Google Bard could help you with your text messages

andreasc
-
0
Google Bard could help you with your text messages
[ad_1]

Artificial intelligence could help you with just about everything in life, so why not have it help you write your text messages? This is something that Google can be planning on doing. Thanks to a new leak, it appears that Google is working on implementing Bard into Google Messages. As you can imagine, this will make texting other people much easier.

At this point, the genie is out of the bottle; AI technology is here to stay. It has a ton of influence over the tech world and our lives (both positive and negative). Google has its “Help me write” feature present in products like Google Docs and Gmail. The company is working on bringing Help me write all throughout Chrome. The way this works is that you’ll be able to have AI generate content for you in any text field using the Chrome browser. This will bring the power of AI into many more corners of the average user’s life.

Google could eventually implement Bard into Google messages

At this point, this is still a leak and a rumor, so you’ll want to take this news with a grain of salt. Be that as it May, it looks to be pretty complete. Tipster AssembleDebug posted a few leaked screenshots of Google Messages with this feature. It’s complete enough to show up in the app, but it’s not 100% functional just yet.

In one screenshot, we see a message introducing the user to Bard. This message explains what it’s all about. It looks like Bard will have its own dedicated conversation much like Snapchat My AI. So, it seems like you’ll be able to interact with Bard in that conversation just like you would on the browser. You’ll send text-based queries through messages, and it will generate responses for you. In the second screenshot, we even see that Bard shows up as a contact.

The last screenshot shows the obligatory “read our terms of service” message explaining a bunch of information about Bard, and giving users the option to accept or decline it.

Google has been announcing a handful of new features for its apps lately. For example, Google Chat is finally getting voice messages. Also, Google Bard is on its way to the Google app. With this latest report, it seems that Google is gearing up for a sizable unveiling of new features. We’re not sure if this is going to be part of a new feature drop, or if Google is going to arbitrarily launch these additions. In any case, it’s nice to see the company releasing a ton of new and useful features to its products


[ad_2]
Source link

Ring curtails law enforcement’s access to footage

andreasc
-
0
Ring curtails law enforcement’s access to footage
[ad_1]

US law enforcement will no longer be able to request footage through the Neighbors app produced by Ring video doorbells and surveillance cameras.

Until now Ring’s Request for Assistance (RFA) function allowed law enforcement to ask for and obtain user footage, but this function will be retired.

Along with other changes, Ring announced on its blog how public safety agencies like fire and police departments can still use the Neighbors app to share helpful safety tips, updates, and community events, but they will no longer be able to use the RFA tool to request and receive video in the app.

Only in emergencies, Ring will share user’s footage without a court order.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) considers this a victory in a long fight. But it remains critical about the emergencies loophole, because there is no clear process for a Ring owner or a judge to rule when a situation is an emergency. The fear is that law enforcement will slowly erode what constitutes an emergency and end up requesting footage for less urgent matters.

We should not forget that Ring is a market leader and other companies are looking at its example, which is why it’s important to make sure that security and privacy are key values and not helping law enforcement.

As the EFF stated:

“Ring has been forced to make some important concessions—but we still believe the company must do more.”

In its blog, Ring brings up a lot of endearing examples of how its Neighbors app has helped families locate lost pets, and even lost family members, and how it has been used to share critical information during disasters and emergencies.

But if there is one thing history has taught us, it’s that eventually computer vision will be used for surveillance purposes against human beings.

For example. the EFF warned on a previous occasion about self-driving cars:

“The sheer amount of visual and other information collected by a fleet of cars traveling down public streets conjures the threat of the possibility for peoples’ movements to be tracked, aggregated, and retained by companies, law enforcement, or bad actors—including vendor employees. The sheer mass of this information poses a potential threat to civil liberties and privacy for pedestrians, commuters, and any other people that rely on public roads and walkways in cities.”

Combining the information with that of CCTV cameras, Ring doorbells, delivery robots, and what have you, brings us closer to 1984, rather than steering away from it. Being able to combine the gathered information with AI driven tools at some point, makes it only scarier.

We don’t just report on privacy—we offer you the option to use it.

Privacy risks should never spread beyond a headline. Keep your online privacy yours by using Malwarebytes Privacy VPN.


[ad_2]
Source link

Americans really want to delete their YouTube TV and Netflix subscriptions

andreasc
-
0
Americans really want to delete their YouTube TV and Netflix subscriptions
[ad_1]

People have to be entertained, that’s just a fact of life. Because of this, there are a ton of streaming services out there that offer people entertainment. However, many people subscribe to streaming services only to eventually unsubscribe for a myriad of reasons. Well, according to a new report, people seem all too happy to delete their YouTube TV and Netflix subscriptions.

A company can brag all they want about how many new subscriptions they get in a quarter. However, an important factor is also how many people choose to leave their subscriptions. A few years ago, Netflix dealt with a massive outflow of subscribers that totaled over a million. The company seems to be doing better now, even after it cracked down on password sharing.

Americans really want to delete their YouTube TV and Netflix subscriptions

Both YouTube TV and Netflix have seen price hikes in the past, and Netflix’s was the most recent. These are some of the more popular streaming services. YouTube TV (starting at $72.99/month) gives you access to a ton of cable TV channels that you can stream on several devices. As for Netflix (starting at $6.99/month), it has a huge reservoir of streamable movies and TV shows that you can get on demand. This includes its library of hit original series like Stranger Things, Bridgerton, Squid Game, Etc.

Be that as it may, not everyone is impressed. QR Code Generator Hub did some research into top streaming brands. The site looked at search volumes in the US market using Google Keyword Planner. It searched for terms like “how to unsubscribe from X” and “delete account X.” Then, it tallied the results.

The services people want to ditch the most

Of all the top streaming brands in the US market, more people searched for how to delete their YouTube TV subscriptions more than any other shipping service. It garnered about 35,491 searches monthly.

It’s important to note that this number does not directly translate into the number of people who unsubscribe from YouTube TV. It accounts for how many people are looking to unsubscribe. So, in a bit of a sad twist, the number of deleted subscriptions could be much higher. It could account for the people searching how to delete the subscriptions plus the number of people who actually know how to delete their subscriptions.

In second place, we have Netflix. While Netflix is in second place this number is a large margin smaller than YouTube TV’s. Monthly, 10,160 people searched for how to delete their Netflix accounts, which is 71% fewer than YouTube TV’s number.

Moving down the list, Hulu took the third spot with 5,350 monthly searches. In fourth place, Crunchyroll comes in with a slightly smaller 5,150 monthly searches. Finishing off the top five, we have Disney+ with an average of 3,557 monthly searches.

While so many people are looking to delete their subscriptions, none of these streaming services seem to be in deep trouble. People unsubscribing is just a natural part of hosting any streaming service.

As time goes on, and prices continue to rise, we’re definitely sure that the number of people wanting to unsubscribe will increase. We’ll just have to see how things go. It’s January now, so we should be seeing the Q4 2023 reports for these companies, so they will give us an idea of how many people are actually dropping.


[ad_2]
Source link

Thousands of Dark Web Posts Expose ChatGPT Abuse Plans

andreasc
-
0
Thousands of Dark Web Posts Expose ChatGPT Abuse Plans
[ad_1]

The cybersecurity researchers at Kaspersky have uncovered more than 3,000 posts on the dark web, where threat actors seek to abuse or maliciously exploit ChatGPT, OpenAI’s AI-powered chatbot.

The internet’s underbelly, the Dark Web, has evolved from being a hub for stolen data and illicit transactions to a breeding ground for developing AI-powered cybercrime tools, reports Kaspersky Digital Footprint Intelligence service. 

The findings are based on Kaspersky’s observation of Dark Web forum discussions throughout 2023. AI (Artificial intelligence) technologies are being exploited for illegal activities, with threat actors sharing jailbreaks via dark web channels and exploiting legitimate tools for malicious purposes. 

In September 2023, Hackread reported SlashNext researchers discovering threat actors promoting successful jailbreaks on AI chatbots and writing phishing emails. These actors are selling jailbroken versions of popular AI tools.

Particularly notable is cybercriminals’ preference for ChatGPT and Large Language Model (LLM), which simplifies tasks and increases information accessibility, but poses new security risks as cybercriminals can use them for malicious purposes.

Threat actors are exploring schemes to implement ChatGPT and AI, including malware development and illicit use of language models, explained Kaspersky digital footprint analyst Alisa Kulishenko.

Cybersecurity threats like FraudGPT and malicious chatbots were recurring topics on Dark Web forum discussions, with nearly 3,000 posts observed throughout the year, peaking in March 2023. Stolen ChatGPT accounts are also a popular topic, with advertisements surpassing 3,000 ads. 

Between January and December 2023, according to Kaspersky’s report, cybercrime forums regularly featured discussions on using ChatGPT for illegal activities. One post was about how to use GPT to generate polymorphic malware, which is harder to detect and analyze than regular malware.

Another post suggested using the OpenAI API to generate code with specific functionality while bypassing security checks. While no malware has been detected using this method, it is possible. 

ChatGPT-generated answers can solve tasks that previously required expertise, lowering entry thresholds into various fields, including criminal ones, by providing a single prompt for processing specific string formats. AI is incorporated in malware for self-optimization, with viruses learning from user behaviour to adapt attacks.

AI-powered bots are creating personalized phishing emails, manipulating users to reveal sensitive information. Cybercriminals are also using deepfakes, where AI is used to create hyper-realistic simulations, impersonate celebrities/personalities, or manipulate financial transactions, fooling unsuspecting users easily.

Moreover, researchers noted that cybercriminal forums integrate ChatGPT-like tools for standard tasks, with threat actors using jailbreaks to unlock additional functionalities. In 2023, 249 offers for selling these prompt sets were discovered.

Thousands of Dark Web Posts Expose ChatGPT Abuse Plans

Open-source tools for obfuscating PowerShell code are shared for research, but their easy accessibility can attract cyber criminals. Projects like WormGPT and FraudGPT raise concerns and developers warn against scams and phishing pages offering access to these tools.

This poses a significant challenge for cybersecurity experts and law enforcement agencies, as traditional detection methods become useless against AI-powered threats. New strategies and tools must be developed to combat this threat.

Investing in AI-powered security solutions, being cautious when opening suspicious emails, links, and attachments, and staying informed about the latest trends in cybercrime and AI is mandatory.

  1. McAfee’s Mockingbird AI Tool Detects Deepfake Audio
  2. Russian Hackers Eager to Bypass Restrictions to Abuse ChatGPT
  3. Researcher create polymorphic Blackmamba malware with ChatGPT
  4. China Arrests 4 Who Weaponized ChatGPT for Ransomware Attacks
  5. OpenAI Launches ChatGPT Bug Bounty Program – Earn $200 to $20k

[ad_2]
Source link

10 things to do to improve your online privacy

andreasc
-
0
10 things to do to improve your online privacy
[ad_1]

1. Set up two-factor authentication

Do this for as many of your online accounts as you can, especially the major ones like your email and social media accounts. Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds an extra step of protection and makes it much harder for attackers to login as you. We recommend using authenticator apps or physical security keys, but sometimes SMS is the easiest option and that’s fine. In most services you won’t have to enter the 2FA code every time, only when using a new device.

2. Use a different password for every account

If your password is breached on one site, cybercriminals can use that login information to access your other online accounts that use the same passwords. If you use a different password for each account they can’t do this. Make sure your passwords are long (15 characters or more is good) and use a mix of upper and lower case characters, numbers and symbols too.

To make it easy, you can chose a phrase or a line from a song you like (for instance: DancingInTheMoonlight1999!). You can also use a password manager built-in on your browser, or a stand-alone password manager (see below). If you’ve received a notification from Google, Malwarebytes or any other service telling you your password has been exposed make sure to not use it or any variation of it again for any of your accounts. 

3. Use a password manager

Making different and complicated passwords for each and every online account you have is one thing, but remembering them all is a lot more difficult. That’s why we use a password manager, and why you should too. It will generate passwords for you and then remember them all. Choose a vendor you trust for it, or simply use Apple or Google.

4. Keep software and hardware up to date

Make sure your computer, phone, browser, apps and other programs are always on the latest version. If someone finds a security bug, the company that makes that software or hardware will release a new version with a patch for the bug. If you’re not on the latest version, you will be vulnerable. We know it can sometime be a hassle to update the version – but it’s not only about the latest features, in many cases it’s about keeping you safe!

5. Double check everything

Got an email or SMS saying your delivery has been delayed that asks you to click on a link? Double check that you are expecting a delivery from where it says it’s coming from. Got a message from a friend on Facebook that seems off? Double check via text or phone that it is really them. Is your CEO suddenly asking you to buy $5000 of gift cards on the company credit card? Double check that it really is the CEO (it probably isn’t). There’s a ton of scams out there and they are getting more and more sophisticated with time, you just have to stay vigilant and aware of it.

6. Be careful who you share your real data with

Does that restaurant you’re making a reservation with really need to know your actual date of birth? Does that shopping site really need to know your mother’s maiden name as a password reset question? Consider carefully where you share your data and keep in the back of your mind that the service you are using could be breached. If it is breached, what of your information would be taken? If you can use false information, we really encourage you to do that. Pro-tip: create an “avatar online identity” for yourself with a separate email, date of birth and information you remember and use this information for vendors that don’t require your real identity.

7. Cover your camera

When your camera isn’t in use, make sure you cover it with a physical cover. You can get webcam covers that slide open and shut to make it easy for you to use your camera when you like, and they look a lot nicer than a sticking plaster! Hackers have been known to take over webcams and take snapshots – so sometimes a physical cover is our last line of defense!

8. Use an identity monitoring solution

Identity theft is a real challenge today, including stealing your credit and even opening new lines of credit in your name. Identity monitoring alerts you if your personal information is found being traded illegally online, and helps you recover after. Malwarebytes Identity Theft Protection can help with this.

9. Check what data of yours has already been exposed

It’s very likely that your personal information has already been involved in a breach, but you might be wondering how much information can be gained about you from all the pieces of data about you that’s online—aka your digital footprint. We created a tool that will show you just that. You enter your most commonly-used email address, we’ll run a scan and then we’ll send you the results. Try the free scan now.

10. Use security software

Finally, make sure you have protected your devices with security software. It doesn’t take long and it’s such a basic step we must all do. Malwarebytes Premium detects or blocks over 95 million pieces of malware a day so we definitely have you covered. We protect Windows, Mac, Chrome, Android, and iOS.

We don’t just report on threats – we help safeguard your entire digital identity

Cybersecurity risks should never spread beyond a headline. Protect your—and your family’s—personal information by using Malwarebytes Identity Theft Protection.


[ad_2]
Source link

HONOR Magic V2 specifications

andreasc
-
0
HONOR Magic V2 specifications
[ad_1]

The HONOR Magic V2 launched in China back in July last year. It took the company quite some time to bring it to more markets, but that just happened. A global variant of the HONOR Magic V2 launched today, and we’re here to take a closer look at its specifications.

Before we begin, do note that we’ll focus on the global variant here. The only differences are that it comes in fewer color variants, less RAM + storage options, and with a global software compared to the Chinese model.

The HONOR Magic V2 comes in glass & vegan leather variants

The HONOR Magic V2 comes in both glass and vegan leather variants. The former is available in a Purple color only, while the latter comes in black globally. There are some differences in terms of thickness and weight between the variants.

The glass model is both thicker and heavier. It measures 4.8mm when unfolded, and 10.1mm when folded. It weighs 237 grams. The Vegan Leather model measures 4.7mm when unfolded, 9.9mm when folded, and weighs 231 grams. Those differences are negligible, but still… they’re there.

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC fuels the HONOR Magic V2, while 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM comes included. This phone also offers 512GB of UFS 4.0 internal flash storage. The storage is non-expandable.

The HONOR Magic V2 includes very powerful specifications, including two 120Hz LTPO displays

A 7.92-inch foldable OLED display is included. That is an LTPO display with a refresh rate up to 120Hz. The external display measures 6.43 inches, and has a resolution of 2376 x 1060. That is also an LTPO AMOLED panel and it offers a refresh rate of up to 120Hz. The outer display can get a bit brighter, technically (2,500 nits), than the inner panel (1,600 nits). You’ll never reach such heights, though, and the numbers apply to HDR content.

A 5,000mAh battery sits inside the phone, and this is a silicon-carbon battery. It has a higher density than normal batteries, so a smaller footprint for the same capacity. The phone also supports 66W wired charging, and a charger comes included in the package. Wireless charging is not supported, but 5W reverse wired charging is.

Three cameras sit on the back, two of which are 50-megapixel units

A 50-megapixel main camera (f/1.9 aperture, OIS, PDAF, Laser Autofocus, 8×8 dToF) is backed by a 50-megapixel ultrawide camera (f/2.0 aperture) on the back. A 20-megapixel telephoto unit (f/2.4 aperture, OIS, 2.5x optical zoom) also sits on the back. Each of the two displays has a 16-megapixel selfie camera (f/2.2 aperture) included.

The phone does come with rather capable stereo speakers, but no audio jack. A side-facing fingerprint scanner is also included, and so is Bluetooth 5.3. Android 13 comes pre-installed here, along with MagicOS 7.2 skin.

The Porsche Design HONOR Magic V2 RSR was also launched. That device comes with double the storage (1TB), and a different-looking backside. It’s still glass on the back, though. That phone is gray-colored. Everything else is the same in terms of specs.


[ad_2]
Source link

High-performance Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 cores to reach new peak

andreasc
-
0
High-performance Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 cores to reach new peak
[ad_1]

According to a new report from Digital Chat Station, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 will reach a new peak in terms of its high-performance cores. Digital Chat Station is a well-known Chinese tipster, and he’s rarely wrong, so keep that in mind.

High-performance Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 are tipped to reach a new peak

Based on the information he shared, high-performance cores inside the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 could reach 4.00GHz. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3’s high-performance cores peak at 3.30GHz. Needless to say, this would be a huge boost.

As many of you know, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 will be manufactured using TSMC’s second-gen 3nm process. That should bring improved power efficiency to the table, in addition to the performance boost that the chip will get.

That chip could ditch efficiency cores altogether

Now, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 could ditch efficiency cores, much like MediaTek’s Dimensity 9300 did. That fact could provide a performance boost but also affect power efficiency. On the flip side, the new 3nm node will improve power efficiency, so perhaps things will balance out.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 is expected to offer a 2+6 core setup. The Adreno 830 GPU will be used, and based on some rumors, that GPU is faster than the one on Apple’s M2 chip. It remains to be seen though.

Qualcomm is expected to utilize Oryon cores

It’s also worth noting that Qualcomm plans to utilize its Oryon cores this time around. We wonder what kind of change will they represent in the general scheme of things.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 is expected to arrive in the fourth quarter of this year. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 arrived in late October, while the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 is rumored to arrive even sooner than that this year.

It will compete directly with the MediaTek Dimensity 9400 processor, needless to say. The two companies have been at it for quite some time now.


[ad_2]
Source link

The beloved T-Mobile Tuesdays app is dead, long live T Life now!

andreasc
-
0
The beloved T-Mobile Tuesdays app is dead, long live T Life now!
[ad_1]

The big change T-Mobile has been prepping for a few weeks now is (slowly) coming into effect for all of the “Un-carrier’s” new and existing subscribers, at least according to a number of Reddit threads and a series of internal documents made public by the folks over at The Mobile Report (who else?).
For its part, Magenta has yet to release an official statement confirming the imminent death of its hugely popular T-Mobile Tuesdays app and fully detailing the transition to T Life. This seemingly inexplicable secrecy might be viewed as a cause of concern by some of the operator’s longtime customers and perks hunters, but fret not, as the actual T-Mobile Tuesdays program is obviously not going anywhere.
Instead, you’ll simply have to look for your weekly loyalty rewards in a different place going forward. Specifically, in T Life, which is described as your “go-to app from T-Mobile that brings together your connected world.” 
That means T Life contains more than free stuff, discounts on gas, movie tickets, and so on and so forth, also letting you, for instance, control your 5G Home Internet (if you have such a service from T-Mo) and connect a SyncUP Kids Watch (if you own such a device) to your phone without needing to install a different standalone app for each tool.
The T-Mobile Tuesdays app appears to have been officially renamed in both Google Play and Apple’s App Store already, although you can naturally still find it by entering both its old and new monikers. That’s of course if you’re looking to download it for the first time, while existing users seem to be treated differently depending on their mobile operating system of choice.

If you’re on iOS and have app updates enabled on your iPhone, T Life should have already replaced T-Mobile Tuesdays on your end as well at some point in the last couple of days. Android users, meanwhile, will be a little slower to adopt the new name and expanded functionality, with a staggered rollout apparently taking place as we speak through February 5.

At that point, everyone should be able to live the best “T Life”, finding their T-Mobile Tuesdays perks and freebies inside and at least in theory enjoying the same great savings on all kinds of products, items, and services as before. But we still can’t shake off the feeling that T-Mobile is making this change in an unusually discreet manner, potentially aiming to “bury” a program that’s become more and more controversial in recent years. 

For their part, many Redditors seem to dislike not just the idea of the new app but its design and functionality as well, which T-Mo could of course correct with future updates. There are also already some privacy-invading concerns mentioned by a couple of different users, although there are also others that claim T Life works and looks fine to them, not viewing the transition away from a dedicated T-Mobile Tuesdays service as a big drama. 


[ad_2]
Source link

Russian TrickBot Malware Developer Pleaded Guilty

andreasc
-
0
Russian TrickBot Malware Developer Pleaded Guilty
[ad_1]

Vladimir Dunaev, a resident of Amur Blast and aged 40, has confessed to creating and distributing Trickbot malware. The purpose of the malware was to launch cyberattacks against various American hospitals and companies.

Trickbot has a collection of malware tools created to steal money and make ransomware deployment easier. Among the millions of Trickbot victims who lost tens of millions of dollars were hospitals, schools, and companies. Notably, Trickbot was taken down in 2022.

The malware was utilized to support many ransomware strains when it was operational, and it served as an initial intrusion vector into victim computer systems.

The U.S. Justice Department said Dunaev contributed specialized skills and technical expertise to support the Trickbot scheme. He pled guilty to charges of computer fraud, identity theft, and conspiring to commit bank and wire fraud.

Dunaev Misused Special Skills to Develop Trickbot Suite Of Malware

Dunaev developed malicious tools and browser modifications that made it easier to access credentials and mine data from compromised systems. 

He also developed program code that made it harder for legitimate security software to detect the Trickbot malware.

Using ransomware deployed by Trickbot, 10 victims in the Northern District of Ohio—including Avon schools and a real estate company in North Canton—were scammed out of about $3.4 million during Dunaev’s operation.

Document
Run Free ThreatScan on Your Mailbox

Trustifi’s Advanced threat protection prevents the widest spectrum of sophisticated attacks before they reach a user’s mailbox. Try Trustifi Free Threat Scan with Sophisticated AI-Powered Email Protection .

“As set forth in the plea agreement, Vladimir Dunaev misused his special skills as a computer programmer to develop the Trickbot suite of malware,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio.

“Dunaev and his co defendants hid behind their keyboards, first to create Trickbot, then using it to infect millions of computers worldwide — including those used by hospitals, schools, and businesses — invading privacy and causing untold disruption and financial damage”.

Dunaev was brought to the Northern District of Ohio in 2021 from the Republic of Korea and entered a guilty plea to charges of conspiring to commit bank and wire fraud, identity theft, and computer fraud.

The Sentencing

He will be sentenced on March 20, 2024, and the maximum term for both charges is 35 years in prison.

Dunaev and eight other defendants were accused in the initial indictment returned in the Northern District of Ohio for their claimed roles in developing, deploying, managing, and profiting from Trickbot.

One of Dunaev’s associates, Alla Witte, a Latvian national and developer of the Trickbot malware, pleaded to conspiracy to conduct computer fraud in June and was given a two-year and eight-month prison sentence.

Additionally, financial sanctions were imposed on some alleged Trickbot members by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) in February and September.

“Dunaev’s guilty plea and our collaboration with South Korea that made his extradition possible are a prime example of what we can accomplish together with our foreign partners,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.

 “Cybercriminals should know that countries around the world stand ready to bring them to justice and hold them accountable for their crimes.”


[ad_2]
Source link

HONOR Magic V2 has finally launched in a global variant

andreasc
-
0
HONOR Magic V2 has finally launched in a global variant
[ad_1]

The HONOR Magic V2 originally launched way back in July last year. The phone was announced in China back then. Following that, HONOR showed it off at IFA in Berlin back in September. HONOR did promise that a global variant of the Magic V2 is coming, and that just happened.

The global variant of the HONOR Magic V2 is official, it launched in Europe

It took the company quite some time to deliver it, but it just got announced in Leipzig, Germany. In addition to a regular HONOR Magic V2, which comes in two variants, the Porsche Design model also arrived. That phone was originally announced earlier this month in China, alongside the Magic6 series.

The Porsche Design model has the same specs as the regular model but comes with a different backplate and a different camera island. It also comes with more RAM than a standard model. The HONOR Magic V2 offers 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, while the Porsche Design variant ups that to 1TB of storage.

The phone comes in Black and Purple variants, in addition to a Porsche Design model

That being said, the HONOR Magic V2 comes in Black and Purple models. The Black variant has a Vegan Leather backplate, while the Purple model has a glass backplate. The Porsche Design model has a gray-colored backplate and a glass back.

The HONOR Magic V2 is only 9.9mm thick when folded, that goes for the Vegan Leather model. The glass model is 0.2mm thicker at 10.1mm. The phone weighs either 231 or 237 grams, depending on the variant, the Vegan Leather variant is lighter. The Porsche Design iteration is in the middle with 234 grams.

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor fuels this smartphone, while Android 13 comes pre-installed with MagicOS 7.2 on top of it. A 5,000mAh battery sits inside the phone, and that’s a feat on its own. That’s a silicon-carbon battery, which is why HONOR managed to fit it inside.

It has three cameras on the back, and two 120Hz LTPO displays

A 50-megapixel main camera is backed by a 50-megapixel ultrawide unit, and a 20-megapixel telephoto camera (2.5x optical zoom). Each display has a 16-megapixel selfie camera on it (hole punch cutouts).

There is a 7.92-inch 2156 x 2344 Foldable LTPO OLED display (up to 120Hz refresh rate) included on the front. It goes up to 1,600 nits of peak brightness. The cover panel measures 6.43 inches, and that’s an LTPO OLED display as well (up to 120Hz refresh rate). That display has a max brightness of 2,500 nits.

Stereo speakers are also a part of the package, and the same goes for the side-facing fingerprint scanner. 66W wired charging is supported, and the charger is included in the package. The phone also supports 5W reverse wired charging.

The HONOR Magic V2 is quite pricey

Many of you are probably wondering about the price. Well, first of all, HONOR announced the availability of this phone in Europe. It’s priced at €1,999 / £1,699.99 (the UK). It goes on sale today. We still don’t have the price tag for the Porsche Design variant, but it’ll be significantly more expensive.

HONOR did not mention availability for other markets. The global variant of the phone is here, with global software, but it is only launching in Europe, at least for now.

Buy the HONOR Magic V2 (HONOR)

 


[ad_2]
Source link
1...488489490...1,478Page 489 of 1,478