Threads by Instagram has been on a roll lately, adding new features and improvements to the app. Just yesterday, we reported on how Threads officially rolled out saving drafts and taking photos from inside the app, and today, we are excited to find out that Threads now also supports Ultra HDR images and 10-bit video on Pixel devices. This means that your photos and videos will appear with enhanced colors, superior brightness, and deeper contrasts.As tested and reported by 9to5Google, to benefit from this, you’ll need a recent Pixel phone device such as the Pixel 8 series, Pixel 7 series, or the Pixel Fold. These phones are equipped with the displays required to showcase Ultra HDR and 10-bit HDR content in a way that can be appreciated.
Pixel support for Ultra HDR photos and 10-bit HDR videos was added to Instagram as part of the March Pixel Feature Drop. However, when this dropped, there was no mention that other Meta apps, such as Threads, would gain this support as well. This omission seems kind of strange, considering how Threads is attempting to appeal to the masses by rolling out new features on a regular basis.
It’s important to note, however, that while Threads now supports these formats, your Pixel won’t automatically capture content in Ultra HDR. To enable this functionality, you will need to dig into the Pixel camera settings, but it’s fortunately a simple process. Here’s how:
To enable Ultra HDR images:
Open the Google camera app
Tap on Settings
Tap on More settings
Tap on Advanced
Tap on Ultra HDR
Toggle it on
To enable 10-bit video:
Keep in mind that this limits you to 30fps at both 1080p and 4K resolutions.
Open the Google camera app
Tap on Settings
Look for 10-bit HDR
Toggle it on
This addition to Threads hints at ongoing improvements in how Meta develops its Android apps. Google recently highlighted how the tech giants are working together to streamline this process. It appears that Threads is one of several Meta apps already reaping the benefits of this collaboration.
Google Wallet is receiving a set of small quality of life updates designed to enhance the user experience and make it your go-to digital home for essential passes, tickets, and more. The updates include tighter integration with Gmail to eliminate the extra step of manually adding passes and movie tickets to your wallet.
Easily access your movie tickets and boarding passes from Gmail
If you’ve ever purchased a movie ticket or booked a flight online, you’ve likely encountered the inconvenience of having to scramble through your Gmail in order to find the confirmation. Only to find out that the cellular signal is very weak, and your email won’t load. This is a perfect use case for Google Wallet, which Google just announced (via Mishaal Rahman) now directly integrates with Gmail, automatically surfacing movie tickets and boarding passes from participating airlines and movie chains.Google states that this feature is currently available with select global chains, but that the company is working hard to expand its reach. This will likely save you some time and fuss, as you can now have your tickets and passes readily available in one spot with you need them.
Image via Mishaal Rahman
Enhanced Pass management: Archive and unarchive with ease
Managing your collection of passes within Google Wallet just got more convenient. You now have the ability to manually archive most passes. Archiving a pass places it in the “Archived Passes” section (which was formerly called “Expired Passes”) of the app.
If you ever need to unarchive any of these previous passes, you can do so as well by tapping on the pass and selecting “Unarchive Pass.” Furthermore, the ability to archive passes extends to your Wear OS devices for more efficient organization, no matter where you are.
Loyalty rewards shine on Google
Google Wallet is further blurring the lines between your digital life and the real world. For US-based users, there’s a new beta feature out: loyalty cards saved in Wallet are now cleverly linked with Google Search and Shopping. This means that your membership benefits can be highlighted as you browse for products online, potentially unlocking special offers and discounts. Businesses interested in taking part in this beta test will need to reach out to Google support in order to enroll.
Google Wallet expands its reach
Lastly, Google Wallet is becoming more accessible around the globe. Back in November, Google Wallet became available to residents of the Dominican Republic, Monaco, and Peru. This means that Google Wallet is now available in 74 countries worldwide for both Android and Wear OS.
Threat actors aim at Cloud environments because of their wide acceptance and one-stop storage of important information.
Exploiting shortcomings in cloud security may enable unauthorized access to sensitive data, interruptions in infrastructure, or earning money.
The fact that the systems are highly scalable and interconnected makes them good targets for cyber-attacks.
Cybersecurity analysts at the NSA recently released the top ten best security practices for cloud environments.
Top Ten Best Practices For Cloud Environments
NSA researchers recently released cloud security mitigation strategies in an attempt to educate cloud users about important security practices. Threat actors mostly target cloud users while they shift their data to cloud environments.
The document has 10 Cybersecurity Information Sheets (CSIs), every one focusing on a distinct approach.
For six of the 10 strategies, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) collaborates with the National Security Agency (NSA).
Here below, we have mentioned all the top ten best security practices for cloud environments provided by the NSA:-
Uphold the cloud shared responsibility model: This CSI educates on a cloud framework by clarifying the security responsibilities for both CSP and customers in securing their chosen cloud instance.
Use secure cloud identity and access management practices (Joint with CISA): This CSI clarifies cloud identity management threats and suggests best practices to mitigate them for organizations in the cloud.
Use secure cloud key management practices (Joint with CISA): This CSI suggests key management options and best practices for their use. It emphasizes the importance of understanding shared security responsibilities with cloud KMS.
Implement network segmentation and encryption in cloud environments (Joint with CISA): This CSI advises on applying principles in cloud environments that are distinct from on-prem networks. Cloud tech offers an infrastructure for ZT without specialized appliances. It primarily highlights the best practices using common cloud features.
Secure data in the cloud (Joint with CISA): Securing cloud data is crucial as organizations migrate. Understanding data sensitivity, choosing proper storage, and applying security measures are the key factors. This CSI gives an overview and practices for securing and auditing cloud storage.
Defending continuous integration/continuous delivery environments (Joint with CISA): NSA and CISA offer this CSI to enhance cloud DevSecOps defenses. It guides integrating security into DevOps CI/CD environments, leveraging government guidance for robust CI/CD cloud deployments.
Enforce secure automated deployment practices through infrastructure such as code: IaC, baselines, and golden images, which are templates for deploying resources across on-premises and in thecloud. IaC automates deployment using code, including security policies. Baselines and golden images provide secure starting points.
Account for complexities introduced by hybrid cloud and multi-cloud environments: This CSI tackles challenges in implementing hybrid and multi-cloud by offering solutions to mitigate increased complexity.
Mitigate risks from managed service providers in cloud environments (Joint with CISA): MSPs manage IT services in the cloud, offering backup, infrastructure, and security. They provide tailored solutions, but using them increases cybersecurity risks.
Manage cloud logs for effective threat hunting: Cloud tenant access is complex due to virtualization, as the security relies on unmodifiable logs. So, the access policies, logs, and audits must be monitored. Organizations must manage logs for threat hunting and compliance.
Cloud computing boosts IT efficacy and security if deployed correctly.
However, data concentration attracts the threat actors, so these guidelines will allow them to safeguard their cloud environment.
With Perimeter81 malware protection, you can block malware, including Trojans, ransomware, spyware, rootkits, worms, and zero-day exploits. All are incredibly harmful and can wreak havoc on your network.
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The HONOR Magic6 Ultimate Edition will launch on March 18, the company has confirmed. This information has been shared by HONOR itself, and some of its higher officials via their social media accounts.
The HONOR Magic6 Ultimate Edition will launch on March 18 in China
Having said that, the company also shared a teaser on Weibo (China’s social media network). You can check out that image below. Not only does it reveal a part of the design of the phone, but it also states the aforementioned date.
You can immediately notice that the camera module on the back will be different compared to the regular model. It will not be circular. It will actually be squarish, with rounded corners. Interestingly enough, the top right and bottom left corners will be more rounded than the other two. The glass on top of the cameras is also curved.
Based on this image, we can also see that HONOR will use vegan leather on the back of this phone. This seems to be a black-colored variant with a dark gray frame and a gold accent around the camera island.
You can clearly see that HONOR plans to stick with the camera layout here. It’s basically the same as on the HONOR Magic6 Pro, and this phone will likely have the same internals or at least almost the same as the Magic6 Pro.
The Motorola Moto G Power 5G (2024) appeared on Geekbench with some of its specs
The device managed to score 679 points in the single-core, and 2,005 points in the multi-core test. This is not exactly a premium product, but a budget one, so keep that in mind.
Geekbench revealed that the phone will be fueled by the MediaTek Dimensity 7020 processor. That is basically a rebrand of the MediaTek Dimensity 930 chip, for those of you who are unaware.
That is an octa-core processor that has two cores that run at 2.2GHz, and six cores that run at 2.0GHz. The PowerVR B-Series BXM-8-256 GPU is in use here. The phone will include 8GB of RAM, and Android 14 will come pre-installed on it.
That is everything that Geekbench shared, but it’s not all we know. The Moto G Power 5G (2024) did surface in images before. It appeared in CAD-based renders, while some official images also surfaced.
The phone is coming in two color variants, with a 5,000mAh battery
The device will include two cameras on the back. They’ll be placed in the top-left corner and will be vertically aligned. There will be a flat display on the front, with a centered display camera hole. The bottom bezel will be noticeably thicker than the rest, and an audio jack will sit at the bottom of the phone.
The OnePlus 13 appears in a render, but it’s probably fake
A sketch that resembles this render was first reported to be one of the company’s upcoming Ace phones. In addition to that, it doesn’t look particularly believable. It looks like something a designer put together and pushed it out.
There’s of course a chance that we’re wrong, but the OnePlus 13 is not expected to arrive until January next year. Its CAD-based renders are not even close to being available, so… chances are this render is not real.
However, the OnePlus 13 is tipped to get a complete redesign. Its rear camera module will look considerably different than it did in the last couple of years. So, we may see something similar to this, who knows?
Based on this render, the phone will have three vertically aligned cameras
The render shown here has three vertically aligned cameras, while the middle one is the largest. That camera also has a green circle around it, for whatever reason, and there’s the Hasselblad branding below it.
An LED flash is also shown here, next to the camera island, while you can also see the company’s logo on the back. The physical buttons are placed on the right-hand side. The volume rocker buttons seem to be quite long, though.
The backplate here is mostly flat, but it does curve towards the frame on the very edges… on all sides. That render comes from OnePlus Clud, which is not the usual source for leaks. So, the point is, take this image with a grain of salt, as it’s easily possible it’s not real.
Instagram has been consistent with updates, and lately, it brought some cool features to private messages. It includes editing the message you sent, pinning your top three conversations, and more. But there’s something more, you mightn’t know about. Instagram has recently brought in a secret emoji game. Well, this is fun to play around especially when your friend isn’t responding on time. It’s a cool time killer and of course, a fun mini-game.
You can start playing Instagram’s secret emoji game, right now
This mini-game is available right now, and you can get ready with that. To get started, start a conversation with anyone, or even engage with Meta’s AI assistant. Once you’ve slid into one’s DMs, simply drop an emoji. Again, it could be any emoji. But you might want to choose what you like because that’ll be your in-game character or the bouncing ball of Instagram’s secret emoji game.
After you pick the emoji and send it, you need to tap it. At that point, it becomes bouncing the ball/emoji around the screen. You use a slider to stop it from going past the bottom of the screen. Every time you stop the emoji, you get a point. But if it gets past your slider, the game ends. Winning isn’t clear, but the emoji will get faster as you play, making it harder. What’s worth mentioning is it saves your high score, so you can try beating it the next time. This game recalls my memories of playing the Dinosaur T-Rex Game on Chrome, which shows up if your internet is down and saves the high score.
A spokesperson told The Sun that Meta is “always working on ways to make Instagram feel more fun while connecting with friends.”
Huawei & SMIC used US tech to make a 7nm SoC, but they did not break any rules while doing so
Before you jump to conclusions, though, do note that the tech (in this case US machinery) was obtained before the US banned such sales to China. That happened in October 2022, in case you don’t remember. So, technically, SMIC and Huawei did nothing against the rules.
The US continues its plan to deprive SMIC and Huawei from access to its advanced tech. The Kirin 9000S is not exactly on par with the latest flagship SoCs, but it’s good enough for Huawei to use it in its flagships, it seems.
The Kirin 9000S is a 7nm chip, and a new processor is coming this year
So, even that chip won’t be in line with the latest and greatest. The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is still a great chip, so… that will probably be enough for Huawei. The main benefit of the fact Huawei has its own chips is that it can offer 5G connectivity. That is something it was prevented from doing for years.
As a reminder, the US added Huawei to a trade restrictions list back in 2019. SMIC joined Huawei in 2020. Both companies denied wrongdoing, but that did not affect the decision the US made.
It appears that Motorola is bringing its A-game in 2024. This is the new Motorola Edge 50 Pro. Of course, it’ll likely use two other names as well. In China, it’ll likely be called the Motorola X50 Ultra, and in the US, it’ll likely be called the Motorola Edge+ (2024).
This is quite a stunning smartphone from Motorola, coming in three colors: purple, black, and a silver/white/stone color. The silver color looks pretty similar in design to the OnePlus 12 in the Flowy Emerald color. It looks nice. However, the backs of the purple and black colors appear to have a texture. This definitely looks like faux leather, which is a texture we’ve been seeing a lot more recently on smartphones.
Motorola has equipped the Edge 50 Pro with a triple camera setup on the rear. This includes a 50-megapixel f/1.4 aperture main sensor as well as a wide angle at 13mm and a telephoto at 73mm, which would be a 6x zoom. This camera setup looks pretty incredible, with laser autofocus and OIS also included.
Motorola’s sticking with a curved display
In the past six months or so, we’ve seen many flagship phones launch without curved displays, instead opting for flat displays, like the Pixel 8 Pro last fall and the Galaxy S24 Ultra in January. But Motorola is sticking to a curved display here. It will be a 6.7-inch display with a 165Hz refresh rate.
Complete with a hole punch for the front-facing camera, this new smartphone from Motorola seems to have it all. Internally, it is set to sport the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, 12GB of RAM, 4500mAh capacity battery with support for 125W wired charging and 50W wireless charging.
Motorola has already released a teaser for the X50 Ultra in China, which indicates that this is going to be an AI phone. That sounds about right, with everything having AI these days and most smartphones launching with Google’s Gemini AI model, too.
We should learn more about the X50 Ultra/Edge 50 Pro in the coming weeks. These renders show the date of April 3, which is typically the announcement date for the phone in the render. That’s less than a month away.
A Bluetooth certification recently confirmed that Samsung‘s upcoming mid-range Android tablet will be called the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (2024) and not the Galaxy Tab S9 Lite, as rumored earlier. While a launch date is not yet available, the device appears to be just around the corner. A major leak has just revealed its specs and design before the official unveiling.
Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (2024) leaked in detail ahead of launch
The Galaxy Tab S6 Lite isn’t a new tablet. Samsung first launched it in 2020 and introduced a refreshed version in 2022. It shipped the 2022 model with a newer processor and the latest version of Android at that time. The company is now preparing to launch a second refresh of the tablet. There were rumors that it would arrive as the Galaxy Tab S9 Lite, but not to be. Samsung is calling it the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (2024).
Leaks have already revealed that the new tablet will keep most of the internal components unchanged. German publication WinFuture just confirmed it, adding that the design won’t change either. The Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (2024) will retain the 10.4-inch LCD screen with a 2000×1200 pixels resolution and S Pen support. The display has thick but symmetrical bezels around it.
Thick bezels mean Samsung doesn’t need a notch or hole on the display for the selfie camera. The device has an unchanged 5MP selfie camera on the top bezel when holding it in portrait orientation. The single rear-facing camera is also an unchanged 8MP unit. There is no LED flash on the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (2024). Its power and volume buttons are on the right side where you will also find a microphone and the SIM tray.
A second microphone, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a speaker are found at the top. The device has AKG-tuned stereo speakers, which means another speaker at the bottom, alongside the USB-C port. The Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (2024) has a metallic frame and back panel (likely made of aluminum) and packs a 7040mAh battery. Samsung has probably kept the charging speed unchanged at just 15W.
Samsung has changed the processor
Like the 2022 model, the new refresh of the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite comes with a newer chipset. Samsung has equipped the device with its Exynos 1280, a mid-range processor that debuted with the Galaxy A53 5G in early 2022. The chipset is paired with 4GB of RAM and 64GB/128GB of storage, so no changes there. Like previous versions, the new tablet should feature a dedicated microSD slot for expandable storage.
The Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (2024) is expected to ship with Android 14-based One UI 6.1 out of the box. Certifications recently revealed that it will feature Bluetooth 5.3, an upgrade over Bluetooth 5.0 on the previous versions. Samsung will reportedly keep the price largely unchanged, at least in Europe. The Wi-Fi variant will start at around €400, while the LTE variant will cost €50 more. We will let you know when the device goes official.
