There is a newly discovered threat to Apple users. Called a “Masque Attack,” it allows hackers to install iOS apps on a person’s devices via email or text message. Impacting iOS 7 and iOS 8 devices, the attack takes advantage of a vulnerability that allows for an iOS app with the same file name – regardless of developer – to replace the legitimate app while keeping all of the user’s data in-tact. Masque Attacks can replace authentic apps, such as banking and email apps, using attacker's malware through the Internet. That means the attacker can steal user's banking credentials by replacing an authentic banking app with a malware that has identical UI. Surprisingly, the malware can even access the original app's local data, which wasn't removed when the original app was replaced. These data may contain cached emails, or even login-tokens which the malware can use to log into the user's account directly.This vulnerability exists because iOS doesn't enforce matching certificates for apps with the same bundle identifier. The cybersecurity company FireEye, which first disclosed the Masque Attack vulnerability on Monday (10 November), says Apple is working on a fix. So long, Apple products were rarely attacked in this way because apps were normally downloaded only from Apple's app store. Now, Apple users may be increasingly vulnerable when they acquire apps from other sources. The attack also allows hackers to successfully avoid detection by mobile device management software, taking advantage of Apple’s private APIs that are usually reserved for the stock iOS apps, and gain deeper access to the iOS system to avoid being removed.Bryce Boland – CTO, APJ for FireEye, says "this is a proof of concept that is meant to demonstrate the vulnerabilities in the iOS platform, and as more companies start using iOS devices they may be disabling certain security features to get their custom apps onto devices. We haven't seen this in the wild but it does represent a potential threat as Apple devices proliferate in the enterprise and employees use personal devices for work". How To Stay Safe From Masque AttacksInstall apps from third-party sources other than Apple’s official App Store or the user’s own organisationDon’t click “Install” on a pop-up from a third-party web page, no matter what the pop-up says about the app. The pop-up can show attractive app titles crafted by the attackWhen opening an app, if iOS shows an alert with “Untrusted App Developer”, click on “Don’t Trust” and uninstall the app immediately
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First off, a dis- closure: I’ve been a Note user from the very beginning of the series and the unit I’m reviewing is my own. Deviating from the usual review pattern, I thought I would give a personal perspective since I’m intimately familiar with this big smartphone. Reading between the lines, you will be able to see whether the device will suit your needs — or not.To begin with, the flabbergasted reactions when people around me figured out I’d bought the Note 4, first day, first show. “What’s wrong with your Note 3?” or “Why are you spending that hefty amount all over again?” and “Why can’t you wait?”And, of course, “Are you crazy?”Nothing serious was wrong with my Note 3, except for the expected slowness that comes with Samsung’s TouchWiz, my collection of over one hundred apps, and plain ol' passage of time. As for why I couldn’t just continue with it or wait, I can only say in my defence that I use the device my entire waking time, with the laptop being increasingly neglected. And so, any improvements in the experience were desirable to me. If I were just taking calls, occasionally surfing or not using 90 per cent of the features, I may have thought twice.And so, buy it I did, not waiting for the price to drop and not denying myself the special case that goes with the Note 4. What won me over the most was the increased functionality of the S-Pen, and the camera. There was so much else, but these were the deal breakers for me.Others though, are very pleased with the new direction in design that Samsung has taken. Now there’s nothing cheap about the way the Note 4 looks and feels. It’s solid, well-built and has a glinting metal trim around the edges that gives it the high-end look it deserves. As for myself, I admire the design to start with and then put the phone in a case and forget all about its appearance as I’m far too busy using it.That’s the thing about the Note series, and specially the Note 4. It’s a real user’s phone. If you’re intimidated by features and can’t understand why phones should be complicated, give this one a miss. Even though I live with the Note, I am finding the new one less intuitive and filled with endless features to explore, an activity I may well take my time over. If you’ve been a Note 3 user, it’s not like you will find everything where you left it on the previous device. Many tweaks and changes have been made and it takes involvement to get to the things you want. To head instead to the things I like most, the S-Pen really does feel much better than that on the Note 3. It can hardly feel like writing with a real pen on paper, but it’s getting close and the control is hugely enhanced because of increased sensitivity to more pressure levels. So, I got my nice handwriting back. Rather than feeling like slip-sliding all over the glass screen, I actually feel like I’m in command of the thin stylus. Back in my childhood, my father would pass on some of his incredible calligraphy skills to us, and I was delighted to be able to try a bit of amateur calligraphy once again using the two pen styles meant for this. Yes, you get that nice thick-and-thin strokes making the writing look quite arty. There are other pens and pencils and even a highlighter mode.The S-Pen is a bit of a marvel because of the amount of functionality Samsung has put into what could have been just a writing implement. You can now use it as a sort of mouse, selecting text and other items much more easily. You can write on a screen and instantly share; it is very useful with photos and with things you need to explain to people. You can use it to navigate, scroll and clip content. Apps like Samsung’s Note taker, memo app and scrapbooking and sketching applications use the S-Pen to the hilt.The other thing that excited me, being an avid phone photographer, was the camera. Whatever has been done to it, the primary camera now takes detailed and sharp photos, not doing too badly in the low light department either. Shots taken outdoors can be stunning. And they look gorgeous on a screen that’s itself stunning, though it isn’t the only one with that resolution.The Note 4’s camera is, like everything else on the phone, feature filled. You now have optical image stabilisation for better pictures and video. You have manual controls and a realistic HDR mode. The colours are strong, typical of Samsung. Video is smooth and includes several modes such as slow motion (as before) which is currently being fussed over on the iPhone 6. But only a true comparison of the feature will show which one does the job better as some choppiness on slow videos has been reported on the Note 4.Since the selfie can hardly be forgotten, there’s a trick to taking a 16MP self portrait with the main camera by trying to position yourself on the frame meant for this and smiling by the time the auto timer goes off. The rear camera isn’t bad either and allows for wide selfies and has all sorts of air brushing etc., to make people look better. You can take a picture by putting your finger on the heart rate sensor on the back and then lifting your finger away, triggering the shutter.As I’d said, I use the Note to the hilt and that’s because larger screens like the one on this device have meant one can do much more. It’s very much a computer, in a sense. The processing chops on the Note 4 are currently the most powerful on a phone and so, of course, it works fast. But Samsung’s own interface, TouchWiz, the differentiating look and features the software offers, has always been a bit clunky and lag and slowness tend to show over time. Even though it’s a lot better than before, I’m encountering the odd problem. Implementation of the Flipboard-based magazine app, Briefing, for instance, is stutter filled and far from smooth. Other software features are quite clever and innovate. For instance, you can pull from the corner of the screen to reduce the size of supported apps, making them usable with one hand and also turning them into multi tasking windows. There are a number of these tricks.In terms of hardware, however, it’s tough to argue with the Note 4 as it handles heavy tasks easily. I didn’t notice any significant heating up and I do use it for long hours. The battery, a 3220mAh, isn’t a significant step-up from before but I find the consumption considerably improved over the Note 3, which I was draining out at a rapid clip from day one. The ultra power saving mode included on the Note 4 is truly useful, not only to get the most from the last bit of battery juice but to enable the mode for some hours when you expect not to be using the device much. A fast charging feature tops it back up to full in an hour and a half.The Note 4 is a powerful device meant for the power user and I’d say it’s more of a Samsung ‘flagship’ than the S5 or any of its other devices. Because of this label, it competes with the iPhone 6 Plus, the Sony Z3, HTC M8 and the LG G3, but in terms of uniqueness, it has enough to stand out from the rest. Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2It's unusual to see any tablet looking different from the others. You can play with the size of the edges, button positions, back panels and, of course, the material used, but in the end it's tough to tell them apart. The iPad, sales for which have been less than stellar recently, does stand out from the crowd that essentially followed it. We've seen Lenovo's Yoga trick on hybrid laptops before and also on tablets, but now they're building on that design — and the results are pretty neat.The big thing about the Yoga tablet is a clever metal kickstand. It's based on a cylindrical mechanism at the base of the tablet and lets you use the tablet in many positions including standing up, lying down at various angles and even hung up on a wall because it now has a nice big aperture on the stand for this purpose. The stand makes it more difficult to hold and carry, in my opinion, but then other flexibility options make up for that. I've been checking out the 8-inch variant, but there is also a 10-inch and 13-inch, all using the same form factor with the stand taking on a different functionality depending on the size. Covers with keyboards are also available, making the Yoga tablets a flexible option for business users. There's a Pro version to be available which even has a projector built into the stand's cylinder, a great idea both for some entertainment and as an instantly available presentation tool. Variants with Windows are also there. Specs on the.Yoga tablet have been bumped up compared with the first version giving users a very nice high res screen and long lasting battery. The 8-inch version costs Rs 20,990. break-page-breakHarmon Kardon EsquireThis time around we’re looking at a portable speaker that would fit on your office table as much as it would in your bedroom, on the go, or anywhere for that matter. The Harmon Kardon Esquire looks like high-end gadgetry — and going by the price, Rs 19,990, I suppose it is. Does everything about this speaker match up to the price? Well, yes, I would say so, but I don’t think it would have hurt to bring the price down to around Rs 15,000.The Esquire, which has been around for a few months, does look premium, and that’s from the very first glance as you lift it out of its box. The back is leather finished but strangely, that part gets hidden when you put the speaker down for use. The top has the speaker grill, and all around, there’s a nice high-tech metallic trim. It’s got substantial weight to it, which I find rather reassuring. It’s surprisingly loud for a device that size. There’s no distortion at high volumes and my bass-loving fellow countrymen will be pleased at the base — not so much as to be pounding, but just enough to give the sound some fullness and heft. The base isn’t at the cost of higher frequency sounds either, so you get a nice mix. Predominantly though, it’s loud. The speaker, which is an “executive portable wireless” going by the label, is optimised for voice. The Esquire is a Bluetooth and pairs with your phone or tablet instantly. Also via NFC. But other than music, it has also got another trick up its sleeve. It has two microphones and can be used for a nice conference call. A small room and a small group can use the device for this purpose easily. You can also use it to take calls if you’re playing your music through a phone and a caller interrupts. It’s nice and clear. Compared with the Bose SoundLink, which is considerably cheaper, the Esquire is worthwhile for anyone who plans to do a lot of conference calling, justifying the price difference. Buttons on the Esquire are simple enough. Bluetooth, volume, power on, pause, mute, go to phone. You can spread your palm over it when it’s lying down — that’s about the size of it. It’s got a great multi-USB charger and plugs, perfect for travel. (This story was published in BW | Businessworld Issue Dated 01-12-2014)
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Virgin's pioneering tourist- carrying spacecraft has crashed on a test flight in California, killing a pilot and scattering debris across the desert -- and raising questions about the programme's future.But Virgin chief Richard Branson, while voicing shock at Friday's (30 October) accident involving Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo, vowed to push forward towards the dream of space flight for the paying public."We've always known that the road to space is extremely difficult -- and that every new transportation system has to deal with bad days early in their history," he said."Space is hard -- but worth it. We will persevere and move forward together," he added in a statement issued as he refueled en route for Mojave.Television images showed the wreckage of SpaceShipTwo, a test vehicle that flies to the edge of space, amid brush east of Mojave, a few hours' drive northeast of Los Angeles.The incident is the second disaster involving a US spacecraft this week, after an unmanned Orbital Sciences rocket carrying supplies to the International Space Station exploded after launch on Tuesday.It is also a huge blow to British tycoon Branson's long-held dream of offering the first passenger space flights, which have been snapped up by Leonardo DiCaprio and other celebrities.The Virgin chief is due in Mojave, where the California Highway Patrol confirmed that one pilot had died and another was seriously injured and taken to hospital.The spaceship had been carried aloft on a bigger aircraft known as WhiteKnightTwo and then released for a test of its rocket engine above the Mojave desert, the latest in a series of tests.Stuart Witt, head of the Mojave Air and Space Port, said WhiteKnightTwo took off at 9:20 am (local time), and released SpaceShipTwo at an altitude of 45,000 feet (13,700 metres) at 10:10 am, after 50 minutes of flight.Two minutes later, Witt said it became clear as he watched from the space port that something had gone wrong, even though there was nothing obvious visually from the ground."If there was a huge explosion, I didn't see it," he said. "From my eyes and my ears, I detected nothing that appeared abnormal."More than 500 people have already reserved seats -- and paid a deposit on the $250,000 ticket price -- for a minutes-long suborbital flight on SpaceShipTwo, which can carry six passengers.The SpaceShipTwo's first commercial flight -- in which Branson and his family have vowed to travel -- has been repeatedly delayed, but was tentatively forecast for the first half of 2015, before yesterday's crash. (Agencies)
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China's Xiaomi Inc has become the world's third-largest smartphone vendor just three years after first hitting the market, trailing only Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and Apple Inc, according to a new industry study.Strategy Analytics said Xiaomi accounted for 6 percent of all 320 million smartphones shipped during July-September. Samsung made up 25 percent, down from 35 percent a year earlier due to rising competition from several directions.Apple's share also fell slightly to 12 percent."Xiaomi was the star performer," Strategy Analytics Executive Director Neil Mawston said in a statement."Samsung continues to face tough competition from Apple at the higher-end of the smartphone market, from Xiaomi and Huawei in the middle-tiers, and from Lenovo and others at the entry-level."Xiaomi has been the top seller in its home market of China and recently entered India, where it sells phones exclusively through e-commerce site Flipkart.Vice President Hugo Barra told Reuters in Bangalore last month that the company aimed to sell 100,000 phones a week in India in October when the country celebrates Diwali.(Reuters)
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There's an immed-iate“Oh!” from anyone to whom I hand over the Sony Z3 Compact for a look. It’s very premium looking, with its all-glass front and back look, but it isn’t just that: the handset is a very nice size that allows for a good grip. It’s large enough for its display to look large, and small enough to use one-handed, which is a happy medium for those who still can’t get used to the idea of the really large phones that make up the top-tier category these days. I can see people thinking, ‘Yep, I could use that’, as they check it out. Sony has stuck to a design they call Omnibalance for its recent Xperia phones. Everyone else just calls it a rectangle, which it particularly is because of very straight lines and sharp cut edges. But with the Z3 and Z3 Compact, Sony has put in some effort into making the phone much more comfortable to hold and use. The edges have been rounded off, using a high quality synthetic material, making it feel ever so much better without taking away from the signature look. The Z3 Compact has all the rest — round power button, a dedicated camera button, and flaps covering the ports and SIM tray, etc. The flaps spell water resistant and dust proof. It’s also scratch proof. The Z3 Compact doesn’t look like it should be dropped, but luckily it’s tougher than it looks. I’d recommend a case, to be on the safe side. The phablet-sized Z3 and Z3 Compact were launched at the same time. You’d think the Compact would be the scaled down budget version, the wannabe that the rest of us have to settle for because we can’t afford the flagship offering. That’s not so. There’s very little price difference between the two. The Z3 is at an MRP of Rs 47,799 and the Compact is Rs 44,990. This is because the Compact is almost identical to the Z3 except for a few specs such as the amount of RAM and the screen resolution. What seems to be cutting back on software, however, actually helps the phone. The display looks every bit as nice, with its natural vibrant colours and its brightness, and it takes up less power. The Z3 Compact actually ends up doing better on some benchmark tests and is considered the better value of the two phones. The Z3 Compact is super snappy fast and smooth. Sony’s interface doesn’t interfere very much with Android and you’re unlikely to see lag and slowness on this phone as you use it over the months. It would help if Sony didn’t put a lot of apps on it that you can’t remove, but I don’t know when companies will get that users would rather choose their own and use their onboard storage as they please. Two exceptional aspects on this smartphone are its battery life, and the camera. The battery really lasts. Whatever they’ve done to prolong usage is working and you can easily go through with it for two days on average use. Its standby life is also great. Connected to Wi-Fi but not in active use, it would barely lose a couple of percentage points of battery juice even after days. There are different levels of power management to make this happen, but it’s clear Sony’s got it right on this count. The camera, which quickly comes up with its own two-stage button on the side, is fast and one of the best. There’s an occasional burning out of colours though. The software is packed with features and should have been a bit more intuitive to use, but despite that its great at both images and video, which is 4k. Another plus for gamers is that it connects to the PS4 and can be used as its screen. The Z3 Compact is a well-rounded smartphone and good value for money. Check out all its nice colour options. Bose Soundlink On-Ear HeadphonesYou know how a great pair of headphones can sit on your head like a rock, making your ears sweat inside giant tight earcups? Well, the Bose SoundLink On-ear headphones do nothing of the sort. Instead, I find them just the right weight — not so light as to feel tiring but weighty enough to be well-built. The heabband is softened on the inner side so you don't feel it digging into your skull and the articulating ear cups are cotton-soft. I don't like wearing headphones for very long, but with these I didn't mind as they are really comfortable. At the same time, they're minimalistic with not much effort having been put into making them look like a fashion statement. Clearly, the focus is on shutting the world out for some quality time with music you love. The headset is light and easy to carry because the cups fold inward, making the footprint smaller. Smaller heads should test them out for fit though. On mine, they slip off if I look down.The SoundLink headphones are Bluetooth wireless and pair instantly with devices, even switching easily if you decide to use another paired playback source. On the headphones you can control play/pause, track selection, power, and call answering from the buttons on the earcup. There's a great pouch to protect the set when you're not using it.Getting down to the meat and potatoes, the sound on these headphones is full, clear, and loud. It's entirely balanced as well. Thankfully, you should not be able to damage your God given auditory apparatus with this amount of base. It's music, full-on, though. You can also take calls and there's optimisation of ambient noise for that.It has a good long playing battery and for a quick burst, charges enough in fifteen minutes. (This story was published in BW | Businessworld Issue Dated 17-11-2014)
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Indian and Chinese technology entrepreneurs were leading the top 10 Asian tech billionaire list with $136 billion net assets, according to an industry source and recent market data.India was represented by three entrepreneurs with combined net worth of $40.65 billion while China led with five businessmen with assets worth $67.1 billion.The eight tech magnates from India and China have replaced Japanese and Koreans in the usually bullish stock list, the source said.Indian representation in the list is expected to grow in value following the recent joining of businessman Niraj Goel's Singapore Innovation League which is investing into technology start-ups, said the source.Singapore-based Non-Indian Resident Goel has assets worth $12.95 billion from various businesses and has excelled by developing and using artificial intelligence in the technology sector, the source said.Goel, who has been working in Singapore since 2000, is the youngest tech billionaire at 45 and ranked sixth on the list.Wipro's Azim Premji with net worth of $16 billion is third on the list and HCL's Shiv Nadar with $11.7 billion at seventh.Topping the list is Jack Ma of Alibaba, an e-commerce company in China, with a net worth of $20.8 billion.Japan is represented by Masayoshi Son with net worth of $16.8 billion from various tech-listed companies and South Korea Samsung's Lee Kun Hee with $11.4 billion. Son is rated second in the list and Lee eighth.(Agencies)
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Ever felt that noise, vibration and harshness near your residence was very high but had no way to confirm? What if you had an app which could be downloaded onto your Android smartphone which could tell you exactly how high the decibel levels were? Or how about your local corporation turning off and on the streetlights across your entire city from one central control room? All these and more were solutions showcased by Robert Bosch Engineering and Business Solutions India (RBEI) the Indian arm of Robert Bosch GmBH a leading supplier of technology and services. Robert Bosch itself is a 100 per cent subsidiary of the $59 billion in revenues German headquartered company Bosch which operates in the areas of automotive and industrial technology apart from consumer goods and building technology.RBEI showcased seven innovations which it said have been developed completely in its India operations. Apart from the smart street lighting system, it has also developed a smart meter for India’s rural electrification needs. A Laser Range app to measure distances and surfaces using state of the art laser technology, an Augmented Reality (AR) solution for the retail and education sectors were others. It also showcased a Machine to Machine (M2M) solution which delivers value added services based on connecting things - systems or devices. A rapid prototyping lab which saves saves time, cost and simplifies the process involved in creating prototypes and 3D prints was also outlined. RBEI said the focus was on showcasing ‘Intelligence of Things’ powered by frugal engineering. Several of the innovations are being tested in different parts of the country and will be commercialised eventually. “Software is the value creator. It plays a significant role in ‘connected’ systems and devices in IoTS and M2M Communications. Innovation in software has reduced the product time to market as well as cost of production” said Vijay Ratnaparkhe, President and MD of RBEI, which employs 14,500 people in India. Dr Moseeinger Juergen, VP - Engineering RBEI said that frugal innovation was key to the company’s success in emerging markets like India.
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Looking as if it just stepped out of the boardroom, the BlackBerry Passport may be all businessy, but it’s also a startlingly unusual device. It’s what you would get if you took an old style BlackBerry and turned it into a phablet, giving it a big fat screen and keeping the clicky keys — all in an almost-square passport-sized form factor, merging both worlds into a device that’s really one of a kind.The keyboard, for those who will never get over their love for physical keys, is very interesting. It’s made up of those familiar BB buttons that you have to press down on quite firmly and at the same time, it’s touch-sensitive because of a capacitive layer. That means you can swipe and scroll by lightly touching the keyboard; but can also use the keys to input text. The keyboard has the full alphabet, but numbers and symbols appear on a context sensitive touch row on top. The odd thing is you have to keep switching from screen-touch to physical key-press. Die hard BB users will be happy to see the physical keyboard but will have some relearning to do as this isn’t quite the typical BB keyboard any more, including inter-key spacing and shortcuts. Incidentally, there are about 200 useful shortcuts built into the system.When typing on the Passport, which you have to do two-handed as the device is exceptionally wide, the device feels a little top heavy as it’s quite chunky and solid. The ergonomics of this phone are quite tricky and will take getting used to. It may be a bit too wide and large for women and will tire out smaller hands like my own. It also has a masculine look about it. I did test it out with the pockets of many men around and they didn’t have a problem with its fit. I also took the Passport around to show it to people. Reactions were clearly divided between enthusiastic, admiring BlackBerry users, and users of other phones who couldn’t quite get their heads around it.To get to the upper part of this phone, the screen is really very nice: comfortable, easy to read on, specially through its reading mode. The width helps see more of a webpage. It’ll also bring more of a spreadsheet into view, which should be nice for the professional at whom the Passport is targeted. The camera on the Passport is one of the best on smartphones, especially in low-light conditions. The front camera does well for all the video chats you might want to do in the course of your work.The modernised version of BB’s operating system is all about swipes to get to different functions. There’s the BlackBerry Hub, the home of all communication, where email, messages, and social networking all collect. That’s a convenience that remains the same and one of the primary reasons BB users like BlackBerry devices so much. Swiping right to left gets you apps, including two app stores —BlackBerry’s and Amazon’s, where you can get many Android apps. Another feature meant specifically for professionals is BlackBerry Blend, which lets you connect to other devices and use their screens without compromising any data on the Passport. The specs on this smartphone are all top notch. Couple that with solid hardware and many unique features, and BlackBerry feels entirely justified in setting an MRP of Rs 49,990, with about Rs 10,000 worth of freebies on Amazon and Jet privileges. Bose Sound Link ColourSmall size, big sound. Bose has long perfected that formula. And they do it again with an addition to the SoundLink portable Bluetooth series of speakers. This time, it's in colour, and much more affordable at Rs 11,138. The SoundLink's footprint actually fits across your palm. Standing up, it's well... shorter than the TataSky remote and an average tall glass on my table. The size is perfect for traveling about with, and is especially nice for personal listening — not when you want to make a room's walls vibrate with sound, but when you want just enough to tone down the outside world a bit and lose yourself in music without annoying your neighbours. Setting up the SoundLink is a matter of minutes. A voice guides you as soon as you switch on the speaker. In the box, you'll find various varieties of plugs. Why so many, and no 3.5mm cable, I don't know. Connect it to power to top up the battery, and pair with your device. My fussy iPad Bluetooth connected in a second and before you knew it, I had music flowing. All the controls for these speakers are in a row on top. It couldn't be simpler — power on/off Bluetooth connect, Aux, Play/Pause and Volume up/down. No treble or bass or any other adjustments. All that will have to be from the playback device. Sound is wide spectrum, clean, balanced and full. This isn't for our fellow countrymen who stop next to you at traffic lights with cars practically bouncing off the road with thumping sound. This little speaker gives you quieter but higher quality sound. It charges via micro-USB and battery lasts you upto eight hours. Bose has obviously launched this one in a variety of colours, mint and red being particularly pretty, to make for a good Diwali gift. (This story was published in BW | Businessworld Issue Dated 03-11-2014)
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