OnePlus has released a new update for its foldable device, the OnePlus Open, bringing some notable improvements to the camera functionality, but not Android 14. Users eager for the latest Android 14 experience will likely have to exercise patience, as the update is based on OxygenOS 13.2 and not the anticipated OxygenOS 14.
The recently deployed update (via Android Authority) is labeled as firmware CPH2551_13.2.0.201(EX01) and is 508.98MB in size. This update includes the the Android security patch for November 2023.
A notable camera enhancement includes the ability to set a specific exposure value while taking images in ‘Photo’ mode. However, the absence of Android 14 in OnePlus’s foldable device is leaving some of its users yearning for the latest additions form Google.
With the update OnePlus Open gets the ability to lock the exposure in ‘Photo’ mode
This is particularly relevant for OnePlus Open users who may have anticipated an Android 14 upgrade, considering that OnePlus has already rolled out Oxygen OS 14, based on Android 14, to its OnePlus 11 and OnePlus 10 Pro devices. The disparity in the update status across OnePlus’s flagship lineup raises questions about the timeline for Android 14’s arrival on one of the company’s most premium devices, the foldable OnePlus Open.
As OnePlus typically stages its updates over a few days, users may not immediately see this new firmware on their OnePlus Open devices. To check if the latest update is available, users can navigate to Settings > System > System updates and tap the “Check for updates” button.
While the current update brings valuable camera enhancements, the community eagerly awaits news on when OnePlus will introduce Android 14 to the OnePlus Open. The delay raises speculation about a potential Android 14 rollout in January. It leaves the users to weigh the benefits of the current camera improvements and the latest security patch against the anticipation for the next Android iteration.
Golshan’s schemes involved SIM swapping, social media account takeovers, Zelle payment fraud, and impersonating Apple Support personnel.
A 25-year-old man from downtown Los Angeles has been sentenced to 8 years in federal prison for orchestrating a series of online scams that defrauded hundreds of victims of over $740,000.
Amir Hossein Golshan (PDF) was convicted of one count of unauthorized access to a protected computer to obtain information, one count of wire fraud, and one count of accessing a computer to defraud and obtain value.
Golshan’s schemes involved SIM swapping, social media account takeovers, Zelle payment fraud, and impersonating Apple Support personnel. He used these methods to steal money, NFTs, cryptocurrency, and other valuable digital property from his victims.
It looks like the SIM swapper who impersonated Apple Support to steal $386K worth of crypto and NFTs (BAYC 9012) from @Mr312 last year was just sentenced to 8 years in prison + ordered to pay $1.2M in restitution.
In one instance, Golshan targeted a Los Angeles-based model and influencer with over 100,000 Instagram followers. He gained access to her Instagram account and impersonated her to her friends, requesting them to send him money through Zelle, PayPal, and other online payment platforms.
Several of the victim’s friends sent Golshan money, totalling thousands of dollars, believing they were sending money to the victim. In another instance, Golshan impersonated Apple Support personnel to gain unauthorized access to several victims’ Apple iCloud accounts. He then stole NFTs, cryptocurrency, and other valuable digital property from these accounts.
In another case, he stole an NFT valued at approximately $319,000 and approximately $70,000 worth of cryptocurrency from a victim. U.S. District Judge Otis D. Wright II, who sentenced Golshan, stated that his crimes went “beyond just money” and that they showed a “wanton cruelty” that caused the victims to live in a state of “constant fear and worry.”
According to the US Department of Justice’s press release on Monday, November 27, 2023, Golshan has been in federal custody since June 2023 for violating the terms of his pretrial release. In addition to his prison sentence, he is ordered to pay $1,218,526 in restitution to his victims.
A few years ago I wrote about the one Apple Maps feature that keeps me favoring the native iOS navigation app over Google Maps. When you need to make a turn, Apple Maps is likely to inform you to “turn right after the second traffic light” as opposed to hearing “In a quarter of a mile, turn right on Main Street.” Everyone is different but personally, I’d prefer to count traffic lights than guess what a quarter of a mile is while trying to read the street sign.
While Apple has added some exciting new features to Maps over the last few years, so has Google. But there is one area where Apple is behind Google Maps and it was mentioned in a post by Redditor Daehtop_Yrrah. The post reads, “A new section of freeway opened near me almost two weeks ago. Apple Maps still doesn’t show it, Google Maps showed it before it was open with ‘Road Closed’ signs. Apple Maps shows the highway ending at this previous endpoint but Google shows it ending at the new interchange. Both maps have a white square in the same location.”
Apple Maps (L) failed to include a new roadway that was included (R) in Google Maps
As noted in the Reddit post and Autoevolution, Apple has a problem quickly updating Apple Maps to show newly opened roads. This doesn’t seem to be an issue for Google Maps. There is a way to tell Apple about a new road. You can stick a “pin” in the area on Maps and “report an issue.” Options include adding a new street or reporting “something else.” If you select the latter, you can mention any other issue you might be having with the app
Other Redditors have written about similar circumstances. ” A Reddit subscriber with the user name “Lambor14” posted, “I have faced the same issue. It’s so weird since their road closure data is pretty much always up to date even in the most obscure places, but they can rarely add new roads on time. This is especially crucial in my region as hundreds of kilometers of highways and expressways are opened each year. I got so frustrated that I went on a huge side quest of reporting every single missing part of the Polish freeway system and each and every small issue I notice in Warsaw. So far Apple has been pretty slow processing the requests, but as long as they add everything in the end I’ll be satisfied.”
Still, most Apple Maps users would prefer that changes to the roadways be made as soon as possible.
StorageGuard scans, detects, and fixes security misconfigurations and vulnerabilities across hundreds of storage and backup devices.
CVE-2023-6345:
A remote attacker who had infiltrated the renderer process could have been able to carry out a sandbox escape using a malicious file thanks to an integer overflow in Skia in Google Chrome versions before 119.0.6045.199.
The severity range of this vulnerability is High. The vulnerability is currently being investigated process.
CVE-2023-49103:
This relies on a third-party GetPhpInfo.php library that provides a URL, and it reveals the configuration information of the PHP environment. The information contains the most sensitive data such as ownCloud admin password, mail server credentials, and license key.
Furthermore, phpinfo makes many other potentially sensitive configuration details available that an attacker could use to learn more about the system. Thus, this vulnerability should still be of concern even if ownCloud is not operating in a containerized context.
The severity range of this vulnerability is critical(10.0) and is also under the investing process.
Experience how StorageGuard eliminates the security blind spots in your storage systems by trying a 14-day free trial.
Yesterday, the FCC certified Samsung‘s Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24+, and Galaxy S24 Ultra for the US launch. The certifications revealed a few things about the phones, including Wi-Fi 6E support for the former two and Wi-Fi 7 for the latter. Now, the American regulatory agency has certified the S Pen that Samsung will ship with the Ultra model. The documents uploaded to the FCC website give us a photo of the accessory.
FCC certifies the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s S Pen
The Galaxy S24 Ultra’s S Pen has the model number EJ-PS928, which matches the phone’s model number (SM-S928). Samsung has already secured a few regulatory approvals for the accessory, including one from the Bluetooth SIG, which develops Bluetooth standards and technologies and licenses them to manufacturers. It confirmed Bluetooth 5.1 support, unchanged from the previous-gen model (for the Galaxy S23 Ultra).
The FCC certification does not give us any new information. Well, not anything that can be valuable to end users, such as the battery capacity and latency. We can see its frequency range and a few other technical details, but those hardly matter. However, one of the documents has a photo of the S Pen. It shows a stylus pen identical to the previous version. The pen has a button on the body and a clicky push button at the top. It measures 104.64mm in length.
Unfortunately, that is all we know about the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s S Pen currently. With Bluetooth 5.1 confirmed, Samsung hasn’t upgraded its connectivity standard. Bluetooth 5.3 has been around for a few years, while the core specification of Bluetooth 5.4 was released earlier this year. It remains to be seen if the company has lowered the latency further. The current model has a latency of 2.8 milliseconds.
The 2024 Samsung flagships are arriving early
Samsung launched the Galaxy S23 series on February 1, 2023. It opened general sales on the 17th of the month. Next year, it plans to bring new flagships to the market early. There are strong indications that the Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24+, and Galaxy S24 Ultra will go official on January 17, 2024, with sales beginning on January 30. The Korean firm wants to capitalize on the growing demand for premium smartphones.
The 2024 Galaxy flagships will feature the latest Samsung and Qualcomm chipsets—the Exynos 2400 and Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (custom version). The company’s biggest focus appears to be advanced on-device AI processing, with AI features built into the system for proactive and intuitive assistance. We may see more detailed leaks about the Galaxy S24 series ahead of the rumored launch in mid-January.
Telegram is rolling out a major new update, adding several new features. Voice transcription, previously exclusive to Premium subscribers, is now available for everyone, though still with some limitations. Video messages on stories, reposting stories, and finding similar channels are other notable additions to the app.
Telegram brings voice transcription to free users
In June 2022, Telegram launched a $4.99 monthly subscription service that removed ads from the messaging app and offered exclusive features such as larger file uploads, faster downloads, larger groups, animated profile pictures, unique stickers and reactions, and voice-to-text transcription. The latter tool is coming to free users with the latest update. Anyone can tap the “→A” next to audio messages to quickly get a text version.
While Premium subscribers can transcribe unlimited audio messages, free users can convert only two messages per week. We hope Telegram will increase that limit later. Meanwhile, Telegram shows you similar public channels when you join a new channel. They appear in a carousel at the bottom of a channel you have just joined. You can also find similar channels in a channel’s profile.
Telegram Stories, which debuted a few months back, now supports reposting. A repost button at the bottom of stories posted by friends and favorite channels lets you quickly post them to your page. You can even add extra content on top of a story before reposting it. Telegram allows adding text, audio, or circular video for more context or commentary. You can manage visibility settings for your repost.
Video messages you add to stories—original and reposts—can be resized and moved around the screen. You can also pick the starting and ending frames for the video. Channels can now see statistics and detailed graphs for story views, shares, and reactions, helping them track their reach and performance. Channel admins can add custom reactions too. They get one custom reaction for each level.
Premium users get more profile color customizations
Telegram Premium lets users choose a unique color for their name, links, and replies, which show up in messages. The latest update gives more color combinations with the ability to add unique logos. Additionally, Premium users can customize wallpapers for both sides in a one-to-one conversation.
Other new features include coding language detection, improvements for Topics, and Thanos Snap Effects on iOS. All these changes are now rolling out on Android and iOS and should be available to everyone over the next few days. You can click here to update or download the latest version of Telegram from the Google Play Store.
The ASUS ZenFone 10 is easily the most underrated smartphone of the year; it deserves way more recognition.
ASUS has been releasing compact flagship-grade smartphones for years now. Both the ASUS ZenFone 8 and ZenFone 9 were very compelling devices, and this year, the company launched the ZenFone 10. Much like its predecessors, the ASUS ZenFone 10 did not get the recognition it deserves, which is why we wanted to highlight it as the most underrated smartphone of 2023 as part of our yearly awards.
The ASUS ZenFone 10 is not only a very powerful smartphone, but it’s a compact one on top of that. As if that’s not enough, the phone has a great price tag too. It’s almost identical to its predecessor in terms of design, but that’s not a bad thing, not at all.
Back when it launched in June, it featured not only the most powerful processor ASUS could find but also the fastest RAM and storage, and plenty of it. All the other specs are also very good, including its 144Hz AMOLED display, which is flat, a rather capable set of cameras, wired and wireless charging, and so on.
A truly comfortable-to-use smartphone, great for one-hand usage too
Let’s dissect this a bit more just to give you a better idea of what you’re getting here. The ASUS ZenFone 10 is made out of metal, and a soft-touch plastic, basically. That plastic placed on the back doesn’t feel like plastic at all, though. It feels like a combination of plastic, rubber, and paper. It sounds odd, but it feels great to the touch, and ASUS even improved it this year, compared to the ZenFone 9, so it should be more durable now. In other words, it should be able to keep its original look for longer. In our testing, that did happen; the phone did a great job even after months of use. It’s also very comfortable to hold and use, it’s easily one of the best smartphones out there for one-hand usage. We can always nitpick, like about the fact it doesn’t have uniform bezels, but the positives are heavily in the lead here, as far as the design is concerned. ASUS nailed it.
ASUS ZenFone 10 Backside
The performance is also buttery smooth. We’ve tested a ton of smartphones this year, and the ZenFone 10 is still one of the smoothest ones in terms of performance, if not the smoothest one. Its internals are powerful, sure, but the software is outstanding as well. ASUS’ ZenUI is basically stock Android with a bunch of useful additions from the company. There are only useful features added here, for convenience. These features are here to make your life easier, but you don’t have to use them, of course.
It offers outstanding battery life and wireless charging as well.
Despite the fact this is a small phone, the battery life is outstanding. That’s another main advantage of the ZenFone 10. We were able to hit the 10-hour screen-on-time mark with this phone. That’s unreal, considering that we’re looking at a phone with a 5.92-inch display. Getting 8-9 hours of screen-on time with this phone on a regular basis was easily doable. Its 30W wired charging was more than enough, and ASUS also added 15W wireless charging this time around for convenience.
The cameras on the phone may not be the best on the market, but they’re good. You’re missing the telephoto camera, but the main and ultrawide shooters do a good job. ASUS could tone down the sharpening and saturation, but this is the look the company opted for when it comes to its cameras, and that’s just fine. The camera performance is consistent, and it provides good results. This phone also has some of the best video stabilization you’ll see in a phone, which also comes in handy when you’re taking pictures.
ASUS ZenFone 10 camera UI
The ZenFone 10 should be way more popular than it is
Why did people not recognize the phone more? Well, ASUS is a well-known brand, but it’s not as recognizable in the smartphone world as it should be. ASUS has to strive towards the goal of changing that. Making compelling devices will surely help the company, but the other part of the package is marketing, which needs to be more aggressive. The ASUS ZenFone 10 is yet another winner for the company; it’s an outstanding phone that deserves to be in the hands of many more people than it currently is. We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: this is easily one of the best compact smartphones on the market, and surely the best one with a sub-6-inch display.
The Google Pixel 8 is rather compact, and that’s a good thing. It’s the best option for most people.
Google announced two flagship smartphones this year, the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. While the ‘Pro’ model is rather large and spec-wise the best the company has to offer, the Pixel 8 is probably the best option for most people. The Google Pixel 8 is more compact than its predecessor, the Pixel 7, and for the better. It creates more of a difference between the vanilla and ‘Pro’ models, and truth be said, this size will probably fit most people better. The Google Pixel 8 is, for us, the best compact smartphone of 2023.
The Google Pixel 8 size is a nice balance between small & large
This phone has a 6.2-inch display, which is not small by any means. That panel is large enough for basically anything, and yet the phone ends up being rather compact as a result. Of course, thin bezels help, too. To make things even better, the sheer design of the phone helps with things, too. The Pixel 8 is quite curvy, which makes it comfortable to use. It is slippery, sure, but it doesn’t cut into your hand in any way, shape, or form. The display is also flat, which helps with the grip, and besides, most people prefer flat displays either way.
Google Pixel 8 back side
Phones can be too small, the same way they can be too big. Well, this one finds a nice balance between the two. Pretty much every person who held the phone said that they liked the size, which says a lot, actually. People are used to big phones, but only because the companies forced them to be. Large phones are everywhere, and finding a good compact phone is not always so easy. So it’s nice to see that we have some nice options out there this year.
Good design is boosted by great camera performance & AI features
Now, sure, the Pixel 8 is a compact device and is a good size. What about the rest of the phone, though? Well, during our review, we really enjoyed it through and through. That camera visor on the back makes sure the phone doesn’t wobble on the table, and it’s also a great anchor point for your index finger when you’re holding the device. The performance of the device is also on point. The Google Tensor G3 may not be the most powerful chip in the market, but it does offer great performance nonetheless. On top of that, it enables the phone to take advantage of a number of AI features, including camera AI features.
Google Pixel 8 rear cameras
Software is usually one of the main selling points of Google’s smartphones, and this time is no different. The Pixel 8 has a lot to offer software-wise. Not only is the UI very clean and minimal, but there are a number of AI features that you can take advantage of. It doesn’t really have as many features as the ‘Pro’ model, but all the major ones are included. This phone can create unique wallpapers for you, thanks to Generative AI. The ‘Summarize’ feature is also very useful for longer text, not to mention Zoom Enhance, Audio Eraser, and Magic Editor, to name a few. You can read more about them in our full review.
Google will properly support this phone for seven years, which is market-leading
The battery life on the phone is nothing to write home about; it’s not far from being bad. It will be more than enough for most people, and wireless charging is also included. To top it all off, this smartphone will be supported for seven years, and we’re not talking just about security updates. Google promised seven years of proper OS and security updates, with feature drops included. The Google Pixel 8 is a great choice, especially if you’re fed up with huge phones, and its price tag is also more than good. It’s not difficult to understand why we opted to give the Pixel 8 our best compact smartphone of 2023 award.
OnePlus, a global smartphone maker, is celebrating a monumental milestone – its tenth anniversary. Founded with a vision to redefine smartphone technology, OnePlus has consistently innovated the industry, offering a decade marked by constant pursuit and great user experiences.
Pete Lau, the founder of OnePlus, reflected on this journey in a letter. He shared it on the OnePlus community forum. Innovations like fluid OS experiences, SuperVOOC charge, and collaborations with Hasselblad have consistently pushed the boundaries of mobile expectations.
A Journey of “Never Settle”: From OnePlus One to the upcoming OnePlus 12
In 2023, OnePlus experienced a remarkable 59% increase in global device sales compared to the same period last year. It underscores the brand’s growing connection with consumers.
Looking forward, OnePlus maintains its commitment to product excellence with a focus on fast and smooth experiences, advanced camera technologies, and AI-optimized software. Beyond technology, OnePlus acknowledges its impact, emphasizing diversity, and sustainability. The company is actively pursuing green and low-carbon operations, and promoting hardware and software longevity to reduce electronic waste.
The company is launching exciting programs, inviting users to participate in the festivities to celebrate the decade-long journey, reports Yahoo Finance. A short film, capturing the spirit of “Never Settle,” will be released on December 15. From December 9 to 15, OnePlus will reportedly unveil new tech products daily.
OnePlus celebrating its decade-long journey
Pete Lau shared an exclusive detail about the OnePlus 12, the brand’s upcoming flagship. The device will feature a special packaging box with a thank-you list printed on it, expressing gratitude to core community contributors. They played a vital role in OnePlus’ decade-long journey.
As part of the anniversary celebrations, OnePlus has organized a series of events and promotions. It extends gratitude to its loyal users. The OnePlus 12, with heightened anticipation, promises to exceed all expectations, as Li Jie, the president of OnePlus China officially claimed the OnePlus 12 to be more capable than most of its flagship competitors.
Discover Particle Network’s Web3 evolution! From a Wallet-as-a-Service tool to the Intent-Centric Modular Access Layer, explore the platform’s commitment to empowering developers and enhancing user experiences.
Particle Network, a key player in the Web3 world, is shaking things up with a strategic shift toward becoming the Intent-Centric Modular Access Layer of Web3. In a recent blog post, the platform shared its vision for this transformation, signaling a big change aimed at giving developers more power and revamping user experiences in the Web3 domain.
Starting as a Wallet-as-a-Service (WaaS) tool, Particle Network has come a long way, adopting cool tech like account abstraction (AA) and giving birth to Modular Smart WaaS. Now, it’s about to roll out a game-changing tech stack, focusing on making Web3 more user-friendly, with Modular Smart WaaS as the main building block.
The star of Particle’s future plans is the Intent Fusion Protocol, a user-friendly framework to express, transform, and execute intents, powered by a Solver Network and a Domain Specific Language. Alongside that, the Confidential zkStack plays a crucial role, keeping user data private when using Web3 apps.
But that’s not all – Particle Network is also spotlighting its own PoS zkEVM, the Particle Chain, and a token-based economic model. The Particle Network Token is the VIP here, covering fees, securing the network, and even being part of governance decisions.
The big idea behind Particle Network’s evolution is creating a seamless Web3 world for developers and users. By focusing on cool features, Particle Network wants to shift the industry from being tech-focused to being more user-friendly. The goal is to make Web3 simpler, more private, and better connected, without diving into the nitty-gritty details of gas, chains, and accounts.
Pengyu Wang, the CEO, shared his thoughts on this journey, saying, “What Particle Network has become today is all thanks to our team, partners, and community working together. Things like Modular Smart WaaS, the Intent Fusion Protocol, and our Confidential zkStack show how committed we are to making the Open Web more accessible.”
