With the internet and social media playing a significant role in how people consume information, combating misinformation is more important than ever. To address this issue, Google recently launched a new campaign named “prebunking,” which aims to help people identify misinformation and become more resilient against manipulation.
What exactly is Prebunking?
Prebunking is a technique that goes beyond fighting individual instances of fake news. It involves teaching people how to spot false claims before they encounter them. The idea is to use short videos that highlight the techniques commonly used in misleading claims and help people develop critical thinking skills to combat misinformation.
Google first launched the campaign in Poland, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic, in collaboration with the universities of Cambridge and Bristol, by distributing the prebunking videos through social media platforms like YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok. These videos focused on exposing the spread of false information that was being used to hold Ukrainian refugees accountable for a housing crisis in Poland.
Surveys conducted after the campaign showed that those who watched the videos were up to 8% more likely to correctly identify fake news. Given its success in Eastern European countries, Google’s Jigsaw now plans to expand the campaign to Germany.
However, prebunking videos come with their own set of challenges. The effects of the videos wear off eventually, and companies like Google will need to produce “booster” videos periodically. Additionally, to be effective, the videos must also tailor to different languages, cultures, and demographics.
The future of fighting misinformation could be AI
As Google and Microsoft are developing their conversational AIs with advanced natural language processing algorithms, it’s evident that AI could serve as a potential weapon against misinformation. Given that AI can handle massive data quantities and spot irregularities and patterns that humans might not perceive, companies like Google can design algorithms capable of identifying and flagging fake news articles or social media posts. Such a system could curb the spread of false information and notify fact-checkers to research and disprove the claim.
Apple has always cited security as the reason why it doesn’t allow sideloading on the iPhone. Sideloading is when an app is downloaded and installed from a third-party app storefront. Since Apple has no control over the apps in a third-party app store, it worries that iPhone users will end up installing malware. Android users are allowed to sideload apps although we do suggest that you limit the apps you sideload to those from developers you’re familiar with.
Thanks to Europe’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), Apple will have to allow sideloading on the continent (possibly starting with iOS 17) which will allow developers to host iOS apps outside of the Apple App Store. This means that some developers will be able to get around the 15%-30% cut that Apple collects from in-app purchases and subscriptions. The U.S. government would also like to force Apple to allow sideloading on the iPhone.
U.S. Commerce Department’s NTIA would like to see Apple allow sideloading of apps for the iPhone
A press release from the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) says that “the current mobile app store model is harmful to consumers and developers.” Two key points were made. One, “Consumers largely can’t get apps outside of the app store model, controlled by Apple and Google.” And two, “Apple and Google create hurdles for developers to compete for consumers by imposing technical limits, such as restricting how apps can function or requiring developers to go through slow and opaque review processes.”
NOTE: while Google does allow sideloading on Android, the report says 90% of app downloads on Android are through the Google Play Store. So when the report says that “Consumers largely can’t get apps outside of the app store model, controlled by Apple and Google,” it means that even with the ability to sideload apps on their devices, most Android users still turn to Google’s app storefront.
The NTIA would like to see Apple allow sideloading of apps and give developers the choice of using a different in-app payment platform
The NTIA report said, “Mobile apps have become an essential tool for participation in much of daily life. Given both the growing importance of mobile apps and the need to promote innovation in this space, President Biden called for a study of the ecosystem along with recommendations for improving competition, reducing barriers to entry, and maximizing the benefits for consumers as part of a 2021 Executive Order on competition.”
The report reaches the following conclusions:
Consumers need to have more control over which apps they choose as default apps, use third-party app stores, and delete or hide pre-installed apps.
Operators should not be allowed to favor their own apps or discriminate against other apps that are similar.
Legislative and regulatory agencies should prohibit restrictions on sideloading, using alternative app stores, and web apps.
Ban requirements that developers must use an app store operators’ in-app payment systems.
The NTIA would like to see Congress enact measures including “Guaranteeing that platforms allow, or provide, a readily accessible means for users to download and install third-party apps or mobile app stores, including through means other than the Google Play Store and Apple’s mobile app store, while allowing for reasonable privacy, security and safety precautions (e.g., to prevent malicious software from being installed unintentionally).”
Agency wants operators to allow users to install third-party web browsers through third-party app stores
The all-inclusive report also discusses how operators should allow users to install third-party web browsers. “To allow web browsers to be competitive…the platforms would need to allow installation and full functionality of the third-party web browsers. This would require platforms to permit third-party browsers a comparable level of integration with device and operating system functionality.”
Alan Davidson, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and NTIA Administrator says, “From finding directions to chatting with loved ones, apps are a critical tool for consumers and an essential part of doing business online. It is more important than ever that the market for mobile apps remains competitive. NTIA’s recommendations will make the app ecosystem more fair and innovative for everyone.”
The NTIA might not be the most famous agency, but it is “part of the U.S. Department of Commerce [and] is the Executive Branch agency that advises the President on telecommunications and information policy issues. NTIA’s programs and policymaking focus largely on expanding broadband Internet access and adoption in America, expanding the use of spectrum by all users, advancing public safety communications, and ensuring that the Internet remains an engine for innovation and economic growth.”
The agency would like to see its recommendations enacted by lawmakers so that the rules are put in place to make the mobile app ecosystem fair for both consumers and competitors to the main operators. Those main operators would be Apple and Google.
The tablet market might seem like a sinking ship, but that’s not stopping companies like Samsung, Apple, and Lenovo from staying on board. Lenovo has several tablets out in the wild, and the Chinese OEM just gave us the opportunity to review its mid-range Lenovo Tab M10 Plus Gen 3. It promises to give you a strong tablet experience for a fraction of the price of the competition. Let’s dive and see if this should be your next tablet.
Build quality and design
This is a mid-range tablet, but it doesn’t really feel like it. The majority of this device is made from metal, and that gives it a premium feeling despite the affordable price. The top section of the chassis that houses the volume and power buttons is made from plastic. This part feels much cheaper to the touch, but it makes for a nice two-tone aesthetic.
This is a solid-feeling device even with the plastic top. It honestly feels like you’re holding a much more expensive tablet once you get it in your hands. While it feels solid and premium, it’s also pleasantly lightweight. You’re able to hold it for extended periods of time before your hand gets tired.
All in all, this tablet is one of those devices that look and feel better than their price would suggest. I think Lenovo paid a lot of attention to the design.
Display
The Lenovo Tab M10 Plus has a 10.61-inch LCD display with a 2000 x 1200 resolution. Basically, it’s a handful of pixel north of 1080p, which is expected for a device in the price range. It’s a good resolution for the screen size, as there’s very minimal pixelation.
As for the overall quality, I have no complaints; it’s pleasantly middle-of-the-road. It won’t really wow you with its colors or contrast, but it’s not bad to look at it. It’ll make the content you’re watching look nice. You can adjust the color temperature in the display settings.
A good thing about the display is the sunlight visibility. I was able to take this tablet out of the house, and I didn’t have any trouble seeing it in the bright sun. Overall, I wouldn’t call the display this tablet’s standout feature, but it’s not bad at all.
One of the great things about this display is its stylus compatibility. You can use Lenovo’s proprietary stylus (not included with the tablet) to draw and write on the tablet with excellent precision. It’s perfect if you’re an artist or if you like to handwrite stuff on your tablet.
Speakers
The Lenovo Tab M10 Plus has a set of quad speakers, and they can get decently loud. However, the speakers are another area that reminds you that this is a mid-range device. They’re not bad, but they do lack in the immersion department. The sound can be a bit flat most of the time.
You have the option to enable Dolby Atmos. With it on, you have the choice between three sound profiles: Music, Dynamic, and Movie. Of the profiles, Music offers the most immersive sound. It does give a little boost to the bass and cuts down on the higher frequencies.
However, even with that mode enabled, the audio still sounds a bit flat. You shouldn’t have much of an issue listening to more modern music like pop, rock, or hip-hop. However, instrumental and classical music will definitely suffer from the lack of immersion.
Overall, the speakers are just like the display. They’re not bad, but they’re nothing really to write home about. They’re comfortably mid-range. In fact, they’re more than serviceable for the price.
Performance
This tablet’s performance is another area that’s very mid-range. The Lenovo Tab M10 Plus uses the octa-core MediaTek G80 SoC, and you have the option between 3GB and 4GB of RAM. The unit I was reviewing had 4GB of RAM.
The experience is rather smooth for the most part with stutters and hiccups here and there. They’re not what I’d call few and far apart, but they don’t bog down the experience either. Maybe the system skips an animation, maybe an app takes a few seconds longer to load. There are stutters, but it’s well within the margin of error allowed for a mid-ranger tablet. The stutters and hiccups are a part of the experience, but they don’t get in the way too much.
Gaming
When it comes to gaming, you’ll be able to play most games without any issues. The Tab M10 handles 2D and simple 3D games without breaking a sweat. It can even nip at the heels of more graphically-intensive games. I played games like Bowling Crew and Darts of Fury- two simple 3D games- and the tablet handled them flawlessly.
Upping the ante, I installed Genshin Impact on this tablet and, unless you turn all of the graphic settings to their lowest setting, you can forget about playing it. With all of the settings turned down, it was a slightly stuttery experience at best. However, it’s still playable.
You can get some moderate gaming and even some work done with this tablet without skipping a beat. However, just know that it won’t be hard to reach this device’s limits.
Battery and charging
The battery life of this tablet is pretty decent. I was able to get more than 6.5 hours of screen-on time while testing it out. This included solid hours of constant gaming, video watching, and scrolling social media. That’s not too bad, and it will get you through the day with light to moderate use.
If you plan on using it constantly, then you’re going to want to reach for the charger. Unfortunately, charging this tablet is a slow affair. Charging from 0%-100% takes about 3.5 hours. You’ll want to make sure that it’s charged before you go out and start using it.
Software
Moving onto software, if you’re planning on getting this tablet right now, then there’s going to be something missing. Lenovo said that it’s going to deliver Android 13 to this tablet sometime this year. However, at the time of this review, it’s still on the older version of Android 12 for tablets. This means that it’s lacking all of the tablet optimizations that Google introduced in 2021.
Lenovo’s take on Android is similar to stock Android but with some of the company’s influence mixed in. You still have Material You elements like the rounded rectangular buttons and the two-tone aesthetic.
However, while this is true, the Dynamic Color implementation isn’t as versatile. The color of the theme will change color based on the wallpaper, but you can’t choose which color palette you want to apply like in Stock Android, One IU, My UX, etc. That’s really the main difference between Lenovo’s UI and stock Android. Other than that, there’s not much of a difference.
So, who is this tablet for?
The Lenovo Tab M10 Plus is for people who want a solid tablet experience for a good price. You want a tablet that can do the essentials like binge-watching content, reading e-books, browsing the web, and checking up on social media. When it comes to gaming, you won’t have an issue with playing some lower-powered favorites, but once you get into 3D games, be prepared for a little lag.
The display, speakers, and performance are middle-of-the-road, but they’re not offensive. They get the job done. Overall, this tablet is fantastic for the price, and I recommend it.
According to analysis from different sources, Yandex source code does not contain user data, but it does contain over 1,900 factors for ranking search results and more.
The source code repository of the Yandex search engine and technology giant was leaked as a torrent, containing over 1,900 factors for ranking search results. The company, also called Russian Google, had the data leaked on Brached Forums, a hacker forum that surfaced as an alternative to the popular and now-seized Raidforums.
The incident should not come as a surprise, since Yandex or its products are often under cyber attack. In 2016, Hackread.com exclusively reported on how a dark web vendor was selling 6.3 million Yandex user account data.
In September 2021, the Russian search engine giant was hit by one of the largest DDoS attacks powered by 200,000 compromised IoT devices.
Data published by the threat actor (Image credit: Hackread.com)
What was Leaked?
The leaker has shared a magnet link containing 44.7GB of files linked to Yandex git sources. The files were allegedly stolen from Yandex in July 2022. Apart from containing anti-spam guidelines, the code repositories are believed to have Yandex’s source code.
The leak revealed around 1,922 ranking factors the search engine uses in its search algorithm. The code was leaked as a torrent. Per the analysis posted by Twitter user Alex Buraks, the leaked data includes numerous ranking factors, including text relevancy, PageRank, content age, freshness, etc.
Moreover, several end-user behaviour factors, link-related factors, and host reliability exist. SEOs find some unusual ranking factors, such as the number of unique visitors, average domain ranking across queries, and percent of organic traffic.
You probably heard about Yandex, it’s the 4th biggest search engine by market share worldwide. Yesterday proprietary source code of Yandex was leaked.
The most interesting part for SEO community is: the list of all 1922 ranking factors used in the search algorithm
According to a data leaks investigator/researcher, Arseniy Shestakov, the leaked Yandex Git repository contained technical data and coding related to Yandex’s major products such as the following:
Yandex Taxi
Yandex Mail
Yandex Maps
Yandex Market
AI assistant Alice
Yandex Direct Ads service
Workspaces service Yandex360
Cloud storage service Yandex Disk
Travel booking service Yandex Travel
Payment processing service Yandex Pay
Yandex Cloud, and internet analytics solution Yandex Metrika.
Shestakov further noted some API keys, which most likely have been used to test deployment.
Yandex Denies Hacking Attempt
Yandex claims that it is aware of the leak and has already initiated an investigation to check how source code ‘fragments’ were exposed to the public. It is worth noting that the leak doesn’t include user or employee personal data.
However, considering the significance of Yandex in Russia’s IT infrastructure and leaked data, it could be assumed that the attack was motivated by the country’s invasion of Ukraine. So, pro-Ukraine hackers could be involved.
In its official statement, Yandex clarified that the company wasn’t hacked and a former employee could be involved in leaking its source code in the public domain. Russia’s leading IT firm noted that the leaked archive includes code fragments that are part of an internal repository, the data of which is different from what is used in the latest version of the repository.
“Yandex was not hacked. Our security service found code fragments from an internal repository in the public domain, but the content differs from the current version of the repository used in Yandex services,” the company’s statement read.
Nevertheless, source code leaks are dangerous for posing serious security issues to organizations since threat actors can observe the company’s intellectual property and system data. Leaking of source code would help attackers create targeted security exploits.
The tactics of North Korean-sponsored ransomware cyberattacks against the healthcare sector and other vital infrastructure are highlighted in the latest #StopRansomware alert.
CISA and other federal agencies were joined by the National Intelligence Service (NIS) and the Defense Security Agency of the Republic of Korea (ROK) in releasing the latest cybersecurity advisory in the US government’s ongoing #StopRansomware effort. This alert highlights continuous state-sponsored ransomware activities by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) against organizations in the US healthcare sector and other vital infrastructure sectors. The agencies have reason to believe cryptocurrency ransom payments from such operations support DPRK’s “national-level priorities and objectives”.
“North Korea’s cyber program poses a growing espionage, theft, and attack threat,” the Annual Threat Assessment report in 2021 said. “North Korea has conducted cyber theft against financial institutions and cryptocurrency exchanges worldwide, potentially stealing hundreds of millions of dollars, probably to fund government priorities, such as its nuclear and missile programs.”
DPRK has a lengthening history of conducting ransomware attacks against organizations in both US and South Korean territories, some of which have become “mainstream” to fund their other cybercrime activities. Who can forget WannaCry in 2017, for example, the strain that attacked unpatched Windows systems that remained vulnerable against EternalBlue? The US and UK had recognized that North Korea, via the Lazarus Group, a nation-state advanced persistent threat (APT) group, was responsible for unleashing WannaCry to the world.
Then there’s Magniber ransomware, a strain distributed by the Magnitude exploit kit (EK) in late 2017. Magniber only targets systems located in South Korea, an attribute unique only to itself. This makes Magniber the first ransomware to home in on a single country.
In the last few years, two new ransomware strains from DPRK have surfaced: Maui and H0lyGh0st.
Andariel (aka Silent Chollima and Stonefly), the APT group believed to be behind Maui ransomware campaigns, has been attacking Healthcare and Public Health (HPH) Sector organizations since May 2021. Once it arrives on target networks, it encrypts servers responsible for record-keeping, diagnosing, imaging services, and others. As a result, Maui attack victims experience severe disruption for prolonged periods.
H0lyGh0st, like other current ransomware gangs, favors double-extortion tactics, maintains a leak site, and targets small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Microsoft believed it has ties with PLUTONIUM, another North Korean APT, as the H0lyGh0st gang uses tools PLUTONIUM created. While it is financially motivated, it hides behind the “quest” to “close the gap between the rich and poor.”
DPRK ransomware has significantly altered the face of ransomware, tuning it up from a simple locker and then making it more disruptive, lucrative, and, in some cases, destructive. And it’s just one of the countries that allegedly profit from ransomware attacks to finance their agenda with no care for the real victims: the people directly affected by systems shutting down on them, stopping them from serving those who need attention and care the most.
When Conti ransomware hit Ireland’s Health Service Executive (HSE) in May 2021, everyone was caught off-guard, including the doctor we interviewed just days after the attack. He described how they were instructed not to touch the computers, the uncertainty that hung over them, and how he had to break the bad news to patients who had been waiting for surgery since 7:00 am that day to go home.
“I have to tell patients, sorry I can’t operate on you,” he recalled. “You’ve been fasting, you came a long distance, you rescheduled things to make time for me, maybe you have had to come off work. After all this I have to say sorry, I can’t see you.”
“I’m dealing with patients’ lives here. It’s not something you can take lightly. You either do it right or you do it wrong, and if you do it wrong you’re harming somebody.”
How to avoid ransomware
There is no doubt hospitals remain under a bullseye, and attackers can strike at any time. Thankfully, there are ways organizations can help reduce their risk of suffering from a ransomware attack.
Have an incident response (IR) plan. Organizations should accept the fact that a cyberattack is likely to affect them at some point, whether they’re the direct victim or part of a supply chain. An IR plan can direct your responders on what to do in the event of a cybersecurity attack. This should include restoring from backups, client outreach, and reporting to law enforcement among others.
Educate your staff. Awareness goes a long way, and everyone in the company has a responsibility to keep the organization’s network safe. Staff should be taught social engineering tactics and red flags of a system attack, so they can alert the right personnel quickly should an attack occur.
Patch as soon as you can. Many threat actors get into networks by exploiting unpatched vulnerabilities. Have a patching plan in place to ensure that your organization’s network is protected against the latest and most exploited weaknesses.
Backup your files. Backups have saved a lot of organizations after a ransomware attack—provided they work. When you make a plan, ensure you also have provisions for backup testing.
Despite the best smartphone deals being in the holiday season, you can still get some great deals right now. From Samsung to Motorola, to Google and everyone in between. Now is a really great time to pick up a new Android smartphone.
There are a ton of new smartphones on the market this year, mostly from Samsung, but other OEMs have also released quite a few. So there are a ton of great deals, even now, that would make great gifts this holiday season. Smartphones make for a really great gift this holiday season, as they can be quite expensive to replace, and getting one as a gift is always nice. And guaranteed to put a smile on someone’s face.
Best Android Smartphone Deals
Yes, we are still quite a ways away from Christmas, and that’s typically when we see the biggest discounts for things like smartphones. But there are still quite a few great deals that you can get today. And if you need a new phone, you need it now, not when Christmas rolls around. So that’s why we have rounded up the very best smartphones here.
While you can sometimes get cheaper discounts at your carriers, it’s always a good idea to get an unlocked smartphone. This means you can take your phone to any carrier – even an MVNO. Which is going to allow you to save money each month. You could get an unlocked smartphone, take it over to Straight Talk and save a ton of money on your bill over Verizon.
Below, you’ll see a list of all of the Android smartphone deals available now. This list is going to be continuously updated too, so you can rest assured that you are getting the latest prices, and the best deals. These include smartphones from Google, Samsung, Motorola, OnePlus, and many other OEMs.
Elon Musk is quite the character. He not only owns Tesla and SpaceX, amongst other things, but he also acquired Twitter last year. Now, a new report claims that Elon Musk is considering buying Manchester United as well.
Elon Musk may end up buying Manchester United, for real this time
The Daily Mail reports that “sources” claim this to be true. Elon Musk is allegedly monitoring the situation surrounding Manchester United, and is contemplating whether this is his chance to take control of a famous football (for those of you in the US, soccer) club.
Several parties from Saudi Arabia seem to be interested, and Elon Musk may be as well. He is a fan of Manchester United, and may find this offer too good to refuse. The Glazers are seemingly holding out for a £6 billion bid, but some are valuing the club at around £4.5 billion.
Manchester United is Elon Musk’s boyhood club, and he said that if he were to buy any team, it would be Manchester United. If this story sounds somewhat familiar, there’s a good reason for it.
This is not the first time Elon Musk mentioned buying Manchester United. Back in August last year, Musk tweeted out “I’m buying Manchester United ur welcome”. Needless to say, that tweet went viral, but it ended up being a joke following unrest over at the club.
Musk still didn’t comment on these rumors
Elon Musk still didn’t comment on these rumors regarding the buyout, at least at the time of writing this article. Musk already has a lot on his plate, needless to say, so chances are this is not happening, solely based on that.
Who knows, though. Elon Musk is… as I said, quite the character. It wouldn’t be all that shocking if we went for it, that’s for sure. Let’s see what happens in the coming days. The soft deadline for offers has been set for this Friday.
Apple has put itself in a position that will allow it to generate tens of billions of dollars each year in Services revenue even if it doesn’t approach peak iPhone sales ever again. That was the main goal behind Apple’s plan to double Services revenue from $25 billion to $50 billion by the fiscal year 2020. The plan was hatched after iPhone sales peaked in 2015 and Apple not only hit the $50 billion target by Q4 of fiscal 2020, it has continued to put up strong numbers in the Services segment. For fiscal year 2022, Apple’s Services unit took in $78.13 billion, a 14.2% increase from fiscal year 2021.
Apple reported a 6.4% year-over-year increase in Services revenue for the fiscal first quarter of 2023
Last week, Apple reported its results for the fiscal first quarter of 2023 and the Services unit was (along with a strong showing for the iPad) one of the few to show growth in the top line year-over-year. The unit took in $20.77 billion for the quarter, up 6.4% from the $19.52 billion that Apple collected during the same quarter in 2021. The Services division includes Apple Pay, iCloud, Apple Care, Apple Card, Apple Wallet, and more.
Apple Music remains one of the company’s most popular subscription services
But the most important part of the Services business are the apps that generate recurring subscription revenue. These apps include Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple News+, Apple Fitness+, Apple One, and Apple Arcade. Because these are subscription-based offerings with monthly fees, these services become a reliable source of sales for Apple regardless of how many iPhone units it sold in a given year.
As noted by TechCrunch, Apple last week announced that it has 935 million paid subscriptions throughout its Services segment. It also said that it had double-digit revenue growth from App Store subscriptions during the quarter which ran from October through December.
Apple blamed the hike on the rising cost of licensing music. At the time, the company released the following statement: “”The change to Apple Music is due to an increase in licensing costs, and in turn, artists and songwriters will earn more for the streaming of their music. We also continue to add innovative features that make Apple Music the world’s best listening experience.”
Apple also jacked up the monthly price of an individual Apple TV+ subscription from $4.99 to $6.99 per month. Apple did have an explanation for the 40% price increase as it blamed the rising price of content for the increased cost of the service.
Apple has two billion active devices including 1.5 billion iPhone units
The price changes also affected the Apple One bundle packages. The individual plan consisting of Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, and 50GB of iCloud+ storage received a price hike of $2 a month to $16.95. The Family plan which includes Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, and 200GB of iCloud+ storage was hiked $3 monthly to $22.95. The Premier Apple One bundle subscription package was priced $3 per month higher to $32.95.
These price hikes might not be good for users but they are good for investors who are now conditioned on seeing a nice percentage increase in Services revenue each quarter. Apple doesn’t break down its Services segment by category but it did say that record revenue was achieved in both payments and cloud services during the fiscal first quarter of 2023.
Also helping to drive Services revenue higher, Apple announced last week that it now has 2 billion active devices. Approximately 1.5 billion of these devices are iPhone units. As long as this number continues to rise, and Apple hikes the pricing for its Services offerings from time-to-time, you can expect Apple’s second-largest business unit to continue to generate higher revenue each year. And that is likely to occur regardless of the global economic environment.
iRobot has been making robot vacuums and robots in general for many years now. iRobot, after all, was founded way back in 1990. So it’s not new to this. But it is new to making a combo robot vacuum, that is also able to mop. One of the hinderances for iRobot, the company says, is that they didn’t want the wet and dirty mop going across your carpet, getting it wet and dirty. Now some competitors have made robot vacuums that are able to pick up the mop. But iRobot has gone a step further here, and lifts the mop completely up and places it on top of the robot vacuum.
So now, how well does this robot vacuum perform in the real world? Is it worth spending $1,099 on? Let’s find out in our full review.
iRobot Roomba Combo j7+: Design
The design of the Roomba Combo j7+ isn’t really that different from the Roomba j7+ which we reviewed a few months ago. The main difference here is the backside of the robot vacuum. There’s now space on the backside of the top of the robot vacuum for the mop and its arms to raise and lower it. Additionally, the dustbin is also a water tank now. So it feels heavier and larger. But it holds roughly the same amount of dirt and debris as the regular j7+ did.
On the front of the Combo j7+, we have the camera which is used for obstacle avoidance, as well as a light above it. This is here to help with obstacle avoidance as well, particularly in darker areas. Think of under the bed, or furniture, or in a room where the light isn’t on. The light does actually help it quite a bit, compared to older Roombas and even older robot vacuums. It’s also a feature we’re seeing on more robot vacuums.
Like the j7+, the Roomba Combo j7+ does not have a LiDAR arrow sticking up on top of the vacuum. This means that the top is flat, and it has a lower clearance, allowing it to make its way under more furniture in your home.
On the bottom, it has the front spinning brush available (iRobot does include a spare), as well as two rubber rolling brushes. These are actually really great. And we’ll talk more about those in the performance section actually.
Then there’s the dock. It’s actually a really good looking dock. It’s pretty low, unlike the s9’s dock from iRobot. It does look very modern, so it should fit into most people’s living room. It does come with a dirt bag pre-installed, as well as a second one included in the box.
Overall, the design is quite nice, and not a big change from the regular j7+. Which should come as no surprise, since the vacuum is based off of the j7+.
iRobot Roomba Combo j7+: Cleaning and Performance
Now, to the important part. How well does the Roomba Combo j7+ clean and perform? Quite well actually.
As some background, I live in a townhouse, and have a dog as well. So with the Roomba Combo j7+ I was using multiple floorplans as well as it needing to deal with dog hair. And it performed really well. When it comes to navigation, it does it pretty well, doesn’t really miss a spot, which is always good to see. It is a bit odd that it doesn’t go around the perimeter of the room and then run up and down to clean the room though.
The two rubber brushes on the Roomba Combo j7+ work really well. They have yet to get tangled, or cause any problems. And I’ve run this vacuum probably close to 20 times so far. So that’s good to see. Having two brushes there helps to get up all of the stubborn dirt and debris too.
Now let’s talk about mopping. Watching the mop go around the vacuum to start mopping is pretty cool. But how well does it clean the floors? Well, I don’t have a lot of space that is not carpeted here in my townhouse, so it didn’t get as much use as it should. But in the kitchen, it mopped pretty well. iRobot does give you options in the app to control the waterflow. And there’s also cleaning solution included in the box. Something that a lot of robot mops can’t even use, never mind include in the box.
Overall, the performance is quite good. It cleans very well, it’s also super quite and can get back to the dock without many issues. I’ve tested a handful of robot vacuums since moving, and some have trouble getting back to the dock. But the Roomba Combo j7+ has not had a single issue, I’m happy to report.
iRobot Roomba Combo j7+: Maintenance
On a robot vacuum with an auto-empty dustbin, the maintenance is pretty minimal. Since receiving this unit, roughly 3 weeks ago, the only thing I had to do was untangle a dryer sheet that the vacuum had picked up (I have no idea where it was picked up from, though). Hair, dirt, and other debris were not an issue for the Roomba Combo j7+.
There was also one time where the vacuum did not fully empty the dustbin upon docking itself. So I had it empty again and it was fully emptied this time. All in all, maintenance is super easy here. The only real thing you’ll need to do on a weekly basis (depending on your home and schedule) is filling the water tank. Because, unfortunately the dock does not do that, nor does it clean the mop.
iRobot Roomba Combo j7+: App
The iRobot app is super easy to use and understand. Which kind of answers the question as to why Roomba’s are so popular. Now I do wish that you had more options available here for things like the level of suction, and on a per-room basis. However, you can choose to have it do your whole house once or twice, and you can also set up multiple floorplans.
As someone that lives in a townhouse, I do have multiple floorplans available on the Roomba Combo j7+. The only hassle is, I actually need to move it between floors. But otherwise it can immediately recognize which floor it is on.
Within the app, you can also help the Roomba Combo j7+ clean smarter. As it will learn each time it cleans the floors in your home.
Should you buy the iRobot Roomba Combo j7+?
On the surface, the Roomba Combo j7+ is basically the Roomba j7+ but with a mop now. So it doesn’t seem like it would be all that impressive, but it truly is. Honestly, for only $200 more than the j7+, you’re getting a 2-in-1 robot vacuum that can clean every room in your home. And mop it. Sure the price is pretty steep, but it will save you a ton of time in cleaning your home.
You should but the iRobot Roomba Combo j7+ if
You have a pet, thanks to the improved object avoidance and suction power, it’s no match for dogs and cats.
You want full automation in terms of cleaning your home.
You have a mix of carpet, hardwood, laminate and concrete (basement) floors.
You shouldn’t buy the iRobot Roomba Combo j7+ if
You don’t have many rooms that are not carpet.
You don’t believe a robot can mop your floors well enough.
As a result of a new zero-day vulnerability found in Apple products that can be exploited in hacking attacks, Apple has recently released an emergency security update. Here below we have mentioned the devices that are vulnerable:-
This discovered vulnerability has been identified as CVE-2023-23529, and the vulnerability is categorized as a WebKit confusion issue, which may lead to the exploitation of compromised devices by triggering operating system crashes and gaining code execution.
Exploitationof Vulnerability
The vulnerability is zero-day, meaning it has not been previously identified or publicly disclosed. The CVE-2023-23529 vulnerability is particularly concerning due to its potential to cause significant damage to compromised devices.
If exploited, the vulnerability could enable an attacker to execute arbitrary code on the device, resulting in unauthorized access and the potential loss of sensitive data.
The exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when a user opens a malicious web page, which triggers the execution of arbitrary code. It has also been found that the vulnerability affects Safari 16.3.1 on macOS Big Sur and Monterey.
Affected Devices
It is believed that this vulnerability has been actively exploited, and Apple is aware of such a report. The CVE-2023-23529 was addressed by Apple by improving the checks in the following areas:-
iOS 16.3.1
iPadOS 16.3.1
macOS Ventura 13.2.1
Since the bug affects both older and newer models, so, the list of devices that are affected is quite extensive, and here below we have mentioned a few of them:-
iPhone 8 and later
iPad Pro (all models)
iPad Air 3rd gen and later
iPad 5th gen and later
iPad mini 5th gen and later
Macs running macOS Ventura
Apple also recently announced that they have fixed a kernel use after a free vulnerability that is tracked as CVE-2023-23514, in their latest security update. This flaw was reported by two security researchers, Xinru Chi of Pangu Lab and Ned Williamson of Google Project Zero.
A potential impact of this flaw would be the implementation of arbitrary code on a Mac or iPhone with kernel privileges.
Apple’s First zero-day Patch of the Year
Despite the company’s acknowledgment of the existence of in-the-wild exploitation reports, it has refrained from releasing any information related to these attacks. The company has not disclosed any details regarding the type of exploitation, and the extent of damage caused.
Apple’s decision to limit access to information regarding the zero-day vulnerability is likely a measure taken to provide as many users as possible with the opportunity to update their devices before cyber attackers can exploit the security flaw.
The company’s actions reflect a commitment to maintaining a high level of security and privacy for its users.
Although the zero-day vulnerability may have only been utilized in specific targeted attacks, it is strongly recommended that users install the emergency updates as soon as possible to prevent any potential future attempts.
