You might be surprised to find out that “pig butchering” is going on in the App Store and Google Play Store but no animals are being hurt. According to BleepingComputer“Pig butchering” is a scam that involves phony websites, malicious advertising, and more. By getting through the App Store and Play Store’s defenses, users have a false sense of security when installing these apps only to get bit in the ass.
Cybersecurity firm Sophos concluded that these attacks are designed to trick male Facebook or Tinder users into installing bogus apps by using fake female profiles with images stolen from other social media sites. These images portray a wealthy lifestyle with photos of exotic locations, five-star restaurants, and high-end retail stores. The fake apps promote phony investment scams.
The scam usually follows a particular script
The scam usually follows a particular script. The “woman” that the target is messaging says that she has an “Uncle” in the investment business and invites the target to install a particular cryptocurrency app on the App Store or the Google Play Store that will allow the target to trade cryptocurrency. After guiding the soon-to-be victim through the process of installing the “fake” app, the “woman” also helps the victim to make a deposit using the legitimate cryptocurrency app Binance and helps the mark transfer the sum to the fake app.
MBM_Bitscan app on the App Store
Sophos says that the malicious apps being used on the App Store are called “Ace Pro” and “MBM_BitScan” and “BitScan” on the Google Play Store. The apps allow the victim to withdraw small amounts from their accounts at first to gain the target’s trust but lock the account preventing the withdrawal of larger amounts.
To get through the App Store’s defenses. the bad actors involved in the scam submit an app signed with a valid certificate issued by Apple. This is a necessity for any app that appears on the iOS app storefront. Until the app gets Apple’s approval, it acts normal; once approval is received, the domain name is changed and the app connects to a malicious server.
How this scam works
While different vendor names appear for the iOS and Android versions of the fake apps, they connect to the same command and control server (which sends directions to malware-controlled systems), from a domain that seems to impersonate a legit Japanese cryptocurrency exchange called bitFlyer.
Use common sense and you should be able to avoid getting ripped off
Now you see who the “pig” is getting butchered. The “pig” is the victim who is drawn into the scam through lengthy conversations. By allowing a small part of the initial deposit to be accessible to the target, the latter trusts the entire process and has bought into the scheme. While we hate to continuously hit you over the head with this, you need to check the comments section of any apps that you plan to install on your devices from developers that you’ve never heard of. If you see any red flags, do not install the app and run away…quickly.
Also, if you’re on Facebook or Tinder and you’re approached by a wealthy female looking to get you to invest in cryptocurrency, do not engage in a conversation with this “woman.” And even if your hormones kick in and you can’t help yourself, what the hell are you doing investing your hard-earned money without doing some research first? And cryptocurrency is no stranger to the seedy, scammy world of investment ripoffs.
And because only a few victims get hooked (this is a high-yield ripoff that depends on a low percentage of success to make plenty of money for the attackers), there aren’t too many complaints about the apps. Still, if you use common sense and think with your brain instead of another part of the male anatomy, you should be able to avoid getting ripped off.
It took Google eight years to produce its own watch, after debuting Wear OS back in 2014. Which was originally Android Wear, then Wear OS by Google and now just Wear OS. So does it disappoint? Should you buy this over the Galaxy Watch 5? Let’s find out in our full review.
Amazing design
Despite the big bezels on the Pixel Watch, it still feels like a really well-designed, high-end watch. Which is interesting, coming from Fitbit and Google. Fitbit’s watches have never really felt or looked good or high-end. Google says that they made the watch to resemble a pebble. Which is rather fitting since Fitbit bought Pebble and Google bought Fitbit. And you can really see that in the watch.
We have the Obsidian color here, which is black all around. But there’s also warm gold and silver, which have the bottom half of the watch in silver and gold – or more like a hazel. So every color is going to look black, from head on. Which is perfectly fine. And that means that all of the bands, in many different colors will work perfectly with it.
There’s a digital crown on the side, in the center. This can be used to navigate the OS as you might expect. It works well, but the scrolling speed does seem to be rather slow. Often times, I usually just opt to use my finger to swipe on the screen. There is also a button above the crown, but it’s on the lower half of the watch. It’s a bit out of the way, and this is really only used for recent apps, or you can hold for Google Assistant. I really wish one of those opened up Google Wallet, like it does for Apple Wallet on the Apple Watch.
On the bottom, it’s glass still, and has all of the sensors that you’d expect. It also has the wireless charging magnets there. Speaking of wireless charging, it can’t charge on anything but the Google Pixel Watch charger. Not even using Battery Share on the Pixel 7, it’ll start charging and immediately stop. The same thing when I put it on other Qi Wireless chargers, or the Apple Watch charger. That’s a major oversight for Google, in my opinion. Why can’t this charge, at least on the back of my Pixel 7 Pro? That’s a good way to get some extra juice when you’re on the go.
Finally, let’s talk about the bands here. They are basically copies of the Fitbit bands for their smartwatches. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, since Fitbit’s team was really the one in charge of this watch. But some of the bands just feel so cheap, for a $350 watch (or in the case of our review unit, a $400 watch). Like the Stretch band. It’s super thin, and it really felt like if you were walking and got it caught on something, the band would be destroyed. It also looks like you’re wearing a sock, not necessarily the look I’d want. But the Woven bands are a nice step up. Still lightweight, but a bit more classy than the leather bands that are pretty pricey.
Now, swapping out the bands is a bit odd. Like Apple, Google has also decided to go ahead and reengineer how to remove bands. So you press this button on the side of the band on the watch, then slide the band over, to remove it. The first couple of times, it’ll take a bit to get used to, as it is pretty strange. Hopefully you won’t be swapping bands everyday.
It’s a small watch
All that, and I didn’t even mention the size of the watch. It’s quite small. It’s a 41mm size watch, which is the same size as Apple’s smallest Watch, but when you put it on side-by-side with an Apple Watch, it is definitely looking smaller, but also thicker. That is likely due to the circular display here. Which, I know, a lot of people prefer, but the square display that Apple uses makes it more functional.
For a lot of people, this small watch size is going to be a sigh of relief, as not everyone has huge wrists. This is definitely great for women too. But the flip side of that is, poor battery life. Which we’ll talk about next.
Battery life is 24 hours… if you’re lucky
So, when Google was on stage talking about the Pixel Watch, they mentioned that battery life was rated for up to 24 hours. And put a lot of emphasis in the “up to” part of that statement. While I’ve been using this watch for a little over a week, it really only hit 24 hours or more, twice. So I asked Google for some clarification on this.
Google informed me that the 24 hour number comes from the following use case: “AOD off, 240 notifications, 280 time checks, 50 minutes of tethered navigation (Google maps), 45 min LTE / GPS workout with downloaded YTM music, 5 min LTE phone call.” That’s pretty specific, especially on the notifications and time checks aspect.
Always-on Display was off by default, so I kept it off for my testing here. I’m almost afraid to turn it on and see how long it’d last. Since some days it only lasted around 15 hours. The best way to conserve power is likely going to be to limit what notifications you get. Maybe just messaging apps and emails.
An interesting tidbit I did notice is that, once I set this up with LTE connectivity on Google Fi, battery life did improve. Now that could be a placebo affect, as I only used it a couple days without LTE. But still worth mentioning.
Wear OS 3.5 is so fluid
The Google Pixel Watch is running on Wear OS 3.5, which is only available for the Samsung watches (Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 5 series) and a Montblanc watch that’s super pricey. So this is the first time I’ve really used Wear OS 3.5. It’s also the first time in a few years I’ve used Wear OS. It’s still not as optimized as I’d like for a watch, but with the added RAM and more powerful processor, Wear OS 3.5 is so smooth and fluid.
I’ve been wearing the Apple Watch for the last two years, which is why I’ve compared it a lot in this review. And it’s software is very smooth. Really no hiccups at all on it. But the Pixel Watch is even smoother than that. Which is very impressive to be honest.
Let’s start with the app. The Pixel Watch is a Wear OS watch, but doesn’t connect to the Wear OS app. Instead, it uses the Pixel Watch. Which once your phone sees the Pixel Watch, it’ll automatically download it so you can set it up. It’s a pretty simple app, but with Wear OS 3 and later, manufacturers have to make their own apps for Wear OS.
Right at the top of the app, you’ll find the Watch Faces and tiles. Followed by some other settings that you can adjust. There’s not many settings available in the app actually. Google has it sort of spread out for no real reason it seems.
But let’s talk about the watch faces. There aren’t many here, but since it is a Wear OS app, there’s plenty in the Google Play Store. The few that are here (around 19) are actually pretty good. Giving you some nice complications on the watch face like the weather, battery percentage, Fitbit stuff, and more. Most of them are black backgrounds, so that thick bezel doesn’t really stand out. Thanks to this being an AMOLED display.
Then there’s Tiles. This is a feature that I think Apple really needs to copy. Basically, full-screen widgets that sit to the side of the watch face. So you can swipe over to see things like the weather, or your Fitbit stats, YouTube Music, your next alarm and much more. It’s super useful, and better than loading up a full-on app.
As mentioned, the software is really good here. It’s still not perfect, and it’s going to be exciting to see how Google improves it over the coming months. Since it will be getting the quarterly feature drops like a Pixel smartphone, as well as yearly Wear OS updates. Which Google has said they want to start doing.
Fitbit integration gives Google a leg up over Samsung
When it comes to fitness tracking, no one does it as well as Fitbit. Part of this is because Fitbit has been around for so long and has so many trackers out there in the wild. Which allows them to collect data and improve features, also adding new features. Fitbit’s competitions and challenges are also better than just about everyone else. So having them on the Pixel Watch is awesome.
If you’ve used a Fitbit tracker, then you know what to expect from this Pixel Watch when it comes to fitness tracking. It’s basically the same experience. But it does not have Fitbit’s automatic workout tracking. Well, it does and doesn’t. With other watches, it’ll pop up and say “are you working out” and ask if you want to track it. On the Pixel Watch, it’ll automatically track any workouts longer than 15 minutes (by default, you can adjust this in the Fitbit app). But you won’t see the stats until after you’re finished. That’s fine for me, but some might want to see that on their wrist while they are working out.
Now, this does mean you need to download the Fitbit app, which the Pixel Watch app will tell you to do, in setup. You can easily sync your accounts together and start using Fitbit on the Pixel Watch. This also means that the Google Fit app is basically dead. That does suck for those that have been using it for years on other Wear OS watches. Google hasn’t said that Fit is dead, in fact it just got updated this week, but it basically is.
Fitbit is going to be exclusive to the Pixel Watch, at least for now. That’s going to be one feature that Google will have, to get you to use the Pixel Watch over a Galaxy Watch 5.
Should I buy the Pixel Watch?
That’s the question. Should you buy the Google Pixel Watch? This is a question that I’ve been struggling with for almost a week now. There’s so much to like about the watch, but a big issue is the battery life. Is it really that hard to give consumers a smartwatch that can last more than a day? The only real watches that can, are dumb or hybrid watches. Yeah there are some factors involved here like keeping it lightweight and small, which affects the size of the battery. But I don’t want to be tied to a charger all the time with my Pixel Watch.
It’s also fairly expensive. Since the Galaxy Watch 5 starts at $279 for a similarly sized model. That’s $70 less, and definitely has better battery life. But then, the Pixel Watch gives you the Pixel experience, as well as Fitbit, and will get quarterly updates with new features.
So my recommendation is, get the Pixel Watch if you’re okay with this battery life, and really, really want the Fitbit integration. If not, go with the Galaxy Watch 5, we reviewed that back in August and found it to be really impressive.
Heads up, Android users! Researchers have found numerous shady reward apps on Play Store targeting Android users. The malicious apps barrage users with tons of ads if they wish to cash out rewards, which never happens.
Malicious Reward Apps On Android
According to a recent post from Dr. Web, the researchers caught multiple malicious reward apps flooding the Google Play Store.
As explained, they observed a spike in the emergence of Android trojans and adware campaigns in December, including a dedicated adware campaign involving the Play Store.
The malicious apps impersonated fake reward apps, luring users with things like financial education, crypto markets, and company shares. Whereas some other apps also mimicked games and fitness applications.
The apps seemed harmless, seeking personal details from the users to serve the purpose. When provided, the app would then offer various app rewards, such as virtual coins, which the users could cash out.
But in reality, the apps would never allow them to cash out the rewards. Instead, they displayed numerous apps to the users first to meet the withdrawal requirement and then, to accelerate the withdrawal process.
Dr. Web has shared a detailed list of such malicious apps in its post, urging users to steer clear of them. Nonetheless, it seems that the apps successfully garnered a huge victim base as each boasts thousands of downloads.
Watch Out For Fake Apps
It is recommended to download apps from the official app stores, such as the Google Play Store for Android. But it doesn’t mean that all apps listed in these stores are reliable. While Google implements a robust vetting process before allowing apps, still, some sneaky adversaries succeed in ditching these reviews.
Many times, apps go rogue after establishing themselves first on the Play Store, garnering a substantial number of downloads. Therefore, the best practice to avoid falling victim to such scams is only to download apps from trusted developers.
Essentially, users should make it a habit to verify the developer first by checking its contact details and history before installing an app.
Moreover, users should also carefully review the permissions an app requires before randomly allowing everything. Any apps asking for unnecessary permissions are risky. For instance, a flashlight app has nothing to do with your device store. Similarly, a calculator app should not request access to your device’s camera and microphone.
The more users remain careful while downloading apps, even from the official app stores, the better they can avoid scams.
A recent study reveals that while users are comfortable shopping online, a number of online stores are accidentally leaking shoppers’ highly sensitive data.
eCommerce security company Sansec has revealed it’s found a number of online stores accidentally leaking highly sensitive data.
After studying 2,037 online stores, the company found that 12.3 percent exposed compressed files (in ZIP, SQL, and TAR archive formats), which BleepingComputer noted appear to be private backups containing master database passwords, confidential admin URLs of stores, full customer data (PII, or personally identifiable information), and internal API keys on public-facing web folders without requiring authentication.
The Sansec Threat Research group also found multiple attack patterns coming from various IPs, suggesting that a number of threat actors have known about this online store flaw and are working to exploit it.
“We have observed automated attacks against online stores, where thousands of possible backup names are tried over the course of multiple weeks. Because these probes are very cheap to run and do not affect the target store performance, they can essentially go on forever until a backup has been found.”
Sansec urges online web store owners to make sure sure they aren’t leaking sensitive data. Start checking if backup files are open to the public internet and, if they are, close them immediately, and investigate the store for any signs of compromise. The company recommends the following steps to site owners in the event of accidental exposure:
Check server logs for signs of backup file downloads.
Check for unauthorized admin accounts.
Change all passwords.
Implement two-factor authentication (2FA).
Ensure the remote database admin panel isn’t showing up on the public internet.
Run an eCommerce malware scanner.
Lastly, to avoid creating accidental data leaks on online shops, Sansec advises owners to deploy store code on a read-only file system, schedule frequent backing up of files, restrict access to backup files, and start monitoring for online data exposure.
We don’t just report on threats—we remove them
Cybersecurity risks should never spread beyond a headline. Keep threats off your devices by downloading Malwarebytes today.
A major part of an app’s experience is all of the minor updates and UI changes that the developers push to it. The Google Play Store is now different, as a new update puts more emphasis on notifications and options, according to Android Police. It’s a small update, but it could be a useful one.
The Google Play Store has a section for your notifications and all of the offers that are available. However, people just don’t see them. You often go to the Play Store to hunt down your next favorite app, not check your notifications. Because of this, we often miss out on useful information. Google wants to change this with a new UI tweak.
The Play Store focuses more on notifications and offers
This change is a minor user-facing one, but it could actually change the way that people use the Play Store. Before the change, you’d see the search bar span the entirety of the top of the screen. You’d see the voice search button and the profile button housed in it.
After the change, you’ll see a few differences. Firstly, the search bar won’t stretch across the whole screen. It’ll run about three-quarters of the way across the screen. The profile button will sit on the right side of the screen outside of the bar. Lastly, you’ll see a new notification bell icon in between the search bar and the profile button.
The icon will show you how many new notifications you have. Tapping on it will open up a new page with two tabs at the top. The first tab shows you all of your notifications. These will be app recommendations, pre-registered games ready to download, and others. The next tab will show you all of the offers available. These will be sales and events that apps are having to entice people.
This change is rolling out now, so you should see it within the next couple of days if you don’t see it yet. We were able to see this change on a company Pixel 6, so there’s a good chance that you’ll see it.
There is nothing quite as motivating as downloading a new fitness app to help kick off a new healthy habit – something many of us routinely do every January. However, Android users have been warned that several extremely popular fitness apps could pose a threat to their phone security and should be deleted immediately.
Three apps in particular have been exposed as potential phishing/malware scams. These apps initially promised customers rewards in return for being active; however, users were then unable to withdraw rewards and found themselves caught in a never-ending cycle of ads. In addition to this, the apps also appeared to have been accessing sensitive data from users’ phones.
We all know the importance of being vigilant about the apps we install on our devices and the access we grant to our personal data. However, worryingly for customers, all three of these Android apps were highly rated on the Google Play store (rating 4 out of 5 stars on average) and, subsequently, had together amassed over 20 millions downloads before the alarm was raised.
Official advice from Android is for users to delete any of the following apps with immediate effect:
Lucky Step – This walking tracker app proved extremely popular, with over 10 million downloads. The free-to-download app enticed users by converting steps taken in the real world into virtual ‘lucky coins’. The coins could then be exchanged for various rewards. However, any action in the app would lead to an advert, which users had to watch before they could move on to the next task.
WalkingJoy – Having amassed 5 million downloads, this app claimed you could earn up to $135 just by winning tickets from taking steps, spinning a wheel, and playing in-game slots. However, the app was filled with ad walls, which meant that users would have to watch endless adverts to access mini-games to earn tickets (which then could not be cashed out).
Lucky Habit – A free to download health tracker app with over 5 million downloads offering earning through activity, tracking, and in-game playing. Users are invited to hit all their ‘goals of the day’ and earn coins by doing activities such as stretching, drinking water, brushing their teeth or watching the news. Users could also earn coins by playing in-game slots; however, all activities required watching adverts before they could be completed.
In addition to these three apps, information has been released about several other dangerous apps for Android users to look out for. These have been classified as ‘command and control’ apps (meaning they can spread malware to your phone during an attack). The apps include:
Happy Step (a clone of Lucky Step)
King Blitz
Lucky Clover
Lux Fruits Game
Jewel Sea
Unlimited Score
Seven Golden Wolf Blackjack
Reflector
Golden Hunt
A common theme that some of these apps share is in-app casino-type games, such as slots or blackjack. Users are reminded that games like these can carry extra risks, as players may be asked to link the account to a credit card, debit card, or bank account. Chris Evans, a spokesperson for Casinos.win, an iGaming affiliate marketing site, warns of the potential dangers associated with unregulated sites and apps.
Evans said: “We put a lot of effort and time into researching the safest places for players to enjoy iGaming online. Privacy and security are of the utmost importance. It is all too easy to unintentionally fall prey to a phishing scam or mistakenly download malware. We would encourage all users to research apps and websites, read reviews from a variety of sources, and only download from trusted sites.”
Of course, this list of apps is nowhere near comprehensive, and more potential security risks are being identified every day. One site suggests that there may be at least a further 200 dangerous apps which could potentially be stealing money from users’ bank accounts. These apps vary wildly in content, ranging from 4K camera apps to beauty filters, astrology apps, and even some messenger apps.
The controversy doesn’t stop there. Another extremely popular app which has come under scrutiny in recent months is TikTok. With over 3 billion downloads, TikTok is one of the most popular apps on the planet; however, as each day passes, more warnings hit the headlines. There are several countries which have gone so far as to ban the TikTok app completely, citing pornography, security, inappropriate content, and even, ‘leading the youth astray’, as justification. Due to security concerns, several states in America have clamped down on federal agents accessing the app on work phones. There has been much talk about the app’s association with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and the access to secure and private information that they may be privy to – the app is owned by the Chinese company, Bytedance, who are required by law to share all the data they collect with the CCP.
Whatever the potential threat from TikTok, it is clear that as apps become more sophisticated, so too will their counterparts – phishing, malware, spyware and viruses. The best customers can do to limit their security risks, allay their privacy concerns, and protect from unwanted charges, performance issues and misleading information, is to remain vigilant and up to date. Risks can be minimised if apps are downloaded from trusted sources like the Google Play Store, and if users read the terms, conditions and permissions carefully before installing a new app.
You’ve probably heard about the plans that Netflix has to prevent account sharing. The streaming platform has been slowly building up to that goal through a series of announcements, and even feature releases, like the one that allows users to transfer their profile to a standalone account (wink-wink, nudge-nudge).Well, the time is nigh and Netflix has released the final guidelines on its help site. The plan revolves around the service trying to define a “home address” through your IP, device ID and your overall activity pattern. Then it will use that information to establish whether the user accessing the account is actually the account owner.
So how is that going to happen? Through an arduous verification process, of course! It may get triggered each time that you try to watch Netflix from a new device or location, and it involves the sending of the codes through the emails and the texts, and then you need to input them correctly on time and… ugh.
Well, at least security concerns have not been raised yet, but nowadays that’s always just a matter of time.
What is the impact of Netflix’s new account rules?
Well, now it’s sort of limited.
The process itself wouldn’t be an issue, if it happened once. But Netflix wants to make sure that you are indeed the account holder and that you are the only person using the account, so it may prompt you to do this “periodically”.
These changes will have a heavier negative impact on two groups of people: those that travel often and those who use a VPN.
You see, due to the unique disposition of hardcore film watchers, they prefer to watch content on a big screen. As such, if it so happens that they are about to travel, they wouldn’t be able to take the TV along with them, as it is probably huge. Hence, every time that they try to watch Netflix while away from home, they will likely get bombarded with verification requests.
The second group is also likely obvious: VPNs change your IP and location. This will mess up Netflix’s attempts to get a grasp on your “home address”, which will also result in a sequence of verification requests.
Guess that infamous VPN promotion tagline of being able to “conveniently watch territory-exclusive content” just got outdated effective immediately.
Is Netflix’s verification process going to be annoying?
The level of annoyance of this process will highly depend on the algorithm that Netflix has implemented. On its help site, the company states that the service should be smart enough to recognise if you are an owner of multiple homes, so only time will tell if the aforementioned examples truly end up becoming as much of a bother as they can be.
This isn’t much of a silver lining, but at least Netflix won’t go out of its way to punish users who are switching locations and devices often, at least for now. As long as you are willing to bear with the verification process, you can move about as often as you like.
Xiaomi 12T Pro is the mid-year refresh on their flagship series. Albeit, Xiaomi typically introduces a stellar upgrade on the T series and then trims other features from the Pro model launched earlier in the year to keep the price competitive.
In keeping with tradition, the Xiaomi 12T Pro has a brand new 200MP main camera on the rear. And it still has the stellar 120W HyperCharge support that was first introduced on the Xiaomi 11T Pro last year.
Hardware design is greatly improved from last year
At first glance from the front, you might have some difficulty in figuring out if there are any big changes. A closer inspection reveals one important change, which is that all bezels are uniform. The ever so slight chin that was present in last year’s model is gone. Besides the improved bezels, there is another big hardware improvement which is the under-display fingerprint scanner. The new FPS is fast and accurate although it would be nice if it was placed about a half-inch higher on the display.
There are some subtle changes on the top and bottom rails. The two-tone effect is executed quite nicely and there seems to be quite a bit of shuffling of the internal components with the newer device. On the bottom, the microphone is now to the left of the USB-C charging port. While up top, the only thing same is the ‘SOUND BY harman kardon’ logo. The speaker grille, the IR blaster, and the second microphone are all shuffled around. The side rails look the same in terms of power and volume button placement on the right-hand side rail. The opposite side is clean as usual.
I am a big fan of the clean matte black finish on the rear cover which feels pretty similar to what we saw on the Xiaomi 12 Pro. This is a great improvement from the mirror finish that was on the 11T Pro last year. Another big improvement is the camera island which is inspired by the 12 Pro and looks quite good. Another huge improvement Xiaomi has made in the last year is the superb haptic motor which is now at par with what you get from Google and Samsung in the Android world.
Xiaomi 12T Pro comes in three colors – Black, Silver, and Blue and has IP53 dust and splash-resistant rating. Three variants are offered in terms of LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage – 8GB/128GB, 8GB/256GB, and 12GB/256GB. Our review unit is the middle of the road 8GB/256GB in Black color.
Xiaomi 12T Pro has a 1220p resolution AMOLED display
The display gets a bump up from the 1080p version we saw in last year’s model. Rather than a QHD panel, Xiaomi opted to go with a 1220 x 2712 pixel AMOLED display. The end result is a large 6.67-inch display with a 446 ppi pixel density. Specs aside, this display looks more color accurate and has greater clarity than last year’s model which looked to artificially saturated to my eyes.
For the review, I kept the refresh rate on auto to dynamically change the refresh rate depending on what was being displayed. I also went into the Display Settings and turned on every feature in the AI engine section. The end result is that colors are vivid and contrast is excellent on this display no matter what you are viewing. On paper, the brightness specs seem to have taken a hit but lab tests show that this isn’t the case. And in actual use, this display is far better than what was on the 11T Pro.
Okay, so there is one compromise Xiaomi made and that is with the glass that is above the AMOLED display. Last year we had Gorilla Glass Victus on the 11T Pro which was carried over to the 12 Pro. But for some inexplicable reason, the newer 12T Pro has Gorilla Glass 5 protection. I am not sure what the reason is but it is a head-scratcher for sure.
Xiaomi 12T Pro performs like a champ
Geekbench 5 scores on the Xiaomi 12T Pro are absolutely at the top of the class. This phone is running the latest Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 with 8 GB RAM. My review unit of the Xiaomi 12T Pro shows a single-core score of 1286 and a multi-core score of 4192. So you can see that from a raw benchmark performance standpoint this smartphone is right up there with the gaming phones of 2022.
Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 has 30% better power efficiency for both the CPU and GPU. The performance boost is about 10% primarily via higher clock speeds on the cores. This doesn’t quite show up in the single-core score but the multi-core score is about 10% better than the Xiaomi 12 Pro.
Phone doesn’t get hot while gaming or long videography sessions
Besides the increase in raw power, the Snapdragon chip comes from Taiwan Semiconductor fab instead of Samsung. So the newer fab and slightly better chipset design result in better thermal performance and better battery life as well.
Xiaomi also claims that the vapor chamber is now 65% larger than last year and there is 125% more thermal material (heat sink tape) on the 12T Pro. I took quite a few videos during this review, my kid played a lot of Genshin impact on a long road trip and there were no slowdowns or thermal management issues.
Battery, Charging and Audio hardware are unchanged from last year
Xiaomi 12T Pro has a large 5,000 mAh battery and comes with a 120W HyperCharge brick in the box. Note that since Xiaomi uses a proprietary standard to communicate with the device, you need to use the USB-A to USB-C cable included in the box. This will help you get the maximum benefit and not have a negative impact on battery performance over time.
With a more efficient processor and display, the SoT on this device is consistently 6+ hours. This means you can go a full day without having to charge. If you decide to game for a couple of hours the 120W HyperCharge brick will get the phone up from zero to 100% in about 20 minutes. Bottom line, this phone will make sure you have zero battery life anxiety.
The Harman Kardon tuned dual speakers are loud and clear. Perhaps some of the best stereo speakers from the newer phones. Audio is same as last year but unlike the 12 Pro it only has dual speakers not 4.,
Dual stereo speakers tuned by Harman Kardon sound great. They are loud – in fact, louder than the Pixel series or iPhone 13. Only minor issue is that the bass is a bit lacking compared to the other devices. But you will probably never have to crank the volume slider up to 100%. I bet, most people will want to turn the volume slider down because the speakers are genuinely loud. Oh and these speakers support Dolby Atmos which is a nice bonus.
MIUI 13 provides a fast and fluid software experience on the 12T Pro
We have seen way too many Xiaomi devices here at AndroidHeadlines this year. So in terms of software, there isn’t much to add to our other reviews. A couple of things to note. This is a top-tier device so there aren’t any intrusive pop-up ads in the software UI which is great. Secondly, Xiaomi is now promising three years of OS updates and four years of security patches with the 12T Pro. This brings them at par with Google and just slightly behind Samsung. This is excellent news for people looking to buy the 12T Pro.
Our review unit came is running MIUI 13 on top of Android 12. There was an OTA update a few days ago and the latest version is MIUI Global 13.0.9 with the September security patch. In terms of software, I think it is clean without excessive bloatware and you can pretty much uninstall the few extra apps that come pre-loaded. Overall experience isn’t too different than a Google Pixel. And unlike Samsung, there aren’t a lot of duplicate apps which is nice.
Main story is the 200MP camera
Xiaomi 12T Pro is the second device, after the Motorola Edge 30 Ultra, to use Samsung’s 200MP ISOCELL HP1 sensor. There is no telephoto camera on the 12T Pro because the massive 200MP main sensor is easily able to offer 2X zoom. For a phone that does not have a telephoto camera, you will be surprised at the 2X zoom from the 200MP sensor. Just check out the photo below.
The 200MP sensor does an excellent job for daytime pictures and videos. Colors are vivid, white balance is excellent, good contrast and dynamic range. To keep the colors from being too saturated, I recommend you turn on the AI only when absolutely necessary. Check out some stellar shots of the Grand Canyon in our Flickr camera samples gallery.
The ultrawide camera produces good results in the daytime. The color science is slightly off compared to the main camera in my opinion. For better ultrawide results you may want to look elsewhere. However, the main camera is the reason to buy this phone.
Night time pictures are great from the main camera. But since this is a really good sensor you may want to keep Night Mode on only when the lighting is quite poor. In decently lit scenes Night Mode produces good-looking results at first glance but there is quite a bit of loss of detail.
The story is reversed on the ultrawide camera. I suggest you use Night Mode as much as possible to get some good-looking pictures.
Connectivity is excellent as usual on a Xiaomi device
The nice thing about the Xiaomi 12T Pro is that it gets 5G VoLTE right out of the box. That is on T-Mobile here in Southern California. I believe Verizon and AT&T do not support Xiaomi or other Chinese devices.
Now data download speeds are horrible but they are equally bad on all my devices so nothing odd to report on that front. Besides 5G, you get NFC, Bluetooth 5.2 with aptX HD support, and an IR blaster. You can also access Nearby Share, Mi Share, and Cast right from the quick settings menu which come in handy in certain situations.
Xiaomi 12T Pro Verdict
The question to ask here is, what are we getting for a bump of about €100 in base price from last year? Basically, the premium is for the latest and greatest Snapdragon processor. Followed by the superlative jump to a 200MP main camera sensor. Besides these two big upgrades, there’s a better display with an integrated fingerprint scanner. Not to mention an absolutely stellar haptic motor.
Xiaomi also didn’t mess with the battery capacity, the 120W HyperCharge support, or the excellent dual stereo speakers. You also get 5G connectivity, a clean software experience, and 3 years of OS updates. Overall the 12T Pro has a lot of great things packaged in a great modern-looking design.
The 12T Pro starts at €750 for the 8GB / 128GB version. At first glance, it seems that it is priced quite well. But if you look closer, the pricing splits the difference between the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. I would argue that for a little bit more the Pixel 7 Pro offers a better display, better software smarts, and a better overall camera experience. And if you want to save a bit of money then definitely don’t overlook the base Pixel 7 if it is available in your country.
Alternatively, the Xiaomi 12 Pro from earlier in the year might be available on sale for a comparable price. That device offers a better display, better audio, and a better overall camera experience. So it is going to be up to you to decide if the 12T Pro is worth your hard-earned money.
The Linux Distros is generally acknowledged as the third of the holy triplet of PC programs, simultaneously with Windows and macOS. Here we have provided you with a top 10 best Linux distros list 2023 for all professionals.
Hence Linux can be defined as the most rebellious among the three, as it’s flexible and customization, including a bunch of various Best Linux distros designed by unique associations for various values.
Moreover, the Linux “core” (kernel) and most distros are free, which is a significant trading point for the OS when it is compared to Windows and macOS.
As there are several Linux distros are available for various situations. Even if you are behind an OS that is customized for desktops, workstations, laptops, servers, gaming, or A/V editing, there is a distro over there for everyone.
Hence, we are trying to give you a summary of the most reliable and popularLinux distros accessible, each of which is customized for desktop use.
Therefore, you can install those Linux distros on a Chromebook, PC, or Mac as a substitute for your prevailing operating system, utilize both in a dual-boot scenario, or utilize them in combination with one of the best practical tools out there.
Well, if you want a Linux distro similar to windows? Or do you like to apply commands rather than click? Or do you want something special on privacy? Each of these and several other determinants will conclude which would be the most suitable Linux Distros for you.
Usually, the top Linux distros list is customized to meet the requirements of users. For example, Kali Linux is specifically created for digital forensics and penetration testing. Hence, here in this article, we have selected the top 10 best Linux distros list and we have updated this list from PopularLinux distro 2022.
What is Linux Distro?
As we have said before that Linux is flexible and customizable, which includes a bunch of unique features for different uses.
Moreover, we can also say that Linux is a house to nearly each programming language, and it is a Unix-like operating system.
Hence, this open-source operating system is basically designed as per the Linux kernel and is usually collected in multiple Linux distributions.
Thus the Linux distributions, traditionally known as a distro, are operating systems that progressed from a software compilation based on the Linux kernel.
Various users use Linux by downloading one of the various Linux distros. Linux operating systems are most common to coders, programmers, and gamers.
Thus, we can say that Linux is a worldly gift that has formed our modern life. Well, in today’s world, we can’t imagine a particular moment outwardly technology.
Dynamic firewall Better end-user software Virtual desktop support
Elementary OS
Easy image resizing Keyboard shortcuts cheat sheet Bold use of color
Kali Linux
Full customization Full disk encryption Metapackages
MX Linux
One-click enabling event sound. Hibernation is now enabled by default. Easy and flexible installation.
Therefore, Linux has produced the most significant and meaningful innovations in the creation of modern technology.
At first, Linux was not like the form as now it is, it has evolved a long way through varied crafting and drafting from an open-source friendly association.
Thus, with no doubt, we can say that Linux does not only appear with a delicate-looking desktop manager, but it also contributes a wide range of beneficial and productive sets of free and open-source software for performing all the basic and necessary needs of the users.
Now without wasting much time, let’s get started and simply explore the whole list that we have mentioned below.
Best Linux Distros 2023
Ubuntu
CentOS
Debian
Linux Mint
Arch Linux
Tails
Fedora
Elementary OS
Kali Linux
MX Linux
Ubuntu
Ubuntu
Ubuntu is one of the most popularLinux distros, as it implements various good reasons. Well, the most popular qualities of Linux and simultaneously with Mint are completely approved for Linux newcomers, as it’s remarkably friendly.
As the latest versions of Ubuntu are published every six months, and in all other years the developer officially releases an LTS version of Ubuntu.
Those promise five years of protection and overall maintenance updates. Basically, the standard releases are recommended for one year only.
Hence, the recent LTS version of Ubuntu utilizes the Gnome 3 desktop context, which may be less accustomed to Windows and macOS users.
Not only this but there are also varieties of Ubuntu that operate in different situations such as Lubuntu, which employs a minimum desktop context based on LXDE and an assortment of fast, lightweight applications.
This allocates far less stress on system resources than the graphic-intensive Unity.
Key Features:-
Compiz performance improvements.
Kernel 3.11
LibreOffice 4.12
CentOS
CentOS
This Linux is popular as it is the offshoot of enterprise version Red hat Linux.
Thus, its focus is on security rather than continuous updates. Hence, just like Red Hat, security and support updates for CentOS are bootlegged out up to 10 years from the first release of every version.
Thus, CentOS is composed to be super-reliable; that is why it’s an excellent alternative for a server.
But we can say that it’s not a good bet for someone seeing for a new OS for everyday usage on their desktop PC or laptop.
Moreover, you can experience the satisfaction of having something for nothing – sets selected for the industrial version of Red Hat Linux are fully agreeable with CentOS. Hence, without any doubt, you can simply utilize them free of cost.
Key Features:-
Excellent documentation and support community.
Based on Debian.
Open stack interface.
Debian
Debian
Debian powers the internet throughout the world. If we go along with the statistics, more than 96% of the web servers, Websites, and cloud hosts are powered by Linux.
Though Debian wasn’t created to be userfriendly or to allow a quick and easy out-of-the-box experience.
Hence, when you try to download and run live Debian, all you receive is a black extremity screen with a prompt at the top of your screen.
Just like the pre-built distributions that we discussed before, Debian provides you with a more do-it-yourself practice.
You determine the packages that you require to install, the desktop background that you want, and any supplements that you need for the OS.
Well, you can imagine Debian as a stock Android. MIUI, and Samsung’s One UI is generally created on stock Android.
Businesses that build this for their phones can be associated with the Linux distributions, which are built on Debian.
Key features:-
Morden branch of GnuPG
UEFI support improved
MariaDB is default
Linux Mint
Linux Mint
Linux Mint is an inclusive ‘default’ Linux distro for current Linux users, as it appears with a set of the software you’ll require while switching from Mac or Windows, such as LibreOffice, the preferred productivity suite for Linux users.
Thus, it also has sufficient support for established media formats, enabling you to play videos, DVDs, and MP3 music lists out of the box.
However, you can also download three main master characteristics of Mint 19, each of which employs a separate desktop atmosphere, the topmost panel of the interface enabling you to adjust elements such as the presence of windows and menus.
Hence, Cinnamon is currently the most famous, but you can also select the more basic MATE or Xfce.
Hence, Linux Mint 18.3 was the latest release to have an established KDE version.
Unluckily, this is no longer possible with Linux Mint 19, but it can yet be installed on a chief of version 19 if you miss it.
Timeshift was launched in version 18.3, and to all Linux Mint publicity, it is one of the main characteristics of Linux Mint 19.
As the timeshift allows users to re-establish their computers from the last working snapshot.
Therefore, all these desktop surroundings allow a good deal of customization choices, so feel free to download a few and simply test them to find out which works best.
Key Features:-
Software manager.
Automatic updates.
Better file search file in Nemo.
Arch Linux
Arch Linux
If you want to try a somewhat less user-friendly and popular Linux distro, then Arch Linux is one of the most well-liked options of all.
Arch Linux simply enables you to customize your interface using the terminal to download and install packets.
It’s very useful for developers and those with more traditional machines, which might not want random packages exerting up space.
Thus the main aim of Arch Linux is to store items that are simple, and not so important for users as much as assure code is clear and correct, with minimum access to everything.
Hence, there are not so many things that are bundled with Arch Linux like other linux distros. So users will be expected to download any additional software they require, as well as customize Arch Linux as per their needs.
Thus it might make the Linux distros a little complex; the reduction of bloat can execute it very attractive to users who need a clean Linux practice with little or no confusion.
Hence, the effect of a Linux experience that supports more sophisticated users rather than newcomers.
Thus, the original version was built to be more user-friendly, entitled Antergos, but that has now been terminated.
Moreover, there is another feature of Arch Linux that, rather than significant releases, accompanies a rolling deliverance model that is constantly updated.
Key features:-
Easy installation
Great learning tool
Tails
Tails
Tails are one of the privacy-oriented popular Linux distros which have the purpose of screening your location and identification as much as attainable, hence, Edward Snowden also practiced it.
The Tails OS routes all its internet transactions within the anonymizing Tor network, which is created to block data from being hijacked and analyzed.
Hence, under all the security means, it’s based on Debian Linux and utilizes the Gnome desktop, so the interface is yet clear and user-friendly.
However, the Tails isn’t for everyone, but this corner OS does give you amazing peace of mind if you’ve been fussing about all the concerned privacy-trampling laws being offered these days.
Key Features:-
Stream isolation
Onion circuit’s graphical frontend
Network manager
Fedora
Fedora is not based on any additional Linux distros and has been created by its community wholly from hurt.
In case, if you’re a developer, you can provide the distribution too. Now you must be thinking that what presents Fedora so unique? And the answer is undoubtedly its community support.
The association is very active, and you can get answers to your problem pretty fast on their community forum.
As developers build it, their main focus was on building an OS that will have a very sarcastic edge software container.
Thus, a package that is yet unavailable in other Linux distributions will be assembled and available for Fedora.
Key Features:-
Dynamic firewall.
Better end-user software.
Virtual desktop support.
Elementary OS
Elementary OS
If you’re finding a popular Linux distro that you can easily use from the image of a nerdy hacker type bashing away at a terminus interface.
It’s the most beautiful Linux distro around, with a custom related to that of macOS.
This operating system’s excellent desktop environment is known as Pantheon and is complied with Gnome.
Well, the most advanced version of Elementary OS is named Loki, which as well as holding a bit more attractive and more elegant than its forerunner Freya, has its statement installer UI called AppCenter.
Well, it’s a delightfully easy way to install apps outside the terminal, which is usable.
Moreover, Elementary OS does, come bundled with the Epiphany browser, the Geary email client, and a few essential ‘tool’ apps.
Thus you may require to add more extra programs, but this is simple to do using the combined AppCenter, which includes paid programs created especially for the OS such as Quilter for aspiring writers or Spice-Up for creating presentations.
Elementary OS’ Class supports the trouble of purchasing and downloading additional apps.
Key Features:-
Easy image resizing
Keyboard shortcuts cheatsheet
Bold use of color
Kali Linux
Kali Linux
If you are finding Linux for ethical hacking, then there is no better Linux distro than Kali Linux.
Honestly, there is no additional distribution that can level up Kali Linux. The distribution appears with a bundle of Kali Linux Hacking tools that one can apply to ethically hack any system.
These devices are grouped in different verticals such as wireless attacks, stress testing, web applications, vulnerability scanning tools, exploitation tools, and many more.
Hence, Kali Linux is based on the Debian Testing branch, and most of the packages are shipped from the Debian repository.
Moreover, in the early versions, updates were not presented in a not-so-accurate manner.
But, in the most advanced release, it has partnered with offensive Security and Cloudflare to make sure that all updates are administered dependably.
Thus one of the most important advantages of Kali Linux is that it can be placed on different systems such as Chromebook, Raspberry Pi and BeagleBone, and many more.
Further, with the package Kali NetHunter, users can utilize it on Android smartphones.
There are some of the advantages of using Kali Linux are daily rolling updates, analyzed and tested hacking tools, great learning resources, and a strong Debian base.
Kali Linux is the most extensively utilized distribution for penetration testing.
Well, the amount of built-in penetration tools gives it the most comfortable for ethical hackers.
Aside from being an excellent penetration testing program, it also allows the knowledge scope for modern ethical hackers. Moreover, it has an existing community and presents proper documentation.
Key Features:-
Full customization
Full disk encryption
Metapackages
MX Linux
MX Linux
It is a “midweight” popularLinux distro, MX Linux works like a dream yet on lower-end PCs, and its reasonably least starting setup makes it preference and most desired among developers.
Well, we can say that it is a default XFCE desktop background that may appear a little dated as compared to more famous Linux distros like Ubuntu.
Still, there’s something to be declared for holding things simple.
Thus the major stuff is never more than a few clicks away in MX Linux. Therefore the taskbar serves up a list of MX Tools, which combines important things like PC preservation and setup options for your system quality and keyboard.
Hence, the base installation of MX Linux comprises a solid group of packages that combine Firefox, VLC, LibreOffice, and GIMP, and you can, of course, get more by the Synaptic Package Manager, which will lead you to the packing containers for MX Linux.
Key Features:-
One-click enabling event sound.
Hibernation is now enabled by default.
Easy and flexible installation.
Conclusion
Basically, we have already stated that there is no such best or perfect distribution available.
But, in this article, we will simply tell you the best distros of 2023, but as a newcomer, a completely terminated environment is a more relaxed start.
Depending on what you need a Linux OS for, you can select from one of the above and begin your learning from thereon.
Hence, here in this post, we have simply mentioned the list of the 10 popular Linux distros in 2023 that will surely help you to manage your daily task.
Shields Health Care Group has disclosed it was subject to a recent cyber security incident which could affect up to two million of its patients.
The company said it was alerted to suspicious activity that may have involved data compromise on 28 March 2022. Following the alert, Shields immediately launched an investigation into this issue and worked with subject matter specialists to determine the full nature and scope of the event.
This investigation determined that an unknown actor gained access to certain Shields systems from 7 to 21 March 2022, Shields said in a statement.
During this timeframe some data was acquired by the “unknown actor” and although on 18 March Shields had identified and investigated a security alert, at that time data theft was not confirmed.
According to the US Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights, where the Shields breach has been reported, up to two million individuals could be affected and the location of the breach is the company’s network server.
Data exposed
Shields said that at this time there is no evidence to indicate that any information from the incident has been used to commit identity theft or fraud.
However, the type of information that was or may have been impacted could include one or more of the following: full name, social security number, date of birth, home address, provider information, diagnosis, billing information, insurance number and information, medical record number, patient ID and other medical or treatment information.
The company said in response to the incident it has taken steps to secure its systems, which includes rebuilding certain systems. It also has safeguards in place to protect the data it has responsibility for, which continue to undergo review and enhancement.
Healthcare a prime target
Healthcare providers are high-value targets for cyber criminals because of the sensitive data they hold and the vulnerable people that can be affected by an incident. Combined, these two factors make healthcare providers more likely to pay a ransom when hit by a ransomware attack for example.
During the Covid-19 pandemic overstretched and under-resourced healthcare organizations became a prime target for threat actors.
Duguin also noted that ransomware attacks on the sector occurred at a rate of four incidents per week in the first half of 2021.
More needs to be done in healthcare, according to Duguin, who said that cyber security in this industry suffers from a general lack of human resources. In addition, software and security tools need to be secure by design and investment in cyber security should increase.
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