicking on registration link reveals a form where users will need to fill in their smartphone’s current software version, IMEI number, email address and even a contact number. However, the contact number is an optional detail.

According to the same, Honor 7 smartphone owners can expect an OTA update notification on their handsets with 24-48 hours of submitting the form. For now it isn’t clear as to which new features Huawei will deliver to with its Android 6.0 Marshmallow update. As for the regular stuff, that is expected to be in there, there Google’s Now on Tap search assistant, better app permissions, app linking, native fingerprint support for the Honor 7’s fingerprint scanner along with performance and battery life improvements.

The Huawei Honor 7 sports a 5.2-inch Full HD display and houses its own Kirin 935 SoC which sports an octa-core setup along with 3 GB of RAM. The phone runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop and as is the case with Honor phones we have seen in the past, it comes with the Emotion UI 3.1 skin atop the Android OS. The phone sports a unibody metal design.

Leaked: Samsung Galaxy S7 Plus, S7 Edge Plus accessories surface online

Apart from the Samsung Galaxy S7, the company is rumoured to launch 3 more high-end Galaxy smartphones next year. These smartphones are likely to be named Samsung Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 Plus, Galaxy S7 Edge, and Galaxy S7 Edge Plus.

According to cases listed by IT Skins, these covers are manufactured by a third-party maker and we cannot be sure whether the devices would be based on the leaked accessories. Samsung hasn’t made any official announcement regarding the variations for the Galaxy S7.

Reportedly, the company is planning an initial production run of about 5 million of its upcoming Galaxy S7 smartphones. However, the report said that Samsung is planning to launch two different versions of its new flagship smartphone: a 5.2-inch flat-screen version, and a 5.5-inch, curved-screen version that will be called the ‘Galaxy S7 edge’.

Samsung plans to initially make 3.3 million of the flat-screen devices and around 1.6 million of the curved-screen version, the report said, with plans to launch the handset in February.

According to a previous report from the Wall Street Journal, Samsung will not showcase an all-new Galaxy S7 smartphone this year, but will simply improve over the existing Galaxy S6 series, similar to what Apple does with its iPhones.

The “s” model, will not just come with a few improvements, but will also retain the design of the current Galaxy S6 flagships. Those improvements will include a retina scanner, pressure sensitive display, a USB Type-C port and improved low-light camera. While WSJ’s sources said that Samsung has not locked down on the retina scanner just yet, the rest of the new gizmos will make it to the upcoming refresh of the smartphone.

Google Glass is back: Resurfaces in a sleeker, more durable, foldable avatar for enterprises

Earlier this year, Google had announced that its much-hyped Glass project had been temporarily shelved. The company had announced it was time for Glass to grow out of its baby steps and put on their big kid shoes. In other words, stop selling its head-mounted computer to consumers and come back with a new, improved version.

Well, it’s back. Made especially for the workplace, the aptly dubbed Google Glass ‘Enterprise Edition’ is on its way to make a mark in a territory that had received it positively and seen many use cases when it debuted. According to the pictures filed by Google with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the new Glass features a foldable form, thanks to the addition of a hinge that makes it fold down like a regular pair of glasses. 9to5Google reports that the hardware being used for Enterprise Edition is much better from the earlier one, with an Intel Atom processor, improved battery life and better wireless connectivity with a 5GHz WiFi band for video streaming applications. The report also reveals that the new Glass boasts of better heat management, thanks to the new chip and its improved performance.

FCC images of Glass reveal a larger prism too. The report also explains how the power button has been moved from its awkward location on the inside to the back of the device. The front light comes on when the camera is in use and there is a yet-to-be-seen external battery, made by Google that attaches to the device magnetically. Also, the report claims that the device is waterproof and closed-off to keep it safe from debris and other substances that might find its way to the hardware. While Google has made no formal announcements, sources tell 9to5Google that the device has been in the hands of hundreds of people across Glass for Work startups and might be released soon.

Research firms and analysts always believed that Glass was a better fit at the workplace than with the general consumer. The device has already seen many success stories. A construction project manager used Google Glass to improve safety and efficiency, an art teacher used Google Glass to help teach her online class, and a firefighter is building an app to help firefighters navigate dangerous situations. Companies like Virgin Atlantic also used Google Glass with customer service agents, resulting in several positive reviews from passengers. And the possibilities for business apps on the Glass are endless.

“The device is already being used for Policing services in the city of Dubai as well as in the healthcare vertical by physicians across the globe to access critical patient information in real time. It is also slowly becoming more common in sports as teams and broadcasters worldwide are exploring options to bring fans closer to the action. Augmented Reality applications on the glass can also prove extremely helpful for marketers in tracking the eye movements of the consumers for relevant advertising on the go,” said Sanchit Vir Gogia, Chief Analyst and Group CEO, Greyhound Research.

ABI Research also feels the use case for general-purpose smart glasses in the consumer space is weak, especially at a technical level, where projector quality has some way to go, as does battery life along with RF components and the miniaturisation of these elements. Also, at a practical level, most people are not prepared to wear glasses because many simply do not normally need to, and if they do, they need specific lenses. Lastly, many glass wearers have moved to wearing contact lenses. “It just seems a retrograde form-factor and a very obtrusive one for the user and general public,” added Senior Practice Director Nick Spencer. Longer term, ABI Research believes a consumer wearable device needs to be far more subtle, with smart watches and, even better, wireless smart ear buds being a good example.

Xolo 8X-1000i with 5-inch display, 8MP camera launched in India at Rs 6,999

Xolo has introduced a new smartphone dubbed Xolo 8X-1000i at a price of Rs 6,999 in India and is now listed on the company website. The device is also available via Snapdeal for the same price. However, the company hasn’t made officially revealed any details regarding the same.

In terms of specifications, the device sports a 5-inch HD display with a 720 x 1280 pixel resolution. It is powered by a 1.4GHz octa-core MediaTek (MT6592M) processor paired with 2GB RAM. On the memory front, the smartphone sports an internal storage of 16GB which can be further expanded up to 32GB via microSD card. The smartphone runs on Android 4.4.2 KitKat along with Hive UI on top.

The Xolo 8X-1000i sports an 8MP rear camera with LED flash along with a 2MP front facing camera. In terms of connectivity, the device includes 3G, Wi-Fi, Micro-USB, A-GPS, GPRS/EDGE, and Bluetooth. The device packs in a 1920mAh battery and the company claims that the device will deliver 1 hours of talk time and up to 352 hours of standby time on 2G networks.

In July this year, Lava International, owners of the Xolo sub-brand stated that they would invest Rs 100 crore over the next 18 months to develop its Hive OS. The ‘OS’ is more a customisation of Android, for its Xolo line of smartphones.

LG Tone+ Bluetooth stereo headset to be announced at CES 2016

After a number of teasers, LG has now also let out another interesting product that is set to be unveiled at CES 2016. The product is none other than the LG Tone Infinim’s successor, the LG TONE+ 2016 (HBS-910) that is also know as the LG Tone Plus.

The refreshed headset according to LG’s blogpost, sports a refined design and has a couple of improvements as well. LG has utilized Advanced Quad Layer diaphragm that is expected to deliver richer and clearer bass and treble notes. Also included in the LG Tone Plus are dual microphones for better voice capture.

Similar to its successor, LG utilized sound experts, Harman/Kardon in the development process for better design. The results are a refreshed design that is not just slim, but lightweight as well.
As with every LG teaser the Korean company refused to give out any details about the pricing of the LG Tone Plus. The current LG Tone Infinim retails in India on Amazon for Rs 8,000. However, the same post did include details about the international launch that takes place in February 2016 in Korea, that will soon be followed by the US, Europe, Latin America and Asia.

The LG Tone+ aka LG Tone Plus will be sold in three colour options include black, white and pink.

Database of 191 million US voters exposed on the internet: Report

An independent computer security researcher uncovered a database of information on 191 million voters that is exposed on the open Internet due to an incorrectly configured database, he said on Monday.

The database includes names, addresses, birth dates, party affiliations, phone numbers and emails of voters in all 50 U.S. states and Washington, researcher Chris Vickery said in a phone interview.
Vickery, a tech support specialist from Austin, Texas, said he found the information while looking for information exposed on the Web in a bid to raise awareness of data leaks.

Vickery said he could not tell whether others had accessed the voter database, which took about a day to download. While voter data is typically considered public information, it would be time-consuming and expensive to gather a database of all American voters. A trove of all U.S. voter data could be valuable to criminals looking for lists of large numbers of targets for a variety of fraud schemes.

“The alarming part is that the information is so concentrated,” Vickery said. Vickery said he has not been able to identify who controls the database, but that he is working with U.S. federal authorities to find the owner so they can remove it from public view. He declined to identify the agencies.
A representative with the Federal Bureau of Investigation declined to comment. A representative with the U.S. Federal Elections Commission, which regulates campaign financing, said the agency does not have jurisdiction over protecting voter records.

Regulations on protecting voter data vary from state to state, with many states imposing no restrictions. California, for example, requires that voter data be used for political purposes only and not be available to persons outside of the United States.

Privacy advocates said Vickery’s findings were troubling. “Privacy regulations are required so a person’s political information can be kept private and safe,” said Jeff Chester, executive director of the Washington-based Center for Digital Democracy. The leak was first reported by CSO Online and Databreaches.net, computer and privacy news sites that Vickery said helped him attempt to locate the database’s owner.

CSO Online said the exposed information may have originally come from campaign software provider NationBuilder because the leak included data codes similar to those used by that firm.
In a statement, NationBuilder Chief Executive Officer Jim Gilliam said the database was not created by the Los Angeles-based company, but that some of its information may have come from data it freely supplies to political campaigns.

“From what we’ve seen, the voter information included is already publicly available from each state government, so no new or private information was released in this database,” Gilliam said.

Reuters

Bitcoin Core Developers Quit Bitcoin Project to Launch a New Digital Currency

Mr. Jacob Yocom-Piatt, has funded Bitcoin development since early 2013, aforesaid the particular development of the Bitcoin cryptocurrency is funded by external entities that forms a conflict of interests between the teams and also the project's core developers.

Few of Bitcoin’s Lead developers have left the Bitcoin project and began building their separate cryptocurrency known as DECRED.

Decred aims to stop the problems Bitcoin is presently facing relating to project governance and development funding.

According to Bitcoin's developers, these cluster puts limitations on input in Bitcoin's governance,choosing choices that square measure favorable to their own interests solely, and customarily ignoring the developers' and project's best interests.

"The Bitcoin is controlled by a tiny low cluster of individuals agency decide completely what will and can't be modified," Jacob says during a announcement.

"This is partly attributable to an absence of mechanisms and pathways for funding development work directly from the community, and, as a result, Bitcoin development is funded by external entities that make conflicts of interest between the developers and also the representative power of the community that uses Bitcoin."

So, as to handle this issue, a number of the Bitcoin developers have joined hands with the manufacturers of the wide used BTCsuite and square measure currently building their own new digital currency known as DECRED.


Decred has an Airdrop scheduled for next month where they’ll be giving out 4 percent of the total Decred supply to all participants.

NSA HELPED GCHQ (BRITISH SPIES) FIND SECURITY HOLES IN JUNIPER FIREWALLS – SNOWDEN LEAK

British spies enlisted the help of the US National Security Agency (NSA) to learn how to hack firewalls made by top internet security provider Juniper, according to leaked documents.

Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), which is the UK’s foremost electronic intelligence and surveillance agency, looked to its counterpart across the Atlantic to access the firm’s firewalls.

The revelations come as the Intercept website released a six-page document dating back to 2011 titled “Assessment of Intelligence Opportunity – Juniper” that was written by an NSA employee working with GCHQ. It reveals that Britain’s communication intelligence network was then looking for a partner on an urgent basis across Atlantic in order to infiltrate Juniper’s security products.

“The threat comes from Juniper’s investment and emphasis on being a security leader,” the document states.

According to the document, Juniper was not the market leader but the firm’s products were of particular importance as they were used by countries such as Pakistan, India, China and Yemen, which were major targets of American and British spy agencies.

The document is one of thousands classified intelligence documents leaked by Snowden in 2013, revealing the extent of spy activities by the NSA and its sister organization, GCHQ.

It warns that signals intelligence (SIGINT) agencies could be left unable to keep up with technological advance.

“If the SIGINT community falls behind, it might take years to regain a Juniper firewall or router access capability if Juniper continues to rapidly increase their security.”

The document was one of thousands leaked by NSA contractor-turned-whistleblower Edward Snowden.

The revelation caught both Washington and London in hot water as the two countries’ spy networks collected phone and email data of millions of people including their leaders around the world.

To avoid espionage charges, Snowden fled his country and was granted asylum in Russia, where he currently resides. Many Americans consider Snowden as a whistle-blower and a national hero for blowing the lid off the US government’s global surveillance operations.

Asked about the document, GCHQ says it does not comment on intelligence matters and complies with “a strict legal and policy framework.”

Juniper told the Intercept in a statement that it “operates with the highest of ethical standards and is committed to maintaining the integrity, security, and quality of our products.”

GCHQ says it does not comment on intelligence matters and operates within a strict legal framework.

In a statement, Juniper told the Intercept it “operates with the highest of ethical standards.”

Google to Launch it’s own Messaging Applications!

Google is working on there own Messaging Application, Google is not satisfied with Google Hangout Application if that’s true. According to Wall street Journal Report, AI Powered messaging service.

Google is working on the application for the last one year. They hired Nick Fox as a Team leader for this Application Project. Most of the google products are educative, useful and worthy. Google has not officially release the date yet according to our research from other websites we found this will take 6 more months to reach there final goal.

Also See: Anonymous Declare War on Facebook! (2016)

Google is working on providing artificial intelligence (AI) to there chat service where they can ask questions and receive there answers based on what user has asked!

As written in the report, Google will rely on its AI technology to help separate its offering from the competitors at Facebook and Skype.

For its new service, Google, a unit of Alphabet Inc., plans to integrate chatbots, software programs that answer questions inside a messaging app, the people familiar with the matter said. Users will be able to text friends or a chatbot, which will scour the Web and other sources for information to answer a question, those people said.

Anonymous Declare War on Facebook! (2016)

Many Anonymous Posting on Facebook About Facebook Spam Filter and Their Accounts are getting blocked by Facebook for no Reason just doing freedom of Speech!

From last month Facebook is Giving Verifications and Banning People from their Community because of huge amount of Facebook Usage! They wanted to make sure Everyone having a single account on their community.

So called Freedom of Speech!

Greetings my fellow Anonymous brothers & sisters recently Facebook the biggest & most corrupt social media giant out there has been censoring profiles that are associated with Anonymous the reason for this being is that Facebook does not allow you to have any privacy what so ever & you are not allowed to be Anonymous now ask yourself this question why would they remove these profiles?? well the answer is simple these following people were Anonymous & wanted to remain Anonymous we will not stand by & watch our fellow brothers & sisters have their accounts being tampered with Facebook you shall expect us.

There more videos and News Posted About Anonymous Declare War on Facebook!

Since Anons are busy Doing Operations, Facebook Removing them from Joining and Doing Activism and fighting for there rights! So they are moving to other social communities like there own IRC Networks hidden Networks and Social Media!

Also See: Crash-anyones-whatsapp-by-sending-smileys

Let’s Find out Why Facebook Block?

The reason is because someone or you, tried accessing your Facebook account from a region or location not familiar with Facebook.

Another factor that could result to this is device. Yes sometimes the kind of device you use in accessing your Facebook account could result in your account temporarily blocked.

We know how much our Facebook friends mean to us and it would be very disastrous to wake up one morning to find out that your Facebook account is temporarily blocked, so inorder to prevent this, i have come up with some certain things to avoid.

1. Don’t Access your Facebook account using proxy servers. Proxy servers are anonymous ips used in accessing blocked sites, using such servers might cause negatively effect to your Facebook account. Through not all proxies affects, but proxies unknown to facebook will affect so i think its better you dont use them.

2. Prevent Using Too Many Devices In Accessing Your Facebook Account : Lately, there has been lots of devices that allow direct log on to Facebook thus allowing you to sign in to your account, am not saying this third party devices will cause harm but preventing the use of too many will definitely keep you on a safer side.

I think so far so good this are the common issues that leads to temporary locking of Facebook accounts based on my speculations but i really wonder why Facebook has to fix just one verification process which is very difficult to answer, i just hope they make things better when next mark does he’s changes as usual.