June update widely available for Galaxy Note 20, Fold 3 & more

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June update widely available for Galaxy Note 20, Fold 3 & more
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Samsung is widely rolling out the June 2023 security update to the Galaxy Z Fold 3, Galaxy Z Flip 3, Galaxy Note 20 series, and Galaxy S21 FE. The latest monthly Android security patch is also available for the Galaxy A71 5G in some markets. This month’s SMR (Security Maintenance Release) contains more than 60 vulnerability patches.

The Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 foldables started receiving the June SMR last week. Samsung initially released the update for the US versions of the devices, with both carrier-locked and unlocked units getting it simultaneously. In recent days, the Korean firm has expanded the rollout to its homeland South Korea as well as a few other markets. The Fold model is getting the update in the UK while the Flip model is picking it up in the UK, Brazil, and Argentina.

If you’re using the Galaxy Z Fold 3 or Galaxy Z Flip 3 in any of these markets, watch out for new updates with firmware build numbers F926BXXU4EWF1 or F711BXXU5EWF1, respectively. Samsung’s official changelogs state that the foldables are getting some system stability improvements along with this month’s security fixes. For users in South Korea, the update brings improvements to Safety and Emergency features as well. The build numbers are F926NKSU2FWE8 and F711NKSU3FWE8, respectively.

Samsung’s June update for the Galaxy Note 20 series was also initially released in the US. The N0te phones were the first to pick up the June SMR globally. The Korean behemoth is now rolling out the update to the devices in more markets, including South Korea, Europe, and Latin America. The new build number for the former market is N98*NKSU2HWE8, while that for the latter two is N98*BXXU7HWF3. The changelogs are pretty much the same as that for the 2021 foldables, including the Safety and Emergency improvements in South Korea.

Samsung’s June update is reaching more Galaxy devices around the world

The story is the same for the Galaxy S21 FE as well. The device initially received the June SMR in the US. Samsung is now rolling out the update globally. Meanwhile, the rollout for the Galaxy A71 5G has just begun. The new security patch for this mid-range phone is currently only available in the UAE, SamMobile reports. The updated firmware build number is A716BXXU8FWE1. Samsung isn’t pushing any major new features or improvements to the device with the June update. A wider rollout of the June SMR for the Galaxy A71 5G should be just around the corner.


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Biden administration announces $930 million in grants to expand internet access

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Biden administration announces $930 million in grants to expand internet access
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For people living in cities and suburban areas, high-speed internet became common a few years back. However, the same thing cannot be said for the people living in rural areas, for whom, even in this digital age, high-speed and reliable internet is still a luxury. Now, in an effort to solve this digital divide, the Biden administration has recently announced the allocation of $930 million in grants to enhance broadband internet access in rural areas.

These grants are part of the Department of Commerce’s “Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program” and will enable companies to deploy over 12,000 miles of new fiber optic cable across 35 states and Puerto Rico, thus addressing the disparities in areas such as education, employment, healthcare, and social engagement. Additionally, the Biden administration expects grant recipients to contribute an additional $848.46 million, effectively doubling the program’s impact.

Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo has applauded this new initiative, stating, “Much like how the interstate highway system connected every community in America to regional and national systems of highways, this program will help us connect communities across the country to regional and national networks that provide quality, affordable high-speed internet access.”

Benefits of the new initiative

It’s no secret that high-speed and affordable internet would be a lifeline for students and educators, enabling remote learning, access to online resources, and virtual collaboration. It would also create new opportunities for remote work, granting individuals the flexibility to pursue employment regardless of their geographic location. Furthermore, high-speed internet would enable telemedicine, allowing people to communicate with doctors in big cities.

The White House is Aiming for Success

To ensure the success of the program, the Biden administration has already partnered with 20 prominent internet service providers, including Verizon, Spectrum, AT&T, and Optimum, who are offering high-speed internet access for $30 or less per month. Moreover, qualifying households will have the opportunity to access the service at no cost.

Among the grant recipients, one Alaska-based telecommunications company received a substantial $89 million pledge to establish fiber-optic networks in areas where 55% of residents currently lack internet access. Similarly, a California company will receive a grant of $73 million, while a Michigan-based telecom company will receive $61 million. However, it is important to note that each company will have five years to fulfill their promises.


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Data Breach at New BreachForums: 4,000 members’ data leaked

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Data Breach at New BreachForums: 4,000 members’ data leaked
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BreachForums disclosed that the data breach was carried out by a rival hacker forum, which exploited a zero-day vulnerability in MyBB, the free and open source forum software.

In a recent exclusive report by Hackread.com, it was revealed that BreachForums has made a comeback under the control of the notorious ShinyHunters hackers, who are collaborating with the original moderator team from the original BreachForums.

This comes after the old forum was seized by the FBI and its alleged owner, PomPomPurin (real name: Conor Brian Fitzpatrick), was arrested in New York. Fitzpatrick was arrested by a team of investigators at his home in Peekskill, New York and charged with a single count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud.

Now, the revived forum has fallen victim to data breach, resulting in the exposure of personal information belonging to more than 4,000 registered members. Initially, the identity and motives of the hackers behind this breach were unclear, given the complex dynamics involving security agencies and the past and current administrations of BreachForums.

Hackers vs. Hackers

However, during a communication on Telegram, one of the forum’s administrators known as “Weep” confirmed the occurrence of a cyber attack. Weep addressed the members of BreachForums and attributed the data breach to a rival forum called OnniForums, which prides itself as a dark web forum focused on security and anonymity.

Weep urged the forum members to reset their passwords and disclosed that the breach was facilitated by exploiting a zero-day vulnerability in MyBB. It is important to note that the BreachForums had been offline since the early morning of Monday, June 19th, 2023, but at the time of writing, the forum was back online.

Meanwhile, tweets allegedly from the official Twitter account of OnniForums have claimed responsibility for the attack. Another tweet from the same forum’s handle asserts their involvement in breaching another hacker forum known as “Exposed.” Notably, in May 2022, a partial database containing details of 460,000 members from the now-seized RaidForums was leaked on ExposedForum.

Data Breach at New BreachForums: 4,000 members' data leaked
On left, BreachForums admin Week addressing the members – On right, OnniForum claiming the breach (Image: Hackread.com)

The Leaked Data

While uncertainties persist, initial analysis suggests the authenticity of the leaked data. The compromised information includes the following:

  • Login keys
  • Usernames
  • Email addresses
  • IP addresses
  • Password hashes
  • Registration dates
  • Members’ last visits and posts.
  • Number of posts and, last activity
  • Social media handles with profile links and more.

BreachForums, notorious for its role in facilitating discussions and trade of stolen data, has once again become a focal point for cybersecurity concerns. The return of the forum, coupled with this recent breach, underscores the ongoing challenges faced by online communities in safeguarding user information and preventing unauthorized access.

Data Breach at New BreachForums: 4,000 members' data leaked
Emails, IP address and other data analysed by Hackread.com

Impact

If the personal data of cybercriminals is leaked online, it can have several potential outcomes. First and foremost, their identities and activities may be exposed to law enforcement agencies, making it easier for authorities to track and apprehend them. This can significantly impede their ability to continue engaging in illegal activities anonymously.

Furthermore, their reputation within the cybercriminal community may be tarnished, resulting in diminished trust and collaboration with other hackers. The leaked data could also provide valuable insights and intelligence to cybersecurity professionals, allowing them to better understand cybercriminal tactics and develop stronger defence mechanisms.

Overall, the leakage of personal data belonging to cybercriminals can have a substantial impact on their operations and make it more difficult for them to operate clandestinely.

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  5. OGUsers hacker forum hacked for 4th time; database leaked

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YouTube is expanding its 1080p Premium quality

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YouTube is expanding its 1080p Premium quality
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A little while back, YouTube got a lot of flack for reportedly making 4K resolution a premium-exclusive perk. While the company has since rolled back that change, it’s still introducing a video quality setting only for premium subscribers. YouTube is expanding its 1080p premium video quality setting to Android TV and Google TV.

This doesn’t mean that YouTube is going to make the 1080p quality setting exclusive to premium subscribers. Instead, the company is going to offer a higher-quality version of 1080p with a higher bit rate.

YouTube is expanding its 1080p Premium quality to Google TV and Android TV

The news that YouTube’s testing this quality isn’t new. The company has been testing this video quality on iOS and on Apple TV. It didn’t get as much traction as the 4K debacle, and it seems to be more widely accepted.

According to 9To5Google, Google TV and Android TV users are seeing the new video quality option on their devices. Some of these users posted screenshots of the new option. Instead of replacing the regular 1080p options, it will sit right above it.

One example shows the option on a TV, and the other one is, allegedly, from a Motorola smartphone. This points to this feature nearing an official release.

At this point, we don’t know just when the company is going to release this feature to the public. In any case, we know that it’s going to be much better received than locking the 4K quality behind the paywall. That caused a ton of YouTube watchers to become upset.

We’re familiar with YouTube bringing certain premium features and putting them behind the paywall, but 4K video quality is something that people have had access to for a long time. Reaching in and taking away a feature that we’ve been freely enjoying wasn’t going to go over well.


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YouTube TV’s Zen Breaks are now Full of Ads

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YouTube TV’s Zen Breaks are now Full of Ads
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One way that YouTube TV really differentiates itself from its competitors, is by injecting these “Zen Breaks”. While you’re watching live TV, during a commercial break, you’ll sometimes see a Zen break. Which will play some calming nature sounds for a few seconds, or longer, depending on the ad break.

It was a really cool feature, but as Reddit users are starting to notice, YouTube TV is now turning them into ads. So the ad-free Zen break is now an ad. Kind of ironic.

According to Reddit, users are seeing things like “This break brought to you by Progressive”, among other sponsors. From what we’re seeing, this is not audio, just text over the screen. So if you’re not really paying attention – maybe on your phone during the ad-break – you probably won’t see it.

It’s an ad, but less of an ad

Typically, for an hour of live TV, you’ll have to sit through almost 20 minutes of ads. That’s nearly a third of your time. So naturally, we’ve all become a bit annoyed with the number of ads and commercials we see. And this ad from the Zen Break is still an ad, but it’s one that you’re more likely to be less annoyed by.

Since it is not (yet) interrupting your moment of Zen, it’s just some text on the screen. It’s not as bad as some of the ads you’ll see on Hulu or even Netflix, thankfully.

Now, yes, it is quite annoying to be seeing more ads on a service that you already pay at least $72.99 per month for. But don’t forget that Cable costs even more than that. A comparable package is around $120, without the other fees like the sports fee and equipment fee. And you’ll see just as many ads if not more there, due to the Zen breaks not being included in Comcast or Spectrum.

On the other hand, these sponsored Zen Breaks could be used to help offset some of the price hikes that YouTube TV might have otherwise needed to add. Now while it has doubled in the last number of years, YouTube TV is still an incredible value for what you get.

YouTube TV Zen Mode sponsored


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If you own these Galaxy devices, you won’t get One Ui 6

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If you own these Galaxy devices, you won’t get One Ui 6
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Samsung has the best software support of any Android OEM, but its phones eventually lose support for the latest OS updates. With One UI 6 around the corner, some people who own older devices are wondering if they’re going to get the latest update. Well, here are the devices that won’t get One UI 6 (thanks to Sam Mobile).

Speaking of One UI 6, rumor has it that Samsung is planning on launching the beta earlier in the year. We expect it to land sometime in late July. That’s notably earlier than usual. The company is also expected to host its latest Unpacked event around the same time.

There’s a chance that the company could be launching the beta on the same day as the event. This could be similar to how Google sometimes launches the beta for the latest version of Android during Google I/O. Only time will tell.

These devices won’t be getting One UI 6

While there’s a sizable list of devices that will get the latest version of Android, there are also a fair amount of devices that will be stuck on Android 13. These devices are either from before Samsung brought the new update policy or they just simply made it to the end of their life cycle.

Starting with the Galaxy S phones, we have the Galaxy S10 Lite, Galaxy S20 FE, and the Galaxy S20 series. Moving onto the Galaxy Note phones, we have the Note 20 and the Note 20 Ultra.

The only Galaxy foldables to be left out in the rain are the first-gen Z Flip and the Fold 2. The Galaxy Tablets that won’t get the update are the Galaxy Tab A8, Tab A7 Lite, Tab A6 Lite (2020), Tab S7, and Tab S7+.

Lastly, we have the Galaxy A series. These phones are the Galaxy A22, A32, A51, and A71.

While these devices will not see the latest version of Android (officially, that is), most of them will still receive security patches and stability updates until their end-of-life.

If you own one of these devices, and you want to upgrade, you can look into devices like the Galaxy Tab S8 series, the Galaxy S22/S23, the Galaxy A523/54, and so on. You can look around for some sales going on.


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Huawei’s rotating chairman has some big predictions for AI in the future

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Huawei’s rotating chairman has some big predictions for AI in the future
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Hu Houkun, Huawei’s rotating chairman, has given his predictions for AI and its application in the tech industry. He gave this prediction at the APEC Business Leaders China Forum that took place in Beijing, China, a few days ago. During his speech at this event, he told the public that AI will change how the industry is run.

At the moment, his predictions for the tech manufacturing industry, of which Huawei is a major player, are years away. He also points out that certain technological advancements making waves now will also drive the revolution of the industry. These advancements rely heavily on AI to be useful to the everyday consumer, and over the years these technologies have been getting more popular.

The technology in question is the metaverse, and Hu Houkun sees its importance in the business industry. With the growth in this technology will come the need for better computing power. This will only call for better computing power and speed around the world, and Huawei aims to play a vital role in this revolution.

The growth of AI might bring a revolution to the internet from the standpoint of Huawei’s rotating chairman

In recent times, AI has been making waves on the internet, finding its way to major headlines and topics. It has also found a way to blend itself with a ton of industries around the world. This growth has made a lot of governmental bodies and agencies call for regulations to curb its misuse.

However, most big tech firms are still pushing for the integration of AI into their products. Huawei, on their part, happens to have big plans for AI and its application in their industry. From Huawei’s rotating chairman speech at the APEC Business Leaders China Forum, it is clear that the company aims to use this technology for a major revolution.

Hu Houkun says that “by 2030 general computing power will increase by 10 times, and artificial intelligence computing power will increase 500 times.” As more industries adopt AI into their businesses, they will all need better computing power to get things done quicker. For this reason, low-latency speeds of 1ms will become more popular among businesses.

Also, with the growing usage of metaverse technologies in businesses, there is a need for digital transformation. In the coming years, netizens will see some improvements in Huawei technology to be able to cater to this revolution. This will help build the future of the internet, with AI as a major player in development and growth.


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Google Wallet app goes through another design change with the same functionality

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Google Wallet app goes through another design change with the same functionality
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Google Wallet is getting a new, more compact design that will make it easier to navigate. The new design will do away with some unnecessary white space and images, and present payment methods and loyalty cards in a more streamlined manner.
As reported by 9to5Google, this current redesign has been spotted on version 2.193.x of the Google Wallet app, but it has not yet rolled out to everyone running this version. Although not a huge difference as far as the UI is concerned, the subtle differences can be seen when compared side by side with the old design.
The first noticeable change is the removal of the NFC logo and animation at the top. This removal has allowed for the carrousel of payment cards to be moved up in position, showing them front and center as soon as you open the app.

Old Design (Image via Phone Arena) vs Redesign (Image via 9to5Google)

In addition, the carrousel of payment cards now display the cards behind one another, so you can clearly see at a glance the cards you have added. This is in contrast to the old design, which had the cards shown side by side and the amount of cards left to sift through represented by dots underneath. Said dots are now also gone and replaced with the name of the cards you are currently looking at, preceded by a small NFC logo.

Old Design (Image via Phone Arena) vs Redesign (Image via 9to5Google)

Some smaller design tweaks also seen are the removal of unnecessary spacing between the payment cards carrousel and the list of loyalty cards. This will allow for more loyalty cards to be seen at a time, instead of having to do more scrolling to find them.
This isn’t the first redesign, or rebranding for that matter, that Google Wallet has gone through. Google reimagined and revived Google Wallet last year, causing tons of confusion in regards to what the difference was between this app and Google Pay as we knew it. Fortunately, it looks this time like Google Wallet in its current form is here to stay (for now) but will continue evolving with more design and functional tweaks.

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Google Wallet redesign makes it feel less empty

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Google Wallet redesign makes it feel less empty
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Google Wallet is the company’s main payment platform, and the app comes with all the Material You flair that you’d expect. Thus, the app has a ton of empty space. Well, it looks like Google acknowledges this and it’s making some changes. The company is going to push a new redesign to Google Wallet that will get rid of the empty space.

Google Wallet is looking to replace the leather wallet in your pocket. You’re able to load a plethora of different cards onto your account so that you can easily use the app instead of taking out your wallet. People can load their credit/debit cards, rewards cards, gift cards, and more into the app.

Currently, Google is trying to push the ability to add legitimate forms of identification to your wallet. This means that people could be able to add their driver’s license, I.D., and passports to their accounts. This is in testing in a few states at the moment, so you can’t do it just yet.

Google Wallet just got a new redesign that gets rid of the empty space

The Google Wallet app, as it is now, is pretty simple and almost minimalistic. When you open the app, you’re greeted with a pretty barren sight with your profile picture up top, a large NFC logo, a carousel of your cards, your rewards cards, and the Add to Wallet button on the bottom.

There’s an ocean of space between all of these elements which, while it gives the UI a clean look to it, means that there’s a lot of wasted space.

Well, according to 9To5Google, the app is getting a facelift that will solve this issue. We have some screenshots of what the app is going to look like after the redesign.

google wallet redesign

Looking at the screenshot provided, we will see that just like in the current version, your profile picture is still going to be on the top right of the interface. However, there will be no NFC logo. Your profile picture will immediately be followed by your credit cards. Immediately under your credit cards, you will see the name of the company that issued it.

Right under your cards, you will see your list of rewards cards and gift cards. The list will be pretty tight with not much space in between them. While this redesign does change the overall look of the app, it will still retain the Material You aesthetic.

This is a good move on Google’s part, as there’s more information displayed on the screen. So, you’ll be spending less time searching through your cards while at the cashier. It just makes things easier and more convenient.


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Hybrid Meta-Optics technology could revolutionize smartphone photography

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Hybrid Meta-Optics technology could revolutionize smartphone photography
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It’s no secret that over the past few years, smartphone cameras have remained largely unchanged due to the constraints of housing all the components in a thin smartphone body. However, all this could change in the near future as scientists have now unveiled a new hybrid meta-optics technology that enables smartphone users to capture high-grade photos without the bulkiness of traditional cameras.

Similar to professional-grade cameras that use interchangeable lenses, this new technology utilizes flat optics made from meta structures to manipulate light and capture high-quality images while maintaining a compact form factor. This approach not only solves the limitation of smartphones relying on multiple cameras for different focal lengths but also reduces the need for excessive processing, thus resulting in a more natural output.

Addressing the challenges

While the concept of using meta-material-based optics seems straightforward, researchers encountered significant challenges in modelling the complex interactions between light and various optical components, which consequently resulted in the designs falling short of the desired image quality according to conventional standards.

However, to overcome these issues, researchers adopted the “hardware-in-loop strategy” and conducted experiments using physical lenses and sensors, thus significantly reducing memory demands while improving overall performance.

Following the changes, the team was able to produce images comparable to those taken with Sony’s flagship offering, the Sony Alpha 1 III, paired with an 85mm f/1.8 lens. Furthermore, the total volume of the hybrid meta-optics system was less than 1% of the size of the Sony setup, making this innovation even more impressive.

Looking ahead

Vladimir Katkovnik, a senior research fellow at Tampere University in Finland and co-author of the study, emphasized the importance of this innovation and its potential applications. He highlighted the usefulness of this technology in developing a new generation of customized smartphone cameras, particularly in fields such as biomedicine.

Moreover, the team also believes that this hybrid meta-optics technology could be integrated into regular smartphones, bringing us closer to a future where smartphone photos rival those captured by DSLR cameras.


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