FCC moves forward with rule to unlock phones within 60 days

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FCC moves forward with rule to unlock phones within 60 days
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Last month, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) proposed a new rule requiring wireless carriers to unlock phones within 60 days of activation. The proposed rule has moved a step forward after the agency voted unanimously on Thursday. It will now issue a public notice and solicit public feedback for a draft rule.

FCC is a step closer to standardizing the phone unlock process and time

The current regulations for unlocking a carrier-locked phone in the US aren’t quite transparent. There is no standard process, so carriers have different rules depending on the device and service type—prepaid or postpaid. The FCC’s official ruling says that “a carrier may automatically unlock a device after certain conditions are met, send instructions to customers on how to unlock a device upon request, or complete the unlocking process in-store.”

If this doesn’t already sound all over the place, some wireless carriers charge an early termination fee to unlock phones. The FCC wants to standardize the process with a clear and uniform set of rules. In late June, the Commission’s Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would force all wireless service providers in the US to unlock the phones they sell within 60 days of activation.

The Commission said the proposed rule will be discussed at its July 18 Open Meeting, followed by a vote. The proposal saw no opposition in yesterday’s FCC meeting. Thursday’s unanimous vote means the draft rule now proceeds to the next stage. The FCC will seek public comment on its impact. Among other things, the agency wants to know whether the new rule should apply to existing service contracts or future contracts only.

“New unlocking rules would allow consumers the freedom to take their existing phones and switch from one mobile service provider to another more easily,” the FCC said in an official press release following Thursday’s unanimous vote. “Mobile phone unlocking can increase consumer choice and competition in the mobile service provider marketplace… and reduce customer confusion by applying the same unlocking rules to all service providers.”

The FCC also wants to know how the rule impacts service providers

The proposed new rule for unlocking phones is likely to receive overwhelming support from the public. However, carriers might feel they have been done wrong by the FCC. To that end, the agency is seeking comments on how the rule impacts service providers. It wants to know whether a 60-day unlocking requirement would affect the incentives they offer to their customers. The FCC also wants to know if smaller providers, new entrants, and resellers can benefit from the rule.


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Here’s the beautiful Moto Edge 50 Neo in leaked renders

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Here’s the beautiful Moto Edge 50 Neo in leaked renders
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Motorola is showering us with some great phones, but the company is not finished yet this year. After just launching its core Moto Edge 50 phones and the Moto G85, we just got some leaked images of the Motorola Edge Neo. This will be the latest mid-range phone from the company.

Motorola has been showering us with some great phones lately. It recently launched the Moto Edge+ (2024). This is the phone going up against the Galaxy Z Flip 6, and it proved to be quite a compelling phone. You can check out our Moto Razr+ (2024) Review to see if this should be your next phone.

Here are some leaked renders of the Moto Edge 50 Neo

Motorola’s Edge series covers a pretty diverse range of devices from mid-rangers to premium mid-rangers. The Edge 50 Neo is on the mid-range side of the spectrum.

We have some high-resolution renders that were exclusively leaked by YTECHB. We see the phone in four colors: Nautical Blue, Latte, (Cream colored), Grisaille (Light Gray), and Poinciana (Orangeish Red).

Looking at the renders, we see that this phone retains the design language that Motorola established this year. The camera package sits at the top left of the back. It’s a rounded square that gently slopes upward from the back of the phone.

It looks nice, and it was one of the best aspects of the Moto G (2024). The back has a matte material and the frame matches the color of the back.

Up front, we see that the bezels are pretty slim, and they look pretty symmetrical. Unfortunately, there’s no headphone jack. Overall, this is a good-looking phone.

Specs

Moving onto the rumored specs, this is definitely going to be a mid-range phone, but it’ll still be pretty capable. Starting off with the display, this phone could sport a 6.4-inch POLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. We’re not sure about the resolution, but it’ll most likely be 1080p+.

As for the processor, we’re looking at the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 SoC accompanied by the Mali-G615 GPU. Backing that up, we have 8GB/12GB of RAM and 256GB/512GB of storage. So, this phone has the power to satisfy most smartphone users.

Moving onto the camera, it looks like this phone will have a 50MP main camera backed up by a 13MP ultrawide camera and a 10MP telephoto camera. Up front, this phone could have a 32MP selfie camera.

Rounding out the specs, there’s a pretty modest 4310mAh battery. Right now, we’re not sure when this phone is going to launch. However, when it does, it seems like it’s going to be a good device.


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Samsung halts Galaxy Buds 3 Pro sales due to quality issues

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Samsung halts Galaxy Buds 3 Pro sales due to quality issues
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Samsung‘s redesigned Galaxy Buds 3 Pro wireless earbuds have build quality defects. Over the past few days, several users have reported various quality control issues on the buds. The problems are so widespread that the company has halted sales of the new pair. It offers a refund or exchange for customers who pre-ordered the earphones and received defective pieces.

Galaxy Buds 3 Pro sales temporarily halted due to build quality defects

Launched alongside the new foldables on July 10, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are Samsung’s newest and most desirable pair of premium wireless earbuds. The stemmed design may be called an Apple AirPods knock-off, though it has some originality of its own, the new buds excel in sound quality and call clarity, their primary functions. They offer premium features for an immersive music experience.

Samsung started taking pre-orders for the new pair immediately after the launch event. Early buyers received the pair a few days later, with more units delivered this week. Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned for the company. While it hoped for a strong word of mouth to boost sales, build quality defects in the manufacturing process have forced the Korean firm to temporarily halt Galaxy Buds 3 Pro sales.

User reports on social media and online forums, including Samsung’s official community forum, say the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro’s ear tips are too fragile. They can tear easily when removing them from the buds. Users have also noticed uneven gaps and poor finishing on the body. Some units have quality issues with the Blade Lights—the LED light strips aren’t aligned perfectly on the front of the stem.

Samsung acknowledged the issues and offered a refund or replacement for early buyers. “We deeply apologize for the quality issues that have been raised with some of the products you purchased during the pre-sale period,” the company said in an official statement. “Before the official launch in Korea on the 24th, we will do our best to thoroughly check all processes to prevent similar incidents from happening again.”

The new Samsung buds are no longer available on Amazon and Best Buy

After two weeks of pre-orders, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are supposed to be generally available on July 24. While Samsung’s official statement in Korea suggested it still plans to proceed with the sales on the same date, at least in its home country, the buds are facing a lengthy delay in the US, and potentially several other markets. Samsung’s US website says the new buds will now ship on August 28.

Best Buy has stopped accepting pre-orders and no longer mentions a release date for the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro. It only says that the buds are “coming soon”. Amazon US, meanwhile, has entirely removed the listing. The product page now returns an error. Hopefully, Samsung will sort out these manufacturing issues soon and re-open sales of its new wireless earphones globally. You wouldn’t want to order a pair anytime soon though.


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Amazon will give you a $200 Gift Card when you Pre-Order Galaxy Z Flip 6

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Amazon will give you a $200 Gift Card when you Pre-Order Galaxy Z Flip 6
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Amazon is offering a pretty sweet deal on pre-orders of the Galaxy Z Flip 6, that doesn’t require a trade-in. Right now, you can pre-order the Galaxy Z Flip 6 for $1,099 which will get you the free storage upgrade to 512GB, and Amazon is also tossing in a $200 gift card. This gift card can really come in handy for buying some new cases or other accessories for your brand new Galaxy Z Flip 6.

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 6 was announced last week at Unpacked, and will officially go on sale July 24, however many pre-orders have already shipped and arrived at doorsteps. It’s another, seemingly iterative upgrade for the Flip series, but it’s low-key a pretty big upgrade. The Galaxy Z Flip 6 does feature a smaller crease, making it less noticeable, and it’s also sporting a pretty major camera upgrade.

With the Galaxy Z Flip 6 this year, Samsung has upgraded the primary camera to a 50-megapixel sensor, with a 12-megapixel ultrawide. With this new sensor, you are getting a 2x telephoto lens without having a dedicated telephoto lens. And that’s because Samsung is able to crop in on that 50-megapixel sensor, and thus losing no quality.

If you’re looking for a great deal to get the Galaxy Z Flip 6 but don’t want to trade in a phone, this is the one to get. With the storage upgrade, you’re effectively getting $320 off ($120 for the storage upgrade, and a $200 gift card).

Buy at Amazon


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Millions of users affected by massive Pinterest data leak

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Millions of users affected by massive Pinterest data leak
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Pinterest may have suffered a major data breach affecting millions of users. While the company has denied any breach of its system, a hacker has leaked a database allegedly containing 60 million rows of Pinterest user data. They publicly posted a partial database on a popular leak forum. It contains six million records, including email addresses and IP addresses. The leak primarily impacted Pinterest users in the US and France.

Alleged Pinterest data breach primarily impacts the US and France

Spotted by Cyber Press, a hacker named “Tchao1337” recently leaked a database containing six million records of Pinterest user data. It says that it’s a partial database from a 2024 breach with 60 million rows of data. The hacker is unsure about the source of the leak, so it isn’t clear who extracted the data from Pinterest’s system. The exact timeline of the breach is also missing, and so is the full extent of the exposed information.

However, Cyber Press verified that the public database contained email addresses, usernames, user IDs, and IP addresses. As such, it poses a series security threat to affected Pinterest users. The leaked information can be misused by hackers and threat actors for phishing attacks and identity theft. There is also a risk of unauthorized access to online accounts. If you have a Pinterest account, you should stay vigilant and change your passwords.

Pinterest data breah hacker leak

That said, Pinterest has outright denied the breach. “We have investigated this claim. Our investigation has found no evidence of a compromise of our system or user data,” a company spokesperson told Cyber Security News. In the meantime, VPN provider Surfshark launched an investigation and found that the leaked database indeed contains information about Pinterest users. It says 6.8 million IP addresses were leaked.

Of that, 1.91 million IP addresses, and the same number of email addresses, belong to US users. Accounting for almost 28% of all exposed data points, the US was the second-most affected region behind France. The leak exposed the personal data of 1.97 million French Pinterest users. India, China, and the UK are the next three most affected regions, with over 216,000 users. Brazil, Micronesia, Germany, and Japan had over 100,000 affected users.

Over 200 million US users have had their emails leaked in 2024

According to Surfshark, this leak takes the total number of leaked email addresses in the US this year to over 207 million. The firm’s cybersecurity research hub reports that nearly four billion emails have been leaked in the US since 2004. You should change your passwords at regular intervals and avoid clicking on suspicious links. Enabling 2FA (two-factor authentication) helps secure your account in the case of a data breach.


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Gboard could soon match your system font

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Gboard could soon match your system font
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Gboard, Google’s free virtual keyboard app, is a favorite for its seamless integration with other Google services right as you type. However, it has one drawback: it only shows characters in its default font, ignoring the font you have set in your device’s settings. But Google might be working on changing that by adding an option to switch between different fonts soon.

Gboard could soon let you pick a different font


In the latest Gboard beta version 14.4.06.646482735, there is a hint of a new Font setting in the keyboard Preferences menu. This feature might let you switch from Gboard’s default font to your device’s system font, giving you a more cohesive look.

Image credit – Assemble Debug / Android Authority

It looks like the new feature won’t let you pick any custom fonts for Gboard. Instead, you’ll only be able to switch to a different system font to change the keyboard’s appearance. Unfortunately, Android still doesn’t support native switching between different font styles for the entire operating system.So, this feature might not be as versatile as you’d hope. Only a few OEMs, like Samsung and OnePlus, offer support for multiple fonts in their Android skins. For users with devices that don’t have a custom skin allowing font changes, this new option might not be very useful.

For devices that do support this kind of customization, it should create a more seamless experience by matching the keyboard font with the system’s. Fingers crossed, this is just the beginning, and we’ll see a future where you can easily change the font for both the keyboard and the entire Android OS – no third-party apps, mods, or custom skins required.

The option to change Gboard’s font is still in the works and isn’t available in the current beta release. Google is expected to include it in a future update, but there is no set timeline for when it will arrive.

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Hackers Claiming Dettol Data Breach: 453,646 users Impacted

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Hackers Claiming Dettol Data Breach: 453,646 users Impacted
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A significant data breach has been reported by a threat actor known as ‘Hana,’ who claims to have compromised the personal information of 453,646 users of Dettol India. The breach was announced via a post on the social media platform X by FalconFeedsio.

Details of the Breach

According to the post, the compromised data includes sensitive information such as user IDs, usernames, passwords, parents’ names, mobile numbers, addresses, states, and PIN codes.

The breach has raised serious concerns about the security protocols at Dettol India, a leading brand in health and hygiene products.

The data breach was allegedly executed through Dettol India’s website (http://dettol.co.in), exposing a vast amount of personal data to potential misuse.

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The revelation has prompted immediate action from cybersecurity experts and authorities. Users affected by the breach are advised to change their passwords and monitor their accounts for suspicious activity.

The potential for identity theft and other cybercrimes is high, given the nature of the data that has been compromised. Dettol India has yet to issue an official statement regarding the breach.

However, experts urge the company to conduct a thorough investigation and implement more robust security measures to prevent future incidents.

The incident has also sparked a broader conversation about the need for stronger data protection laws and practices in India. This breach is a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities in the digital age.

As companies increasingly rely on digital platforms to engage with customers, the importance of cybersecurity cannot be overstated.

The Dettol data breach is one of the latest in a series of cyberattacks targeting major corporations, highlighting the need for continuous vigilance and improvement in cybersecurity measures.

The incident serves as a wake-up call for companies and consumers to prioritize data security and remain informed about the potential risks associated with online interactions.

As investigations continue, the focus will be on mitigating the damage and ensuring that such breaches do not recur in the future.

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Last Chance to Save BIG on the new Galaxy Z Fold 6

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Last Chance to Save BIG on the new Galaxy Z Fold 6
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Samsung’s pre-order phase for the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is getting ready to come to a close in a few more days, which means these sweet pre-order promos will be ending on Tuesday, July 23. That includes getting up to $1,500 off when you trade-in a phone for the Galaxy Z Fold 6. That brings the price down to $649, and that does include a storage upgrade to 512GB at that price. So if you’re tempted by the Galaxy Z Fold 6, now is the time to jump.

The Galaxy Z Fold 6 is the latest book-style foldable from Samsung, which has a larger 6.3-inch cover display this year which is also a bit wider at 22:9. While still maintaining that 7.6-inch main display, it also has upped the brightness on both displays to 2,600 nits of peak brightness. Samsung has equipped the Galaxy Z Fold 6 with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy, 12GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage. All of that is powered by a 4,400mAh capacity battery.

While this does look like a very iterative upgrade for the Galaxy Z Fold 6, it’s actually much more than that. I’ve been using it for a little over a week now, and I’ve fallen in love with the new boxy design for this phone. It looks stunning and somehow makes it look more premium. This also makes it easier to use, though it is sharper than previous phones since there are 90-degree corners here instead of them being rounded.

You can grab your Galaxy Z Fold 6 from Samsung at the link below.

Buy at Samsung


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Android users may see fewer “File might be harmful” warnings in Chrome in the near future

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Android users may see fewer “File might be harmful” warnings in Chrome in the near future
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Chrome is constantly testing new features and evolving. A new feature in the works now indicates that Android users will be getting fewer APK download warnings in Chrome.

There’s a lot of risk when you’re downloading APK files from places other than Google Play Store. In fact, if it ends up being malicious, it could create loads of problems on your Android phone and cause you headache after headache. Of course, Google wants to warn you about these risks, and Chrome on Android displays a warning prompt when you try to download APK files from another website.

This feature is undoubtedly useful, but the warnings can be overwhelming and unnecessary sometimes. You see warnings “File might be harmful” even if you’ve enabled Google Play Protect (GPP). GPP basically scans your apps and files to determine if they are malicious.

Google is reportedly working on eliminating unnecessary APK download warnings, specifically when you have Play Protect enabled on your device.

This won’t get rid of all download warnings though. The “File might be harmful” warning will still be visible to users when downloading a file if you have disabled Google Play Protect.

This feature is currently being tested, so it’s unclear when it will make it an official release.

In my opinion, warnings are always important but too many warnings can create the opposite effect and people might start ignoring them. If we have fewer warnings, then those will be more attention-worthy. However, I don’t consider getting rid of all warnings if you have GPP activated to be the best solution. It’s always good to have some sort of indication to users that they may be doing something bad for their phone.

Izzy, a tech enthusiast and a key part of the PhoneArena team, specializes in delivering the latest mobile tech news and finding the best tech deals. Her interests extend to cybersecurity, phone design innovations, and camera capabilities. Outside her professional life, Izzy, a literature master’s degree holder, enjoys reading, painting, and learning languages. She’s also a personal growth advocate, believing in the power of experience and gratitude. Whether it’s walking her Chihuahua or singing her heart out, Izzy embraces life with passion and curiosity.


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CrowdStrike Update Triggers Widespread Windows Crashes

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CrowdStrike Update Triggers Widespread Windows Crashes
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A recent update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike has caused significant disruptions for Windows users, leading to widespread reports of Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) errors.

The issue, affecting multiple versions of the company’s sensor software, has prompted urgent investigations and a swift response from CrowdStrike’s engineering team. A report from the Reddit platform states that a CrowdStrike update triggers widespread Windows crashes.

According to Timesnownews reports, users across various sectors have encountered BSOD errors on their Windows machines, which are attributable to the crashes caused by recent updates from CrowdStrike.

The problem seems widespread, affecting machines running different versions of the CrowdStrike sensor software.

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“We’re aware of a widespread issue causing BSOD errors on Windows machines across various sensor versions,” a CrowdStrike representative stated in a pinned forum message.

The company has acknowledged the problem and is actively investigating the root cause. The sudden crashes have disrupted business operations and personal computing, with many users expressing frustration over the unexpected downtime.

CrowdStrike’s forums have been inundated with reports and queries from affected users seeking solutions and updates.

Engineering Response and Reversion of Changes

CrowdStrike’s engineering team has been quick to respond to the crisis. According to a pinned thread on the company’s forum, the team has identified a content deployment related to the issue and reverted those changes.

This move is expected to mitigate further occurrences of the BSOD errors while a more permanent fix is developed. In the meantime, CrowdStrike has provided a workaround for users experiencing the crashes.

The recommended steps involve booting the affected Windows machine into Safe Mode or the Windows Recovery Environment, navigating to the C:\Windows\System32\drivers\CrowdStrike directory, locating the file matching “C-00000291*.sys”, and deleting it. Users can then boot their machines normally.

Technical Alert and Ongoing Investigations

CrowdStrike has assured users that a detailed Technical Alert (TA) will be published shortly, providing more information about the issue and potential solutions. The pinned forum thread will remain active to offer users easy access to updates and support.

Some users have praised the company’s swift action and transparent communication, while others remain concerned about the potential for further disruptions.

“It’s reassuring to see CrowdStrike taking immediate steps to address the problem,” said one user. “But we hope for a more permanent solution soon.”

CrowdStrike’s engineering team continues to investigate the underlying cause of the issue, aiming to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The incident has highlighted the challenges of maintaining complex cybersecurity systems and the importance of rapid response mechanisms in mitigating the impact of such disruptions.

The recent CrowdStrike update that triggered widespread Windows crashes has underscored cybersecurity firms’ critical role in ensuring their software’s stability and security.

While the immediate impact has been significant, the company’s proactive measures and ongoing investigations offer hope for a swift resolution. Users are advised to follow the provided workaround steps and stay tuned for further updates from CrowdStrike.

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