For the last two years the absolute worst, most prolific, most globally significant “big game” ransomware gang has been LockBit.
This evening its position as ransomware’s biggest beast is suddenly in doubt, following some non-consensual website redecoration at the hands of the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA).
The LockBit data leak site has a new look
The LockBit dark web site usually hosts the names and data of organisations that refused to pay ransoms. That’s been replaced by a message from the NCA, saying:
This site is now under the control of The National Crime Agency of the UK, working in close cooperation with the FBI and the international law enforcement task force, ‘Operation Cronos’.
Repleat with the flags and badges of the countries and agencies involved, the new look site promises there is more to come. “We can confirm that Lockbit’s services have been disrupted as a result of International Law Enforcement action – this is an ongoing and developing operation. Return here for more information at: 11:30 GMT on Tuesday 20th Feb.
Since the demise of Conti in 2022, LockBit has been unchallenged as the most prolific ransomware group in the world. In the last 12 months it has racked up more than two and half times as many known attacks as ALPHV, its closest rival.
Top 5 ransomware gangs by known attacks, February 2023 – January 2024
At this stage we have no idea how serious the damage to LockBit is, and law enforcement is only claiming that the group has been “disrupted”. However, even if that disruption isn’t fatal, it will doubtless raise serious questions among LockBit’s criminal associates.
LockBit sells ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) to “affiliates”, criminal gangs who use the service to carry out ransomware attacks. Even if LockBit can rebuild its infrastructure elsewhere those affiliates now have every reason to question its credibility.
The takedown comes just two months after LockBit’s biggest rival, ALPHV, also suffered a serious mauling at the hands of international law enforcement, before staggering back to its feet.
Prevent intrusions. Stop threats early before they can even infiltrate or infect your endpoints. Use endpoint security software that can prevent exploits and malware used to deliver ransomware.
Detect intrusions. Make it harder for intruders to operate inside your organization by segmenting networks and assigning access rights prudently. Use EDR or MDR to detect unusual activity before an attack occurs.
Stop malicious encryption. Deploy Endpoint Detection and Response software like ThreatDown EDR that uses multiple different detection techniques to identify ransomware, and ransomware rollback to restore damaged system files.
Create offsite, offline backups. Keep backups offsite and offline, beyond the reach of attackers. Test them regularly to make sure you can restore essential business functions swiftly.
Don’t get attacked twice. Once you’ve isolated the outbreak and stopped the first attack, you must remove every trace of the attackers, their malware, their tools, and their methods of entry, to avoid being attacked again.
You can learn more about the threat of big game ransomware like LockBit and ALPHV in our 2024 State of Malware report.
On August 11, 2021, Samsung announced the third-generation Galaxy Z Fold foldable smartphone – Galaxy Z Fold 3. It is technically the fourth iteration of the Galaxy Z Fold, since the original Galaxy Fold got released twice. But it is the most refined foldable smartphone from Samsung to date.
The Galaxy Z Fold 3 is the most premium flagship smartphone in Samsung’s lineup, for now. With Samsung opting not to release a Galaxy Note smartphone this year. It’s between this and the Galaxy S21 series.
With the new Galaxy Z Fold 3, Samsung didn’t redesign it that much, but instead introduced a bunch of relatively iterative changes. Making it more durable, water-resistant, and just an all-around better phone for everyday use.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Galaxy Z Fold 3, before you buy one for yourself.
When does the Galaxy Z Fold 3 come out?
Pre-orders for the Galaxy Z Fold 3 start on August 11. And it will be released on August 27.
Those that pre-order the Galaxy Z Fold 3 will get a $200 Samsung Credit for use on cases, and other products. As well as an additional year of Samsung Care+ for free when you buy three years.
How much does it cost?
The Galaxy Z Fold 3 is the cheapest “Fold” smartphone yet, with a starting price of $1,799. That’s $200 cheaper than the previous generation.
That price is for the 256GB model, and it goes up from there, with a 512GB model also being available.
Samsung was able to lower costs on the Galaxy Z Fold 3 this time around, as parts for the phone are starting to get cheaper. With the original Galaxy Fold, parts were quite expensive, as they were new, and not being manufactured at scale. However, now, Samsung has been able to lower these costs, as foldables are starting to sell quite a bit. Not just from Samsung, but other manufacturers as well. Not to mention the prices for parts like the 5G modem, and even the batteries have gotten cheaper. And Samsung is able to pass that on down to the consumer.
Part of the reason why Samsung is passing this savings down to the consumer, is to get more people buying foldables. As Samsung does want to corner this new market. And releasing something like the Galaxy Z Fold 3 at a price that more people can afford, will help them with that.
With the Galaxy Z Fold 3 at $1,799, it still sounds expensive. But remember, you’re essentially getting a tablet and smartphone in one device.
What kind of trade-in offers are available?
Samsung always has some pretty sweet trade-in offers for its new phones. You can trade-in your current smartphone for the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and get up to $800 off. That brings the price down to just $28 per month for 36 months on the Galaxy Z Fold 3.
Keep in mind that carriers may also have their own trade-in offers and other promotions that you can use, and actually might turn out to be better. SO it’s a good idea to shop around.
Where can I buy the Galaxy Z Fold 3?
The Galaxy Z Fold 3 will be available everywhere that Samsung phones are currently sold. These include:
If you purchase the Galaxy Z Fold 3 through a carrier, you can get even more promotions added onto your purchase. Instead of just what Samsung is offering.
You will be able to finance it through every carrier and Samsung.com. But you won’t be able to through Best Buy, unless you buy it on a carrier through Best Buy. Basically, if you are buying it unlocked, at Best Buy, you can’t finance it.
Can I get an unlocked Galaxy Z Fold 3?
Yes, you can get the Galaxy Z Fold 3 unlocked. Samsung.com and Best Buy will both sell the Galaxy Z Fold 3 unlocked, and it can be used on any US carrier – AT&T, T-Mobile or Verizon – as well as MVNO’s that run on those networks.
What colors does it come in?
The Galaxy Z Fold 3 is going to come in some rather tame colors this time around. There’s only three colors available: Phantom Green, Phantom Black and Phantom Silver.
You will not be able to get customized hinges for the Galaxy Z Fold 3 this time around. Like users were able to do with the Galaxy Z Fold 2 last year. This is likely being done to streamline the manufacturing process. Whereas with the customized hinges last year, those had to be made when the user orders the device.
What are the specs of the Galaxy Z Fold 3?
The specs here are basically what you would expect for a flagship smartphone from Samsung in the later half of 2021. You can see the full spec sheet below, and compare it to the Galaxy Z Fold 2 as well. To see what kind of changes Samsung made year-over-year.
Folded: 67.1 x 158.2 x 16.0 (hinge) – 14mm (sagging) Unfolded: 128.1 x 158.2 x 6.4mm
Folded: 68.0 x 159.2 x 16.8mm (hinge) – 13.8mm (Sagging) Unfolded: 128.2 x 159.2 x 6.9mm (Frame) – 6mm (Screen)
Weight
271g
282g
Software
Android 11, One UI 3.5
Android 10, One UI 2.5
Price
$1,799
$1,999
What new features were announced for the Galaxy Z Fold 3?
As foldables are still relatively new, Samsung continues to optimize the software for foldables, as well as adding new features. To help users take advantage of both the Cover Display and the Main Display’s different screen sizes and aspect ratios. Here’s some of the bigger features announced for the Galaxy Z Fold 3.
Ability to customize aspect ratios
For most, this feature won’t sound like a big deal, but those that have used the Galaxy Z Fold 2 will know this is huge.
In the Samsung Labs portion of the Settings, Samsung will allow you to set custom aspect ratios for different apps. This means that apps like Instagram can be forced to display in a 16:9 window or something similar. Instead of the nearly 4:3 aspect ratio that the main display currently uses.
Keep in mind that this is an experimental feature, so it may not work 100% right out of the box. But it is something that Samsung will continue to work on and improve over the coming months and years.
New drag-and-drop
There’s a new drag-and-drop feature on the Galaxy Z Fold 3, which allows you to move apps around on the screen as you see fit. This is particularly useful on the Galaxy Z Fold 3, since it has that awkward aspect ratio that almost no apps were built for.
Improvements to the taskbar
Samsung has also made some improvements to the Edge Panel on the Galaxy Z Fold 3. It now works more like a taskbar. So it can be pinned like a Windows 10 taskbar on the side of your phone. This allows you to quickly access your top apps or app pairs and open them even quicker.
These improvements also work with Flex Mode. Allowing you to use the Taskbar in Flex mode to open app pairs across Flex Mode. So you can be on a video call through Google Meet and then write an email in Gmail on the other side of the screen.
The S-Pen
Samsung heard us all, and has added S-Pen support to the Galaxy Z Fold 3. As we’ve talked about already, that means some changes to the S-Pen had to be made. Like auto-retracting the tip, and other things. But that also unlocks some cool new features for the Galaxy Z Fold 3.
There’s not really any new S-Pen features here, perse, they are just new to the Galaxy Z Fold 3. So you are able to take notes, do some drawing and even grab portions of the screen for a screenshot.
This year, Samsung is offering two different S-Pen experiences. There is the S-Pen Pro which is your Bluetooth S-Pen that we had with the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra last year. And there is the S-Pen Fold Edition, which is your usual stylus, but also a bit smaller. Neither of these will fit in the phone, so you will need to buy a case with the S-Pen unfortunately, for these.
But that makes the Galaxy Z Fold 3 a whole lot more productive for those that need to get some work done on the go.
Galaxy Z Fold 3 Updates
The Galaxy Z Fold 3 launched with Android 11. It now runs on Android 14 with One UI 6.0.
Security updates are still coming about every month for the Galaxy Z Fold 3. It’s slated to continue getting security updates until 2026 (five years from launch), while Android 14 was likely the last major Android update for the device.
February 8, 2024: February 2024 security patch begins rolling out
January 10, 2024: January 2024 security patch
December 22, 2023: December 2023 security patch with Android 13 and One UI 6.0
Should I buy the Galaxy Z Fold 3 now or wait?
As always, we recommend waiting for the reviews to come out about any new phone before buying it. Especially if it is a very new concept like the Galaxy Z Fold 3. Sure this is the fourth iteration of the Fold, but it’s still a new form factor and could have issues. Nevermind the price of the Galaxy Z Fold 3. That’s a lot of money to spend on something that may not turn out to be what you want.
Looking back at the Galaxy Z Fold 2, we may not see a major discount on the Galaxy Z Fold 3 in the first few months after it is available. So if you’re waiting for the Galaxy Z Fold 3 to get cheaper, you may be waiting a little while. And the pre-order promotions that Samsung and the carriers are offering, are quite good.
What happened to the LockBit Ransomware Gang? Has the group been disrupted? Have any arrests been made? Learn all about the breaking development regarding one of the most notorious ransomware gangs possibly facing law enforcement scrutiny.
Law enforcement authorities have apparently seized the official and all known dark web websites of the LockBit ransomware gang as part of “Operation Cronos.” The latest development appears to have occurred earlier today, although there has been no confirmation or press release issued by authorities at this time.
However, as observed by Hackread.com, eight .Onion domains owned by the group now display a seizure notice announcing its takeover by the United Kingdom’s National Cyber Crime Agency in cooperation with the US Department of Justice, the FBI, Europol, and other entities.
“Operation Cronos – Come Back Tomorrow”
It’s important to note that the notice itself contains details about the incident. Authorities have revealed that this is an ongoing and developing operation conducted under the banner of “Operation Cronos.”
Does this suggest that more ransomware gangs will face the wrath of law enforcement agencies? Have arrests been made, and has electronic and monetary infrastructure been seized? For answers, we must wait until tomorrow, as authorities have urged visitors to visit seized LockBit domains at 11:30 GMT on Tuesday, February 20th, for more information about the operation.
This site is now under the control of Law Enforcement – This site is now under the control of The National Crime Agency of the UK, working in close cooperation with the FBI and the international law enforcement task force, “Operation Cronos.”
We can confirm that LockBit’s services have been disrupted as a result of International Law Enforcement action – this is an ongoing and developing operation. Return here for more information at: 11:30 GMT on Tuesday 20th Feb.
National Crime Agency (NCA)
Seizure notice on all 8 dark web domains operated by LockBit ransomware gang (Screenshot: Hackread.com)
Additionally, LockBit affiliates attempting to log into the affiliate panel have also encountered a surprising message, providing a glimpse of what has been accessed and seized by authorities.
Law Enforcement has taken control of Lockbit’s platform and obtained all the information held on there. This information relates to the Lockbit group and you, their affiliate. We have source code, details of the victims you have attacked, the amount of money extorted, the data stolen, chats, and much, much more. You can thank Lockbitsupp and their flawed infrastructure for this situation… we may be in touch with you very soon. If you would like to contact us directly, please get in touch: In the meantime, we would encourage you to visit the Lockbit leaksite. Have a nice day. Regards, The National Crime Agency of the UK, the FBI, Europol, and the Operation Cronos Law Enforcement Task Force 0 Screenshot: vx-underground
Here is the list of all dark web domains that display seizure notice:
It is worth noting that the exact origin of the group is unknown, but the US government believes the cybercrime syndicate operates from Russia. In June 2023, Ruslan Magomedovich Astamirov (20), a Russian national, was arrested and charged with conspiring to commit LockBit ransomware attacks against U.S. and foreign businesses.
Is this the end of the LockBit ransomware gang?
Probably not. While we await official confirmation from law enforcement agencies, it’s quite likely that no arrests have been made, allowing the group to potentially continue operating under its existing guise or rebrand itself with a new identity. Furthermore, it remains unclear if authorities have successfully seized the group’s cryptocurrency wallets, which likely contain significant sums gained from ransomware payments.
Some Known and Alleged Victims
LockBit ransomware emerged as a significant threat, targeting both large and mid-sized organizations across various sectors, including healthcare, education, government, and critical infrastructure. Some of the group’s notable claimed targets included the following:
The group utilizes multiple techniques to infiltrate victim networks, such as phishing emails, exploiting vulnerabilities, and purchasing stolen credentials on the dark web. Once inside, LockBit encrypts critical data, making it inaccessible to the victim, and demands a ransom payment in exchange for a decryption tool. If the ransom is not paid, they threaten to leak stolen data online through their dark web portal.
LockBit has released several versions of their ransomware, notably LockBit 2.0 and LockBit 3.0. The impact of LockBit attacks extends beyond financial losses, including disruption to operations, data recovery costs, reputational damage, and privacy concerns due to data leaks, which expose sensitive information and pose risks such as identity theft and fraud.
This is a developing story, with official confirmation from law enforcement authorities pending. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and update this article accordingly.
Straight Talk is a wireless carrier that you may or may not have heard of. It’s an MVNO, which runs off of some of the bigger wireless carrier’s networks in the US. But it does offer much cheaper prices compared to AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon. It offers no-contract plans, as well as unlimited data. Making it a pretty impressive alternative to the larger networks.
Here’s everything you need to know about Straight Talk.
What is an MVNO?
An MVNO or Mobile Virtual Network Operator is basically a wireless carrier that does not own the network that it runs on. We see this a lot with carriers like Straight Talk, Google Fi, Simple Mobile and others. Basically, the company buys access to these networks at wholesale prices, and is thus able to pass along the savings to its customers.
That is why you might see Straight Talk offer a much cheaper plan compared to Verizon.
What plans does Straight Talk offer?
Straight Talk offers a ton of different plans. But the most popular plan is its Silver Unlimited plan, which is $45 per month. This includes unlimited talk, text and data with 10GB of hotspot data per month. It also offers international calls to Canada and Mexico.
If you need more data, there is the Gold Unlimited plan, which is $55 per month. It provides unlimited talk, text and data, along with 15GB of hotspot data per month, and 100GB cloud storage. There’s also international calling to Canada and Mexico and a Walmart+ membership included.
Finally, there’s the Platinum Unlimited plan, which includes everything in the Gold Unlimited plan. But hotspot is now 20GB, and you get international calling to over 60 countries, for $65 per month.
There are plenty of other plans, since Straight Talk does offer data add-ons, as well as home phone service.
Keep in mind that Straight Talk may limit your speeds once you hit 60GB. Which is not too shabby actually. A lot of the bigger carriers will limit your speeds at 50GB. But keep in mind that since it is an MVNO, it may in fact slow down a lot sooner. Since Straight Talk won’t be the highest priority on Verizon, AT&T or T-Mobile’s towers.
What phones does Straight Talk sell?
Straight Talk does sell smartphones, but they are generally older, or mid-range/low-end smartphones. The reason for this is because it does not finance its phones. Though, you can finance it through PayPal at checkout. But the traditional 24 or 30 month financing plans are not available at Straight Talk. That is part of how they are able to keep prices down.
Currently, Straight Talk has a lot of popular phones. Like the iPhone 13 Pro for $999. Or the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra for $1199.
Straight Talk does offer about 70 different smartphones on its site. But you can also buy an unlocked phone from Apple, Samsung, Google, OnePlus and other phone makers and use it on Straight Talk. You’ll want to make sure it is compatible with Straight Talk though.
Bring your own phone
Can I bring my own phone?
Yes. Yes, you can bring your own phone over to Straight Talk.
You can click here to get started on making sure that your phone is compatible. Basically, it needs to be SIM unlocked, and support one of the networks that Straight Talk uses.
After you are able to confirm that your phone is compatible with Straight Talk, you’ll be able to choose a plan and get your SIM card. Now if you don’t want to wait for it to be shipped, you can also get a Straight Talk SIM from Walmart, today.
How is Straight Talk’s coverage?
Straight Talk’s coverage is pretty impressive. That is because it has MVNO deals with AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon. So basically anywhere in the US, you’ll have access to Straight Talk’s network.
Now, the only real caveat here, is what phone you’re using and what SIM card it needs. That is because not every Straight Talk SIM card works with all of these networks. Some only work with Verizon or with AT&T. Obviously, you’ll likely get the best coverage with a Verizon SIM versus a T-Mobile or AT&T SIM.
What networks does Straight Talk use?
As mentioned before, Straight Talk works on AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon. But there are specific Straight Talk SIM cards for each of those networks. So no matter what carrier you’re coming from, as long as your phone is SIM unlocked, it’ll work on Straight Talk.
Is Straight Talk owned by Verizon?
Technically, yes.
Straight Talk is a subsidiary of Tracfone. Which you may recognize from seeing in all types of stores from dollar stores to Walmart. Tracfone has a number of different MVNO’s under its umbrella.
Verizon announced it was acquiring Tracfone in September of 2020. And just recently, that deal was made official. So Straight Talk is technically owned by Verizon, but it’s unclear what changes Verizon may have for Straight Talk following the acquisition. But we wouldn’t expect much to change at Straight Talk. However we could see them drop support for AT&T and T-Mobile once their current MVNO contracts expire with those networks. As Verizon could want Straight Talk to only use its network. As well as other Tracfone carriers.
Should I switch to Straight Talk?
The big question, is whether you should switch to Straight Talk. Well, that’s really up to you. If you do a lot of traveling, then staying with Verizon or T-Mobile might be a better option. As your data won’t be slowed as often, and you’ll get faster data too. But if you are working from home, and don’t leave the house much, then getting Straight Talk’s Unlimited plan for $45 per month might be the move.
Straight Talk is a really nice alternative to the much larger wireless carriers out there. And the fact that it uses their networks is a big deal. As you won’t need to worry about losing out on coverage. The only real difference is potentially the speeds you might get versus the big guys.
Apple appears to be stealing a page from Google by performing an A/B test for those with the latest beta version of the Apple Music app for Android. The feature being tested involves the use of third-party service “SongShift” which transfers music playlists and music libraries across platforms and allows you to share them with friends. For example, you can use “SongShift” to move your playlists from Apple Music to Spotify or vice versa.
The A/B test that some Apple Music subscribers on Android are seeing (and some aren’t) seems to involve an integration of “SongShift” within the Apple Music app on Android. Some Reddit users are seeing a prompt in the Apple Music app for Android that asks if you want to “add saved music and playlists you made in other music services to your Apple Music library.” This can also be done through the settings menu on the Apple Music for Android app.
Apple Music for Android users might see a prompt inviting them to test the new SongShift feature
The bottom line here is that Apple is making it easier for Android users to have their playlists and music library transferred from another music streamer to Apple Music. To make it clear, the feature is showing up right now for some beta testers using the Android version of the Apple Music app. Even those who received the prompt, or have the feature in the app’s settings menu, are not able to open a completely functional version of it as more work needs to be done before the feature is ready for prime time.
It should be noted that the SongShift app is only available for iOS and not Android. If you want to be able to transfer your music between platforms on iOS, you can install the app by tapping on this link. While it isn’t clear whether Apple plans on giving users of the iOS version of Apple Music the same feature as it is planning for the Android version, traditionally both iOS and Android variants of the Apple Music app have the same features.
Samsung has announced its latest collection of “Samsung Eco-Friends” accessories. The lineup includes 57 eco-friendly cases for the Galaxy S24 series. They feature unique designs inspired by popular movies, characters, celebrities, and more. The company will gradually release the new cases in more than 40 countries.
Go green with Samsung eco-friendly cases for your Galaxy S24
Samsung Eco-Friends is a collection of eco-friendly accessories for Galaxy devices. Envisioned by Future Generation Lab, a group of global Samsung employees in their 20s, the company offers protective cases and stars for its smartphones, wearables, and other products through this program.
Since its introduction in 2022, the Korean firm has gradually expanded the Eco-Friends collection. The accessories feature designs inspired by the likes of late American pop artist Keith Haring, Star Wars, Smiley, K-pop boy band Stray Kids, The Simpsons, The Rolling Stones, Queen, and more. For the Galaxy S24 series, Samsung has also made cases featuring Sanrio characters like Hello Kitty, My Melody, Kuromi, and Cinnamonroll.
Some of these cases come with NFC cards, including the designs inspired by The Rolling Stones, Queen, and Stray Kids. According to Samsung, these collectible cards give users “another way to express themselves.” For example, the Stray Kids NFC card offers a unique collection of videos and photos featuring the band members. You can see the photos and videos on the screen by simply inserting the card into the case.
Samsung says these partnerships allow fans to “enjoy a one-of-a-kind, pocketable experience,” while protecting their phones in an eco-friendly way. “Reflecting the next generation’s preference for eco-conscious products, these accessories incorporate sustainable materials — such as recycled plastic and vegan leather that contain at least 40% post-consumer materials,” the company said in a press release.
The cases will soon be available globally
On Friday, Samsung published a video for its Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24+, and Galaxy S24 Ultra Eco-Friends collection on its YouTube and Instagram channels. The video showcases how plastic waste can be transformed into innovative smartphone cases that are not just unique but also eco-friendly and sustainable.
According to Samsung, the new accessories are already available in its homeland South Korea. The company will soon release the Galaxy S24 Eco-Friends collection in Japan and the US. It plans to gradually bring them to more markets, expanding availability to more than 40 countries in the first half of 2024. The cases will be available from Samsung’s flagship stores, official website, and its accessory partner Slash B Slash.
For years, Reddit functioned as its famous tagline states: “The front page of the internet.” However, last year, much of that changed when the site’s management announced that they were moving to a paid API model, causing more than 6,000 subreddits to go dark in protest and many of the third party apps to shut down. Now, more changes are in tow that could bring on even more backlash against the popular site.
After the site’s changes last year when it began charging for its API, reports began to surface that it was reportedly planning to block sites from scraping its data. This was, of course, concerning to those that would normally search for content within the site by adding “reddit” to Google searches. While AI bot data scraping has been criticized by the likes of X’s Elon Musk, Reddit following suit was not exactly a move that its users were celebrating, as it affected the user experience.
What’s next for Reddit?
Now, as reported by Android Police, a Bloomberg report reveals that Reddit is selling access to its massive user-generated content to a major (but unnamed) AI company. The deal is worth $60 million annually in the lead-up to Reddit’s highly anticipated IPO, which is rumored to take place as early as next month.
However, this isn’t exactly a new development after all. In a previous New York Times interview, Reddit CEO Steve Huffman (/u/spez) made the site’s motivation clear by stating that “The Reddit corpus of data is really valuable, but we don’t need to give all of that value to some of the largest companies in the world for free.”
Reddit monetizing user comments seems like a smart business move in the run-up to its IPO. Still, the decision to monetize its content this way will undoubtedly not be welcomed by many Redditors whose community-driven efforts were the ones that brought the platform to its glory. We will have to wait and see what the company’s exact plans are once more information is disclosed, as well as what the community’s reaction will be to that revelation.
Samsung has obtained the MIL-STD 810G durability certification for its 7-inch foldable display, like the one used on the Galaxy Z Fold 5. It is the first foldable panel in the world to pass this military-grade durability test recognized by the US Department of Defense. The upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 6 should feature the same panel.
Samsung redefines foldable displays with MIL-STD 810G durability
MIL-STD 810G is a durability standard developed by the US military. Originally used to evaluate the durability of military equipment, it is now a commercial durability standard for various devices. The products are put through a series of rigorous tests to determine if they can withstand harsh environmental conditions and rough physical treatment.
According to the Korean media, Samsung requested the Illinois-based global safety science company UL Solutions to verify the durability of its 7-inch foldable display as per the MIL-STD 810G standard, also known as the American ‘Military Specification’ (MilSpec). As part of the test, the firm exposed the panel to a -10°C/14°F temperature and froze it by spraying water to form a layer of ice over it.
It kept the display frozen under 6mm-thick ice for four hours. The foldable panel was perfectly usable after all this. It exhibited no performance issues even when exposed to extreme temperatures ranging between -32°C/90°F and 63°C/145°F for two hours in a row. The firm repeated such sudden temperature changes three times over 12 hours but the display remained strong.
For shock tests, UL Solutions conducted 26 different experiments. These included dropping the display from a height of around 1.22m/122cm in various directions. This is the height people typically use their phones. The panel survived the drops and also went on to defy the gravity acceleration test. It was rotated at speeds up to 10.5 times the force of gravity. Astronauts and aircraft parts reportedly undergo similar tests.
Samsung leads the way in foldable technologies
A MIL-STD 810G durability certification for a foldable display is no small feat. If anyone could achieve that first, it was Samsung. The Korean firm is the most experienced foldable smartphone maker in the world. It leads the way in foldable technologies. The company holds about 1,800 patents related to foldable technologies in the US (applications and granted patents). That is four times more than its nearest competitors.
“Through military spec certification, we confirmed that Samsung Display has a solid technological edge in the foldable display market, which has established itself as the next-generation form factor,” said Cho Yong-seok, head of the marketing team of Samsung Display’s small and medium-sized business division. The company will launch the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 in the second half of 2024.
Don’t you hate when you keep getting pinged with repetitive notifications? There are times when you can’t get to your phone to silence your notifications, so they’ll just keep ringing and ringing. However, Android 15 could gradually lower your notification volume when this happens.
The Android 15 developer preview just dropped, and people are looking into the code to see what Google is working on. However, this is extremely early information we’re talking about. So, there’s a chance that the information we’re talking about won’t be 100% accurate. So, you’ll always want to be cautious when listening to news about Android 15 before Google officially announces anything.
Android 15 gradually could lower your notification volume over time
Picture this, you lay down for the night to go to sleep, but your phone keeps going off. You roll over to find that the phone is across the room, and you are much too lazy to get up and get it. However, the notifications keep rolling in.
This could be extremely annoying, and it happens to us more than we care to admit. However, Mishaal Rahmen made a new post stating that Android 15 is working on a feature that will lower your notification volume gradually if notifications are popping up constantly. It was first spotted in the Android 14 QPR2 Beta, but the Android 15 developer preview gave it a name; it’s called Notification Cooldown.
As the description goes, the software will gradually lower the notification volume if you receive multiple notifications within a short amount of time. However, it’ll only do this if you receive notifications from the same app over and over. So, if you receive five different notifications from five different apps, the notification volume will stay the same. This is good because you will know you’re getting a notification from a different app.
If you’re using the Android 15 developer preview, you should be able to access this by going to your settings, going down to the Notification section, and tapping on the Notification Cooldown button. However, there’s not a toggle for this feature just yet. When you open the page, you’ll only see a description of it. Hopefully, Google will unveil a toggle for this feature in the near future.
Google doesn’t only make AI tools for the masses, it’s also working on building AI tools to help it internally. According to a new report, Google launched a new LLM called Goose. This model has been trained on over 25 years of engineering expertise, as Google states.
While Goose is only available internally, Google has its powerful Gemini model available for the general public. If you are curious to know about Gemini, be sure to follow our coverage. Also, we have a piece highlighting everything you need to know about Gemini Advanced. This is the more powerful version of Gemini that you can get for $19.99/month.
Google is launching Goose, the company’s newest LLM for internal use
At this point, we’re pretty sure that most companies are using AI to help streamline business. Undoubtedly, there are many benefits to using AI to help streamline business affairs along with the obvious drawbacks. Right now, Google is focusing on the benefits.
The company is launching a new large language model called Goose, and it’s made to help its workers with coding and developing future products. “It can answer questions around Google-specific technologies, write code using internal tech stacks and supports novel capabilities such as editing code based on natural language prompts,” states an internal summary. So, it seems like it’ll be a general helping hand to assist Google workers with their jobs.
It has a 25,000-token context window. This falls short of Gemini’s 32,000-token context window, but it’s still a huge help. We’re all certain that Google is going to expand Goose throughout the company and continue to work on it to increase its capabilities.
This raises obvious red flags
Whenever we hear about launching AI internally, we all pretty much know what that entails. Jobs are streamlined to the point where human beings are no longer needed. Then, job cuts start happening. We’re not saying that Google will replace companies with its Goose LLM, but it’s not looking good.
Google has already unloaded thousands of jobs this year, and we’re not certain how many more will be eliminated. Now, the company is releasing a powerful AI built for internal use. It won’t be a coincidence if we start seeing headlines about more job cuts at Google shortly after Goose releases.
At the time of writing this article, Goose has been made available to only a few Google employees. However, it’s going to roll out to more users as time goes on. Google wants AI in every stage of product development, and that’s a worrying thing to know. We’re just going to have to see what Google does next.
