After plenty of rumors, Apple has finally announced the Apple Card Savings Account. It’s available starting today and has an industry-leading 4.15% interest rate – thanks to the Fed.
This is a rather unique service from Apple. As it’s an Apple Card Savings Account. Meaning that it is tied to your Apple Card, and through Goldman Sachs – who backs the card. But this also means you can earn interest on your Daily Cash balance. So all that cash back you get from using that card, now you can earn interest on it. And at 4.15%, that can add up quite quickly.
Of course, this is being treated as a regular savings account, so you can also deposit money into the account yourself.
“Savings helps our users get even more value out of their favorite Apple Card benefit — Daily Cash — while providing them with an easy way to save money every day,” said Jennifer Bailey, Apple’s vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet. “Our goal is to build tools that help users lead healthier financial lives, and building Savings into Apple Card in Wallet enables them to spend, send, and save Daily Cash directly and seamlessly — all from one place.”
How to sign up for the Apple Card Savings Account?
To sign up, simply open the Wallet app on your iOS device. Then tap on the Apple Card. Next tap on the circle with the three dots at the top of the screen and tap on Daily Cash. From there you can select Set Up Savings. And you’ll be walked through the process.
Once you have set it up, your Daily Cash will be automatically deposited into the account and start earning interest.
Apple will still allow users to have Daily Cash added to their Apple Cash balance instead. But this is a really cool feature, that no other credit card is doing right now, but that likely won’t last long.
QuaDream, an Israeli cyber mercenary, was recently exposed by Citizen Lab and Microsoft for developing spyware that hacks iPhones.
QuaDream, a rival spyware developer of NSO Group, is reportedly preparing to shut down its operations. Employees of QuaDream have been summoned for a hearing, and it has been revealed that the company plans to lay off most of its employees, retaining only a small fraction to oversee the closure.
This decision comes amidst a survival crisis faced by the Israeli cyberattack industry, with several companies, including the cyberattack unit of Cognyte and Nemesis, reportedly shutting down. NSO Group also laid off 150 employees in the previous summer.
It is worth noting that Hackread.com also published a report on QuaDream titled “QuaDream: Israeli Cyber Mercenary Behind iPhone Hacks,” based on the findings of Citizen Lab and Microsoft. These findings may have played a significant role in QuaDream’s apparent demise.
Here’s what Eva Galperin, the Director of Cybersecurity at EFF (Electronic Frontier Foundation), had to say about the recent development:
Daaaamn. @citizenlab just took out an Israeli spyware company out with a single shot.
QuaDream, based in Ramat Gan, Israel, with around 40 employees, is known for its spyware used for hacking iPhones. Sources indicate that the company has notified its employees about the upcoming closure.
QuaDream’s operations have always been shrouded in mystery and came to the forefront recently after it sent a response letter to the Bat Yam Labor Court in defence of a lawsuit brought by a former employee.
Reportedly, in the letter, QuaDream cited a crisis in the cyberattack sector as the reason for laying off employees, with the industry’s downturn starting in 2018 when several companies publicly disclosed their activities, resulting in the blacklisting of Candiru and NSO by the US Chamber of Commerce in November 2011.
The crisis further deepened in early 2022 when the Israeli regulator announced a reduction in the number of countries where companies could sell their products, from 102 to 37, causing a severe economic crisis across the entire industry. By November 2022, businesses reported a significant negative trend, which also impacted QuaDream’s cash flow.
QuaDream was founded by Nimrod Reznik and Ilan Dabelstein, who still serve as senior managers. Its flagship product is an integrated software/hardware system that takes over local networks to hack phones connected to it.
Another popular product is software used for gaining remote access to phones. In 2022, Reuters reported that QuaDream had developed a no-interaction-based zero-click hacking tool similar to NSO Group’s products, which was in high demand among cybercriminals and espionage actors.
However, QuaDream faced a major setback when a report from Microsoft and Citizen Lab revealed that its hacking tools were used against advocacy organizations, journalists, and opposition figures in ten countries, including North America and Europe.
The report also suggested that the spyware used in these attacks was provided by QuaDream. Microsoft’s associate general counsel, Amy Hogan-Burney, emphasized the importance of publicly disclosing the activities of companies like QuaDream to hold them accountable.
Since the publication of this research, QuaDream has not been fully active, and its board of directors is now reportedly looking to sell its intellectual property.
If you’re a runner, then the Garmin Instinct Smartwatch is a really good option for you. And today, Best Buy has discounted it by $50. Making it just $179. This does bring it back down to an all-time low price here.
The Garmin Instinct smartwatch is the perfect companion for your active lifestyle. It’s built to withstand the toughest conditions, so you can take it with you wherever you go. Whether you’re hiking, biking, swimming, or just running errands, the Instinct smartwatch will keep you on track.
Here are just a few of the features that make the Garmin Instinct smartwatch so great:
Rugged construction: The Instinct smartwatch is built to withstand the elements. It’s water-resistant to 100 meters and has a scratch-resistant display.
All-day activity tracking: The Instinct smartwatch tracks your steps, calories burned, distance traveled, and sleep quality. It also has built-in GPS so you can track your runs, bike rides, and hikes.
Smart notifications: The Instinct smartwatch receives notifications from your phone, so you can stay connected even when you’re away from your device.
Safety features: The Instinct smartwatch has a built-in incident detection feature that sends your location to emergency contacts if you get into an accident. It also has a barometer, altimeter, and compass for navigation.
The Garmin Instinct smartwatch is the perfect way to stay active and connected. It’s built to withstand the toughest conditions, so you can take it with you wherever you go. With its all-day activity tracking, smart notifications, and safety features, the Instinct smartwatch is the perfect companion for your active lifestyle.
If you’re looking for a rugged, all-purpose smartwatch that can keep up with your active lifestyle, then the Garmin Instinct smartwatch is the perfect choice for you.
You can buy the Garmin Instinct Smartwatch from Best Buy today by clicking the link below
LG Energy Solution batteries are common in the tech industry for gadgets and even electric vehicles. A new report claims that the coming Samsung Galaxy Fold and Flip 5 will come packed with LG batteries. This will bring LG into the production line of these devices as a battery supplier alongside others.
Samsung has long turned to LG as a battery supplier for most of its flagship devices. This is also true of other Asian battery manufacturing companies that Samsung does business with. Each major battery supplier to Samsung brings in a set quota of batteries that will facilitate the manufacturing of these devices.
For the coming Fold and Flip 5 devices to launch in Q4 2023, LG will supply some batteries. This will help strengthen both brands’ business ties and help boost development in battery technology for Samsung devices. What does this partnership mean for Samsung fans around the world waiting on the launch of the brand’s next-generation foldable devices?
The coming Samsung Fold and Flip devices will use LG Energy Solution batteries
Three major battery suppliers will have a share in the development of Samsung’s coming foldable devices. These three suppliers are LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI, and China ATL. All three are not new in the business of developing and supplying batteries for Samsung flagship and midrange devices.
Each supplier will get a quota of battery supplies to make up for the manufacturing process. The available information regarding these supplies doesn’t state the quota for each supplier. Samsung fans can be sure that all suppliers would work to meet their allocated quotas to facilitate the manufacturing process of these devices.
Having three battery suppliers doesn’t mean that buyers of the coming foldable devices from Samsung will see different battery types on their devices. All Galaxy Fold 5s will come with the same capacity, charging speed, and life span expectancy. But three suppliers would work at making the batteries to be put to use on these devices.
LG Energy Solution batteries have gained a good name for themselves in the tech industry globally. A good amount of smartphone brands like Apple and other Android brands, even electric vehicle brands like General Motors, Ford, Audi, Volkswagen, Jaguar, etc use larger LG batteries.
All of these prove that LG batteries are a great option for the coming Samsung foldable devices. Leaks also claim that these batteries will be easy to replace, as Samsung is working on improving the sustainability of its foldable devices. More information on these upcoming foldable devices will be available in the coming months.
Google has recently rolled out the latest Chrome release with a zero-day fix. This Chrome update marks the first patch for a zero-day flaw under attack, about which, Google hasn’t shared much details. Users should ensure to update their respective devices with the latest browser release to avoid any exploits.
Google Chrome Zero-Day Flaw
According to a recent advisory, Google has patched a severe security flaw in the Chrome browser.
Since Google confirmed the vulnerability as a zero-day under attack, the tech giant hasn’t shared many details about the Chrome issue. That’s what Google always does whenever disclosing a zero-day to ensure no potential exploits following a PoC.
Nonetheless, it confirmed the vulnerability as a type confusion flaw in the V8 engine. The high-severity bug, identified as CVE-2023-2033, first caught the attention of Clément Lecigne of Google’s Threat Analysis Group. The tech giant patched the vulnerability following the bug report.
Alongside this vulnerability, Google has also patched another security flaw in the browser that remained unexploited.
Google has released all security fixes with the latest Chrome update 112.0.5615.121 for Windows Mac and Linux.
However, the vulnerability doesn’t seem confined to the desktop browser only, since Google confirmed fixing similar vulnerabilities in Chrome for Android as well.
As stated in a separate advisory, the Chrome for Android version 112 (112.0.5615.100/.101) includes the same security fixes as the corresponding desktop release.
Hence now, all Google Chrome users need to update their respective desktop systems and Android phones to receive the patches. Nonetheless, Google has assured automatic roll-out of the latest release to all users.
With this vulnerability fix, Google has marked the first zero-day fix for the Chrome browser in 2023. That’s unlike the previous years when the firm had to tackle a bunch of zero-days right from the beginning of the year. That includes numerous type confusion vulnerabilities in the V8 component, amongst other bug fixes.
Vivo is planning to announce some new foldables in a couple of days, and they’ve just surfaced in all colors, along with their specs. The devices in question are, of course, the Vivo X Fold 2 and the Vivo X Flip. Both phones will launch on April 20 in China.
Upcoming Vivo foldables appear in all colors, along with their specs
Having said that, if you check out the gallery below this paragraph, you’ll see the two phones in all colors. On top of that, the Vivo Pad 2 tablet is also shown here. We’re only assuming these are all the colors that will be on offer, but VIvo may yet surprise us.
The Vivo X Fold 2 will arrive in black, red, and blue colors. All three phones will have a two-tone finish, it seems, while the black model’s pattern will differ from the one on the other two color options, as shown above.
The Vivo X Flip will launch in black, purple, and gold color variants. Each of these models will have a different pattern on the back. The black model will be clear, without a pattern. On the purple model, you’ll notice crossing lines across the phone, while the gold model will have a pattern that resembles waves or a piece of fabric moving due to a wing or something like that.
This makes each of these phones look rather different, in all honesty. You’ll notice the phone’s cover display in these images too. That display will be rather spacious, and it reminds us of the Motorola Razr 2022.
Even the company’s tablet appeared here
The last device shown here is the VIvo Pad 2. That tablet will launch in gray, blue, and purple colors. It will have a gradient finish on the back, it seems, and the design will be exactly what you’d expect.
When it comes to specs, Ishan Agarwal, a tipster, shared them for both phones. The Vivo X Fold 2 will feature the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC. It will also include an 8.03-inch 2160 x 1916 main display. A 6.53-inch 2520 x 1080 cover display will also be included. Both displays will offer a 120Hz refresh rate.
The phone will feature a 4,800mAh battery, while it will support 120W wired, and 50W wireless charging. There will be an in-display fingerprint scanner on both displays.
A 50-megapixel main camera will be backed by a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera, and a 12-megapixel portrait camera. A 16-megapixel front-facing camera will also be included, likely on both displays.
The device will measure 161.3 x 73.4 x 13mm when folded. It will be 6-6.7mm thick when unfolded. The Vivo X Fold 2 will weigh 280 grams.
The Vivo X Flip will be inferior to the Vivo X Fold 2, but still quite powerful
The Vivo X Flip will be fueled by the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC. It will feature a 6.74-inch main AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. A 3-inch cover display will also be included.
The phone will feature a 4,400mAh battery, and support 44W wired charging. A 50-megapixel main camera will be backed by a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera. A 32-megapixel front-facing camera will also be included. This phone will feature an in-display fingerprint scanner too, allegedly, though we’re not sure if it will be included on both displays. That would only make sense, as you won’t be able to use the cover display properly without opening the phone. It would make much more sense to include a side-facing fingerprint scanner.
The Vivo X Flip will measure 166.4 x 75.3 x 8.2mm, while it will weigh 200 grams. Both phones will launch on April 20 in China, and it remains to be seen if they’ll make their way to more markets.
WD (Western Digital), the data storage solutions provider, recently announced a distressing announcement.
In a cybersecurity incident, their network suffered a data breach that allowed threat actors to unauthorizedly access data across multiple systems.
Threat actors behind the recent cyber attack on Western Digital (WD) have proclaimed the responsibility for unauthorizedly stealing approximately 10 terabytes of data from the company’s systems.
Data Breach
The hackers responsible for this data breach are now attempting to extort the company by demanding a ransom of no less than 8 figures.
The extortionists allegedly threaten to publish the sensitive data they have stolen if their demands are unmet. The company affirmed that the attackers had gained access to several of its systems and exfiltrated data from those systems.
Here’s what Western Digital stated:-
“In connection with the ongoing incident, an unauthorized third party gained access to a number of the Company’s systems.”
While after this event, Western Digital released a statement claiming they are actively investigating the scope of the breach and the compromised data.
They did not disclose any detailed information on the nature of the stolen data. Apart from this, WD is actively working to fix all its business operations by implementing all the necessary security measures.
There has been a significant impact on the services offered by Western Digital due to this recent security breach. As multiple users have reported several issues with “My Cloud,” it’s one of its cloud operating services.
Affected Services
Here below, we have mentioned all the services that are drastically impacted and are not accessible at the moment by several users:-
My Cloud
My Cloud Home
My Cloud Home Duo
My Cloud OS 5
SanDisk ibi
SanDisk Ixpand Wireless Charger service
Hackers’ Claim
To confirm their claims, one of the hackers behind the recent Western Digital data breach spoke with TechCrunch, revealing more information about the incident.
During the conversation, the hacker shared a file that had been digitally signed with Western Digital’s code-signing certificate.
This file demonstrated the ability of the hackers to impersonate Western Digital by digitally signing files, raising concerns about the potential for further attacks or malicious activity.
Not only that, even several company executives’ phone numbers were also allegedly exposed by the hackers. The hackers claimed to have left voicemail greetings that mentioned their names in two phone numbers.
Despite their intention to encrypt Western Digital’s files with ransomware, the hackers said they aimed to make money.
The hacker asserted that they would start publishing the compromised data on ransomware gang Alphv’s website if they didn’t receive any response from Western Digital.
Best Buy is already discounting the new Roku TVs that launched just last month. That’s the Roku Select Series, the Plus series aren’t yet discounted.
As part of this sale, every single TV is on sale. That includes the 24-inch model, all the way up to the 75-inch model. You can see the prices and links below.
Why you should buy the Roku Select Series TV
This is the first range of Roku TVs made by Roku. These are TVs built to be competitive with other Roku-enabled TVs from Hisense, TCL and others, but they are now first party. Which means that you’re going to get better support here.
Roku is offering Select Series models in just about every size imaginable from 24- to 75-inches. The 24- and 32-inch models are 720p, while the 40-inch is 1080p and the others are all 4K TVs. The fact that you can get a 75-inch 4K TV for that cheap, is pretty incredible.
As these are Roku TVs, you can of course get all of your favorite apps included here. That includes Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, YouTube TV, YouTube, HBO MAX, Peacock, and so much more. On top of that, you have The Roku Channel here, which has over 350 live TV channels available, completely free. These are part of the FAST channels that are becoming very popular these days. Which, you can also use Tubi, Pluto TV and others for free live TV channels too.
Speaking of software, Roku also has plenty of great features like the ability to Cast and AirPlay 2, as well as support for assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. So it’s a great TV to pick up, and one of the best in this price range.
The OnePlus 11 is out on the market, and it’s a solid offering. However, what if you can quite afford that phone? Well, we have a new leak of the cheaper OnePlus Nord 3, and it shows us a pretty nice-looking device.
If you are interested in picking up a OnePlus 11, then you should read our full review on that device. Also, for a limited time, you can test drive the phone for 100 days to see if it’s something that you want to use. You can check that out right here.
New leak shows the OnePlus Nord 3
OnePlus’Nord phones are the company’s more affordable phones, and its main line Nord phones are the most powerful of the bunch. We’ve been waiting for information on the Nord, it’s finally come thanks to Yogesh Brar (via GSM Arena).
The leak suggests that the OnePlus Nord 3 will come with a 6.7-inch display with a 1.5K resolution (1240 x 2772) which is between 1080p and 1440p. We expect it to be AMOLED and have a 120Hz refresh rate.
Moving onto the internals, this phone is expected to be powered by the MediaTek Dimensity which is the same processor powering the OnePlus Pad. It’s the company’s most powerful SoC out right now. We don’t know the RAM or storage options yet.
As for the camera package, it looks like this phone will have a triple-camera package. The main sensor could be 64MP and accompanied by an 8MP ultrawide camera and a 2MP macro camera. As for the selfie camera, we’re looking at a 16MP sensor.
Moving onto the battery, this phone could have a large 5000mAh battery keeping the lights on. This should give it great battery life depending on your usage.
The OnePlus Nord 3 might launch with a price between ₹30 (around $367 USD) and ₹40 ($489 USD). That sounds like a decent price for this phone. We don’t know the launch date for this phone, but it’s expected to launch between six and eight weeks.
The Google Pixel 7 Pro is now finally official, and it’s keeping the same price as the Pixel 6 Pro from last year. Starting at $899, which does undercut some of the competition out there. With a lot of premium flagships starting at $999 or more. If you’re going to pick up a Pixel 7 Pro, you’re going to want to get a case or two for your new phone. So we’ve rounded up the very best cases for your new phone.
Best Google Pixel 7 Pro Cases
In this list, we have a number of interesting options for the Pixel 7 Pro. They include the official case from Google, as well as some clear cases, some TPU cases and even a stunning leather case.
Google Pixel 7 Pro Case
Google offers this case for the Pixel 7 Pro (and the Pixel 7) in three colors: Hazel (Lemongrass for Pixel 7), Chalk and Obsidian. Basically, they match the colors that the Pixel 7 Pro is available in. These are TPU cases, but they are a bit of an upgrade over last year’s cases from Google. These are a bit thicker, making the camera bump a bit more flush. They also have more grip and actually feel good in the hand.
Those that want a clear case, here’s the one to buy. This is a clear case that’s under $15 (and actually its on sale right now for even less). It does have an anti-yellowing feature, so this should not get yellow like some other clear cases do.
This leather case from Bellroy is going to look amazing after a couple months of use. It will start to patina and really give your Pixel 7 Pro some character. It does come in a few different colors. These include: Simply Taupe, Terracotta, Evergreen, Blue Daze, Bluestone, and Black.
While this is a leather case, and they are generally pretty thick, this one is actually somewhat slim. Making the camera bar almost flush here.
The Caseology Nano Pop is a really good looking case, and does make the phone pop. It has a colored outline around the camera bump. Which is where the Nano Pop name comes from. It’s available in Blueberry Navy, Black Sesame and Evo Green.
It’s a silicon case, that feels great in the hand, and also helps you keep your phone in your hand. That’s because it does have some grip on the back. So it’s not going to slip out of your hand often.
Spigen makes some really great cases for the Pixel 7 Pro. And that includes the Slim Armor CS. This is a slim, somewhat, case. That has a backdoor that slides off to review your cards. Making it a wallet case, but the cards are kind of hidden away. This is available in Rose Gold and black. So you can get the color that you want.
The Poetic Guardian Series is another tried-and-true case, now available for the Pixel 7 Pro. This one offers up 20-feet military grade drop protection. That’s thanks to the big bumpers all around the phone. Other than that, it is a clear case. So you can still show off that beautiful Hazel color of the Pixel 7 Pro.
The Caseology Parallax is also a case that almost always makes it onto these lists. It’s just a really good case that also comes in some sweet colors. What makes the Parallax such a great phone is the fact that it is featuring a 3D texture on the back. That not only looks cool, but it also helps with grip. So it is less likely to slip out of your hands. And that’s always a good thing.
The Incipio Grip is a nice TPU case that also adds some grip on the sides. That’s going to help you hold onto your phone. It’s also rated for up to a 14-foot drop. Which is really good to see. It has been made out of molecular recycled material. And it uses an antimicrobial technology that can prevent 99.9% of surface bacterial and germs.
