Google’s AI can predict floods a week in advanced

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Nowadays, technology can do a ton of amazing things, from generating content to providing information. However, we’re now at a point where we’re starting to find real-world applications where AI can be helpful. For example, Google released a paper explaining that AI can predict floods up to seven days in advance.

Despite numerous missteps that Google suffered with its AI endeavors over the past year, its technology has proven to be rather powerful. For example, Apple is in talks with Google over implementing Gemini Nano into future iPhones. So, Google is poised to basically own the AI market. It even owns the domain ai.com, which redirects to Gemini.

Google AI can predict floods a week in advance

At this point, we’re not quite sure when Google plans on rolling out actual flood-predicting technology to the masses. However, the company posted a new blog post explaining its research on how its AI technology can predict floods. The full blog post is chock-full of useful and meticulous information, so you can read that if you want to learn all of the ins and outs of this technology.

Many rivers and bodies of water around the world have tools put into place to monitor the water levels called streamflow gauges. However, that’s not the case for all bodies of water. There are many bodies of water around the world where no one can properly predict when a flood is going to happen because they don’t have access to streamflow gauges. This, as you can imagine, can lead to devastating outcomes.

Well, what Google’s AI technology will be able to do is take the existing data that we have from the gauges available. It will then use powerful machine learning to come up with a clear picture of when floods typically occur and what conditions are the most conducive for them. Google will then apply this information to bodies of water without streamflow gauges.

So, this is very much Google using software to solve a hardware problem. Places that don’t have access to these physical gauges will still be able to properly predict floods. And, using Google’s powerful AI, they could be able to predict them up to a week in advance.

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Android 15 Dev Preview 2 launch lines up improved NFC and more

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Google has officially announced the launch of the Android 15 Developer Preview 2. While the first dev preview focused on privacy and security, preview 2 promises to bring improvements to various communication-related functions. This includes at least a few features that revolve around NFC including tap to pay. As well as extended platform support for satellite connectivity.

Google says that this extended platform support also includes improvements to UI elements. These are meant to “ensure a consistent user experience across the satellite connectivity landscape.” There are other changes in the second preview as well, but it’s worth remembering that this is still just a developer preview. And the keyword there is “developer.” Most or all of these changes aren’t intended for end users. But that doesn’t mean what’s included won’t give you a glimpse at what to expect from the software down the road. Say, during the beta.

For starters, the satellite support is being updated to provide better awareness of when a device is connected to a satellite network. In this preview, this isn’t necessarily something you would see on the front end. But Google says it’ll provide apps the ability to use the non-terrestrial network to detect when a device is connected to a satellite.

Android 15 will also allow connection to satellite networks for SMS/MMS apps and RCS apps. Once this is fully online, it would enable those apps to send messages via satellite connections. Again though, this is something that app developers would need to implement. Still, it will eventually give users an avenue of staying in communication when they might otherwise have no network connection.

Android 15 Satellite Network Connectivity

The Android 15 Developer Preview 2 launch will improve tap to pay

Another main change with this preview is the improvements to NFC services. Google specifically highlights tap to pay here. Stating that it aims to make tap to pay “more seamless and reliable.” The idea is to essentially make using the tap to pay at checkouts more efficient and thereby faster. Google says that in many cases, these updates can result in a one tap transaction.

“On supported devices, apps can request the NfcAdapter enter observe mode, where the device will listen but not respond to NFC readers, sending the app’s NFC service PollingFrame objects to process. The PollingFrame objects can be used to auth ahead of the first communication to the NFC reader, allowing for a one tap transaction in many cases.”

Think about all the times you use tap to pay at stores with your phone. Then think about any times you may have had to tap the phone more than once to complete the transaction. By the sounds of it, Android 15 aims to lessen the number of times this might happen.

Expanding support for app visibility to more screens

This change will be big for users who own flippable devices, such as the Galaxy Z Flip 5 for example. With Android 15, developers can “declare a property” that Android 15 uses to allow apps or activities to be displayed on smaller cover screens. Like that of the Galaxy Z Flip 5. Google says these screens are too small to be considered compatible targets for apps to run on. Android 15 will change this a bit though, and allow developers to opt their apps into support for these screens. This means that some of your favorite apps might soon have more of a presence on these smaller cover displays.

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Neuralink’s first human patient plays chess by thinking

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In a groundbreaking development, Neuralink, the brain chip company founded by Elon Musk, has successfully enabled its first human patient to play chess online using only their thoughts. This incredible achievement marks a significant milestone in the field of neurotechnology and brings hope to individuals with paralysis. Let’s delve deeper into this revolutionary breakthrough and its implications.

The person in the video showcasing this incredible feat is Noland Arbaugh, who tragically became paralyzed below the shoulders following a diving accident. Despite his physical limitations, Arbaugh’s determination and resilience have been unwavering. With the help of Neuralink’s innovative technology, he can now interact with the digital world using only his mind.

He stated that “The surgery was “super easy” and he had to learn how to differentiate “imagined movement versus attempted movement” to learn to control a cursor on a screen.” Moreover, “A lot of what we started with was attempting to move.” Furthermore, “I would attempt to move, say, my right hand left, right forward, back. And from there, I think it just became intuitive for me to start imagining the cursor moving.”

How does Neuralink’s brain chip work?

Neuralink’s brain chip implant works by interfacing directly with the brain’s neurons, allowing for seamless communication between the brain and external devices. Through a series of electrodes implanted in the brain, Neuralink can decode neural signals and translate them into commands for computers or other devices. This technology opens up a world of possibilities for individuals with paralysis, offering them newfound independence and freedom. In the case of Noland Arbaugh, the brain chip allows him to play chess online by simply thinking about his moves.

The implications of this technology

The implications of Neuralink’s brain chip technology are vast and far-reaching. For individuals like Noland Arbaugh, it offers a new sense of independence and autonomy. Being able to control devices with nothing but one’s thoughts opens up a world of possibilities for individuals with disabilities.

As Neuralink continues to develop and improve its technology, the future of brain-computer interfaces looks bright. Imagine a world where individuals can communicate, interact, and navigate the world around them using only their thoughts. With advancements in this field, we may soon see a day where disabilities are no longer barriers to leading fulfilling and active lives.

To conclude, Neuralink’s first human patient, Noland Arbaugh, has shown us the incredible potential of brain chip technology. By playing chess online with nothing but his thoughts, Arbaugh has demonstrated the power of Neuralink’s innovation in the field of brain-computer interfaces. As this technology continues to advance, the possibilities for individuals with disabilities are endless.



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Pwn2Own 2024 Awards $700k as Hackers Pwn Tesla, Browsers, and More

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Pwn2Own 2024 Awards $700k as Hackers Pwn Tesla, Browsers, and More

The Pwn2Own 2024 hacking contest saw a record-breaking first day as participants exposed critical vulnerabilities in Tesla vehicles, popular browsers, and operating systems – This highlights the ongoing challenge of securing our technology and the importance of bug bounty programs.

The Pwn2Own 2024, a hacking contest organized by Trend Micro’s Zero Day Initiative in Vancouver, saw participants earn over $700,000 on the first day through successful exploits against Tesla cars, browsers, and Linux and Windows systems. 

French cybersecurity firm Synacktiv’s hackers earned $200,000 for an integer overflow exploit targeting the Tesla ECU with CAN bus control and also won a new Tesla Model 3. It is worth noting that this was the only scheduled hacking attempt for Tesla cars for this contest. 

However, this isn’t the first time Synacktiv has dominated Pwn2Own – they previously won a car in Pwn2Own Automotive 2024. 

Pwn2Own 2024 Awards $700k as Hackers Pwn Tesla, Browsers, and More
Tesla pwned (Screenshot: ZDI)

About the Vulnerability

While the specific details of the exploit remain undisclosed, as per Pwn2Own rules to allow for vendor patching, the competition organizers confirmed that a single integer overflow flaw was used. This vulnerability allowed the team to gain control of the Tesla’s CAN BUS, a crucial communication system within the car. Synacktiv exploited a Tesla ECU with Vehicle (VEH) CAN BUS Control using a single integer overflow flaw to secure their second victory in Pwn2Own competitions. 

Day One Highlights

On day one of the Pwn2Own contest, participants were awarded $732,500 by ZDI for reporting 19 unique zero-day vulnerabilities. Here’s the breakdown of the rewards.

Independent white-hat hacker Manfred Paul received $102,500 for remote code execution on Apple Safari using an integer underflow bug, and a PAC bypass exploiting a flaw in the same browser. Paul also executed a double-tap exploit on Chrome and Edge browsers using a rare CWE-1284 vulnerability in round two of the competition.

South Korean team Theori earned $130,000 by combining an uninitialized variable bug, a use-after-free (UAF) vulnerability, and heap-based buffer overflow to escape a VMware Workstation and execute code as system on Windows OS.

Oracle VirtualBox was targeted by REverse Tactics researchers, earning $90,000 and two researchers received $20,000 for their respective Oracle VirtualBox exploits. 

Other Pwn2Own participants earned rewards for Chrome and Edge, Safari, Adobe Reader, Windows 11 local privilege escalation, and two Ubuntu local privilege escalation exploits. 

Seunghyun Lee, AbdulAziz Hariri, and the Devcore Research team successfully exploited Google Chrome, Adobe Reader, and Windows 11 bugs, earning them $60,000, $50,000, and $30,000 respectively. Lee successfully executed an exploit on Google Chrome, Hariri completed a code execution attack, and the Devcore Research team successfully executed a local privilege escalation (LPE) attack.

Pwn2Own 2024 Awards $700k as Hackers Pwn Tesla, Browsers, and More
Chrome browser pwned (Screenshot: ZDI)

Participants will attempt to hack various software on the second day, including VMware Workstation, Oracle VirtualBox, Firefox, Chrome, Edge, Ubuntu, Windows 11, and Docker Desktop. The three-day event is offering a total of $1.3m in cash and prizes.

  1. Whitehat hacker bypasses SQL injection filter for Cloudflare
  2. Hackers Crack Tesla Twice, Rake in $1.3 Million at Pwn2Own
  3. White hat hackers infect Canon DSLR camera with ransomware
  4. Whitehat hacker shows how to detect hidden cameras in hotels
  5. White hat hacker infects smart coffee machine with ransomware



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Galaxy A55, Fold 2 & more get the March security update

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Less than a week after its market release, Samsung‘s Galaxy A55 is receiving a software update. The new premium mid-range phone is picking up the March 2024 security patch. The latest security update is also available for the Galaxy Z Fold 2, Galaxy A73, Galaxy A52s, and Galaxy A52.

Galaxy A55 gets the latest security patch with its first update

Samsung unveiled the Galaxy A55 on March 11. The device hit the market a few days later. Today, it is receiving the March security update in India and its neighboring countries. The new firmware build number for the phone is A556EXXS1AXC1. The company should soon release the update in other markets where the Galaxy A55 is available.

According to Samsung’s official changelog, the device is getting the latest security fixes with this update. It doesn’t bring anything more. The Galaxy A55 is still very new. Early buyers may have yet to notice major bugs or issues if there are any. If reports surface in the coming weeks, Samsung may address the issues with the next update.

The Galaxy A55 will likely get monthly security updates for at least a couple of years. Samsung will then likely drop it to quarterly updates. Like most other Galaxy devices, it is eligible for five years of security patches and four major Android OS updates. Debuted with Android 14, the mid-range phone will get updates up to Android 18.

Other Galaxy devices are also getting the new security patch

Samsung’s March 2024 SMR (Security Maintenance Release) is also available for a few more Galaxy devices. As said earlier, it is rolling out to the Galaxy Z Fold 2, Galaxy A73, Galaxy A52s, and Galaxy A52. The 2020 foldable is getting this update widely in Europe and a few Asian countries. The new build number for the device is F916BXXS5KXC1.

For the Galaxy A73, the rollout has begun in Asia. It is getting the update with firmware version A736BXXS6DXC3. The Galaxy A52s is picking up the March SMR in Europe and Latin America with the build number A528BXXS6FXC1. Finally, the March update for the Galaxy A52 (4G) is available in Europe and Asia with firmware version A525FXXS6EXC2 or A525FXXS6EXC3.

None of these Galaxy smartphones is receiving new features or improvements with the March update. Samsung is only pushing the latest security fixes to the devices. The company’s March 2024 SMR fixes 46 vulnerabilities, including a couple of critical Android OS flaws. The remaining eligible devices will also get the update soon.

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Reddit CEO’s $193 million compensation draws tough scrutiny

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Reddit co-founder and CEO Steve Huffman’s compensation package for 2023 was a staggering $193 million. This has not only shocked the Reddit community but many internet users for quite a few reasons.

Reddit revealed Huffman’s pay package, which mostly includes stock options, in the mandatory U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing late last month. As the company nears its IPO (Initial Public Offering), this handsome figure has drawn severe criticism. Interestingly, Huffman has defended his compensation via a Reddit AMA.

Steve Huffman has justified his compensation package

As expected, Reddit CEO Huffman’s compensation package has drawn widespread criticism, especially on Reddit. It is important to note that moderators, who essentially manage and run the sub-forums, called sub-Reddits, continue to remain unpaid.

Specifically speaking, moderators have always been considered volunteers. They contribute as per their schedule. While there are strict rules about moderation, it is the moderators who ensure the sub-Reddits remain civil and active.

AM(almost)A answers, but make it video
byu/rddt_IR inRDDT

While avoiding justifying his salary while Reddit’s moderators remain unpaid, Huffman answered why he was awarded $193 million last year. It is interesting to note Reddit has officially admitted that “its results and user experience could be harmed if it were unable to keep a sufficient number of volunteer moderators.”

Could Steve Huffman’s compensation package hurt Reddit’s IPO?

Steve Huffman is Reddit’s CEO and co-founder. He goes by his Reddit username “spez” on the social media platform. He co-founded Reddit with his college roommate, Alexis Ohanian, in 2005.

Condé Nast acquired Reddit for a mere $10 million in 2006. Although this made Steve Huffman and Alexis Ohanian multimillionaires both have expressed regret at selling for such a small amount at the time.

Reddit rehired Huffman as CEO in 2015. Although the platform was growing, his primary objectives were to further propel the company, create a clear content policy, and stabilize infrastructure.

Since then, Reddit has banned thousands of communities for hate speech. The platform underwent a major redesign, and Huffman’s growth propelled him into Fortune’s 40 Under 40 list.

All this success for Reddit, however, hasn’t trickled downwards to its moderators, who continue to remain unpaid. They are still volunteers, who are slogging away for free to maintain the platform.

Hence, Reddit CEO Huffman’s handsome compensation package may invariably be compared to the lack of profit-sharing or compensation for moderators, threatening and occasionally even arm-twisting them. This may impact Reddit’s upcoming IPO.



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Galaxy S25 could get faster storage, UFS 5.0 coming in 2027

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UFS 4.0 flash storage has been around for a while now. It is about twice as fast as UFS 3.1 in terms of read and write speeds. All major flagships use it nowadays, and it has been that way for quite some time. Well, the Samsung Galaxy S25 could up the ante, and end up offering even faster storage.

The Galaxy S25 series could come with faster storage

Samsung Semiconductor has revealed a roadmap of sorts, which reveals the details. Next year, in 2025, Samsung plans to offer UFS 4.0 4-lane CS. This memory combines two UFS controllers for increased sequential read speed.

Samsung Semiconductor UFS 5 0 roadmap

It seems like UFS 4.0 4-lane CS will be capable of 8GB/s speeds, compared to 4GB/s of the current UFS 4.0 storage. So, it’ll be about twice as fast. Samsung highlights that this will help with loading times and on-device AI applications.

We’re not sure if this memory will be ready for the Galaxy S25, though. It is expected to arrive at some point in 2025, with production set in 2024. The Galaxy S25 series is expected in early 2025, most probably in January, so… it remains to be seen.

UFS 5.0 is not scheduled to arrive before 2027

We’ll have to wait until 2027 for UFS 5.0, though, according to Samsung’s roadmap. UFS 5.0 will be capable of offering 10GB/s speeds. So, the Galaxy S27 is expected to debut this storage, if everything goes according to plan, and Samsung sticks to its naming scheme.

Considering that the UFS 4.0 4-lane CS will offer quite a boost over UFS 4.0, we do expect many OEMs to utilize it starting next year. Many companies opt for the fastest RAM and storage when it comes to their flagship smartphones. That is to be expected considering the price tags flagship smartphones go for these days.

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Fully AI-generated games are 10 years away, says Nvidia’s CEO

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On Wednesday, we got the pretty interesting news that Nvidia showcased some generative AI tools that could be implemented into video games. These tools could help developers create AI-generated storylines and character dialogue. Well, Nvidia CEO, Jensen Huang, said that fully AI-generated games are no more than 10 years away.

Right now, we are still at the point where we’re wondering just how far generative AI will go. It’s already proven to be extremely capable and scary at the same time. The technology has already disrupted several Industries including journalism, art, music, Etc. Now, we’re all wondering what impact it will have on gaming.

We predict that more people will use AI for gaming in the future. However, we’re not certain that many people will use AI for actually coding the games. According to a recent study, most companies don’t like to use AI for coding.

Nvidia CEO believes that fully AI-generated games are less than 10 years away

Jensen Huang spoke at GTC, the GPU Technology Conference. Shortly after unveiling the new Blackwell GPUs for AI development, Huang answered a question in a Q&A session. During the session, after being asked if he sees a future where every pixel in the video game is generated, he said, “I think with almost, almost anything in technology, the S curve is not longer than a decade once it becomes true,”.

Basically, he’s saying that once the technology starts to take form, it’ll take less than a decade for it to fully become realized. So, according to his views, by the time 2034 rolls around, we could very well see games created from scratch via AI.

He did say that he didn’t really believe that we’d create games simply by adding a text prompt into a generator. However, he said ” I do think that, let’s say, DLSS 10 in the far future is going to be a completely neural rendering system that interfaces with a game engine in different ways.”

At this point, it’s really hard to tell where AI technology will be in 10 years. It seems that every month or so, companies are coming out with some huge innovation that pushes AI even further. Once we have the groundwork set for a certain technology, production only accelerates from there on. More people and companies are hopping on the AI train, so who knows if 10 years turns into 5 years? For all we know, AI could substantially influence video games just one year down the road.

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Hacker Pleads Guilty For Stealing 132,000+ Users Data

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Robert Purbeck, a hacker known as “Lifelock” and “Studmaster,”  hacked into the computer servers of the City of Newnan, a medical clinic in Griffin, and at least 17 other victims across the US. 

He stole the personal information of more than 132,000 individuals, pleaded guilty to federal charges of computer fraud and abuse and, breached computer systems nationwide, stole a massive amount of personal data, then extorted his victims by threatening to expose this sensitive information. 

The incident highlights the serious risk cyberattacks pose to healthcare facilities and government institutions.

Law enforcement is committed to working together to fight cybercrime and protect citizens’ personal information, read DoJ’s Press release.

The FBI’s Atlanta field office emphasizes its commitment to combating cybercrime and prioritizes apprehending cybercriminals and thwarting attacks on critical infrastructure.

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According to FBI Atlanta’s Special Agent in Charge, Keri Farley, the agency relentlessly pursues these criminals and disrupts their operations, ensuring they are brought to justice.

Focusing on victim safety translates to aggressive investigations, regardless of the criminals’ location, to hold them accountable under legal statutes.

Hacked into the Computer Servers 

Robert Purbeck engaged in cybercrime by acquiring unauthorized access to computer servers on the darknet marketplace, while in June 2017, he purchased access credentials for a Griffin, Georgia, medical clinic’s server. 

Using these stolen credentials, Purbeck infiltrated the clinic’s computer systems and exfiltrated sensitive personal information belonging to over 43,000 individuals, which included names, addresses, birthdates, and Social Security numbers. 

Nearly a year later, Purbeck repeated the offense by acquiring access to the City of Newnan, Georgia, Police Department’s server in February 2018. 

After gaining unauthorized entry, he stole police reports and documents containing the personal information of more than 14,000 people.  

In an FBI investigation on August 31st, 2019, a federal search warrant was executed at Purbeck’s residence in Meridian, Idaho, and the FBI seized multiple electronic devices containing the personal information of over 132,000 individuals. 

A blank Federal Search warrant form 

The data was obtained through multiple breaches targeting entities like the City of Newnan, the Griffin Medical Clinic, and at least 17 other victims across the US.

As part of a plea agreement, Purbeck agreed to compensate the victims by over $1 million. 

A resident of Meridian, Idaho, 44-year-old Purbeck, is scheduled for sentencing on June 18, 2024, at 10:30 am for the case involving hacking computer systems belonging to the City of Newnan and a Griffin medical clinic in Georgia. 

Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy C. Batten Sr. will preside over the sentencing at the United States Courthouse in Newnan, whereas the FBI Atlanta Field Office pursued the investigation with support from the FBI Boise, Idaho Resident Agency. 

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Herskowitz, Nathan Kitchens, Alex Sistla, and Nicholas Evert, along with Trial Attorney Brian Mund from the U.S. Department of Justice Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, are leading the prosecution of a case, with significant support from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho.

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



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Leaked renders reveal three colors for Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (2024)

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Samsung will soon launch a new mid-range Android tablet, the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (2024). It is a refreshed version of a 2020 tablet of the same name. The device has been refreshed once in 2022, with the company upgrading the chipset and the OS version. Leaks suggest the 2024 model will be a similarly minor upgrade. There may be a new color option this time, though.

Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (2024) may come in a new color

Renders leaked via X by @Sudhanshu1414 show the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (2024) in three colors. These are reportedly named Chiffon Pink, Oxford Gray, and Mint. The former two colors were also available for the 2020 and 2022 versions of the tablet. However, the Mint option is new. It replaces Angora Blue as the third color variant for the device, which doesn’t see any aesthetic change.

This means the upcoming tablet will look identical to the one launched four years ago. It has a fairly slim profile with flat edges, rounded corners, and bulky but symmetrical display bezels. There is a single rear-facing camera without an LED flash. You get a camera on the front as well. The device supports S Pen and boasts AKG-tuned dual stereo speakers.

The power and volume buttons sit on the right side where you will also find a microphone hole and the SIM tray. There is a second microphone hole at the top, alongside a 3.5mm headphone jack and a speaker. The bottom edge has room for the USB Type-C port and a speaker, while the left side is blank. You will find a Samsung logo and “Sound by AKG” printed on the back.

The internals of the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (2024) also largely remain unchanged from the 2020 and 2022 versions. The display is a TFT LCD panel measuring 10.4 inches diagonally with a 1200 x 2000 pixels resolution. The rear camera is an 8MP unit while the selfie camera is a 5MP unit. The tablet is fueled by a 7,000mAh battery that, sadly, still charges at just 15W speed.

Samsung has upgraded the chipset again

The original Galaxy Tab S6 Lite shipped with the Exynos 9611 processor and Android 10. The 2022 version got Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 732G/720G and Android 12. The upcoming model will now ship with the Exynos 1280 and Android 14 out of the box. The RAM amount remains unchanged at 4GB, while you also only get 64GB and 128GB storage variants. The tablet supports a microSD card.

The Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (2024) also upgrades from Bluetooth 5.0 to Bluetooth 5.3. You still get Wi-Fi 5 and miss out on NFC. Leaks say Samsung will release the tablet in Wi-Fi and 5G versions. The former will carry a starting price of €429 for the 64GB variant in Europe. The top-most variant (5G version with 128GB of internal storage) will reportedly cost €519. Stay tuned for the official launch.



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