New details about Instagram Threads emerge ahead of launch

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New details about Instagram Threads emerge ahead of launch
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Meta is gearing up to launch its Twitter alternative this week. Named Threads (or Threads, an Instagram app), the new social media app will debut on July 6. Ahead of that, the company has published a landing page for the service. It currently doesn’t tell us anything about the service and only shows a countdown down to its launch. But the folks over at 9to5Google have been able to uncover some details about the functioning of Threads.

Threads will be deeply connected to Instagram

Meta originally planned to launch Threads at the end of July. But with Twitter making some unpopular changes to its platform lately, the company is rushing to bring Threads to the public. It wants to give irked Twitter users a new platform. Over the past few days, the new Meta app has made its way to the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. 9to5Google grabbed the APK uploaded to the Play Store and decompiled it to unearth more details.

As expected, Threads will have a deep connection with Instagram. Its official name makes it clear that Meta is launching it as part of Instagram. Both apps will use the same username and display name. Even the display picture will sync from Instagram, though Meta may allow users to keep different avatars on the two platforms later. Blocking a user on one platform will also block them on the other. The two apps will have similar profile links as well. Like on Instagram, Threads will append the username after the “threads.net/” URL.

However, there will be a few key differences. Threads users will have great flexibility when it comes to following or unfollowing people from Instagram. You can choose to automatically follow users who you already follow on Instagram. If it’s a private account, the user will receive a follow request. Private accounts also have the option to pre-approve such follow requests (from people who already follow them on Instagram). You can also set up pre-approvals for specific accounts. Overall, you get to choose who can be in your Threads community and who not.

Meta plans to offer interconnectivity between Threads and other apps

While not available at launch, Meta plans to allow Threads users to connect with people on other federated social networks like Mastodon. The company is collectively calling this space “fediverse.” Users on other platforms can also find Threads users by simply typing their full username (@[email protected]). However, if you restrict replies on a post, users outside Threads won’t see it.

This is pretty much all we know about Threads at the moment. Meta describes it as “Instagram’s text-based conversation app.” We already have proof that the app will be available on Android and iOS at launch later this week. Additionally, it is accessible via the web as well. Meta should share more details about the new platform after its launch this Thursday. Time will tell if and how it affects Twitter.


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Twitter limits may be blocking tweets from appearing in Search

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Twitter limits may be blocking tweets from appearing in Search
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The newly-imposed read limits on Twitter are seemingly blocking tweets from appearing in Google Search. The search engine has stopped showing hundreds of millions of tweets in search results. This is because Google cannot “crawl” Twitter URLs due to the new limit.

Twitter limits are affecting search results

Twitter CEO Elon Musk recently announced that new unverified users on the platform would be able to see a maximum of 500 tweets in a day. That limit for old unverified users is 1,000 tweets, while verified users (who require a Twitter Blue subscription) get to see 10,000 tweets in a day. This is a revised limit from the original limit of 300, 600, and 6,000 tweets, respectively.

Musk said that this is a temporary measure but didn’t specify when Twitter will lift these limits, if at all. The plan is likely to cut down on server bills. Meanwhile, Twitter apps have already started feeling the effects of this change. While it’s unclear if it is an intended change from Twitter or a side effect of the limits, Google Search is unable to show older tweets either.

According to SearchEngineLand, Google Search was showing over 470 million results from Twitter at the end of last week. But the number of tweet results has now dropped below 200 million. A similar drop was observed by some third-party tools as well. 9to5Google performed an analysis of its own and found a drop, too, though the publication saw more than 350 million tweets in Search. We could see even more.

Nonetheless, Google’s testing tools confirm that the search engine can no longer continuously crawl Twitter URLs to pull out relevant tweets for search queries, 9to5Google reports. It can seemingly browse newer tweets but can’t go deep to grab old tweets. The “firehose” is also still working, thankfully. It enables a direct integration between Search and Twitter, allowing the former to highlight relevant new tweets in search results. This works best with breaking news.

While this might bring some respite to people looking for recent tweets via Search, it’s still a pity that Twitter has to resort to these measures to cut operational costs. The platform has already undergone several unpopular changes, including blocking unregistered (or not signed-in) users from seeing tweets or profiles. Now, intentional or not, it’s blocking tweets from search results. It remains to be seen if Twitter will lift these limits anytime soon. It’s facing more competition as Meta prepares to launch a Twitter alternative this week.


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Nokia signs new 5G cross-licensing patent agreement with Apple

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Nokia signs new 5G cross-licensing patent agreement with Apple
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Although people generally refer to Nokia as a smartphone manufacturer, the company’s advancement in telecommunication networks and especially 5G, have been remarkable. Now, in a recent development, Nokia has announced a fresh long-term patent license agreement with Apple, marking a continuation of their previous cross-patent licensing pact.

The original agreement, which the two companies signed in 2017, provided Apple with specific network infrastructure products and services in exchange for the company resuming the sales of Nokia health products in its physical and online stores. However, as this agreement approached its expiration at the end of this year, the two companies have once again negotiated a new deal.

Terms of the new deal

While the exact terms of the agreement remain unclear, Nokia has confirmed that it will start receiving payments from Apple for several years, beginning in January 2024. And in return, Apple will gain the rights to utilize Nokia’s extensive portfolio of patents, with a particular emphasis on the rapidly evolving field of 5G telecommunications, where the company has invested over 140 billion Euros ($152.9 billion) in research and development. This investment has resulted in a substantial portfolio of 20,000 patent families, including over 5,500 patent families in essential 5G services alone.

Speaking on the agreement, Jenni Lukander, President of Nokia Technologies, stated, “The agreement reflects the strength of Nokia’s patent portfolio, decades-long investments in R&D, and contributions to cellular standards and other technologies.”

However, it is important to note that these essential patents are crucial for the functioning of 5G networks and must be licensed under fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory (FRAND) terms.

“Companies can license and use these technologies without the need to make their substantial investments in the standards, fueling innovation and the development of new products and services for consumers,” reads Nokia’s blog post announcing the agreement.


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Instagram Threads will collect all of your data, coming July 6

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Instagram Threads will collect all of your data, coming July 6
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Instagram Threads, the Twitter alternative from Meta, is almost here. An App Store listing reveals that the app will debut this Thursday, July 6, at least in the US. The app’s description reveals that it will collect all of your data, certainly more than what Twitter collects.

Meta has been hurrying to launch Threads as part of Instagram to give its users a new social platform amid Twitter’s fumbles. The app, aptly called “Threads, an Instagram app,” showed up on the Google Play Store last Saturday for Android devices. That was followed by a listing on the App Store for iPhones.

While the app is still not available for download on either platform, the App Store listing carries a launch date of July 6. For some markets, it mentions a July 7 launch. Either way, Meta appears to be ready to take Twitter heads-on this week by launching Threads right on the heels of the former’s new usage limits.

Meta describes Threads as a “text-based conversation app.” According to the company, the platform will allow people to “come together to discuss everything,” including their interests and the latest trending topics. “Whatever it is you’re interested in, you can follow and connect directly with your favorite creators and others who love the same things — or build a loyal following of your own to share your ideas, opinions, and creativity with the world,” Meta explains.

Instagram Threads can collect too much personal information

Meta is launching Threads to try and steal Twitter users irked by the recent changes on the platform. However, privacy-conscious users may find the new Meta app’s data collection practice too invasive. As pointed out by @ianzelbo on Twitter, Instagram Threads can obtain everything there is to know about you, including your financial info, health and fitness data, and other sensitive info. Twitter doesn’t collect these details.

That said, Threads is collecting the same information about you that Instagram already has. So if you’re using Instagram, Meta already has all of your data. Threads won’t scrap anything more. Perhaps that explains the account sync support between the two apps. You can use your Instagram credentials to sign into Threads—no need to create a separate account. But if you don’t use Instagram, using Threads means you’re giving more information about yourself to Meta, allowing the company to control another facet of your social media and online experience. It’s a choice you have to make.


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Mobvoi announces Wear OS 3 beta for TicWatch Pro 3 & E3

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Mobvoi announces Wear OS 3 beta for TicWatch Pro 3 & E3
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Mobvoi, the Chinese maker of Ticwatch-branded Wear OS smartwatches, has made a major announcement that would please many of its customers. It has finally opened a Wear OS 3 beta program for Ticwatch Pro 3 and TicWatch E3 devices. Albeit a little late, it’s a big step towards the long-awaited platform upgrade for the watches.

Several TicWatch models will get Wear OS 3

Mobvoi took to Twitter to announce that it’s now recruiting beta testers for the Wear OS 3 update for the TicWatch Pro 3 (GPS and LTE), TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra (GPS and LTE), and the TicWatch E3. Interested users can apply via this Google Form. The company is asking for information including your full name and email address, age, shipping address, phone number, Smartphone model and OS version, TicWatch model, and ADB (Android Debug Bridge) experience.

According to Mobvoi, users with ADB experience will get prioritized consideration for beta testing. “If anyone has the ability to use the ADB tool …, we will attach a 4-pin data transmission cable separately,” the company noted in the Google Form. This suggests it will ship the cable to the selected users’ addresses. Speaking of selected users, Mobvoi plans to notify them all within a week.

TicWatch users participating in the Wear OS 3 beta program will need to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). The company urges all beta testers to maintain high engagement during the testing period. It added that users might need to provide video demonstrations of any functional issues they discover on their watches. Mobvoi is also requesting a bug report every time the battery drops below 20 percent.

Unfortunately, we still don’t have a timeline for the stable Wear OS 3 update for the aforementioned TicWatch models. Wear OS 3 two years ago, so it has been a long wait for TicWatch 3 series users. The TicWatch Pro 5, meanwhile, came with the latest Wear OS version and should get the Wear OS 4 upgrade down the line. Wear OS 4 has yet to make it into any smartwatch, though Samsung is already beta testing the update for the Galaxy Watch 5 and Galaxy Watch 4.

Wear OS 4 brings Android 13 to your smartwatch

Google announced Wear OS 4 in May 2023. The latest version of its smartwatch platform brings a host of new features and improvements. But a major underlying change went unnoticed initially. It turns out the new version is built on top of Android 13, a jump from Android 11-based Wear OS 3. This will enable improved security, among other things. Stay tuned for the Wear OS 4 update for Samsung watches and the Wear OS 3 update for Mobvoi watches.


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CISA Warns Samsung and D-Link Devices Flaws

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CISA Warns Samsung and D-Link Devices Flaws
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CISA Warns Samsung and D-Link Devices

The Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is well-known for providing preventive measures to all organizations based on their recent research and exploitation from threat actors.

CISA has recently added and published a list of 8 new vulnerabilities which are currently being exploited in the wild by attackers.

CSN

These new vulnerabilities were related to two major organizations, Samsung and D-Link. 

CVE(s):

The 8 new vulnerabilities are,

D-Link Vulnerability

This vulnerability exists in the UPnP endpoint of D-Link and has a CVSS Score of 9.8 (Critical).

  • CVE-2019-20500: D-Link DWL-2600AP Access Point Command Injection Vulnerability

This vulnerability exists in the configBackup or downloadServerip parameter and has a CVSS Score of 7.8 (High).

Earlier in March 2023, the threat actors leveraged the following D-Link (CVE-2019-17621, CVE-2019-20500) vulnerabilities to spread a variant of the Mirai botnet.

Samsung Mobile Devices Vulnerability

  • CVE-2021-25487: Samsung Mobile Devices Out-of-Bounds Read Vulnerability

This vulnerability exists due to the lack of boundary checking in a buffer and has a CVSS Score of 7.8 (High).

  • CVE-2021-25489: Samsung Mobile Devices Improper Input Validation Vulnerability

This vulnerability exists due to improper input validation in the modem interface and has a CVSS Score of 5.5 (Medium).

This vulnerability exists as a race condition in charger drivers and has a CVSS Score of 6.4 (Medium).

A race condition in the charger driver allows local attackers to bypass signature checks. This vulnerability has a CVSS Score of 6.4 (Medium).

This vulnerability in the DSP driver allows attackers to load arbitrary ELF libraries and has a CVSS Score of 6.7 (Medium).

  • CVE-2021-25372: Samsung Mobile Devices Improper Boundary Check Vulnerability

This vulnerability exists due to improper boundary checks in the DSP driver, allowing out-of-bounds memory access and having a CVSS Score of 6.7 (Medium).

As of now, there have not been any publicized instances of Samsung mobile device vulnerabilities being exploited, which have been included in CISA’s ‘must-patch’ list this week. However, it is highly likely that a commercial spyware vendor has already capitalized on these vulnerabilities.

This list has been released as part of the Binding Operational Directive, which is working on reducing the risks these known exploits can bring to the federal enterprise.

Users of these products are advised to upgrade to the latest vendor patches provided to eliminate the risk of a cyber attack.

“AI-based email security measures Protect your business From Email Threats!” – Request a Free Demo.


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Official ASUS ZenFone 10 wallpapers are available to download

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Official ASUS ZenFone 10 wallpapers are available to download
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The ASUS ZenFone 10 launched quite recently, and the phone’s wallpapers are now available to download, thanks to XDA Developers. Both static and live wallpapers are included in this package.

The ASUS ZenFone 10 wallpapers are available to download

You will find 25 static images here, nine of which are optimized for the lock screen. Those wallpapers have a resolution of 2400 x 1080. Larger versions of them are also in the package, though, with a resolution of 2400 x 2400.

A bunch of these wallpapers are also made to go along with the colors of the ZenFone 10 units themselves. Those have the number ‘10’ in the center.

You can check out some examples of these wallpapers in the gallery below the article. Do note that these wallpapers have been compressed, though, and you’ll need to tap the link below the article to grab them in their original size.

Two live wallpapers are also included in the package

Now, when it comes to live wallpapers. Two are available, and each of them has its own unique animation. Those live wallpapers are basically MP4 video snippets, and on most phones, you’ll need a third-party app to utilize them.

Such apps can be found on the Play Store, but we’ll give you one example. A Video to Wallpaper app is a solid app that does just that, it’s quite straightforward. You can grab it from this link.

The ASUS ZenFone 10 launched at the very end of last month. It’s a brand new compact flagship from ASUS, and one that doesn’t have much competition in the market. ASUS managed to cram in the latest specs in there, while maintaining its compact size.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is included, along with LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 flash storage. The phone offers up to 16GB of RAM, stereo speakers, and a side-facing fingerprint scanner. It actually offers outstanding performance, and great battery life, as we were able to find out while using it.

Download ASUS ZenFone 10 wallpapers


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Google, Meta & TikTok to sue Arkansas over age verification law

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Google, Meta & TikTok to sue Arkansas over age verification law
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Google, Meta, and TikTok want to sue the state of Arkansas over a law that requires social platforms to verify a user’s age. The tech firms believe the law violates the US Constitution and breaches users’ privacy.

US lawmakers have passed several bills to safeguard children’s privacy online and on social platforms. While there is no evidence yet of how these bills worked, the state of Arkansas passed a bill that obligates tech firms to check a user’s age and prevent underage children from using the platform.

NetChoice, a tech trade group that represents Google, Meta, and TikTok, is now opposing the bill by claiming it contradicts the US Constitution. Additionally, these tech firms say the Social Media Safety Act violates First Amendment free speech rights as it requires users to hand over their private data to companies. NetChoice further claims that the law is an “unconstitutional power grab,” that “seizes decision making” from families.

Google, Meta, and TikTok will sue Arkansas over Social Media Safety Act

The Social Media Safety Act is a set of principles to keep users safe by asking them to submit their IDs or driver’s licenses before opening an account. Under-age children need to take parents’ consent before using social platforms. While this law seems to work to protect children, the tech firms say it has serious privacy issues in addition to ignoring existing federal law.

NetChoice argues that the law forces platforms to rely on a third-party service to track, verify, and store children’s data. Beyond that, the users won’t be in direct contact with the third-party service that holds their data. NetChoice added that these third-party services would be a prime target for hackers and bad actors.

In a statement to Engadget, State Attorney General Tim Griffin said he looks forward to “vigorously defending” the Social Media Safety Act. The case is submitted to US District Court for the Western District of Arkansas. The court will issue the final ruling, but tech firms are unlikely to win the case as lawmakers have already shown strong support for similar legislation.

Senator Josh Hawley has proposed a bill that prohibits kids under 16 from using social platforms. Besides Arkansas, Utah, Connecticut, and Ohio have also passed similar bills. The concerns about children’s safety on online platforms increased after a pedophile network was found on Meta-owned Instagram.


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Threads, a Twitter alternative, confirmed to launch on July 6

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Threads, a Twitter alternative, confirmed to launch on July 6
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Meta, the home of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, is now welcoming yet another app called Threads.

For now, the new Threads app is free and available for pre-order exclusively for iPhone users on the App Store in the US. Android Authority reports that the official release for iOS is scheduled for July 6th. The date for releasing the app for Android users is still unknown. The official website doesn’t provide much information yet but you can already find download links for iOS and Android.


Threads is described as a social network platform where communities can gather to discuss various topics, both current and trending. Its main purpose is to help users connect with their favorite creators and share their thoughts and opinions. You can link your Instagram account to interact with your followers or follow the same accounts you already follow on Instagram.

Threads looks a lot like Instagram, but with one key difference—it focuses on text instead of images. You can leave comments and engage in threaded conversations, similar to how Twitter works. Meta’s decision to release an app that can become an alternative to Twitter seems like a good idea given Twitter’s recent changes.Twitter’s recent updates, such as limiting the number of tweets users can read per day, have not been well-received by users. Additionally, Elon Musk’s push for users to subscribe to the paid Twitter Blue service has faced some resistance. Introducing new updates and features exclusively for Twitter Blue subscribers is understandable, but neglecting the free users doesn’t seem like a great idea.

For those of you who don’t remember, this is not the first time Meta launches an app with this name. A Threads app was discussed back in 2019, but its future was unclear. Later it was launched for some time but came to its end in 2021.

The idea of the 2019 app was to give Instagram users the option to communicate with their more intimate circle of friends in a separate app outside of Instagram. It wasn’t much of a success, but it seems like Meta likes the name and decided to revive it. Only time will tell what lies for the new Threads app, but it might find success considering Twitter’s declining popularity these days.

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WhatsApp Proxy Feature Supports Sharing More Content Types

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WhatsApp Proxy Feature Supports Sharing More Content Types
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With the latest update, WhatsApp now allows users to share more types of content using the Proxy feature. This applies to sharing files, voice notes and stickers too, even in restrictive regions.

WhatsApp Upgrades Proxy Feature With Latest Updates

According to BBC Persian, WhatsApp has introduced major upgrades to its Proxy feature to facilitate better communications with privacy.

As explained, with recent changes, WhatsApp users can exchange files, stickers, and more, with their contacts with an active Proxy feature.

With this change, WhatsApp aims to provide a better experience for its users facing censorship-related communications issues.

WhatsApp has long been a victim of blocking and censorship in regions with blurred internet freedom. Governments do not like WhatsApp due to its built-in and default encryption which empowers users to keep their communications safe from online intruders. The only viable option, to this day, remains using spyware (for a remote attacker) or gaining physical access to the target user’s device.

Thus, repressive authorities simply consider blocking WhatsApp altogether as a workaround to access people’s communications.

To combat this issue, WhatsApp launched a dedicated Proxy feature in January this year. With this feature, WhatsApp enabled users to continue using the app even after blocking. The app provides users with proxy servers set up by volunteers and savvy organizations. The service also allows users to set up their own proxy servers to help other users connect freely.

The feature already supported private communications by configuring a “chat port” for texts and a “media port” for image sharing. And now, the recent upgrade allows them to send/receive voice messages, files, stickers, and GIFs.

In addition, WhatsApp has also smoothened the proxy setup process, facilitating users to share viable proxies swiftly.

With these upgrades, WhatsApp has joined the list of messaging apps combating internet shutdowns and censorship. Before WhatsApp, Telegram and Signal also supported proxy setups through which they helped users to continue communicating with minimal interruptions.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments.


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