What is the Find My Device network?

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What is the Find My Device network?
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It’s always an extremely scary moment when you can’t find your phone or other device. You never know if it’s simply lost or if it’s been stolen. Well, if you’re an Android User, you can rest assured. Google unveiled its Find My Device network, and this is a useful tool to help you locate your device should you lose it. But, what is the Find My Device network?

That’s what this piece is going to explain. We’re going to go over what this network is, how to use it, and other things you should know about it. Also, the Android Find My Device network is something that will be updated and improved over time. As such, this article will be updated accordingly. So, if you have any new questions about new features coming to this network, feel free to check back and see what new information has been added.

What is the Find My Device network?

The Find My Device network is a fully integrated web comprising millions of Bluetooth-enabled Android devices all communicating with one another seamlessly. Supportive devices will communicate with other devices nearby via Bluetooth. This is the premise that will power the entire network. So, using this network, you’ll be able to pinpoint your device’s location should you need to know where it is.

How does it work?

The Find My Device network works by using the devices around your device to pinpoint its location. Say, for example, you leave your phone on the table at a coffee shop. Well, unbeknownst to you and other people, your phone is actually communicating with surrounding Android devices via Bluetooth. So, if the other people sitting at the table have Android devices, your phone is basically talking back and forth with those devices.

Since these devices are communicating with your phone, they have an idea of your phone’s location. Now, if you open the Find My Device app, and try to locate your phone, Google will use the location data provided by the surrounding devices in order to pinpoint your device’s exact location.

Doesn’t Find My Device network already exist?

Well, yes and no. Yes, the platform existed before. This is a platform that you can use to pinpoint the location of your Android devices. You’ve been able to use the Android app or the website to locate your device.

However, this wasn’t truly a network. Google could only get the location of your device if it was connected to the internet. If your device wasn’t connected to the internet, then Google would have to use the last location recorded before it went offline.

The Find My Device network is different in that you will still be able to locate your device even if it’s not connected to the internet. If your phone is not connected to the internet, it will still be able to communicate with surrounding devices using Bluetooth. So, this is great news for people whose phones were not connected to the internet when they were lost. This eliminates the guessing game.

Also, since this uses Bluetooth technology, you will also be able to find the location of different types of devices. This includes smartwatches and headphones. At the time of writing this article, several companies are working on bringing their own tracker tags as well. These are AirTag-like devices that will also show up on the Find My Device network. You’ll be able to put these tags inside purses or items that you want to be able to keep track of.

So, the Find My Device network is an all-encompassing web of interconnected devices.

What devices are not included in the network?

At the time of writing this article, the Find My Device network is available in a limited number of markets. It’s currently available in the US and Canadian markets. Obviously, the company is going to spread this to more regions as time goes on. However, if you are not within the aforementioned regions, then you are playing the waiting game.

Also, we’re certain that Google is going to involve a wide range of Android devices. However, if you’re rocking a very old smartphone, then you shouldn’t be surprised if it doesn’t work for you. So, if you’re using a device that is currently unsupported, then you may have to upgrade to a newer device if you want to be able to use the network.

Another thing to take into account is wearable devices. As stated before, it is possible to use headphones and smartwatches with the Find My Device network. However, your results may vary. It’s up to the manufacturer of the device to make it compatible with the Find My Device network. So, there’s no guarantee that the model you own will be compatible.

How do I know if I’m in the network?

Being on the Find My Device network doesn’t involve a huge software update or anything like that. In order to use this, you’ll have to be on the latest version of the Find My Device app. Since this is still rolling out, there’s a chance that you will not be in the network just yet. If you have the app, make sure you update it.

To update the app, you can go to the Play Store and find the Find My Device app. Also, you can hold your finger down on the app icon and tap on the app info button that appears in the resulting menu. From that point, scroll down to the bottom and tap on the app details button. This process May differ depending on the Android skin you’re using.

While you’re on the Play Store page, look for the Update button at the top of the screen. If you don’t see it, then you’ll have to wait for the update to reach your phone. For reference, we have yet to receive the update for the app, and we are on version 3.1.000-4. This version came out on March 31st, 2024. So, if you’re running that version or older, you will not be part of the network.

Does it cost money?

No. Being on the network is completely free, and Google has not indicated that it will charge for the service going forward.

Can I use the network when my phone is turned off?

At this point in time, that is a complicated question. Currently, there are only two devices that can be located on the network while powered off. These two devices are the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. This is because of the special hardware that Google put inside of these phones.

From the looks of it, it appears that these devices are using a very low-energy solution to send Bluetooth signals when the phone is not powered on. So, this functionality is limited to these two handsets.

However, Google is planning on working with other manufacturers and chipmakers to bring this sort of technology to more devices. At the time of writing this article, we don’t know if there are any devices currently planned to get this capability. However, this article will be updated with new information when that happens.

Does this pose a security risk?

At the time of writing this article, there doesn’t seem to be any blatant security risk using the Find My Device network. Nothing has come to the surface that people should be worried about. However, that’s not to say that there won’t be any bad actors who will use this as an exploit.

Will this use more battery power?

Ostensibly, this should use more battery power than before. However, we are certain that the battery drain is negligible, and you should not see a difference in your day-to-day life.

Is there a limit to the number of devices I can use on the Find My Device network?

As far as we know, there is no limit to how many devices you can use. All of your supported devices will appear on the list. So, you won’t have to worry about Google kicking your devices out of the network.

How do I remove devices from the network?

At this time, removing devices from the network will involve you removing your Google account from set devices. So, if you want to remove your device from the network while maintaining your Google account, you will not be able to.

How can I protect my data from potential thieves?

If you found out that you left your phone at the coffee shop, but didn’t find out until you’ve already gotten home, then the best option will be to secure your device. Securing your device will lock the device using the device’s PIN, pattern, or password. So, this will make sure that no strangers will be able to pick up your device and log into it. If your phone does not have a PIN, you will be able to set one using the app.

Also, securing your device will sign you out of your Google account. This means that, if a potential Thief is able to get past the PIN, they will not be able to access any information on your Google account. This means that they will not be able to log into any of your services using your Google account or have access to your passwords or other information. Once you get your phone back, you will simply be able to log back in and pick up where you left off.

What happens if my device gets stolen?

If your device is stolen, and there’s no chance of getting it back, then you’ll have to make the hard decision to factory reset it. Factory resetting your device normally requires you to physically have it in your hand. However, there is an option in the Find My Device network app that will allow you to factory reset it remotely.

In the app, look for the device that has been stolen and tap on it. You will see the map screen appear with the bottom panel under it. At the right corner of the bottom panel, you will see a little gear icon. This will take you to a new page. At the very bottom, you’ll see a button with red text that will give you the option to factory reset the device.

Once you factory reset your device, all of the data will be permanently erased. This includes your app data, call logs, text messages, apps, Etc. Once you do that, you will no longer be able to locate that device using the Find My Device network.

If your device is currently offline when you are trying to reset it, the reset will begin the moment it reconnects to the internet.


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You shouldn’t pay Meta to ensure your privacy, the EU says

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You shouldn’t pay Meta to ensure your privacy, the EU says
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Meta is once again in the spotlight for issues related to privacy. More specifically, the European Union does not like the business model that the company is applying. This is because sharing your data depends on whether you pay or not, without more alternatives.

Currently, Meta and other platforms use a business model where the alternative to not giving your data is to pay a fee. Have you ever heard the phrase “If the service is free, you’re the product”? Well, that’s what it refers to. These companies use the data collected for commercial purposes. This usually translates into ads tailored to your tastes, which are determined by your use of free services.

In the case of Meta, users in EU countries can pay 10 euros per month to ensure their privacy. If you do not pay it, Meta interprets it as an authorization to collect your usage data on its services, such as Facebook and Instagram. However, the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) spoke against this. According to the statement, the fact that the only alternative to not sharing usage data is to pay a fee is not the best way to do it.

The EU against Meta’s business model that charges you for privacy

The business model used by Meta is known as “consent or pay.” According to the EDPB, this model usually doesn’t “comply with the requirements for valid consent.” After all, at the end, the user only has the option to pay. Basically, the EU believes that there should be alternatives to using these services without sharing data and without being forced to pay.

Anu Talus, EDPB Chair, said that “controllers should take care at all times to avoid transforming the fundamental right to data protection into a feature that individuals have to pay to enjoy.” The statement also adds that the current model encourages users to consent to the collection of their data to access the service for free. This results in a decision where people do not really consider all the implications behind it.

At the moment, the EU is investigating “consent or pay” business models. New developments in this regard and possible new legislation will probably arise in the future. Meanwhile, the EU’s pronouncement is more of a “recommendation” to companies to make adjustments.


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Release date, specs, price, & more

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Release date, specs, price, & more
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Samsung is expected to release the Galaxy Ring at some point this year and when it launches it’ll push Samsung into a segment of wearables that still feels fairly brand-new. When you think of wearables, you most likely think about fitness trackers and smartwatches. Maybe the occasional pair of true wireless earbuds or the offbeat health tracking devices you clip to things or wear around your neck. Smart rings aren’t unheard of but they are uncommon. Having become a little more familiar to people thanks to brands like Oura.

That being said, there are a few more companies that have been working to roll out their own smart rings for tracking health and fitness. And Samsung entering into this market is sure to popularize it even more. Samsung initially announced the Galaxy Ring back during CES 2024. At that time the ring was just a teaser and there was only a brief glimpse of the product on the big screen.

Fast forward to Mobile World Congress 2024 a month later, and Samsung officially revealed the Galaxy Ring to the world. Simultaneously, attendees at the convention were able to get hands-on time with it. Samsung revealed more details about it too. In this post, we’ll go over everything we know so far about Samsung’s upcoming smart ring. We’ll also be updating this post with new information as it comes out. So you can stay up to date on Samsung’s latest wearable.

This article will be regularly updated with new information on the Samsung Galaxy Ring (this is a preview article) — both official teasers and credible leaks, rumors, and insider claims — as it becomes available in the run-up to the release of the upcoming wearable.

When will the Samsung Galaxy Ring be released?

Samsung hasn’t given a definitive date for the time of release quite yet, but it has officially announced the ring. So there is some speculation that can be drawn from that. Without a firm date, it’s tough to say when exactly you can buy the Galaxy Ring. However, it’s expected to be released sometime in the second half of 2024. If this timing is accurate, then it’s very possible that we could see Samsung show it off again at its Unpacked event that happens in the second half of the year. Followed by a launch containing pre-orders and shipments heading out to buyers a couple of weeks later.

Last year Samsung held a big Unpacked event on July 26. Unpacked won’t necessarily be held at the same time this year. However, it probably won’t be far off. In 2022, Samsung held the late Summer Unpacked on August 10, which was just a couple of weeks away from last year’s event. In short, expect the event to be somewhat close to last year’s timing. This doesn’t mean we’ll get the Galaxy Ring around that time. But if Samsung is looking to launch the ring this year, the upcoming Unpacked is probably when it would do so.

What models will be available?

At the moment, we can assume Samsung is only going to be making one model of the Galaxy Ring. At this time it hasn’t given out a ton of details about the device. And what it showed off at MWC 2024 was just one model. However, it did come in multiple colors and sizes. This doesn’t mean Samsung won’t make additional models down the line. Or that it doesn’t already plan to release more than one model of the ring at some point. Being that the company has shared so little about it, there’s always the chance that it has something hiding up its sleeve.

For now though, bank on one model of the Galaxy Ring with varying sizes and colors. Don’t expect there to be different models that offer different features, though. It’s also worth noting that Samsung’s initial run of the Galaxy Ring is slated to be small. The company said back in March that it will do a smaller production run to kick things off, and plans to only make around 400,000 for the launch period. That probably means you’re going to want to place an order for one as soon as possible once these become available.

If you’re not one to be an early adopter, then you should have no trouble waiting until Samsung manufactures more, assuming it does so if the ring sells well.

How much will the Samsung Galaxy Ring cost?

At this time it’s unclear how much the Galaxy Ring will officially cost. There have been no hints from Samsung and so far there haven’t been any leaks regarding the price anywhere around the world. With that said, there are smart rings from other companies available. So we can use those as a baseline to guess what Samsung might charge. Samsung is usually pretty competitive with its pricing in the wearables market.

With that said, let’s look at some smart ring alternatives to the Galaxy Ring that you can currently buy. There’s the Oura Ring which is sort of the benchmark. It was the first smart ring on the market and it’s thought of as the premiere option. The Oura Ring starts at a base price of $299. Now Oura also offers two models – the Horizon and Heritage. They vary in style and price just a little but all the features appear to be the same. But, the baseline price is $299.

There’s also the Ultrahuman Air that’s $349, and the Motiv Ring which is $199 although the Motiv Ring is now currently out of stock. Looking at these prices, Samsung may look to place the Galax Ring somewhere in between the Motiv Ring and the Oura Ring costs. It’s a Galaxy device so it can easily pull in some more money based on the brand alone. But we would expect it to be competitive with the other options to grab the attention of the consumer.

Will it work with Android and iOS?

It will most certainly work with Android. It’s unclear if it will work with iOS though. A report from March suggests that iOS compatibility may not be in the cards for Samsung’s upcoming smart ring. The Galaxy Watch series smartwatches aren’t compatible with iOS, so this is a good indicator that the ring might not be either. For iOS users, the Oura Ring is likely a better bet. Because it will offer similar features and it does have iOS compatibility.

Android users will have no issue being able to use the ring. And if you use it in conjunction with a Galaxy Watch Samsung suggests you should have even more accurate health data insights with the two devices working together.

What will the Galaxy Ring look like?

Well, like a ring. Like any standard basic ring with a smooth surface and no extra designs or detail work. It seems boring, but the ring actually looks quite nice and very sleek. It’ll be available in three different colors and all are available in a glossy finish. Unlike the Oura Heritage ring, the Galaxy Ring will be completely round without a flat-ish top. Which you’ll see on some rings. However, Samsung’s Galaxy Ring does have a sort of concave surface all the way around which puts a nice spin on the design to differentiate it from other smart rings on the market.

What colors does the ring come in?

As noted above, Samsung will offer three colors of the Galaxy Ring. At least, there are three that are official so far. Samsung hasn’t announced any more color options beyond these three. But that doesn’t mean it won’t ever make any more colors. When Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Ring prototypes at MWC 2024, it showed off the ring in black, silver, and gold. It wouldn’t be surprising if Samsung ended up making one in rose gold as it’s done with some of its past watches.

That said, there’s nothing to suggest right now that Samsung will offer the Galaxy Ring in any colors outside of the three mentioned here, which have already been confirmed.

How many sizes will Samsung offer?

Samsung will no doubt want to capture as much of the market as possible. And to do that it’ll need to offer a wide variety of size options. There are lots of different finger sizes out there. So to make sure the most amount of people possible can wear its ring, Samsung is covering a pretty wide range of sizes. The Galaxy Ring will come in sizes as small as 5 and go all the way up to 13. If you aren’t sure what your ring size is, you’ll want to measure your ring finger prior to buying one of these.

Luckily the ring isn’t expected to launch for at least a few more months. So you have some time to figure out what size you’ll need for your Galaxy Ring. Should you choose to pick one up, of course.

What features will the Galaxy Ring have?

The obvious features include things like sleep tracking. This is especially exciting since this will be more comfortable to wear to sleep than a watch or wrist-worn tracker. It’ll also be able to track steps, other exercise activities, stress, and at least a few other things.

For those wondering whether or not it’ll track blood oxygen and heart rate, yes, it will be able to do those things too. It’ll also feature sleep apnea detection using the blood oxygen sensors and you can get a ‘Vitality Score’ that’s based on data of your resting heart rate, heart rate variability, and overall sleep. The ring doesn’t feature GPS so it won’t do some things that you’d get from a smartwatch. And you may still want a smartwatch for those GPS-based features.

But for the more basic health and wellness stuff, heart rate, sleep, and step tracking chief among them, the Galaxy Ring should be capable of delivering on those. Samsung has also confirmed that the ring will integrate compatibility with Samsung Food. Using the health data collected, the ring may be able to suggest the best food to order on a menu when eating out.

What are the specs?

There’s unfortunately not a whole lot to tell here. Samsung has kept most if not all of the specs close to the chest and unsurprisingly so. The rings that were shown off at MWC 2024 were prototypes, so not finished products that would be sold to consumers. And as such, may end up having some changes by the time they reach the shelves for people to buy.

The main spec that people are probably worried about is battery life. The company hasn’t shared what the exact battery life would be, however, it did eventually give a range. It did initially tease that it would be “remarkable” and stated that larger sizes would have long battery life. Again, unsurprisingly as there will be more space in there. The company later confirmed that battery life would be somewhere between five and nine days. But it hasn’t given a definitive answer just yet. Still, five days of battery life as a baseline is pretty good since it’s more than what the Oura Ring offers. And that’s already a good sign.

Should you wait to buy the Galaxy Ring or go for something else?

Samsung’s Galaxy Ring isn’t yet available and there’s no official release date. So it might not even launch this year. If you want something now, then you do have options. That being said, the Galaxy Ring will most certainly be more dialed in when it comes to Samsung’s own health products, like the Samsung Health app. And if you’re already using that, the Galaxy Ring will surely play nicer with it than non-Samsung products.

There’s also the question of cost. Without knowing how much the ring will cost, or what its full feature set is, it’s hard to nail down if it’ll be a better fit for you than something you can buy right now. As with our Galaxy Watch 7 preview, it might be best to simply wait to buy any sort of smart ring until you can find out more about Samsung’s upcoming offering. That is if you’re interested in it.


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Slack reveals subscription price for its AI service everyone can pay

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Slack reveals subscription price for its AI service everyone can pay
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Slack has confirmed the price of its Slack AI service. The add-on subscription is now available to everyone willing to pay for a premium tier.

Slack offers AI service to everyone for a monthly price of $10

Slack first introduced its AI service back in 2023. With Slack AI, users can get a complete summary of the conversation. In its initial days, the AI essentially summarized who said what and the topic being discussed.

Using Slack AI, users can catch up on the discussions happening in channels in a short time. In other words, the AI service allows users to completely avoid combing through pages of conversations. It bypasses all the back-and-forth discussions and offers a summary or conclusion.

Recently, Slack started offering its AI service to Enterprise users. Moving forward, the Slack AI service will be available to everyone.

Simply put, Slack AI service is available to everyone, who’s willing to pay $10 per month. Currently, the AI service supports English, Spanish, and Japanese. Slack has promised additional language support is coming soon.

Slack has separated the AI service from the basic subscription. However, this does not mean that Slack AI subscription service is available to everyone, including the free users.

Is AI worth the extra price?

The AI subscription can be unlocked by paying an additional $10, on top of Slack Pro and Business+ subscriptions. The Slack Pro subscription is available at a monthly price of $8.75 (billed monthly). The Slack Business+ subscription costs $15 per active user per month (billed monthly).

Slack has positioned its AI service as a bundle of time-saving and efficiency-boosting tools. Instead of keyword searches, users can now ask questions in a causal conversational approach. The Slack AI service promises to offer succinct answers based on relevant Slack messages. It is useful for catching up on finding specific information.

Apart from AI-generated summaries, the most anticipated feature would be Channel Recap. It claims to offer highlights of the conversation during which users were absent (away). Slack claims its AI generating these recaps is intelligent enough to distinguish between different topics discussed.

Slack AI service users will have to add a channel to their recap. Thereafter, they will receive a daily digest with anything they may have missed. Moreover, Slack AI also offers personalized channel recommendations based on users’ past Slack activity.

A similar tool, called “conversation summaries”, is available for threads, which are one-on-one or group conversations on Slack. Users can ask Slack AI to help them catch up on anything they may have missed, and generate daily summaries. The AI will also offer sources of specific entries or notes.

Besides Recap and Summaries, Slack AI should gradually get better, the workplace management platform indicated. The company stated it was working on expanding its AI’s scope to include files, Slack apps, canvases, and clips. This would allow the Slack AI service to have a much deeper as well as broader context.


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The Google Phone app may lose the bottom bar

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The Google Phone app may lose the bottom bar
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Google is always adding changes to its apps, and this is why it has some of the most robust first-party apps. Right now, it appears that the company is experimenting with the UIs of its apps regarding tabs and bottom bars. A new report states that Google may get rid of the bottom bar in the Google Phone app.

The Google Phone app is the main dialer app on Pixel devices, and it comes pre-installed on many Android devices across the board. It’s a simple and straightforward app, but it also comes with useful features that make using it a great experience.

The Google Phone app could lose the bottom bar

Right now, we are dealing with early information. So, you’ll want to take it cautiously. It appears that Google is only testing this. PiunikaWeb, in collaboration with AssembleDebug, was able to discover a change within the Google Phone beta version 128.0.625763929.

In it, we see that Google got rid of the bottom bar. Currently, in the Google Phone app, there’s a bar with the Favorites, Recent, and Contacts tabs at the bottom. It’s the main mode of navigating the app right now.

However, in the beta version, we see that the bottom of the screen is empty, but there’s a new hamburger-style menu at the top left of the search bar. When you tap on it, you will see a panel roll out from the left.

However, the amount of options seems a bit strange. In the screenshot, we only see the Voicemail and Contact options. The rest of the panel remains completely empty. Google is still testing this, so we’re certain the company will have more buttons before the potential final release. So, there may be more buttons in the future.

This might be a weird change

However, it seems odd that Google is doing this in the first place. We’ve seen companies move options down to the bottom of the screen in order to accommodate larger displays. Right now, phones are starting to approach the tablet screen size territory, so people want their buttons and UI elements lower on the screen.

However, this hamburger-style menu sits at the top of the screen. So, people with larger phones may not welcome this change. In any case, the company is only testing this at the moment, so there’s no guarantee that this change will come.


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Galaxy A35 5G launched in the US; here’s everything to know

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Galaxy A35 5G launched in the US; here’s everything to know
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Samsung unveiled the Galaxy A35 5G and Galaxy A55 5G as cheap Galaxy S24 alternatives in Europe. Now, the South Korean tech giant has launched the Galaxy A35 5G in the US. The phone has arrived as a mid-range offering with a premium design and the latest Android software experience.

Galaxy A35 5G launched in the US with a premium design similar to Galaxy S24 series

The Samsung Galaxy A35 5G features a premium design with a glass back panel, just like the Galaxy S24 series. It has the brand’s new “Key Island” design, which features a slightly elevated frame around the power button and volume rocker. The phone is IP67 certified, which makes it impervious to dust and water. The handset can survive for up to 30 minutes under one meter of water.

Galaxy A35 5G gets an AMOLED display, octa-core SoC, and triple rear cameras

Coming to the specs, the A35 5G sports a 6.6-inch AMOLED display with full-HD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. The handset also gets a layer of Corning’s Gorilla Glass Victus+ screen protection. Under the hood, the phone sports an unspecified octa-core processor that offers a maximum clock speed of 2.4GHz. The handset offers up to 6GB of RAM and up to 256GB of native storage.

For imaging, the Galaxy A35 5G offers a 50MP primary camera with optical image stabilization. The main sensor is paired with an 8MP ultrawide-angle shooter and a 5MP macro lens. On the front, there’s a 13MP camera for selfies and video calling purposes. A 5,000mAh battery with up to 25W fast charging support keeps the whole package alive.

The new Galaxy A series phone will get four years of Android updates

The Samsung Galaxy A35 5G mid-ranger boots Android 14 out-of-the-box with the OneUI 6.1 on top. The phone will get four guaranteed major Android OS updates. In addition, the company will offer five years of security upgrades. Notably, the Galaxy A35 5G is one of the first Galaxy A series devices to offer Samsung Knox Vault capabilities. It is the company’s multi-layered security platform. It protects hardware and software from vulnerabilities.

Galaxy A35 5G price and promotional offers

Coming to the pricing, the Galaxy A35 5G will be available at a starting price tag of $399.99. The phone comes in Awesome Navy, Awesome Lilac, Awesome Lemon, and Awesome Ice Blue color variants. The smartphone is available on the brand’s website, Experience Stores, and via major carriers & retailers. As part of the launch offer, the brand is offering the Galaxy Buds FE with a discount of 30 percent. There’s also an old smartphone exchange offer of up to $150.


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Meta AI is now available in more places

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Meta AI is now available in more places
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Right now, there are a ton of different AI platforms on the internet. However, the primary platforms are Google’s Gemini, Andthropic’s Claude, and OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Well, there’s another major company not wanting to sit on the sideline. Meta AI just launched everywhere across the company’s platforms, and it has its own standalone website.

Once generative AI took off, we all expected major companies to quickly adopt the technology. Well, that’s what happened, but Meta was a bit late to the game. At that point, the company was figuring out how to top adding legs to characters in Meta Horizons.

In any case, Meta is now one of the major AI companies on the web, and its AI platform has several homes.

Meta AI is now available everywhere

Today, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced some interesting news. For starters, Meta AI is now much more present across different Meta-owned services. You should expect to see the chatbot when you are using Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook, and Facebook Messenger. You will be able to access it right from the search bars in those apps. This means that you will never be more than a few Taps away from AI technology.

Another bit of news is that Meta AI now has its own standalone website. When you visit the website, you will see your typical web-based chatbot interface. At the bottom of the screen, you will see the text box for you to input your prompts.

On the left side of the screen, you will be able to see your conversations. Also, on the left panel, you will see the option to create a new conversation and the Imagine button. This button will let you generate images.

Meta also has a new AI model

Along with this announcement, Meta also announced that it’s coming out with a new model. Dubbed the Llama 3 Model, it will push Meta AI to new heights. This model has improvements over the Llama 2 model.

Meta seems to be going the Google route and utilizing three different sizes of its models. Two of the models have been released today, and they are smaller in size. These are the models that are powering Meta AI and being distributed to developers.

However, a larger multimodal model is to come out within the next couple of months. We’re not sure what that model will be used for. In any case, we are certain that this will be the competitor to Claude 3, Gemini Ultra, and GPT-4.


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Law enforcement reels in phishing-as-a-service whopper

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Law enforcement reels in phishing-as-a-service whopper
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A major international law enforcement effort involving agencies from 19 countries has disrupted the notorious LabHost phishing-as-a-service platform.

Europol reports that the organization’s infrastructure has been compromised, its website shut down, and 37 suspects arrested, including four people in the UK linked to the running of the site, which also allegedly included the original developer of the service.

Europol’s announcement also hints that this isn’t the end of the story, and users of the platform should ready themselves for some uncomfortable encounters with law enforcement in the future. As Europol said in its release:

A vast amount of data gathered throughout the investigation is now in the possession of law enforcement. This data will be used to support ongoing international operational activities focused on targeting the malicious users of this phishing platform.

The UK’s Metropolitan Police (“The Met”), which spearheaded the operation, says it has already contacted the criminals who used the site:

Shortly after the platform was disrupted, 800 users received a message telling them we know who they are and what they’ve been doing. We’ve shown them we know how much they’ve paid to LabHost, how many different sites they’ve accessed and how many lines of data they’ve received. Many of these individuals will remain the focus of investigation over the coming weeks and months.

In a phishing attack, criminals use emails to trick users into entering details like passwords or credit card numbers into fake websites. The emails and websites typically mimic popular brands like UPS, Amazon, or Microsoft, and copy the format of emails sent by those companies, luring victims with things like fake security alerts.

Phishing-as-a-Service (PaaS) provides the tools and infrastructure criminals need to carry out phishing attacks on a subscription basis, so they don’t have to create and run it themselves. This lowers the barrier to entry for these kinds of crimes and puts sophisticated tools in the hands of people who wouldn’t otherwise have access to them.

LabHost was set up in 2021 and grew to become one of the largest PaaS vendors. Europol says that “with a monthly fee averaging $249, LabHost would offer a range of illicit services which were customizable and could be deployed with a few clicks.” Those services reportedly included a menu of over 170 fake websites for users to choose from, and a campaign management tool called “LabRat” that could capture two-factor (2FA) authentication codes.

The phishing platform is reported to have had 2,000 registered users and was used to create “more than 40,000 fraudulent sites.” The Met says that around 70,000 individual UK victims have been phished using the service, and that globally, it swallowed up 480,000 card numbers, 64,000 PIN numbers, and more than one million passwords.

Victims in the UK have been contacted by the Met to inform them that some of their data has been compromised. Ironically, thousands of victims being contacted in this way creates an opportunity for copycat phishing emails with Met branding. For that reason, the Met has been careful not to include any links in its communications and warns potential victims that:

…if you receive any contact from the Met with links in, this will be fraudulent so please do not engage with this.

If you’ve been contacted by the Metropolitan Police about the LabHost breach you can find some useful guidance and support on its LabHost Disruption page.


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Adobe launches the Adobe Express mobile app

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Adobe launches the Adobe Express mobile app
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Over the years, Adobe has been an extremely developmental company for creators, but the company has made a hard pivot and started integrating generative AI into many of its products. Last year, the company revamped its Adobe Express desktop application. Now, the new Adobe Express mobile app is available, and it brings some generative AI capabilities.

Nowadays, it should be no surprise that so many companies are going hard on AI. It’s a tool that allows people to either streamline their workflow or skip it altogether. Well, Adobe is no different. The company has its Firefly suite of AI tools, and it uses it to power its AI experience.

Recently, we got the news that Adobe Premiere is getting some generative AI tools. One tool will allow you to insert artificially generated frames to extend your shots. Another will be able to artificially generate B-roll footage for you. This shows the company’s commitment to the fast-growing technology.

The Adobe Express mobile app has landed

Android users may be surprised to know that Adobe is launching this app on both iOS and Android at the same time. The app officially launched on Wednesday, so you can download it now.

What can you do with the Adobe Express mobile app? Well, you have access to the classic Gen-AI tools that you would see with most services. There are tools for generating images and graphics. So, if you are a designer, you will be able to quickly generate images and use them in your projects.

There are also other AI tools for photo and video editing. You will be able to create all sorts of impressive media just by using these tools.

There’s no doubt that this will be a very popular app because Adobe’s products are usually industry standards. So, many people should expect to see works made using the Adobe Express mobile app in the future. You should expect to have to sign in to your Adobe account to use these tools.


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Sneaky Android Malware Evades Detection – Is Your Phone Safe?

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Sneaky Android Malware Evades Detection – Is Your Phone Safe?
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Another day, another trojan is on the loose, targeting Android users. This time, the ‘SoumniBot’ was found, and some pretty clever tricks were used to avoid detection. Currently, it’s mainly targeting users in South Korea by leveraging weaknesses in the manifest extraction and parsing procedure.

As you might or might not know, every Android app comes with a manifest XML file, which is located in the root directory and declares the various components of the app, as well as the permissions and hardware and software features it requires. Because this is so widely known, threat hunters typically commence their analysis by inspecting the app’s manifest file to determine its behavior.

It’s important to note that this method has been adopted by threat actors associated with several Android banking trojans since April 2023. Additionally, SoumniBot also misrepresents the archived manifest file size, providing a value that exceeds the actual figure because the “uncompressed” file is directly copied, with the manifest parser ignoring the rest of the “overlay” data.

Kaspersky researcher Dmitry Kalinin stated that this malware is notable for its unconventional approach to evading analysis and detection. Kalinin has also said, “Although any unpacker that correctly implements compression method validation would consider a manifest like that invalid, the Android APK parser recognizes it correctly and allows the application to be installed.”

SoumniBot will be invisible once your device is infected

Like many other trojans that affect Android devices, SoumniBot will hide its icon after installation, making it more difficult to remove. But it does remain active int he background, uploading data from the victim.

Kaspersky goes into more detail about this Android Trojan, as well as providing some indicators of compromise, so you can protect yourself and your device(s). The reason for Kaspersky to detail the techniques used by this Trojan is so that researchers around the world are aware of the tactic and can put together resolutions to keep SoumniBot from causing more havoc.


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