Google is working on sound-based reactions for phone calls. Called Audiomojis, these are sound effects that you can use during calls. The company is currently developing six such effects for its Phone app. Each reaction gets a unique animation that will appear on the screen when you use it.
Google’s Phone app will let you use sound effects during calls
Code sleuth AssembleDebug first spotted Google working on Audiomojis in September 2023. They discovered strings related to a non-functional “Sound reactions” toggle within the beta version of the Phone app. However, details were scarce to make anything meaningful. The company removed the strings from subsequent beta versions, suggesting it was a brief internal experiment.
But the beta version 124 of Google Phone reintroduced the sound reactions feature, complete with files for the sound effects. Google initially plans to add six Audiomojis to the app—Sad, Applause, Party popper, Cry laugh, Poop, and Drum roll. These will be available when you are on a call. If the other person says something praiseworthy, you can react with the Applause Audiomoji and so on.
The source has provided links to download the Ogg files for these sound effects. Each reaction also comes with a unique animation that will be shown on the screen, likely for both parties on the call. Overall, Audiomoji is an audio version of emoji reactions we use in text messages. Google’s idea is to add some fun elements to phone calls and make conversations more engaging.
It might be long before Audiomojis are available to users, though. Google appears to be still in the early stages of its development. The said beta version of the Phone app doesn’t include code for the whole feature—codes for some animations are missing. A future update for the app should bring the feature, first to beta users and then to the general public.
Audiomoji could be part of the Call Screen feature
Since Audiomojis are currently non-functional, it is unclear how Google plans to implement this feature. The source speculates that the company might offer it as part of the Call Screen feature. Or maybe Audiomojis will be accessible directly from the call screen. We will know for sure once the feature starts taking proper shape within the Phone app. Stick around and we will keep you posted. Make sure to update apps regularly so you don’t miss out on new features and improvements.
Despite arrests, infrastructure seizure and international law enforcement efforts, LockBit ransomware has resurfaced, promising robust security and threatening aggressive cyber attacks on UK and USA government sectors.
The LockBit ransomware gang has officially announced its comeback through a detailed message posted on Saturday on its newly created .onion site on the dark web.
The leader of the LockBit ransomware, whose identity is still unknown to authorities, admitted negligence in letting the FBI and the UK’s National Crime Agency control its servers via a PHP attack but promised backups and continued operations.
The new dark web leak site of the ransomware gang is already live and adding new alleged companies as its victims (Screenshot credit: Hackread.com)
The announcement comes only a week after the group was neutralized in Operation Cronos, a multinational law enforcement investigation, reportedly neutralized the ransomware gang.
For your information, on 19 February 2024, as reported by Hackread.com, law enforcement authorities seized LockBit’s infrastructure, including 34 servers that hosted the gang’s data leak website storing stolen data, cryptocurrency addresses, decryption keys, and the affiliate panel causing a major setback to the notorious gang.
The message from the gang’s admin which directly addressed the FBI and the NCA, revealed that servers without PHP installed in backup blogs are unaffected and will continue to release stolen data from targeted companies, even after the FBI hack, and stolen data will be published on the LockBit blog.
The admin claims that Operation Cronos was successful because of their negligence and irresponsibility in “not updating PHP settings on their servers in good time.” They denied Operation Cronos investigators’ claims regarding arresting their two alleged affiliates, the gang donating to a Crimea-based Russian propagandist (Sevastapol Colonel Cassad), and recovering a high number of decryptors.
However, LockBit confirmed the FBI’s claim that its annual income exceeds $100m, based on data from seized cryptocurrency wallets during Operation Cronos. The group has deleted chats containing evidence of ransomware payments, indicating that their revenues exceed US law enforcement estimates. This demonstrates their success despite making mistakes.
The admin wrote that their victim’s admin chat panels server and blog server were running PHP 8.1.2 and were likely hacked using the CVE-2023-3824 vulnerability. LockBit ransomware has updated its PHP server and offering rewards for finding vulnerabilities in its latest version. LockBit has moved its data leak site to a new.onion address and has targeted five victims with countdown timers to expose the stolen data.
LockBit’s message to the FBI and the NCA – Open in a new tab for a clear view (Screenshot credit: Hackread.com)
Regarding why the FBI hacked their infrastructure, the gang stated that their ransomware attack on Fulton County in January irked the authorities for posing the risk of leaking information on Donald Trump court cases and other “interesting things.”
LockBit claims authorities collected over 1,000 decryption keys during Operation Cronos from “unprotected decryptors,” which they defined as low-level malware builds. LockBit plans to upgrade security, manually release decryptors, host affiliate panels on multiple servers, and provide partners with access to different copies.
Apple’s recently released extended reality (XR) headset, the Vision Pro, pushes the boundaries of technology with its high-resolution displays and advanced processing power. But all that technology comes at a steep price, starting at $3,499. And it turns out that manufacturing costs may be the reason Apple makes the headset so expensive. Supply chain analysts at Omdia estimate that it costs Apple $1,542 just for the individual components that make up the device.
A significant portion of that material cost comes from the headset’s dual 4K micro OLED displays. Sony supplies Apple with the two panels, each of which has a resolution of 4000×4000 pixels. The report reveals that each display module costs Apple a hefty $228. With two displays required, that adds up to $456 – nearly a third of the total cost of materials.
The next most expensive components inside the Apple Vision Pro are likely the custom M2 and R1 processors that power its mixed reality experiences. However, the report did not include specific pricing for the chips. The M2 chip and custom silicon could cost more than $1,500 before R&D.
However, some experts argue that the Vision Pro’s current $3,500 price tag is out of reach for the average consumer. It’s about four times more expensive than competitors like the Meta Quest Pro. There are also concerns about whether the public is ready to “live” in VR worlds beyond gaming.
Vision Pro headset costs Apple over $1,500
While supply chain analysts estimate the bill of materials for the Apple Vision Pro at $1,542, the company declined to verify the cost breakdown. Apple CEO Tim Cook has previously criticized such teardown analyses as inaccurate. “I’ve never seen one that’s even close to accurate,” Cook said in 2015.
Last week, Mark Zuckerberg took to Instagram to share his thoughts on the Vision Pro, comparing it to the Meta Quest 3. In his final words on the Apple Vision Pro vs. Meta Quest 3, he asserts, “I don’t just think Quest is the better value, I think Quest is the better product, period.”
In other news, Huawei is also preparing to launch its rival for the Apple Vision Pro. Huawei’s headset is said to be less expensive than the Vision Pro while offering the same level of technology. According to the former marketing director of Meizu, Huawei’s alleged virtual reality headset is powered by an in-house chip from the Chinese company.
Experiencing a sudden Facebook or Instagram account suspension? You’re not alone. Suspicious activity on Oculus accounts linked to META users is going unaddressed as META opts for suspensions instead of addressing the root cause.
Multiple posts on social media platforms like Reddit suggest a sudden rise in Facebook and Instagram account suspensions, causing frustration among users, mainly because they are clueless about why this is happening.
Many users claim their accounts were suspended without warning or explanation, leaving them unaware of the alleged violation. Users complained about seeing a suspension message from Meta that read:
“Your account was suspended because your linked Meta account doesn’t follow our rules. Log into your linked auth.oculus.com account to appeal our decision.”
Users are confused and frustrated due to Meta’s lack of transparency about suspension reasons and limited appeal options whereas the lack of communication from Meta regarding the suspensions is making it difficult to understand and address the situation.
Reddit user r/facebookdisabledme posted: “Facebook suspended my account without giving any specific reason. Trying to appeal is proving to be extremely difficult.”
Users on Facebook, Instagram, and Reddit are reporting a connection between suspensions and their linked Oculus accounts, indicating a potential security issue within the VR platform. Further probing reveals that Vietnamese hackers could be exploiting vulnerabilities in the Oculus Meta system, which was acquired by Meta in 2014.
“There were 2 logins from Vietnam into my account (I’m from Belgium). Most likely that’s why Facebook suspended the account immediately? But I didn’t get any recovery mail or explanation” user u/Mammoth_Resolution_7 shared on Reddit.
One user claimed the hacker linked Meta Horizon account to his Facebook and another reported linking of Meta Oculus.
According to sources, hackers are creating Oculus Meta accounts and linking them to victims’ social media accounts, registering them as unauthorized access, which is leading to thousands of account suspensions.
For your information, Meta introduced Meta Accounts in 2022 to allow the decoupling of Quest users’ devices from their Facebook profiles. This change was deemed inevitable as it prevented users from losing access to their Oculus Meta account if their Facebook account was banned. However, multiple accounts are still linked, affecting many Facebook or Instagram accounts’ safety.
It is also worth noting that Vietnamese cybercriminals have a history of targeting META and business pages on the platform, with instances of using DarkGate malware to steal login credentials.
Nevertheless, META almost member addresses why it suspends user accounts. However, to avoid account suspensions, users should review Meta’s Community Standards, check for official announcements on their website or social media platforms, contact Meta Support through their official channels, and be patient and persistent in navigating the appeal process.
Meta should provide clear communication and address concerns promptly and transparently, as it is crucial for users to understand the specific reason for their account suspension and to be patient and persistent in their efforts to reach out to them.
WhatsApp is working on a new messaging feature that will allow users to share Lottie stickers. As per a report by WABteaInfo, the meta-owned messaging platform is currently testing this feature in the beta version on Android. The Lottie stickers will be aimed to enhance user expression and communication using an engaging form of emoji interaction.
Animated WhatsApp stickers will soon look more beautiful
The popular cross-platform messaging app is planning to expand beyond text and images with new Lottie animated stickers. It’s worth mentioning that WhatsApp already supports animated stickers in WebP format. Although this format is great when it comes to efficiency, as these sticker packages are smaller in size. But, they are not great for quality as the content starts appearing pixelated on large-screen devices.
However, the Lottie stickers are both efficient and great in quality on screen sizes. These stickers are in a vector file format unlike Webp, which is a raster file format. So, the stickers in the Lottie format appear much sharper while maintaining quality, no matter how much you increase their size.
Notably, the new WhatsApp update will allow stickers to offer complex movements, transitions, and effects, which will enhance their expressiveness. It’s also worth noting that these enhancements will not increase the size of the sticker file. These stickers should offer a similar or even smaller file package size than the WebP format. So, users will be getting the best of both worlds – efficiency and quality. The company has already enhanced the regular texting experience recently with its new formatting feature.
“Users will be able to take advantage of a higher quality experience for stickers thanks to Lottie in a future update, primarily due to its support for vector-based animations. Integrating Lottie into sticker functionality will enable the creation of animated stickers with more fluid motions, vibrant colors, and intricate details, elevating the level of interaction within our chats”, mentions the report.
WhatsApp’s Lottie stickers are in testing and could take a few months to launch
As per the report, WhatsApp is currently testing the Lottie stickers in beta (version 2.24.5.10) on the Android platform. There’s no word when the company will make this interesting feature available to the public in the stable version. Since WhatsApp has just started testing this feature, don’t expect it to be available for at least a couple of months.
Once the testing is complete the Lottie stickers should be available for all Android, iOS, web, Mac, and other platforms at once. We will bring you more details as soon as the new updates hit the interwebs, so stay tuned.
The Nothing Phone (2a) is all set to launch globally at an event on March 5th. Ahead of the launch, there have been speculations if the phone will feature a Glyph interface like its predecessors or not. While some leaked photos suggested the availability of the feature, some reports indicated that the budget phone could ditch it.
However, now the company has officially confirmed that the Nothing Phone (2a) will flaunt the Glyph interface after all. The brand has posted an interesting CGI promotional unboxing video for the smartphone on X. The video has finally given us an official look at what the Nothing Phone (2a) Glyph lights would look like.
Nothing Phone (2a) will have limited Glyph lights placed around the cameras
As you can see in the teaser post, the Nothing Phone (2a) will sport limited Glyph lights. These will sit around the dual primary camera module. While the premium Nothing Phone 2 has 11 Glyph lights, its affordable sibling will only sport three modules. There are fewer Glyph lights as the company wanted to keep the cost down of the pocket-friendly smartphone.
Furthermore, the CGI unboxing video has revealed that the Nothing Phone (2a) will feature a totally different rear camera placement. The phone will have horizontally-placed dual rear cameras towards the middle. These appear to resemble the eyes of a robot. Notably, the budget phone will continue to flaunt the transparent aesthetics at the rear, just like its predecessors.
The upcoming Nothing phone will be a budget offering with the Dimensity 7200 Pro SoC
It’s worth mentioning that Nothing has already confirmed that the Phone (2a) will be packing the MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro SoC. It is a tweaked variant of the regular Dimensity 7200 processor. Nothing and MediaTek co-engineered this chipset for the upcoming smartphone. The phone will be coming in 8GB and 12GB RAM variants. The smartphone could come in 128GB and 256GB storage variants.
As for the other specs, the Nothing Phone (2a) may expected to boast a 6.7-inch OLED display. It is said to sport full HD+ resolution and a screen refresh rate of 120Hz. At the rear, the handset could have a 50MP primary shooter, aided by a 50MP ultra-wide angle snapper. For selfies, the smartphone is rumored to sport a 32MP snapper, placed inside a hole on top of the screen.
Software-wise, the Nothing Phone (2a) will boot NothingOS 2.5 based on the latest Android 14 version. The rumor mill hasn’t yet revealed the battery capacity, but the phone could possibly offer 45W fast charging support. Since it will be a budget smartphone, don’t expect it to offer wireless charging functionality.
If the reports are to be believed, the 8GB RAM + 128GB ROM variant of the smartphone will cost around €349/$380. The higher-end 12GB + 256GB model of the handset is said to set you back by €399/$430. We will know more at the event on March 5th, so stay tuned for regular updates.
For decades, fake IDs had roughly three purposes: Buying booze before legally allowed, getting into age-restricted clubs, and, we can only assume, completing nation-state spycraft for embedded informants and double agents.
In 2024, that’s changed, as the uses for fake IDs have become enmeshed with the internet.
Want to sign up for a cryptocurrency exchange where you’ll use traditional funds to purchase and exchange digital currency? You’ll likely need to submit a photo of your real ID so that the cryptocurrency platform can ensure you’re a real user. What about if you want to watch porn online in the US state of Louisiana? It’s a niche example, but because of a law passed in 2022, you will likely need to submit, again, a photo of your state driver’s license to a separate ID verification mobile app that then connects with porn sites to authorize your request.
The discrepancies in these end-uses are stark; cryptocurrency and porn don’t have too much in common with Red Bull vodkas and, to pick just one example, a Guatemalan coup. But there’s something else happening here that reveals the subtle differences between yesteryear’s fake IDs and today’s, which is that modern ID verification doesn’t need a physical ID card or passport to work—it can sometimes function only with an image.
Last month, the technology reporting outfit 404 Media investigated an online service called OnlyFake that claimed to use artificial intelligence to pump out images of fake IDs. By filling out some bogus personal information, like a made-up birthdate, height, and weight, OnlyFake would provide convincing images of real forms of ID, be they driver’s licenses in California or passports from the US, the UK, Mexico, Canada, Japan, and more. Those images, in turn, could then be used to fraudulently pass identification checks on certain websites.
When 404 Media co-founder and reporter Joseph Cox learned about OnlyFake, he tested whether an image of a fake passport he generated could be used to authenticate his identity with an online cryptocurrency exchange.
In short, it did.
By creating a fraudulent British passport through OnlyFake, Joseph Cox—or as his fake ID said, “David Creeks”—managed to verify his false identity when creating an account with the cryptocurrency market OKX.
Today, on the Lock and Code podcast with host David Ruiz, we speak with Cox about the believability of his fake IDs, the AI claims and limitations of OnlyFake, what’s in store for the future of the site— which went dark after Cox’s report—and what other types of fraud are now dangerously within reach for countless threat actors.
Making fake IDs, even photos of fake IDs, is a very particular skill set—it’s like a trade in the criminal underground. You don’t need that anymore.
More than a year after it was announced at CES 2023, Google and Spotify are finally bringing Spotify Connect integration to Android’s media player notification. At MWC 2024, Google again announced the upcoming feature, which will allow users to easily switch between devices when listening to music on Spotify.
You can now control Spotify using Android’s media switcher
With this new integration, Spotify listeners can use the output switcher option within the Android media notification to change where their music is playing. With a tap on the notification, users can send their Spotify playlist or podcast from their phone to other nearby speakers that support Spotify Connect. This turns an Android device into a remote control for Spotify, allowing playback control without having to open the app itself.
Output device suggestions will be contextual, showing options relevant to the user based on their location, time of day, and proximity to connected speakers on the same Wi-Fi. For example, commuters can start a playlist on their phone during the morning commute and seamlessly switch to a smart speaker in the kitchen with a single tap when they get home. Parents can pause the kids’ Spotify session in the playroom from the couch without interrupting what they’re doing.
The delay in bringing this feature to light is unusual. Spotify is usually quick to adapt to new Android features. It suggests that there were likely technical hurdles behind the scenes that took longer to overcome than expected.
Now that both Google and Spotify have reaffirmed their commitment to the partnership, we can expect the feature to begin rolling out to Android 14 devices worldwide in the coming weeks. This will improve the listening experience for many Spotify users.
OnePlus launched its first smartwatch in 2021. And the company knows it was terrible. If you look at our review of the OnePlus Watch, you don’t even need to read it to understand how bad it was. The title says, “OnePlus Watch Review: Your Money Is Better Spent Elsewhere”. Thankfully, OnePlus took all of the feedback from the original OnePlus Watch and went back to the drawing board. This is why it was three years before a new model was released. But finally, here it is.
This review is going to start out on a brighter note than the original OnePlus Watch Review by saying that this might be my favorite smartwatch, period. It does so many things well and improves on a lot of the things that Samsung does with its Galaxy Watch models. On top of that, it’s priced right. It’s just $299, which is an incredible price for a watch made of stainless steel and a sapphire crystal display.
Now, let’s dig deeper into the review of the OnePlus Watch 2 and tell you the good, the bad, and the ugly. Spoiler alert: there’s not much that’s bad or ugly here.
OnePlus Watch 2 Review: Design and Build Quality
The OnePlus Watch 2 is simply stunning. It’s one of my favorite-looking watches on the market today. It has a stainless steel frame with a display that uses Sapphire Crystal. So that should tell you a lot about durability. Since Sapphire Crystal is so strong, it’s virtually impossible to scratch. OnePlus did get this certified for MIL-STD-810H spec, which is the highest durability certification you can get. This is great for biking, hiking, and more. It’s also rated at IP68 and 5ATM for water resistance, so you can wear it in the pool. These are things we wouldn’t normally expect from OnePlus. Some of you might be old enough to remember when OnePlus did not get IP ratings for its phones because it was “too costly.”
The display is rated at over eight on the Mohs hardness scale. Sapphire Crystal is one of the hardest materials around, second only to diamond. Now, we did not do any type of scratch tests here; we’ll leave that to JerryRigEverything. But in normal day-to-day usage, we have not encountered any scratches.
OnePlus offers the Watch 2 in two colors: Radiant Steel and Black Steel. The model we have here is the Radiant Steel, which is basically silver. One of the first things I was worried about when OnePlus told me this was a stainless steel body was the fingerprints. As someone who has used the iPhone Pro models over the last couple of years and the stainless steel Apple Watch, I know just how bad the fingerprints can get. The good news here? It’s not so bad. Fingerprints do still show up, but not nearly as bad as I thought they could. Most of the fingerprints show up on the side, near the buttons. If that’s something that’s still going to bother you, Black Steel might be the better option for you.
One of the interesting aspects of the design here is the flat right side of the watch, where the crown and side button are located. When looking head-on at the watch, you really don’t notice it. The side kinda melts right into the circular watch face, with the buttons sticking out on either side, as you’d expect. Honestly, I really like this design decision. With other watches that have the crown at the center of the side, I often press it by mistake. That has never happened with the OnePlus Watch 2. And they are both still easy to use and press when needed.
The downside to OnePlus using such premium materials is the weight. This is a 47mm x 46mm x 12.1mm watch, and it weighs 80 grams with the included strap or 49 grams without it. That’s roughly a 47mm watch face, putting it right in the middle of the 45mm Apple Watch Stainless Steel and the 49mm Apple Watch Ultra. The Apple Watch Ultra is 61.3g without the strap, while the Stainless Steel model (45mm) is 51.5 grams without the strap. So, the weight is pretty similar, but the OnePlus Watch 2 feels heavier on my wrist, and this comes from someone who has been wearing an Apple Watch Ultra on that wrist for almost two years.
Could it be that the OnePlus Watch 2 is denser than the Apple Watch Ultra, and that’s why it feels heavier? Who knows. But that is something to keep in mind if you plan on buying this one.
The band is surprisingly very comfortable to wear. I’d say it’s one of the most comfortable stock bands I’ve ever used on a smartwatch. Apple’s bands are pretty comfortable too, though I’m not a big fan of their sport loops. The OnePlus Watch 2 band is a silicon band with a nice texture on the front that makes it look more high-end. The silicon material is a good idea for OnePlus since it allows people to dress it up and also use it for workouts. It’s not a leather band and won’t get destroyed when you sweat a little bit.
On the bright side, if the included band is not your cup of tea, you can swap them out and use any 22mm band you want. That’s the same watch bands you’ll find on traditional watches too. The good news here is that OnePlus did not go with a proprietary connection like some other smartwatches have done.
The design and build quality is impressive here. Making it one of the best looking smartwatches on the market, even with the thick bezel around the display.
OnePlus Watch 2 Review: Display
The display on the OnePlus Watch 2 is a stunning 466×466 resolution circular display that measures about 1.43 inches. This is an AMOLED display that refreshes at 60Hz. It gets plenty bright, with a high brightness mode (HBM) of 1,000 nits. I’ve taken this outside quite a few times to walk the dog, run some errands, and such over the two weeks I’ve had it, and it’s great outdoors. It’s easy to see, even with brighter tiles like the weather, on the display. And that’s really all you can ask from a smartwatch display is the ability to see it outdoors.
It is an AMOLED display. However, you can see the display ends, and the bezel starts here, unfortunately. The bezels are pretty large, and they likely melt into the frame a bit more on the black steel color. But on the Radiant Steel color that we have here, it’s more apparent. And to be honest, it does not bother me at all. If this were a smaller watch, say a 40mm or 42mm watch, then the bezels might bother me more since the display would be much smaller. But at 47mm, it’s much less of a problem.
The display is super responsive, and I have to say, it’s stunning. I sometimes catch myself just looking at the OnePlus Watch 2 because it’s just such a stunning display.
OnePlus Watch 2 Review: Performance
For performance, OnePlus is doing something a bit different from the rest of the competition. It uses two different chipsets, which helps it offer a much longer battery life compared to the competition. Inside the OnePlus Watch 2 is the Snapdragon W5 chipset, as well as a BES2700, which runs the RTOS that is also included here.
The Snapdragon W5 is the same chipset that powers the Google Pixel Watch 2 that debuted last fall. Performance was pretty good on the Pixel Watch 2, and that is also the case with the OnePlus Watch 2. The Snapdragon W5 powers the Wear OS portion of the watch, and it is incredibly snappy. Moving throughout the OS, opening apps and even tracking workouts, the Snapdragon W5 doesn’t miss a beat.
The BES2700, which runs RTOS, is what helps the OnePlus Watch 2 last so long on a charge. This chipset is always on and uses RTOS to handle background activity and daily tasks. Only really moving to the Snapdragon W5 chipset when it needs heavy lifting, like running Wear OS apps. OnePlus says that they’ve spent countless hours tweaking the architecture to help develop the most power-efficient smartwatch yet. And they’ve done it. When navigating through the OS and even opening apps, you never really notice that it’s switching chipsets. That’s just how good this dual-SoC is.
Additionally, OnePlus has included 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. That’s going to be plenty of space to run multiple apps, and install tons of apps on your wrist. Neither the watch nor the watch shows you how much storage is used, so it’s tough to say how much storage space you’ll really need. But the largest app on my OnePlus Watch 2 right now is the Google app and it’s only using about 50MB right now. So that should be plenty of space.
OnePlus Watch 2 Review: Battery life and Charging
OnePlus said that the main reason for not using Wear OS on their first smartwatch was battery life. And it’s true. At the time, most Wear OS smartwatches struggled to hit a full 24 hours of battery life. You see, with wearables, you can’t just pack in a larger and larger battery, as that makes the watch or fitness tracker bigger and heavier. So what OnePlus did with the Watch 2 is they designed a dual-engine architecture, which basically uses two chipsets that will help preserve battery life.
On the OnePlus Watch 2, there’s a BES2700 chipset that runs RTOS, which handles all of the easy stuff. Like the always-on display, background activity, and daily tasks. Then there’s the Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 processor, which does the heavy lifting, like opening and running Wear OS apps. This helps the OnePlus Watch 2 to last for 100 hours, according to OnePlus, and it can last up to 12 days with Power Saver Mode activated.
Okay, those numbers are from lab tests. How do they relate to the real world? Well, I’ve been using the OnePlus Watch 2 for two weeks, which is connected to the OnePlus 12. And in those two weeks, I’ve charged the watch three times. That means it’s getting well over four days of usage. One battery cycle actually lasted me about five days, and I still had around 15% left.
This battery life smokes just about every other smartwatch on the market these days – and no, I’m not comparing it to hybrid watches like what Fossil and Withings have. The next closest is the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic, which Samsung claims is getting 30-40 hours of usage, and in our review, it was right around 36 hours. That’s a day and a half. The OnePlus Watch 2 is more than triple that, which is really impressive.
Charging is incredibly fast
OnePlus has brought its VOOC Fast Charging tech over to the Watch 2, though it’s not quite as fast as the OnePlus 12’s charging as you might expect. Instead, it charges at 7.5W. Now, the downside here is that there’s no brick in the box, just the USB charger, which is a USB-A charger.
The bright side here is that the charging puck is not attached to the cable and uses a USB-C to USB-A cable. So, if you really wanted to, you could use a USB-C to USB-C cable; however, it will charge much slower. In my testing, it charged at about 2W over USB-C compared to the max of 7.5W over USB-A.
OnePlus says that you can get a full charge in about an hour with the included cable. In our experience, that’s pretty accurate. While we did not charge it from dead to 100%, we did charge from around 4% to 100% and found it took about 58 minutes. That is still incredibly fast. Compared to the Apple Watch Ultra, which takes an hour and a half, though it does have an 8% larger battery. The Galaxy Watch 6 will take about an hour and 20 minutes, and it has a smaller 425mAh battery inside.
On top of that, if you just need a top-up, that’ll take only 10 minutes. So if you need to charge it really quickly, slap it on the charger, go take a shower, and when you’re finished, you’ll have enough juice to get through the day. Not too shabby.
OnePlus Watch 2 Review: Software
When it comes to the software, one thing that I really appreciate about the OnePlus Watch 2 is that it’s all in a single app. Most watches will have a companion app that lives on your phone, as well as a separate Health app for tracking your health and fitness. OnePlus decided to have a single app, and doing both was the better look.
The downside to that is the health and fitness section is not as feature-rich as, say, Fitbit, Apple Fitness/Health, or Samsung Health. It does give you most of the basics here, though, which is good to see. All of this is done in the OHealth app. The first tab is your Health data. This includes your daily activity, heart rate, sleep, stress, and SpO2, as well as your workout records. The next tab is fitness, and that’s where you’ll track your workouts. The third tab is devices, where you change your settings, Watch Faces, etc.
The app itself is nice and clean. I really like the app myself, compared to the many others I’ve used. It keeps it clean without cluttering the page with a lot of stuff that you might not be interested in.
Now, let’s talk about the software on the watch. It’s a Wear OS 4 watch. If you’ve used the Galaxy Watch 6 or Pixel Watch 2, you know what to expect here. You can long-press on the watch face to change it, or swipe up to see notifications and down for your quick settings. That’s the opposite of the Apple Watch, which has taken a bit of learning for me. Swipe left and right for your tiles, which is a feature that I absolutely love about Wear OS. Being able to swipe left to right to see the weather is amazing. Since I live in Michigan, where it’s Winter in the morning and almost Summer in the afternoon, I do tend to check the weather quite often.
If you press the crown, you’ll either go home or open the app “drawer”. Which is a slightly different experience compared to the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 and the Google Pixel Watch. Samsung uses a scrollable list of icons, Google has a scrollable list of icons with the names of the apps, while OnePlus basically went with the honeycomb layout that Apple has used on its watches. To be honest, I don’t hate it. You have four big apps in the center, with apps all around it. So most of your apps are in focus, without having to do much moving around. You can change this to a Grid View like Samsung has or a List View like Google uses. Just head into Settings on the Watch itself, then tap on General > App View.
OnePlus also has a ton of great-looking watch faces. However, since this is Wear OS, there are a bunch more available in the Google Play Store. So your customization of the watch faces is pretty much endless with this one.
The entire operating system on the OnePlus Watch 2 is so good. It’s smooth, not a single hiccup, and it’s only going to get better as the watch continues to learn how I use it. It’s by far my favorite Android-based smartwatch right now.
Should you buy the OnePlus Watch 2?
After spending two weeks with the OnePlus Watch 2, it’s really hard not to recommend this smartwatch. Interestingly enough, it just does everything right and fixes all of my complaints about the Galaxy Watch 6. The major complaint was the battery life. Not only that, OnePlus made this a fast-charging watch, too, so you can really use this to track your sleep as well as your activity all day long. Not too bad.
At its regular price of $299, the OnePlus Watch 2 is also super competitive in the market right now. The Galaxy Watch 6 is priced at $299 as well, the Pixel Watch 2 is $349, and the Apple Watch Series 9 starts at $399. Though on the Apple Watch side, it’d be better to compare it to the Stainless Steel model, which is $699, since OnePlus is only offering this as a stainless steel option.
If you are in the market for a new smartwatch and want something that doesn’t need to be charged every day, then the OnePlus Watch 2 is definitely the one to get. It’ll work with any Android device, however if you use an iPhone, you’ll be out of luck.
It has come to light that a group known as Anonymous Sudan is actively promoting a new Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) botnet service named “Skynet-GodzillaBotnet.”
An advertisement circulating online showcases a red dragon logo with the word “SKYNET.”
The service is being marketed as a powerful tool for executing DDoS attacks, with the group claiming to have enhanced its capabilities by merging its power with another entity.
The advertisement promises potential buyers that they will receive “the full power, 100%” upon purchasing the service.
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The advertisement spotted in Daily Dark Web clearly outlined that it offered access to the botnet for $100 for one day, $600 for one week, and $1700 for one month.
Furthermore, there is a mention of a limited-time offer set to expire on the 28th of February, suggesting that the promotion was initiated around February 26, 2024.
Anonymous Sudan’s attacks are not new to the cyber landscape. They are known for their aggressive Web DDoS attacks, which include alternating waves of UDP and SYN floods.
These attacks are launched from tens of thousands of unique source IP addresses, with UDP traffic capable of reaching up to 600Gbps and HTTPS request floods peaking at several million requests per second
The promotion of such services by Anonymous Sudan is alarming and highlights the ongoing threat posed by cybercriminals who seek to disrupt and damage online services and infrastructure.
DDoS attacks are illegal and can have severe consequences for the targeted organizations, often leading to significant downtime and financial losses.
Authorities and cybersecurity experts are urging businesses and online service providers to be vigilant and implement robust security measures to protect against such malicious activities.
Monitoring network traffic, employing DDoS mitigation strategies, and collaborating with internet service providers to defend against these potent cyber threats are crucial.
Promoting the “Skynet-GodzillaBotnet” by Anonymous Sudan is a stark reminder of the persistent and evolving nature of cyber threats.
Organizations must remain proactive in their cybersecurity efforts to safeguard against the disruptive and damaging effects of DDoS attacks.
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