Donald Trump is proof that a free, uncensored internet isn’t always the best internet

Image: Reuters

By Anirudh Regidi /  14 Nov 2016 , 13:46

To a great many in the world, even more so in America, it’s hard to stomach the fact that Donald Trump will soon be the most powerful man on the planet. But why didn’t we see him coming?

I’m not alone in thinking that the world saw him as a joke. Every talk show host and comedian I follow went out of his way to make fun of Trump, almost everyone who was anyone in the tech world decried his policies and most news media made mincemeat of the man.

As far as I was concerned, Trump was the most unsuitable candidate the world had ever seen, and yet he won.

And why wouldn’t I have that opinion of him? Everywhere I turned, all I saw were jokes and memes and not one person I knew took him seriously. How could such a man be president?

The keyword here is “follow”. The internet democratised content. News is no longer the dominion of professionals and everyone has a voice, be they demagogues, brilliant physicists or your average Joe.

I’m not going to waste my time following someone or something I don’t care about. I “like” pages that I find interesting, I watch YouTube videos that I enjoy and I spend hours perusing through subreddits that I find fascinating.

My little cloud of preferences follows me around everywhere I go. It’s on my phone, on my laptop and every other electronic device I sign in to.

Thanks to that cloud, I’m completely oblivious to the happenings in the rest of the world — ask me something on Bollywood movies and I’ll be utterly clueless.

Have you ever tried browsing Facebook or YouTube in incognito mode? You’ll see a different world out there.

With Donald Trump, this is exactly what happened. It’s hard to take an unbiased view of the world when you’re curating that view yourself. Many of you saw what I did — the jokes, the memes and the racism. A great many more (enough to vote him in) saw Trump as the saviour of the American people, an honest man just speaking his mind, Crooked Hillary.

Trump’s followers had their own little self-curated cloud around them, as, in all likelihood, does Trump himself. You wouldn’t be denying climate change or vaccination or the moon landings, or even Trump, if you were open to all the facts.

The best, unbiased view of the elections came courtesy of an AI and it predicted Trump’s win in October.

Hitler did the same thing when he rose to power. He played on the minds of the suffering German people, promised them greatness and wealth and power, and he did all this with the power of radio.

As Timeline explains in this lovely article, “Radio was a much cheaper propaganda tool than the printing press. Hitler could reach Germans with his deranged ramblings — without radios or middlemen getting in the way.” Isn’t social media just an evolution of the same?

Stop blaming Facebook, Google and everyone else for showing biased content. Trump is on all of us.

Google will announce two new high-end Android Wear 2.0 smartwatches early next year

By tech2 News Staff /  23 Dec 2016 , 17:31

The smartwatch market hasn’t quite paced up, but the good news is that Google is going to launch two new products next year. We’ve heard about them in the past where a report suggested that it will be fully made by Google just like the Pixel smartphones.

Android Wear product manager at Google, Jeff Chang, told the Verge that the new watches will be the flagship Android Wear 2.0 devices and will be the first ones to launch with the new platform. However he debunked the previous rumours around the manufacturing by confirming that the new models will not have Google or Pixel branding. Instead Google is working closely with a manufacturer which will have all the rights to use its name. We don’t quite know the company yet but Chang confirmed that brand has produced Android Wear devices in the past and has worked on the hardware, design and software integration for the watches.

The new watch announcement will also be the launchpad for the highly awaited Android Wear 2.0 update. Google had showcased the update at the annual Google I/O developer conference and had set a launch time-frame of fall. However the update has seen some delays and will most likely start rolling by next year.

The new Android Wear 2.0 will bring features including a whole new interface, standalone apps that don’t require a phone to work, support for Android Pay, and support for Google Assistant.  If you are waiting for the new update then let us tell you that not every Android Wear watch will be updated, but most of the recent models will. Some models might also miss out on certain features like Android Pay which requires a built-in NFC chip. While Google has been rolling developer previews of the Android Wear 2.0 platform, expect a final rollout in January.

There were rumours that two new Android Watches would be launched at the Google October hardware event, which saw the launch of the pixel. The watches were called Sailfish and Angelfish.

While we are on the subject of updates, here is a full list of all the devices that will get the new Android Wear 2.0 update:

-Moto 360 Gen 2
-Moto 360 Sport
-LG Watch Urbane 2nd Edition LTE
-LG Watch Urbane
-LG G Watch R
-Polar M600
-Casio Smart Outdoor Watch
-Nixon Mission
-Tag Heuer Connected
-Fossil Q Wander
-Fossil Q Marshal
-Fossil Q Founder
-Michael Kors Access Bradshaw Smartwatch
-Michael Kors Access Dylan Smartwatch
-Huawei Watch
-Huawei Watch Ladies
-Asus ZenWatch 2
-Asus ZenWatch 3

Pokemon Go is now available on Apple Watch

  23 Dec 2016 , 16:26

The popular mobile game “Pokemon Go” is now available on the Apple Watch, squashing rumours that the game’s maker was scrapping such plans. The game involves catching digital pocket monsters in an augmented-reality version of your surroundings. The Apple Watch version will let you discover nearby Pokemon and collect special items, such as potions, from nearby “PokeStops.” But once you encounter a Pokemon, you will need to use your iPhone to catch it.

Still, the Apple Watch should make it easier for players to log their steps (needed to advance in the game and to hatch new Pokemon out of eggs), and to avoid walking around with their phones held out to search for nearby monsters.

“Pokemon Go” was a huge success when it came out in July. It’s not clear how the Apple Watch version will do, especially now that it’s too cold in much of the Northern Hemisphere to be outside catching Pokemon. Plans for the watch version had been announced at Apple’s iPhone launch event in September. The game’s maker, Niantic, hasn’t announced any plans for Android Wear and Samsung Gear smartwatches.

Associated Press

Lithuania finds spyware on its government computers, holds Kremlin responsible

Image Credit: Malwarebytes

  23 Dec 2016 , 09:48

The Baltic state of Lithuania, on the frontline of growing tensions between the West and Russia, says the Kremlin is responsible for cyber attacks that have hit government computers over the last two years.

The head of cyber security told Reuters three cases of Russian spyware on its government computers had been discovered since 2015, and there had been 20 attempts to infect them this year

“The spyware we found was operating for at least half a year before it was detected – similar to how it was in the USA,” Rimtautas Cerniauskas, head of Lithuanian Cyber Security Centre said.

The Kremlin did not immediately respond to a Reuters written request for comments over the Lithuanian claims. But Russia has in the past denied accusations of hacking Western institutions.

Fears of cyber attacks have come to the fore since the U.S. election campaign when hacking of Democratic Party emails led to allegations from U.S. intelligence that Russia was involved. Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia, all ruled by Moscow in communist times, have been alarmed by Russia’s annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula in 2014 and its support for pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.

In what Baltic officials say was a wake-up call, Estonia was hit by cyber attacks on extensive private and government Internet sites in 2007. State websites were brought to a crawl and an online banking site was closed. Lithuanian intelligence services, in their annual report, say cyber attacks have moved from being mainly targeted at financial crimes to more political spying on state institutions.

Russian spyware was transferring all documents it could find, as well as all passwords entered on websites such as GMail or Facebook, to an internet address commonly used by Russian spy agencies, Cerniaukas said. “This only confirms that attempts are made to infiltrate our political sphere,” said Cerniaukas.

Preparations

Germany’s domestic intelligence agency reported earlier this month a striking increase in Russian targeted cyber attacks against political parties and propaganda and disinformation campaigns aimed at destabilising German society. The domestic intelligence chief said Russia may seek to interfere in its national elections next year.

Although no Russian cyber meddling was detected in the run up and during the Lithuanian general election in October, Cerniauskas said his country needs to understand it is vulnerable to such meddling.”Russians are really quite good in this area. They have been using information warfare since the old times. Cyberspace is part of that, only more frowned upon by law than simple propaganda”, he said.

“They have capacity, they have the attitude, they are interested, and they will get to it – so we need to prepare for it and we need to apply countermeasures.” Lithuanian officials targeted by the Russian spyware held mid-to-low ranking positions at the government, but their computers contained a stream of drafts for government decisions of its positions on various matters, said Cerniauskas.

The head of the Lithuanian counter-intelligence agency Darius Jauniskis said Russia tried to sow chaos in Lithuania by orchestrating a cyber attack in 2012 against the Lithuanian central bank and its top online news website. “It is all part of psychological warfare,” he told Reuters earlier this month.

Reuters

Bitcoin total value hit an all time high going above $14 billion

  22 Dec 2016 , 18:31

The total value of all bitcoins in circulation hit a record high above $14 billion on Thursday, as the web-based digital currency jumped 5 percent on the day to its highest levels in three years after more than doubling in price this year.

The price of one bitcoin reached $875 on the Europe-based Bitstamp exchange, its strongest level since January 2014, putting the cryptocurrency on track for its best daily performance in six months.

That compared with levels around $435 at the start of the year, with many experts linking bitcoin’s rise with the steady depreciation of the Chinese yuan, which has slid almost 7 percent this year.

Data shows the majority of bitcoin trading is done in China, so any increase in demand from there tends to have a significant impact on the price.

Bitcoin is a web-based “cryptocurrency” that can move money across the globe quickly and anonymously with no need for a central authority. That makes it attractive to those wanting to get around capital controls, such as China’s.

The digital currency is still some way off the peaks it scaled in late 2013, when it traded as high as $1,163 on the Bitstamp exchange.

But because more bitcoins continue to be added to the system, currently at a rate of 12.5 every 10 minutes, its total value – or “market cap” – on Thursday surpassed the 2013 peak of around $14.01 billion. That puts its total value at around the same as that of an average FTSE 100 company.

Charles Hayter, founder of data analysis website Cryptocompare, said bitcoin had been helped higher by demonetization in India, and by global political uncertainty.

“If that trend continues, bitcoin is a good thematic play on the fracturing of our global norms as a flight to safety,” he said.

Reuters

Here is a list of the Smartphones that left a mark in 2016

By Rehan Hooda /  22 Dec 2016 , 17:31

Smartphones are one of the most important gadgets in our life and each year smartphone makers from all over the world compete to make the most impressive, sleek and fastest smartphone in the market. Apart from the usual bits of improved processor, a little bit of change in the design or the increased RAM or the battery life, there is nothing different or radical that most of these companies want to attempt.

Even though there aren’t a lot of companies that go beyond the industry standards to make and attempt something radical. But still, some companies try and attempt something different, and those are the ones that tend to stand apart in the huge sea of smartphones. We have made a round up of the smartphones that left a mark in the year 2016. Here are some smartphones that were crucial and changed the tech world in their own way.

Google Pixel XL

Google Pixel XL, the first smartphone from Google, is the most important smartphone of the year quite simply because it is the first time the software giant has dived into hardware. It was significant because the Pixel series was the reason why the beloved Nexus line was killed. The Pixel also marked a significant hike in the price to (almost) match the price of Apple iPhone.

The Pixel XL provides the ultimate Android experience with the latest Android Nougat 7.1.1 with Google Assistant baked inside. Pixel was not only the first foray into hardware for the company, but in addition, it was a smartphone with many firsts. Google revamped the ROM update mechanism with revamped system architecture and it was also the first smartphone to come with Daydream support. We reviewed the Android powerhouse and you can check out if you should buy the smartphone. One important thing to note is that in extended testing we concluded that Pixel has the best smartphone camera till date, even beating Apple iPhone 7 Plus by a mile.

Samsung Note 7

The year 2016 will be incomplete without discussing Samsung and Samsung Note 7 because of everything that happened. On one hand, when most of the smartphones left a mark in 2016, the only thing(s) Samsung Galaxy Note 7 left was smoke, fire, unused fire-proof boxes, tumbling profits, destroyed trust and annihilated environment after the explosive year by Samsung. The most ironic part is that Samsung rushed Note 7 out in the market to compete with Apple iPhone 7 and this move backfired big time for the company as back to back recalls of the smartphones left the company without any flagship to compete with the competition.

Image: Hui Renjie

Samsung delayed working on S8 to investigate the cause of battery fires and explosions in Note 7. The company recently concluded the investigation and had submitted the detailed reports to regulatory bodies across the globe. We can expect a public release of the report soon as the company promised that it would publish the cause of explosions to everyone.

OnePlus 3/3T

OnePlus 3

OnePlus 3 was one of the important smartphones for 2016 as it reaffirmed that OnePlus is here to stay. After the failure that OnePlus 2 was, everyone thought that the company is a one-hit wonder in the sea of unknown Chinese companies. But with the launch of OnePlus 3, the company turned off the noise by proving everyone that it indeed can make ‘flagship-killer’ smartphones without much buzz.

OnePlus 3T

The company took the world by surprise with the launch of OnePlus One in 2014. This year the OnePlus 3 became an instant hit and the company raised the stakes by releasing OnePlus 3T. OnePlus 3T is an upgraded version of OnePlus 3 with a new processor, slightly bigger battery and a 16MP front camera. We reviewed both the smartphones and reached a conclusion that this is the best smartphone regarding performance only second to Apple iPhone 7 Plus. OnePlus 3T may lack Daydream or the new update mechanism and Android Nougat 7.1 but these features are coming soon.

iPhone 7

The iPhone 7 Plus.

Apple iPhone 7 was being considered to be one of the most lacklustre iPhones ever with no buzz in the usual markets according to analysts. But the lack of competition from Samsung or LG pulled people to iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. Another significant change that Apple made was dropping 3.5-mm headphone jack along with the introduction of 256GB internal storage options for users in need for more internal storage.

The iPhone 7 was the first flagship by Apple to sport waterproof capabilities. The company also added a dual-lens camera setup with different focal lengths for shooting in standard as well as zoomed modes on the iPhone 7 Plus. The company also added a portrait mode to add natural Bokeh using data from both the lenses to give a natural depth-of-field. iPhone 7 and 7 Plus launch was aligned with the launch of iOS10, one of the most significant updates by the company to iOS.

Moto Z and Moto Mods

The Moto Z was one smartphone that we were looking out for as it had the potential to change how we look at handsets. It was also the only smartphone that allowed one to add and enhance capabilities through modules made by third party vendors. The smartphone pulled in more interest after Google axed Project Ara making Moto Z and the Moto Mods, the only hope for truly modular smartphones. The company promised that it would release 12 mods each year and all mods will be backwards as well as forward compatible with upcoming smartphones.

We reviewed the Moto Z and were stunned by the build quality and performance of the smartphone along with the entire idea of mods. But the company should drastically improve the experience before even assuming that the offering will be taken seriously by the consumers.

LG G5

Representative image of smartphone

LG G5 was the first real smartphone to sport dual camera and the ultra wide perspective was one of the core points of attraction os the smartphone. The company announced the smartphone, and everyone was excited about the latest smartphone in the G series by LG. After a detailed review of the smartphone, we were disappointed in the build quality of the smartphone along with the lacklustre camera and the extremely limited ‘Modular’-functionality that the company was touting when the smartphone was announced.

The company had announced different modular accessories for the smartphone that ranged from removable batteries, camera and battery mod, Bang & Olufsen-designed DAC mod for improved audio quality along with other mods in the pipeline. But the surprisingly expensive pricing of the smartphone effectively killed it before it even took off in the market.

Xiaomi Mi MIX

Xiaomi Mi MIX, a concept smartphone by Xiaomi was the talking bout of many during the year. Nobody was expecting a nearly bezel-less design this year, but Xiaomi sneaked in with the quite announcement of this almost perfect looking smartphone. It wasn’t released worldwide and only served as a limited launch smartphone. It also came with a unique “Cantilever piezoelectric ceramic acoustic technology” to replace the traditional earpiece for audio. The smartphone looked something straight out of some Sci-Fi movie from early 2000’s.

It did not win any laurels for its performance by the design and execution itself ensured that Xiaomi had the bragging rights to an innovative design.

LG announces new 2017 K-Series and Stylus 3 smartphone ahead of CES

By tech2 News Staff /  22 Dec 2016 , 13:36

LG has announced a bunch of new budget smartphones under the refreshed K series for 2017 which includes the K3, K4, K8, K10 as well as the new Stylus 3. All the new smartphones are expected to be showcased at the upcoming CES 2017 show in Las Vegas.

The K3 and K4 are entry-level smartphones sporting a Snapdragon 210 chipset, 1GB of RAM and 8GB storage configuration. The K4 has a 5-inch display while the K3 has a 4.5-inch both offering a dissapointing FWVGA display resolution. Both the smartphones offer 5MP primary camera with the K4 having a 5MP front and the K3 offering a 2MP front. In the battery department, the K4 gets a 2,500mAh unit and a 2,100mAh unit for the K3.

The K8 is powered by a Snapdragon 425 chipset with a 5-inch HD display, 1.5GB RAM with 16GB of storage. The camera offering includes 13MP rear and a 5MP front. Running on Android 7.0 it packs a 2,500mAh battery.

The final handset in the range is the K10 which features a Mediatek’s MT6750 SoC, a 5.3-inch HD display 2GB of RAM and internal memory of 32GB. This one also packs a 13MP rear unit and a 5MP front shooter. A 2,800mAh battery, Android 7.0 Nougat and a fingerprint sensor round up the device.

In the end we have the LG Stylus 3 which is powered by Mediatek’s MT6750 SoC octa-core CPU, a 5.7-inch HD display, 3GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. Other features include 13MP and 8MP camera combo, Android 7.0, a 3,200mAh battery, a built-in stylus pen and a fingerprint scanner.

Pricing has not be revealed so we’ll have to wait till CES 2017.

Nokia C1 renders and specifications leak: Expect a Snapdragon 830, 4GB RAM and dual-cameras

Image: Weibo

By tech2 News Staff /  22 Dec 2016 , 12:33

Everyone’s eyes will on the Nokia stage this year, as the company has scheduled a keynote at the Mobile World Congress, which takes place early next year in Barcelona, Spain. While it has not been confirmed as to what Nokia CEO, Rajeev Suri will announce, there are plenty of Nokia smartphone renders that have begun to surface online, hinting that Nokia may be planning a comeback to the smartphone space, but with Android inside.

A new leak comes from a Weibo user, who hints at a Nokia C1 smartphone, which appears to be a flagship through and through. The leaked handset showcases a design language that looks quite similar to the chocolate bar flagship handsets that are on sale today that sport the usual rounded corners and an all-metal unibody build. The Nokia C1 pictured in these leaked images seems to feature a metal design, but with replaceable backs that appear to be made of different materials and textures.

Image: Weibo

The  design has rounded corners and an overall broad profile, along with a slim waistline.

Image: Weibo

On the front, the display takes up the major part of the front face, leaving thin bezels on the left and the right sides. At the top and bottom the bezels get a little thicker and while the top seems to be packed with sensors, a front facing camera and a speaker, the bottom too features a similar sized cutout for a second speaker.

Image: Weibo

Moving to the back, we find the Oreo shaped rear camera that has become the norm with flagships in the Lumia series (powered by Windows Phone). This unit however sits flush with the surface and features a dual camera setup with a triple LED flash and a xenon flash with a focus assist lamp next to it.

The right side features the power button at the top and a camera/shutter button closer to the bottom end. The left side features a volume rocker with two buttons. The bottom features a 3.5mm headphone jack along with a USB Type-C port.

Image: Weibo

As for the leaked specifications, the slides mention that the Nokia C1 will feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon 830 chipset (we guess this is an 835) with 4GB RAM. There will be 32GB, 64GB and 128GB internal storage options and the device will draw power from a 3,210 mAh battery. The same slide also points out that the device will feature Android 7.1.1 out of the box.

If these renders (obtained from a video) do turn out to be genuine, Nokia could have quite a contender for next year’s flagship space. Add to this the trust worthy Nokia brand name along with Google’s Android, and it seems like the perfect mix.