Motorola Edge+ 2022: Everything You Need To Know

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[Update: This phone has since been updated to Android 13. Software section]

It’s understandable: you’re looking for a new phone, and you’re on the fence about which one you should get. You heard about the Motorola Edge+ 2022, and you have some questions regarding this phone. Well, you’ve come to the right place. We have a full review of the device highlighting its key aspects, pros, and cons.

However, if you have a bunch of questions about this phone, this article will attempt to answer as many of them as possible. Whether you want to know about the camera specs or how big of a battery comes in the phone, it will be explained.

What are the display specs?

One of the signature features of this phone would have to be the display. The Motorola Edge+ 2022 has a 6.7-inch POLED display. It has a resolution of 2400 x 1080, which makes it a Full HD+ display.

Moto Edge 8

It runs at 144Hz, which is 16.6% faster than 120Hz displays. This means that you won’t be able to see much of a difference between the two refresh rates. However, a 144Hz display is 2.4 times faster than a 60Hz display.
When it comes to brightness, the display can get up to 600 nits of brightness. That’s good enough to see the screen while under direct sunlight.

What processor does this phone use?

The Motorola Edge+ was one of the first phones to launch with Qualcomm’s 2022 flagship SoC. This is the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. This chip uses one Cortex-X2 core clocked at 3GHz, three Cortex-A710 cores clocked at 2.5GHz, and four Cortex-A510 cores clocked at 1.8GHz. These CPUs are accompanied by the Adreno 730 GPU.

Moto Edge 7

When it comes to storage, there are three options. The base configuration is 128GB, the middle is 256GB, and the phone caps out at 512GB. As for RAM, there are options between 8GB and 12GB of RAM.

[updated March 2024] What software does it use?

At the time of writing this article, the Moto Edge+ 2022 is running Android 13. The phone is currently awaiting Android 14, so this article will be updated accordingly. With the update to Android 13, the software saw some notable improvements. For starters, there is a slew of typical software and stability improvements.

As for new content, the move to Android 13 allows Motorola to use themed app icons. This will make all the app icons match the color scheme selected for the software. Next, the Moto widget has gotten a notable upgrade. This is Motorola’s At a Glance widget equivalent, and after the update, it’s more intuitive and shows you more information. For starters, it can be expanded to show you information like the weather, time, and your health information.

With Android 13, you’re able to set the language in apps to different languages other than your default language. This means that, even if your phone is set to English, you can have LinkedIn set to Spanish. This gives you much more control over the languages that your apps use.

Next, you now have the ability to block apps from sending notifications. Last, but not least, Android 13 gives you the ability to give apps access to your media on a per-photo/video basis. So, you won’t have to give apps full access to your media if you only want to share one photo.

Moto Edge hot to screenshot 3 jpg

What are the camera specs?

The Motorola Edge+ has a triple-camera setup. The main camera is a 50MP shooter that bins down to about 12.5MP. It has an aperture of f/1.8 with a sensor size of 1/1.5 inches. This camera produces pictures with a pixel size of 1 micron.

The main camera is accompanied by two additional cameras. One is a combination ultrawide/macro camera. This one also has a resolution of 50MP, and it bins down to about 12.5MP as well. This camera has a wider aperture of f/2.2, and it produces images with .64 micron pixels.

Moto Edge with badge 3

The last rear camera is the depth sensor. This one has a resolution of 2MP and an aperture of f/2.4. Upfront, we have an interesting story; the selfie camera has a higher resolution than the main camera. This is a 60MP camera that bins down to 15MP.

On the video side, this phone can capture 1080p video at up to 60fps (when using super slo-mo, it can go as high as 960fps). Also, the camera can capture 4K video and 8K video at 30fps.

How is the camera’s performance?

Not great, unfortunately. The pictures wind up with blurry details and really oversaturated colors. The camera has a hard time finding the focus. The user would zoom into a photo only to find that the camera focused on the wrong subject in the picture. The night mode is decent, but it’s much easier to get blurry photos than with something like a Pixel.

How’s the audio experience?

The audio experience is pretty good. You’ll find that the dual speakers on this phone are more than good enough for most situations. If you’re listening to music with a lot of bass, then these speakers will shine. Music like pop, rock, hip-hop, and other modern genres should be good (I personally like their performance with 80s pop).

Moto Edge 10

When it comes to vocals and orchestral music, it’s a different story. The emphasis on the bass causes the higher frequencies to take a back seat. Listening to classical music or certain film scores won’t be as immersive.

How are the battery and charging?

The Motorola Edge+ comes with a 4,800mAh battery. It can last you a day and a half with moderate to light usage. The battery can be charged via wired and wireless means. You have 30W wired charging which can charge it from 0%-100% in just over an hour. The 15W charger can charge the phone in about 4 1/2 hours. Also, The Motorola Edge+ can use reverse charging to help out other devices.

Moto Edge 11

The battery can last you a good amount of time, but what if you want it to last a bit longer. Well, there’s the How-To guide to squeeze just a bit more juice out of your Motorola Edge+. It covers tips from setting your screen brightness to getting rid of background processes.

What features does the phone have? Which ones are missing?

Though this might not be considered a feature, the Motorola Edge+ 2022 comes with a charger in the box. You’ll get the 30W wired charging brick included.

As for missing features, there is a handful. You’re not getting a 3.5mm headphone jack with this phone, unfortunately. If you want to listen to content, you’ll need to use Bluetooth devices or get a dongle.

Moto Edge+ Image With Badge 2

While the three storage options should be enough for most people, some will be disappointed to know that there’s no expandable storage. You’ll need to be happy with the storage on the device.

Even though having some sort of zoom camera is pretty much standard, this phone doesn’t. So, if you want to zoom further into your subject, you’ll have to do it digitally.

How much does this phone cost?

If you’re in the market for the Motorola Edge+, then you’ll need to get ready to pay some major bucks. The 512GB variant of this phone is $999. That puts it in direct competition with the Galaxy S22+, and it’s $100 more than the Pixel 6 Pro.

Moto Edge 9

Who is this phone for?

The Motorola Edge+ is for dedicated Motorola fans who want the unique set of Moto features wrapped in a premium package. You’re not getting the best display or camera, but its performance and gaming capabilities carry the show. Motorola’s way of handling theme customization and the gestures will make any Motorola fan feel at home.


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Circle to Search gets a new trick as it expands to more Pixel devices, including the Pixel Fold

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This expansion of the feature to the Pixel 7 series was a sore subject among owners of the more expensive and almost equally spec’d Pixel Fold. At an MSRP of $1800 upon launch, there was no conceivable reason why Google’s top of the line foldable would be left out. Yours truly was among one of the Pixel Fold owners who were beside themselves when I saw my much newer device getting passed over for a much older generation Pixel.
Thankfully, these concerns are now being addressed. In a blog post today, Google ever so casually dropped the news that starting this week “Circle to Search” will be rolling out to more Android phones, including Google’s own Pixel Fold and Pixel Tablet which will be getting the feature “soon.” Below are the Google Pixel models on the list for the update:

Phones (this week):

Larger screen devices (soon):

Same Circle to Search, but improved

Aside from the good news about Circle to Search reaching more devices soon, Google also announced that the feature will also be getting an improvement. Not only will it help you identify objects on the screen simply by circling or squiggling around it, but now it can also help you instantly translate. To enable this, Google is adding a “translate” icon beside the search bar that appears when long pressing the home button or navigation bar. The translation icon within Circle to Search will start rolling out in the next few weeks.


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Microsoft Expands Edge Bounty Program to Include WebView2!

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Microsoft announced that Microsoft Edge WebView2 eligibility and specific out-of-scope information are now included in the Edge Bounty Program.

The Microsoft Edge Bounty Program aims to find vulnerabilities that are specific to the upcoming Chromium-based Microsoft Edge, and that instantly affect customers’ security.

The Program invites people worldwide to look for and report Chromium-based Microsoft Edge-specific vulnerabilities.

Submissions that meet the requirements can earn bounty payments ranging from USD 250 to USD 30,000. 

Updated Criteria to be Eligible for Bounty Awards

For vulnerability submissions to be eligible for bounty rewards, applicants must fulfill the following requirements: 

Primarily, find a previously unreported vulnerability in the Dev, Beta, or Stable channels of Microsoft Edge that is exclusive to the Chromium platform and does not occur in the Google Chrome equivalent.

Further, this bounty program will take into account exploits in Microsoft Edge WebView2 that can be proven to work.

Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtimes and SDKs: 

  • WebView2 prerelease and release SDK
  • Evergreen WebView2 runtime, and the runtimes in the Dev and Beta channel of Microsoft Edge

When a vulnerability is reported, it must be able to be reproduced using the most recent WebView2 SDKs and runtimes on the most recent, fully patched version of Windows, including Windows 10. 

Also, provide the WebView2 runtime version (e.g., Version 114.0.1823.79) and the WebView2 SDK version (e.g., 1.0.1905-prerelease or 1.0.2088.41) that were utilized to reproduce the vulnerability.

Under this bounty program, proven exploits in third-party components that reproduce in Microsoft Edge but not in Chrome are also eligible for consideration.

Microsoft said to provide clear, simple replication instructions in the form of written or video. Moreover, Proof of Concept (PoC) must be submitted with the submission.

Microsoft Edge on Chromium has a few features that make it stand out from the competition and could be useful areas to hunt for vulnerabilities that qualify for the Microsoft award. 

These can include, Internet Explorer (IE) Mode that needs a supported version of Windows, PlayReady DRM, Sign in with Microsoft Account (MSA) or Azure Active Directory (AAD), Application Guard, Edge PDF, and Microsoft Edge WebView2.

Payment Amounts Set
Payment Amounts Set

“A high-quality report provides the information necessary for an engineer to quickly reproduce, understand, and fix the issue.

This typically includes a concise write-up or video containing any required background information, a description of the bug, and an attached proof of concept (PoC)”, Microsoft said.

Researchers are encouraged to visit this page for details on Microsoft Bounty Programs and the associated terms and FAQs. 

Stay updated on Cybersecurity news, Whitepapers, and Infographics. Follow us on LinkedIn & Twitter.


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Chinese APTs Targeted ASEAN During Summit with Espionage Malware

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Chinese APTs Target ASEAN During Summit with Espionage Malware

Chinese APT groups launched a cyberespionage campaign targeting ASEAN organizations with malware, coinciding with the recent ASEAN-Australia Special Summit — Palo Alto Networks’ Unit 42 report reveals the attacks, highlighting the need for robust cybersecurity measures in Southeast Asia.

A recent report by Palo Alto Networks’ Unit 42 cybersecurity research team has revealed a coordinated cyber espionage campaign that targeted countries affiliated with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The Chinese Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) groups are blamed for this.

The report, titled “ASEAN Entities in the Spotlight: Chinese APT Group Targeting,” highlights the activities of two separate APT groups. One identified group is Stately Taurus, a well-known threat actor with a history of cyberespionage operations.

Unit 42 researchers discovered that the cyber attack involved two malicious packages including “Talking_Points_for_China.zip,” a ZIP file and “PSO.scr,” an executable screensaver file. One of these malware packages was created by Stately Taurus specifically matching with the dates of the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit held in March 2024 in Melbourne.

Chinese APTs Target ASEAN During Summit with Espionage Malware
The malicious package (Screenshot: Unit 42)

This suggests a targeted effort to gather intelligence during the critical regional event. This incident is also similar to the one in July 2023, where pro-Ukraine attendees of the NATO Summit were targeted with the RomCom RAT malware. Russian government hackers were suspected in that case.

“These types of campaigns continue to demonstrate how organizations are targeted for cyber espionage purposes, where nation-state affiliated threat groups collect intelligence of geopolitical interests within the region”

Palo Alto Networks’ Unit 42

The report goes on to show why organizations within ASEAN countries must take strong measures to defend against such cyberattacks. Palo Alto Networks recommends deploying advanced security solutions like DNS Security, Advanced URL Filtering, and WildFire to mitigate these threats.

While the Unit 42 report identifies two specific APT groups, the full extent of the campaign and the potential involvement of other actors remain under investigation. Continued monitoring and threat intelligence gathering are essential to fully understand the scope of this espionage activity.

Nevertheless, this discovery comes amidst heightened geopolitical tensions in the Southeast Asian region. The targeted nature of the attacks, coinciding with a major regional summit, raises concerns about potential attempts to gain an advantage in international relations.

Cybersecurity experts are urging ASEAN member states and affiliated organizations to remain alert against such cyberespionage efforts. Collaboration on information sharing and implementing proper cybersecurity measures is a must to defend against these ongoing threats.

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  4. China-Blackwood APT Uses NSPX30 Backdoor in Cyberespionage
  5. Chinese Hackers Hack Dutch Defense Networks with Coathanger RAT

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Everything You Need To Know

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Google has announced that Google I/O will be returning to the Shoreline Amphitheater on May 14 and May 15, 2024. Once again, it’s going to be a small in-person event. From the wording on Google’s announcement blog post and the Google I/O website, it does sound like this will be mostly for the press to go in-person and some developers. But it will still be open to all developers online, free of charge.

That’s similar to last year’s Google I/O, which was a single day. This year, Google is back to a two-day conference, which the company has done every year before the Pandemic. Google originally held the conference at Moscone West in San Francisco until 2016, when it moved to the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View. It’s a larger venue, and it’s also right next to the Googleplex. As Google I/O has grown over the years, Google has needed more space to invite more people, do more demos and also do more sessions. So it makes sense.

Now, what might Google have up its sleeves for Google I/O this year? Let’s find out.

What is Google I/O?

Google I/O is the company’s annual developer conference, which typically takes place each May, usually around mid-May. It first started in 2008, and has happened every year since, with the exception of 2020.

Google I/O (which stands for Input/Output) is where the company will typically announce new software as well as updates to its products. Google has a lot of products these days, but a few mainstays of I/O include Android and Chrome.

I/O was always held at the Moscone Center in San Francisco until 2016. Moscone Center was the home to Apple’s WWDC and Microsoft’s BUILD conference as well. However, neither one takes place there anymore, with Microsoft moving its BUILD conference to Seattle after the pandemic. In 2016, Google moved I/O to the Shoreline Amphitheater, which is a stone’s throw away from the Google Plex. It’s a much larger venue and is now outdoors. Making it perfect for Google’s ever-expanding products.

How did Google I/O get its name?

The name, “Google I/O” is a bit of a nerdy name, as the “I/O” part stands for Input/Output. That references the computational concept of interfacing between a computer system and the outside world.

There is a second explanation for the origin, which says that I/O stands for “innovation in the open”, and that does line up with the Google I/O event quite nicely. As Google does spotlight all of the innovation the teams have done in the past year (sometimes longer).

Back in May 2006, Google actually held its first “Google I/O,” though it wasn’t called that. It was actually called the Geo Developer Day and was centered around the first publicly available developer tool, the Google Maps API. It had just 100 attendees and was held at the Googleplex in Mountain View. In 2007, Google held another similar event called “Google Developer Day”. It didn’t become “Google I/O” until 2008, when it moved to San Francisco’s Moscone West.

Google IO 2023 AM AH 1

When is Google I/O?

This year, Google I/O will take place on May 14 and May 15. That’s longer than last year’s event, which was the first in-person event since the pandemic, where Google held just a single day of Google I/O. The number of attendees was also smaller than normal. In 2023, around 5,000 people attended Google I/O. Compared to pre-pandemic times where the attendee numbers were closer to 10,000 people.

The keynote will start at 10 AM PT on May 14. That will last around two hours, sometimes a little longer. After a short lunch break, we’ll get the developer keynote. This is where Google will dive deeper into some of the more developer-centric announcements from the main keynote.

How can I watch Google I/O?

Google I/O is always free to watch online, and this year, it’ll be more accessible than ever. You can watch all of the keynotes and sessions on Google’s I/O website here. You’ll also be able to watch these on the Google Developers and Android Developers YouTube channels.

You can also register on the site, and set up your schedule to “attend” different sessions and get notifications when those sessions are set to begin.

What is Google expected to announce?

So, what exactly is Google going to announce at I/O this year? Well, we really don’t know just yet. As there’s been very few rumors and leaks about I/O so far. But there are a few things that are a lock-in for I/O every year.

Android 15

These days, Google will typically release the first developer preview of the new version of Android in February. With the first beta typically launching in April or in May at Google I/O. Last year, we did get the second beta at Google I/O, and this year’s schedule for the Android 15 release lines up that way as well.

Android 15 AM AH 02

Typically, Google will keep most of the bigger features for the Google I/O keynote. However, last year, there was barely a mention of Android 14 in the keynote. In the two-hour and five-minute keynote last year, Google only mentioned Android 14 in passing. And the feature they mentioned – wallpapers – wasn’t even exclusive to Android 14, as it launched in the new Pixel Feature Drop just a few weeks later.

In recent years, the new version of Android has become a much smaller deal than before. Google seems to be making “Android” the framework for its operating system, with all of the user-facing features coming in quarterly feature drops for Pixel and Android. That makes the yearly updates less exciting, but the quarterly updates much more exciting.

Google Pixel Fold 2?

Last year, at Google I/O, the company launched the initial Google Pixel Fold as well as the Pixel Tablet and Pixel 7a. But this year, it’s looking more likely that a lot of that hardware will launch in the fall instead.

That’s a good thing for the Pixel Fold 2, as the original launched with the Tensor G2 processor in June, and by October it was outdated with the Tensor G3. That’s a tough pill to swallow after you just spent $1,700 for the Pixel Fold. And judging by leaks we’ve seen, it appears that the Pixel Fold 2 is slated for October as well, this year. Launching alongside the Google Pixel 9 series.

Google Pixel Fold 2 concept 9

As for the Pixel Tablet 2 and Pixel 8a, that’s also likely coming in the fall. Recently, we’ve seen a new leak showing that Google is working on a Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, and Pixel 9 Pro XL. If that does happen, that could mean the A-series is going away and being replaced by the vanilla Pixel model. Considering both the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro are almost the same size, it makes sense.

In recent years, the Pixel a-series has received a few price bumps, making it closer to the vanilla Pixel model in terms of price. There are also very few differentiations between the two now. So making the Pixel 9 for around $500, then a Pixel 9 Pro at $900 and a Pixel 9 Pro XL at $1,000 or even $1,100 would make more sense for the lineup. Of course, this is all speculation right now. We’ll have to wait until May 14, to find out if the Pixel 8a is coming at Google I/O or if it even exists.

Google I/O is like Christmas for Google fans

I/O is always very exciting for Google and Android fans. A lot of people refer to it as “Christmas for Android users” and well, it really is. Lots of exciting announcements happen at Google I/O. Though in previous years, those announcements have gotten less exciting. And that’s because most of Google’s products are pretty mature now, and don’t need big updates or big features. Hopefully, Google can surprise us this year.

Either way, we are excited to see what Google has planned this year. Mark your calendars for May 14.


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Musk opens up X’s “rebellious” AI chatbot Grok to more subscribers

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After Elon Musk’s xAI decided to make its Grok large language model open source earlier in March, the X owner now announced that the former Twitter will soon make the Grok chatbot available to more paying subscribers.

Where else but on X, Musk revealed that starting this week, Grok will be accessible to Premium subscribers. The chatbot won’t be restricted solely to those on the higher-end tier, Premium+, as it was before.

This shift could mean that X wants to go head-to-head with other popular chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Google’s Gemini. Yet, it might also show that X is looking to boost its subscriber count. Additionally, giving users access to an AI chatbot could help keep them from switching to other platforms.


Grok might catch the interest of Musk’s followers and avid X users because it’s designed to tackle topics other AI chatbots usually steer clear of, such as more controversial political notions, for example.
 
Plus, it’s programmed to respond with what Musk has called “a rebellious streak.” What sets Grok apart even more is its capability to tap into real-time X data, a feature that its competitors can’t match.


X Premium sits in the middle of the company’s subscription offerings, starting at $8 per month (on the web) or $84 per year. Previously, Grok was exclusively accessible to Premium+ subscribers, priced at $16 per month or a substantial $168 per year. Initially offering only one premium subscription, X now provides three paid tiers:


  • Premium Basic, priced at $3 per month
  • Premium, priced at $8 per month
  • Premium+, priced at $16 per month

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Hackers Exploiting Ray AI Framework Flaw to Hack Servers

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A critical vulnerability in Ray, an open-source AI framework that is widely utilized across various sectors, including education, cryptocurrency, and biopharma.

This vulnerability, known as CVE-2023-48022, has been under active exploitation for the past seven months, allowing attackers to hijack computing power and leak sensitive data.

The Discovery of CVE-2023-48022: ShadowRay

Late in 2023, five unique vulnerabilities were disclosed to Anyscale, the developers of Ray, by cybersecurity entities Bishop Fox, Bryce Bearchell, and Protect AI.

Anyscale addressed four of these vulnerabilities in Ray version 2.8.1, but the fifth, CVE-2023-48022, remains disputed and unpatched.

The Oligo team has dubbed this vulnerability “ShadowRay” due to its ability to evade static scans and lead to significant breaches.

AI environments are goldmines for attackers due to the sensitive information they contain, such as private intellectual property, third-party tokens, and access to company databases.

The high-powered machines used for AI models are also prime targets for their computing power.

The Oligo research team has uncovered an active attack campaign that has put thousands of servers at risk.

Meet Ray: The Affected Framework

Ray is a unified framework designed to scale AI and Python applications.

Anyscale maintains it and has garnered significant attention, with 30K stars on GitHub.

Large organizations like Uber, Amazon, and OpenAI use Ray in production for its scalability and efficiency.

Source: anyscale.com
Source: ray.io
Source: ray.io

The Exploitation of Ray Clusters

The lack of authorization in Ray’s Jobs API has been a critical point of exploitation.

Attackers with network access to the dashboard can invoke arbitrary jobs on the remote host without authorization.

Ray’s official Kubernetes deployment guide [10] and Kuberay’s Kubernetes operator encourage people to expose the dashboard on 0.0.0.0:

This oversight has led to the compromise of numerous publicly exposed Ray servers, with attackers leveraging the flaw for cryptocurrency mining and data theft.

The collective value of the compromised machines is staggering, with the potential worth nearing a billion USD.

Attackers are drawn to these machines not only for the sensitive information they can extract but also for the high value of the GPUs, which are in short supply and expensive.

A6000 GPUs from the machine above are out of stock on NVIDIA’s website
A6000 GPUs from the machine above are out of stock on NVIDIA’s website

The Common Thread: Crypto Miners

Oligo Research has identified patterns in the compromised clusters, suggesting that the same attackers targeted them.

Crypto-mining campaigns have been leveraging ShadowRay to install miners and reverse-shells, with some attackers reaching the top 5% of miners in certain pools.

XMRig crypto miner connected to Zephyr mining pool
XMRig crypto miner connected to Zephyr mining pool

In light of these findings, organizations using Ray are urged to review their environments for exposure and analyze any suspicious activity.

For more detailed information on the vulnerabilities and the steps taken by Anyscale, readers can refer to the blog posts by Bishop Fox, Bryce Bearchell, and Protect AI.

Ray users must be aware of the security aspects and common pitfalls associated with the framework.

As the battle between functionality and security continues, the Ray incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of vigilance in the digital age.

The disputed nature of CVE-2023-48022 has not only highlighted the complexities of software development but also the critical need for robust security measures in protecting valuable AI infrastructure.

Stay updated on Cybersecurity news, Whitepapers, and Infographics. Follow us on LinkedIn & Twitter


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DeFi Protocol Unstable Raises $2.5M to Drive LRTfi Sector Forward

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After raising $2.5 million in its latest seed funding round, Unstable Protocol is on a mission to transform the burgeoning Liquid Restaking Token Finance (LRTfi) movement. The project, which is building the leverage layer of (re)staked Ether, attracted investment from multiple ETH-aligned funds including Lattice, Laser Digital (Nomura Group), Blockchain Founders Fund, Assouline Ventures, Agnostic Fund, Artichoke Capital, Black Edge Capital, NewTribe Capital, and NxGen. 

Several notable angel investors, protocol executives, media partners, and KOLs also threw their support behind the Protocol, including @dcfgod, @wsbmod, @AltcoinSherpa, @devchart, Trader Lenny, Wes Cowan (Juice Finance), Rahim Noorani (Satori Finance), Tony Jiang (Cognition AI), Adil Virani (blitz.gg), Collin Goltra (YGG), Peter Huo (Whampoa Digital), Andy (TheRollup), Tian Zeng, and BlockBuilders (MarketAcross).

A subsector of DeFi, LRTfi enables users to leverage liquid staking and restaking tokens for innovative yield strategies to maximize returns. Unstable will use the capital it has raised to power its groundbreaking zkOracles and serve as the day-one leverage layer for staked and restaked Ether.

The LRT market has witnessed remarkable growth of approximately $50 billion in the last year, surging from virtually zero to around $15 billion in three months

As an LRTfi-native lending protocol, Unstable Protocol offers users the ability to borrow against their (re)staked ETH and even unlock the utility of their (re)staked ETH on Layer-2 blockchains. The latter is made possible thanks to a strategic partnership with interoperability platform Axelar, whose executive team already backs Unstable.

“Unstable’s pioneering use of zkOracles to enhance DeFi utility for the LST and LRT ETH market is exactly the kind of forward-thinking technology that will push the entire ecosystem forward,” said Mansoor Madhavji, Partner at Blockchain Founders Fund. “We look forward to seeing the impact this will have on liquid staking and the broader DeFi landscape.”

Unstable’s lending protocol engine is powered by a zkSNARK-based validator and EigenLayer AVS balance proofs, valuing collateral based on the underlying backing. This is powered by a key partnership with Succinct Labs that concluded its own $55 million funding round, co-led by Paradigm. 

“ZKPs are a powerful technology that will enable DeFi to be more expressive and secure. Unstable’s use of ZK oracles to power their lending protocol engine shows how ZK can enable a new category: zkDeFi,” said Uma Roy, Founder and CEO of Succinct Labs. 

About Unstable Protocol:

Unstable Protocol utilizes zkOracles to enhance DeFi utility for the LRTfi market. Backed by several prominent Web3 VCs and angel investors, the protocol enables users to borrow against their LST and LRT collateral and unlock the utility of their (re)staked ETH on L2 chains. Unstable’s lending protocol engine is powered by a zkSNARK-based validator and EigenLayer AVS balance proofs. The Unstable Protocol testnet launches today and will be accessible via its website.

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YouTube announces a Jump Ahead feature

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When watching YouTube videos, you are likely to skip forward to certain parts of the video you’re watching for whatever reason. It’s natural to want to jump to certain spots in videos, so the company is looking to make this process easier. YouTube just announced a new Jump Ahead feature that will make it easier to jump to important parts of videos.

Currently, YouTube launched this test to a small subset of users. Since it is an experimental feature, it’s only accessible to people who are on YouTube Premium. If you have a Premium membership, and you want to try these features out, you can use one of two methods. Firstly, you can go to the official YouTube experiments page on your desktop. Those of you using the mobile app should open the app, tap on your profile picture, go to the settings, and scroll down to the Try Experimental Features section. There, you’ll see the ability to enable that and other experimental features.

These experimental features are only available for a limited time, so if you want to try them out, you better act fast.

YouTube is working on a Jump Ahead feature

This feature may not be available to all YouTube premium users, as the company is testing it on a small subset of users. Basically, if you double-tap to skip ahead in a video, YouTube will prompt you to skip to a certain section in the video. This section will be suggested based on user data. If there’s a section in the video that numerous people gravitate to, YouTube will suggest that as a spot to jump to.

Say, you’re watching a compilation of satisfying video clips, and the most satisfying clip is what was featured in the thumbnail. Well, naturally, most people will gravitate to that section in the video. If it turns out to be true, YouTube will suggest that point in the video when you are jumping ahead.

Right now, YouTube is testing this feature on a limited selection of videos. So, chances are that you will not see this feature in action anytime soon. However, here’s hoping.


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Sergey Brin convinced a worker not to leave via personal phone call

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Right now, we are in the midst of a huge AI race, and big companies are trying their hardest to keep their top employees. Apparently, this is so true that a Google co-founder directly reached out to an employee to keep them from jumping ship. Sergey Brin, one of Google’s co-founders, convinced one of Google’s employees not to leave via a personal phone call.

Employees leaving companies for different positions is not something new. The fact that AI technology is on the rise only exacerbates this. For example, Mark Zuckerberg has been personally reaching out to several Google employees to get them to join Meta’s AI team.

Sergey Brin convinced a Google employee not to leave through a personal phone call

The name of the employee in question remains unreleased. However, based on the information we have, it appears that the employee was a personal friend of Brin. So, this makes it seem less out of the blue. Apparently, the employee considered taking a position at OpenAI. Since OpenAI in Google are at each other’s throats, it’s only natural to assume that Google is not a fan of any of its employees crossing the pond over to OpenAI.

We’re not quite certain what was mentioned in the phone call, but we do know that the employee’s salary was raised. So, with the familiar voice of a friend, along with more money in their pocket, it appears that the employee decided to stay at Google.

This is a trend in the tech community where companies are looking to acquire people they think will be able to push their AI ventures forward. It’s also bittersweet, as many of the same companies are dropping other employees like flies. We get news that major companies are hiring a handful of AI specialists, but we also hear that they’re laying off thousands of other employees. So, we’re just going to have to see where this trend leads.


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