Google just launched the “Pixel Watch Warranty Helper” program to facilitate warranty claims. The new tool seeks to offer more automation to a process that previously could be a bit complex.
Perhaps you’ve gone through the frustrating situation where your device is completely damaged to such a level that it cannot be repaired. In those cases, you only have the option of requesting a replacement if the damage is covered by the warranty. However, the process for making these types of claims is not always simple.
Google made it especially complicated with the Pixel Watch series replacement service. With this method, requesting the replacement of a Pixel Watch 2 required a cumbersome and inconvenient process of up to 8 steps.
Pixel Watch Warranty Helper makes the warranty claims process more convenient
However, it seems that Google realized that it could improve on that. Its answer is the new Pixel Watch Warranty Helper program. The basis of the new system is an interactive questionnaire where you can select the appropriate option according to the problem you have.
As expected, the Pixel Watch Warranty Helper is associated with your Google account. This means that once logged in, you can easily see a list of your Google devices. The tool brings together a good set of options to check everything you need to know about the warranty status of your products. Of course, you can also request repairs or replacements from there.
The tool shows useful information about the device you choose. For example, it will show you its start and expiration dates for warranty, even if the return window is active. There are also other options for additional help for all your devices. Basically, it is a “hub” to centralize everything you need regarding repairs or warranty claims.
It is curious that the tool is called “Pixel Watch Warranty Helper.” Once you access it, you will notice that it is not only compatible with Google smartwatches. In fact, the list includes all of the company’s devices. However, ignoring the naming choice, the launch of the tool is good news for Google device owners.
Microsoft rolled out the Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3500 to the Beta Channel towards the end of last week. The build has several new features. It includes a new account manager within the Start menu and support for Gmail through Windows Share.
Some Windows 11 Insiders get to see a Game Pass ad
However, aside from focusing on improving its AI capabilities that aim to improve the user experience, the company is also introducing adverts in Windows. The latest build for Windows Insiders offers a new Game Pass ad within the Settings app. “We are introducing a new Game Pass recommendation card on the Settings homepage,” said Microsoft.
Notably this new Game Pass ad won’t bother every user. The recommendation card on the Settings Homepage shows up for users who actively play games on their PC. “As a reminder – the Settings homepage will be shown only on the Home and Pro editions of Windows 11 and if you’re signed into Windows with your Microsoft account,” the company added. So, none except the Windows 11 Home and Pro users will have to see the Game Pass ad.
Microsoft has added ‘recommendations’ to Windows 11 before. Alongside placing a Game Pass ad inside the Settings app on Windows, the company is reportedly trying out adding some in the Start menu’s ‘recommended’ section. However, it’s important to mention that the latest addition doesn’t look intrusive. As TechRadar noted, “Microsoft is really trying to blur the line between what’s an ad and what it claims are just friendly recommendations.”
An advert or just another helpful recommendation?
Many people also seem to be okay with the ads as the company is advertising its products and services like the Game Pass to people who might benefit from an improved user experience. Notably, there are also users who do not seem to like the idea even if they are from Microsoft themselves, and are not intrusive.
Not to mention they won’t be happy about recommendations of third-party services inside Windows. It’s like the UI is the digital space for the users’ work or entertainment. The addition of adverts or recommendations into the space may make it look like a billboard where the recommended products or services have nothing to do with the core user experience.
Nonetheless, we will have to see how many ads or recommendations Windows gets in the future, and more importantly, how friendly they remain.
Today, we are looking at a malicious ad campaign targeting Facebook users via Google search. It is well-known that tech support scammers attract new victims by buying ads for certain keywords related to their audience.
What is perhaps less known is how it is even possible to impersonate top brands and get away with it. We will try to respond to the ‘how they do it’ and the ‘why is Google allowing this’ questions.
Such malvertising attacks are not new and the damage they cause to consumers is growing every day. There is no one way to stop all of them, but public reporting will hopefully drive the point home that this needs to be addressed just like other types of fraud or malware.
We have reported the malicious advertiser to Google, but at the time of publishing this campaign was still on.
Malicious ad campaign for Facebook
Justin Poliachik did what many people would do, he opened up a Google search, typed facebook and clicked on the top result. In the video below, he summarizes what happened next:
Thanks to Justin for the shoutout to our blog and explaining what went down! Not sure if Justin was joking, but we don’t believe AI is going to fix malvertising, at least not for the next little while. Instead, we are going to look into more details about one particular technique. In our view, this is actually where the abuse happens the most, and where things could be improved.
Two paths make cloaking
As we said, Google seems to have a problem with brand impersonation that may not be easy to solve. We have reported such cases several times before with pretty much the same techniques.
How can Google differentiate a legitimate affiliate from a malicious actor? There are a number of data points about the advertiser via their account: user profile, payment method, budget, etc. We are not privy to those details, but they can certainly help when it comes to fraud.
More importantly, there is the ad itself: vanity URL, display text, tracking template, final URL. What happens when you click on the ad? Are you actually redirected to the URL claimed in the ad? This is a feature that appears to be so easy to abuse, and yet remains unfixed.
In the video below, we walk you through the classic tale of cloaking:
Cloaking is an old technique and in many ways can be used for legitimate purposes. After all, one needs to be able to detect real humans and not bots or crawlers for their hard-earned ad dollars budget.
Threat actors have long identified such services as very helpful tools for their malicious campaigns. True, they, like others don’t want robots, but they also don’t want Google’s scanners or security researchers to expose their malicious schemes.
Under the hood
This part is a little more technical, but integral in understanding how malvertising works. As mentioned in the video above, cloaking allows to deliver two different experiences. Genuine humans can be detected from a number of factors: IP address, browser fingerprinting, etc.
A click tracking service can be used to analyze traffic, collect data, etc. All in all, such services are useful in and of themselves, but they can also easily be abused by bad actors. Within the Google ad ecosystem, advertisers will place their URL as a tracking template, and the rest will be handled outside of Google.
One thing that’s interesting is how scammers will abuse the click tracking service as well! All they have to do is redirect to another “legitimate” domain they control and from there decide on the final destination URL.
We can see in the image below that final redirect, which is either the scam page or the actual Facebook site:
Safeguarding your online experience
We have seen these malicious ads for years and years. It would be unfair to say that no action has ever been taken, but there is room for improvement. Individual reports from victims are not always actioned based on our experience and that of others. This is frustrating because it appears as if those individual experiences do not matter in the grander scheme of things.
Security vendors also struggle with these scams. Chasing infrastructure from one host to the next or having trouble blocking URLs that abuse legitimate providers is a real thing.
As a user you can protect yourself in various ways:
Beware of sponsored results
Block ads altogether
Recognize scam pages as fake
If you want the piece of mind and have all this covered for you, download our Malwarebytes Browser Guard extension available for different browsers.
Android users who rely on Gemini for daily tasks and information may soon be in for a multitasking treat. According to PiunikaWeb, Google is working on a significant update that will make your AI assistant more helpful, seamless, and packed with features that bring it closer to the familiar Google Assistant.
Currently, using Gemini on Android can be a bit jarring. The assistant opens a new screen whenever you ask a question, interrupting your workflow and forcing you to jump between apps. However, a future update may change all that. Gemini will soon respond to your queries in a convenient floating window directly on top of your current app. This means you can get quick answers, insights, or instructions from Gemini without ever leaving the current app you’re working in.
Check out the screenshots below (or this Google Drive video) for an overview of the multitasking feature in Gemini for Android. The app in the background is X, formerly Twitter, while Gemini is responding to queries in the foreground.
Gemini may also get faster with real-time responses
In addition to responding on top of your current app, Google is also working on a “real-time responses” feature that will let Gemini process and display information as it’s being generated. This means you can monitor calculations, summaries, or translations in progress without having to wait for an entire response to load.
Despite the mixed reactions, Google isn’t leaving Gemini Advanced behind, with reports that support for uploading any file type is also coming soon. This functionality (already available on the web version) removes a major limitation, allowing you to share documents, spreadsheets, or even creative files with Gemini for storage or analysis. Additionally, a “select text” option is joining the standard “copy text” tool, giving you greater control when working with blocks of text within the Gemini interface.
The Evolution of Gemini on Android
These exciting new features aren’t just a coincidence — they showcase Google’s continued investment in building a robust AI assistant experience for Android users. Code sleuths have dug into the latest development builds and confirmed these capabilities are in their advanced stages of testing. While we don’t have an exact release date, it’s safe to expect seamless multitasking, real-time responses, and other improvements to arrive within the coming weeks or months.
With the addition of multitasking and other features, the future looks bright for Gemini on Android. It’s clear that Google is striving for a user experience that’s not only powerful but also intuitive and integrated into your existing workflow. This looks like just the beginning, so you can expect even more innovative features as Gemini continues to evolve.
Motorola is showing the virtues of the Edge 50 Fusion in a new video. The device, which arrived a week ago alongside the Edge 50 Pro and Edge 50 Ultra, stands as one of the most exciting options in the mid-range segment. The new video highlights some of its most attractive points.
This device seeks to attract the attention of the mass public. The ad makes this quite clear by highlighting important sections for anyone, including those who are not tech-savvy. It’s 30 seconds of teasing the design, battery life, fast charging support, cameras, and even water resistance.
This short video quickly shows off key aspects of the Motorola Edge 50 Fusion
Starting with the design, the video of the Motorola Edge 50 Fusion shows the “Marshmallow Blue” color with a vegan leather rear finish. However, the device stands out aesthetically by offering different finishes in each of its colors. While the “Hot Pink” variant uses vegan suede, the “Forest Blue” model uses a smooth matte finish.
As for battery life, the smartphone includes a pretty decent 5,000 mAh cell. In addition, the 65W fast charging support will allow you, according to the company, to charge 50% of the battery in just 15 minutes. The camera section seems solvent thanks to its 50 MP main sensor assisted by OIS. The device also includes a 13 MP ultra wide camera (FOV 120˚). Motorola went the Nothing route by removing unnecessary sensors. Selfie lovers will be happy with its 32 MP front camera, too.
The resistance of the Motorola Edge 50 Fusion is at the high-end level. It is one of the few in its segment that can boast IP68 certification. This makes it even submersible in water (for a certain time and to a certain depth). Meanwhile, its screen is covered by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 5 for better protection.
With the Edge 50 Fusion, Motorola achieved a very well-rounded mid-range device. Its competitive price also positions it well in the market. It could be a strong rival to phones like the Samsung Galaxy A55. For now, the device family is available in Europe, with no US launch date yet.
In case you don’t know what the Meta Smart Glasses are, there are a line of glasses that come equipped with a camera, microphone, and speaker. They’re able to take images, listen for hot words, and play audio. All this comes in a very seamless package that looks just like a typical pair of glasses.
We recently got the news that Meta was planning on adding AI technology to the glasses. This will allow them to use a chatbot just like ChatGPT to answer questions and observe the world. This is impressive, as it doesn’t seem like they were originally designed for this technology. That’s just a testament to their versatility.
The Meta Smart Glasses now have multimodal AI
Shortly after Meta launched these glasses, the company started doing some early testing of AI implementation. The testing has been going on for several months with only a limited number of people able to try it out. Now, however, this functionality is rolling out widely.
The overall experience, according to the Verge, seems to be pretty decent. We are at the dawn of wearable AI, so companies are still working on successfully implementing AI into a portable form factor. The Humane AI Pin looks like it is a commercial flop, and we are still waiting to see how the Rabbit R1 will fare.
However, the Meta Smart Glasses have proven to be pretty good at identifying objects. There is always the chance that it will falsely identify objects. However, we have to remember that this is a very small camera. We can’t expect it to have the sort of image clarity or reach that smartphone cameras have.
In any case, along with scanning objects, you can also speak into the glasses to get spoken answers about any sort of question. The Meta Smart Glasses offer the sort of experience you would get from something like the AI Pin, but they’re much more affordable and convenient to use.
If you are planning on picking up a pair of Meta Smart Glasses, they start at $299.99.
Samsung could be readying a VR (Virtual Reality) headset aimed at fitness and gaming. The South Korean tech giant could be going up against the Apple Vision Pro. Interestingly, the patent application suggests much more than a VR headset.
Samsung VR headset to work with other wearables
Apple prefers to call its Vision Pro a “Spatial Computer”. The VR headset does have a complete computing unit. It works without being tethered to any Mac or PC. The VR headset doesn’t even need controllers as it relies on hand movements that are tracked by onboard cameras.
Samsung recently filed a patent with the Korean Intellectual Property Office. The patent is meant for, “Communication methods and apparatus utilizing avatars in virtual space.” It seems Samsung has taken an interesting approach to Virtual Reality.
The headset can reportedly display virtual avatars to the user, by using multiple sensors to collect information from surroundings. The patent application indicates Samsung’s VR gear will work with other wearable products such as Samsung Galaxy Watch, headphones, and more.
Samsung’s VR Patent Unveils Potential Rivalry with Apple’s Vision Prohttps://t.co/Tdo1sE3kQf
The VR headset would rely on the sensors inside the wearables to gather data. Some examples mentioned include heart rate and calories burned.
The VR headset could pack sensors such as accelerometer, gyroscope, camera module, infrared sensor, etc. These sensors help track user movements and positions in real-time.
The patent mentions the collected and processed data would be displayed on an interactive Graphic User Interface (GUI).
Samsung has categorically noted that its VR system would allow users to view a digital avatar and interact with their surroundings. Users could also share their workouts and exercise details with other people in real-time.
Is Samsung readying an entire VR Gear ecosystem?
The patent is quite broad in its description and possible applications. Interestingly, the patent does not mention the word headset. The document refers to wearable gadgets.
Although Samsung could be developing a VR headset, the recently filed patent seems to suggest the company is going for an entire ecosystem. The Samsung VR gear could include a VR headset that has multiple cameras and sensors for tracking head and hand movements.
The patent does indicate Samsung could embed a navigation system, and include Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support.
Let me translate what it means:
Google and Samsung are going to ROCK it with their VR hardware + software. Facebook knows it and they are TERRIFIED. The same way as Mark was terrified about Apple Vision Pro and rushed the unfinished Quest 3 preview announcement. Remember?
With such hardware, it is possible that Samsung would offer a head-mountable wearable computer with a dedicated CPU, GPU, and RAM. The Samsung VR headset would have a rechargeable battery, but the patent doesn’t indicate its location, size, or capacity.
Samsung hasn’t offered any indication about an upcoming VR headset or an integrated VR ecosystem. Moreover, companies regularly file patents, some of which seem quite outlandish.
Regardless, Samsung seems to be exploring a relatively new and perhaps uncharted territory. Samsung may position its upcoming VR gear as a health and fitness gadget. As the company already makes smartwatches and other premium wearables, its mystery VR headset would have a ready ecosystem if or when it launches.
Oura, the company behind the popular health-tracking Oura Ring, is aggressively expanding its retail footprint in the US with the help of giant retailer, Target. Starting April 22, consumers can find the smart ring in select Target locations nationwide and on Target.com. This news follows on the heels of Oura’s recent partnerships with Best Buy and Amazon.
Oura’s Chief Marketing Officer, Doug Sweeny, highlights the synergy between the brands. He calls Target a haven for “design-forward, innovative brands.” Sweeny also emphasizes Oura’s commitment to women’s health and making the Oura Ring more accessible to this often-overlooked market.
The partnership offers shoppers an enhanced buying experience. Customers visiting Target stores can use a unique in-store sizing setup to find their perfect Oura Ring fit. This allows for immediate purchase. Those who prefer shopping from home can order a sizing kit from Target.com. To spice things up, they’ll receive a $10 gift card for a future Target purchase (including the ring itself).
Oura’s move may seem like desperation, but it isn’t
Oura’s expansion may seem like a preemptive strike. The upcoming launch of the Samsung Galaxy Ring poses a significant challenge. It’s possible Samsung’s massive brand power and the anticipation surrounding the Galaxy Ring’s integration with its popular smartphones could disrupt the smart ring market.
Tech outlet SamMobile paints Oura’s move with a hint of desperation. They speculate that Samsung’s entry with the Galaxy Ring has pushed Oura to ramp up sales and form partnerships it may have previously resisted, such as selling on Amazon. The article predicts that Samsung could dominate the market, projecting sales of half a million Galaxy Rings in its first year.
Oura has carved out a distinct niche focusing on accurate health tracking and commitment to women’s health. Whether the company can weather the storm of Samsung’s entry remains to be seen. The good thing is consumers looking for smart rings now have more options than ever. Making the Oura Ring available in major retailers like Target is a smart move to stay competitive.
While Samsung’s Galaxy Ring is a threat, Oura’s increased accessibility and focus on women’s health could carve out a loyal niche in the market. The in-store experience will allow customers to try the ring on for size and comfort, addressing a potential hurdle for online-only sales.
As tech enthusiasts eagerly await the Galaxy Ring launch, the smart ring wearable market competition is escalating. Oura’s commitment to wider availability and strategic partnerships ensures that its ring remains within reach for a broader audience of health-conscious consumers.
Beware! Cybercriminals are exploiting an open redirect vulnerability for phishing attacks that impersonate Nespresso to steal Microsoft logins. Millions of users are potentially at risk!
Perception Point, a prominent cybersecurity firm, has identified a new phishing campaign utilizing compromised accounts. This campaign targets users through an open redirect vulnerability within a domain owned by Nespresso, a well-known coffee manufacturer.
This redirect method helps threat actors bypass standard detection systems, allowing the attackers to extract Microsoft login credentials. Victims are left with a bitter aftertaste worse than their morning cup of coffee.
The attack starts with an email originating from a compromised account, mimicking a Microsoft multi-factor authentication request. It is worth noting that the email analysed by Perception Point came from a compromised Bank of America employee.
According to the report shared by Perception Point with Hackread.com, upon clicking the link in the email, recipients are redirected to a compromised Nespresso URL intentionally selected by the attackers due to its popularity and legitimacy.
Screenshot of the email account (Screenshot: Perception Point)
Further, exploiting an open redirect vulnerability on the Nespresso site, the threat actor redirects users to a fake Microsoft login page. The objective? Harvesting victims’ credentials and leaving a bitter twist to their malicious brew.
Victims of this phishing attack risk losing access to various Microsoft services, including Skype, Outlook, Xbox, Microsoft 365, Family Safety, Bing Microsoft Store, and potentially even work accounts. This stolen data could be used for further phishing attempts, identity theft, or even financial fraud.
Nespresso has yet to comment on the attack, but customers are advised to be cautious when receiving emails asking for personal information. To stay safe, customers should always verify the authenticity of emails and avoid clicking on suspicious links.
0G Labs and One Piece Labs have announced the launch of the first incubator for startups working at the intersection between blockchain and AI. The OPL x 0G incubator is designed to scout and support talented Web3 founders who are looking into how AI can help crypto use cases, or vice versa.
The design space of combining crypto with AI has been relatively underexplored so far, in part due to the novelty of both technologies and the deep knowledge in both industries required to find synergies. With the OPL x 0G incubator, the teams hope to give an impetus for ambitious builders to come up with their unique ideas on how to combine the best ideas in crypto and AI.
Applications to the OPL x 0G Incubator will close on June 14, 2024. The program will start on July 1 and run for 10 weeks, with a demo day planned for September 12. Participants will receive hands-on guidance from 0G for deploying on its Data Availability layer, as well as access to a large network of mentors and investors in the Web3 and AI space. Finally, high-impact teams can secure up to $50,000 in grant funding disbursed by 0G.
Builders can submit a large range of ideas that combine crypto with AI to benefit either sector. 0G and OPL identified several concepts including AI DAOs, ‘DePIN 2.0’ and trustless prediction marketplaces as ideas where AI applications may help crypto use cases thrive.
Conversely, Verifiable Training, Transparent LLM Drift and alternative paths to Verifiable Inference are some of the concepts where participants could explore Web3-native solutions to improve the security and efficiency of AI models. However, many more exciting ideas could be brought up by the participants, which is the ultimate goal of the Incubator.
“The initiative with OPL is designed to harness the revolutionary potential of modular AI chain technologies and blockchain innovation, creating a platform where top-tier developers can collaborate, innovate, and push the boundaries of what’s possible,” said Michael Heinrich, Co-Founder of 0G Labs. “Together, we are committed to empowering a top Web3 and decentralized AI developer community to build not just applications, but legacies.”
0G is a modular blockchain project that aims to alleviate the major pain points of using blockchain for AI. By offering a modular architecture that is unencumbered by legacy consensus algorithms and execution, it aims to ultimately boost bandwidth by more than 50x the current state of the art, thus making AI tasks and projects runnable on blockchain.
“We’re beyond excited to be working with 0G on our Incubator Batch #4, which promises to be the most impactful yet,” said KJ Jia, Partner at OnePiece Labs. “I’m confident that the 0G team is made of some of the smartest and most resilient builders I’ve seen, and everyone should be jumping at the chance to work closely with them on one of the most important future developments of this decade.”
OnePiece Labs is a Web3 Incubator providing seed funding, mentorship and invaluable community networks to support founders building in Web3. With strong ties in the Bay Area community, it has seen over $30M raised by its portfolio startups over just two cohorts.
About 0G
0G is a leading Web3 infrastructure provider that is building the leading modular AI blockchain creating solutions to implement on-chain AI applications in the Web3 ecosystem. The platform achieves high data availability through its unique architecture separating data storage and data publishing.
By ensuring throughputs of 50 GB/second, a full 50,000x faster than competitors, and a cost that is 100x lower, 0G has positioned itself as a leader in bringing high data use cases, such as scalable L2s and modular AI, into the Web3 ecosystem.
